With Diesel 10 finally announced, the next priorities for new toolings in HO Scale are Harvey, Whiff, Hiro and Norman. The number one priority for engine repaints is Splatter and Dodge. Harvey and Whiff are the last engines for HO Scale who appeared in both model and CGI.

For N Scale, as Diesel, Paxton, LBSC Thomas and Origin James arrive in stock later this year, and Henry soon gets shown fully painted, the number one priority is Edward, without question. Rolling stock we need the most are the logoless coal wagon, red coaches, gray van, and most of all, the BR 20-Ton Brake Van. Shame the LMS Brake Van got cancelled. By popular demand, Bachmann could announce the logoless coal wagon in the catalog.

The 2027 catalog has to announce a new Narrow Gauge engine, be it Luke, or a repaint like Smudger or Proteus.

The next engine for Large Scale could be Sidney, Mainland Diesel, Origin James, or Stanley. The former two have HO Scale models coming soon. Stanley would be a good choice for Large Scale, since he'd reuse Thomas' chassis like his HO Scale model did. Could we get Large Scale Stanley announced in the 2027 catalog?

Sometime next year, we should see the first unpainted sample of Diesel 10, and he's the most anticipated model for HO Scale since Daisy. The second larger diesel in the range. Now that he's been announced, the only engines left for HO Scale that appeared in both model and CGI are Harvey and Whiff. Shouldn't be too much longer before we see Flying Scotsman's unpainted sample.

With Sidney and Mainland Diesel hitting store shelves early next year, the next pair of Class 08 shunters for HO Scale must be Splatter and Dodge to go with Diesel 10. The tooling already exists for Splatter and Dodge, and now that the boss has been announced, we need his two bumbling minions. They would have the same blackened metal siderods the discontinued 'Arry and Bert have, plus no stepladders. Splatter and Dodge are definitely a higher priority than Fernando, another potential Class 08 repaint.

The new HO Scale Thomas and Percy should have front couplers, and we may see partially open cabs like what Ryan and Stanley have.

Matt will discuss the NMRA announcements in the upcoming stream.

We never thought in a million years that Bachmann would be retooling the first engines in the range. Once they get released, it may be time to discontinue the original Thomas and Percy models. The new models must have front couplers. Percy especially needed it, since his model was bad. Maybe the new Thomas will get Celebration and LBSC variants.

Maybe a re-tooled HO Scale James will also be announced next year, and he'd get Origin and Busy Bee variants later on. The re-tooled James should get an open cab, front coupler, and a CGI face.

Now that we got the mid-year announcements, here's some possibilities for the 2027 catalog.

HO Scale:
Whiff, Norman, Harvey, or Re-tooled James, if it's another new tooling.
Splatter and Dodge, Green Salty, or Blue Bill and Ben if any engine repaints. The former duo would go great with Diesel 10, and the tooling exists.
Gordon's Special Coaches and Coal Wagon Troublesome Truck #8 for rolling stock. Toffee Tanker might require a new tooling.
Updated Henrietta with face, along with Hannah are also possible for rolling stock.
Works Unit Coach in green, orange and blue for new-tooled rolling stock.

Narrow Gauge:
Luke, if a new tooling.
Smudger or Proteus, if a repaint of an existing tooling.
Tan and Gray Brake Vans and Box Vans for rolling stock

N Scale:
Edward and possibly Duck, since we're getting several engines released later this year.
Sidney, Mainland Diesel, 'Arry and Bert, or Busy Bee James if any engine repaints.
Logoless Coal Wagon w/ Load, Gray Van, Red Coaches, and BR 20-Ton Brake Van for rolling stock. Brake vans are desperately needed in N Scale.

Large Scale:
Stanley, Rosie, or Bill and Ben if a new tooling.
Sidney, Mainland Diesel, or Origin James if any engine repaints.
Sodor Fuel Tanker, Gray 12-Ton Van, and Christmas Wreath Van for rolling stock.

With several N Scale engines being released by the end of the year, the 2027 catalog is really the time to announce N Scale Edward. HO Scale should also get Splatter and Dodge to go with the anticipated Diesel 10 model. Now that the boss has been announced, demand for Splatter and Dodge will skyrocket. Large Scale Stanley would recycle Thomas' chassis, much like his HO Scale model.

So HO Scale is finally getting Diesel 10, along with new toolings for Thomas and Percy. I didn't realize the latter two were actually getting new toolings until I got a good look at the fine print after looking at all the other announcements. Maybe James will get the same treatment. For rolling stock, HO Scale is also getting three different colors of stone wagons, plus the chocolate syrup tanker, which had been exclusive to Large Scale for years, until now.

No new Narrow Gauge engine just yet, but we are getting tipper wagons for it.

N Scale is also getting no new engine just yet, which is understandable with several shipping later this year (Diesel, Paxton, LBSC Thomas and Origin James) and Henry only recently entered the unpainted stage, but we are getting the red express coaches, but sadly, the Sodor Coal wagon and the mining wagon were chosen over the original logoless coal wagon. We're also getting the funfair vans, but the gray van would've been nice. Still desperately need a brake van in N Scale though... Hopefully, Edward for sure gets announced in the 2027 catalog. N Scale is also getting Tidmouth Sheds as the first structure for the range.

At long last, after 13 years since Toby, Large Scale finally gets Henrietta, along with Hannah. Bachmann decided it was finally time to give Toby his faithful coach. Realizing two characters can be made from the same tooling.

Anyway, Diesel 10 is one of the most exciting announcements Bachmann has made in recent years, and is the second larger diesel for the range since Daisy. We'll see how the claw will work. We know only his rear bogie will be powered to cut down on cost. Now that we're getting their boss, maybe we'll get Splatter and Dodge announced for HO Scale in the near future, especially since they can be made from an existing tooling. Maybe even Lady could happen, though she would require a new tooling, and she's not based on a real class of engine, though they did retroactively try to assign one to her. Lady would be a good tribute to the late Britt Allcroft. Maybe the next new tooling for HO Scale can be Harvey. Fans have requested so long for Thomas and Percy's HO Scale models to get updated with more accurate toolings, and now they're finally happening. Maybe the new Thomas will get LBSC and Celebration variants as well. If they did James, they would also need to release Busy Bee and Origin variants.

Tomorrow's the day we get to see the mid-year announcements. On the first day of August. Just one more day until the NMRA brochure is up. Already discussed my thoughts and predictions in the other thread.

Bachmann's Facebook confirmed that the mid-year announcements will be on Saturday, and not Friday. Looks like I was wrong.

NMRA brochure this Friday, and it's getting closer.

I doubt Sidney and Mainland Diesel would get announced for Large Scale or N Scale just yet, at least until after their HO Scale models hit store shelves early next year. One other possible engine repaint for Large Scale is Origin James. N Scale could get Busy Bee James, but with the backlog clearing fast, it's time a new tooling gets announced for N Scale, like Edward or Duck. Hopefully the next N Scale announcement is Edward, so we'd have a complete original Steam Team.

The next HO Scale engine might be Harvey, Diesel 10, or someone else we wouldn't expect. May not be Hiro or Whiff. Should be someone we never thought would get made, like when Flying Scotsman got announced last year.

As for Narrow Gauge, if it's going to be a while before they do put Duncan back on the cards, Luke is definitely the next best choice, and he can be made based on his prototype, Peter Pan. We got plenty of rolling stock in the line for Luke. With no backlog left for Narrow Gauge, it's time to announce some stuff for it. Luke is the option for a new tooling, while Smudger and Proteus are options for engine repaints of existing toolings.

It may be a while before HO Scale does get Fernando, one of the last Class 08 repaints left for that scale, along with Splatter and Dodge.

One more week before the NMRA brochure is up.

Bachmann should also post the images of N Scale LBSC Thomas, Origin James, Diesel and Paxton.

So it wasn't an accident that all the new Class 08 models don't have silver front cab windows, as they're all painted over in the show. Even Diesel had his front cab windows blanked out. Though Paxton's HO and Large Scale models had silver front cab windows.

Though I don't understand why they got painted over in the show, as how is a driver supposed to see through them?

Quote from: RailsByRick on July 12, 2026, 02:11:09 PMAfter looking at the new HO Scale 08s more closely, I realized the front cab windows aren't painted. I double-checked the other 08s by Bachmann, and they are in fact painted on those models. This may be a small thing, but I hope it is corrected on the final models.

You're the first person to notice. It's also like that on N Scale Diesel and Paxton. Hope that can be fixed on their final models, and have those front cab windows painted. N Scale Diesel and Paxton, along with HO Scale Sidney and Mainland Diesel should have painted front windows.

At any given day, Bachmann has to post the final images of N Scale Diesel, Paxton, LBSC Thomas, Origin James, HO Scale Sidney and Mainland Diesel, and Large Scale LBSC Thomas. Along with any rolling stock for those scales that are due for release soon. All upcoming products that have painted samples.

Soon, Bachmann's Facebook should show high quality images of HO Scale Sidney and Mainland Diesel. I'll look forward to that.

After seeing how HO Scale Sidney and Mainland Diesel turned out, I already would like to see N and Large Scale models of them, though they probably wouldn't get announced until sometime after their HO Scale models are officially out there, possibly in early 2027. If Sidney is a popular seller, Bachmann can easily make him in both N Scale and Large Scale. Same goes for Mainland Diesel. At some point, they can exist in all three scales. Though the highest priority for N Scale at this point in time is a new tooling, like Edward and Duck.

Busy Bee James is another simple repaint for N Scale, but that's also not a priority. Large Scale hasn't gotten Origin James yet. 'Arry and Bert are more repaints for N Scale, and there's demand to bring them back for HO Scale.

By the end of this month, we'll have the NMRA announcements. Could Harvey or Diesel 10 be the next unexpected announcement for HO Scale that Matt is teasing? It's said to be a character we never thought would get made. Last year, we never thought we'd see Flying Scotsman getting announced. Might be something mind-blowing. If Duncan can't be back on the cards yet for Narrow Gauge, there is still Luke.

With N Scale Henry already in the unpainted stage, and his fully painted sample being shown in the coming months, along with N Scale Diesel, Paxton, LBSC Thomas and Origin James due for release by the end of the year, the backlog is clearing fast, and now could very much be the time Edward gets announced for N Scale to complete the original Steam Team. N Scale Edward must be announced this NMRA, or the 2027 catalog at the latest.

As for N Scale rolling stock, we could get the green Coal Wagon w/ Load, Cargo Car, Red Coaches, Red Express Coaches, Gray 12-Ton Van, Explosives Van, Brendam Bay Van, Christmas Wreath Van, Red and Blue Funfair Vans, or BR 20-Ton Brake Van with Spiteful Brake Van.

Tonight's stream finally revealed HO Scale Mainland Diesel, along with Sidney, but the main event here was the unpainted reveal of N Scale Henry. He reuses Gordon's chassis, as expected, which is why the wheels are blue, but the final model will have green wheels. Sometime this fall, we'll get to see his painted sample. We'll all be looking forward to the painted reveal of N Scale Henry. Within the next few streams, we should then see the unpainted reveal of HO Scale Flying Scotsman.

Bachmann did a great job with Sidney, and Mainland Diesel has a cool face. If the latter is a popular seller, they can do some face variants, including Ulli and Fernando. It's going to be a while before either get considered for N Scale, but I can definitely see Sidney being made in Large Scale as well. We're getting the first ever piece of merchandise for the Mainland Diesels. The only Class 08 characters left for HO Scale are Fernando, along with Splatter and Dodge. Fernando could also get his first ever piece of merchandise.

We're getting some new announcements by the end of this month, and Matt implied that they're going to be ones we never thought we'd see. We'll find out, but Bachmann may be surprising us yet again.

By the end of the year, it's possible that we'll see Sidney and Mainland Diesel in packaging.

The unpainted sample of N Scale Henry has been teased, and will be shown in the Thomas Thursday stream on July 9th.

Maybe we'll see HO Scale Sidney and Mainland Diesel as well. There's still a chance for that.