At last, Bachmann has Rebecca's painted sample ready, for real this time. In a couple more weeks, we'll get to see HO Scale Rebecca, fully painted, in her entirety. That will be the big reveal for the May Thomas Tuesday. Hopefully N Scale Gordon in the package as well.

Whether or not Bachmann makes Hiro will depend on how well Rebecca sells, so it's going to be a while before they announce him. If Rebecca ends up being a hot seller, then Bachmann can definitely consider making Hiro. It's very clear that the most likely next two newly-tooled engines for HO Scale are Nia and Whiff.

In a nutshell, the biggest thing going against Norman is his minimal usage in the actual show. Charlie is also brought up because of his unique livery, and his simplistic design for a new tooling, although his fanbase is non-existent, and he was rather infamous.

Quote from: Chaz on April 05, 2024, 08:59:57 PM

Quote from: TrainFan97 on April 05, 2024, 04:18:36 PMThe next new tooling for HO Scale could be Nia, Whiff, or Norman to be the best choices,

I'll admit, you lost me at Norman being one of the "best choices" Bachmann would make for the next new tooling.  The other choices, including Hiro, I could see happening at some point, but I'm not so sure on Norman to be honest.

I think Bachmann's taking the "catch up year" plan a lot more seriously since they seem to be focusing a lot more on making progress on previously announced products.  I'm thinking the NMRA will probably just consist of some rolling stock announcements in HO and N, and once more products are released this year or have made a lot more progress we will probably see a much larger lineup ready for 2025 during the brand's 80th anniversary.  When that happens I think that's when we will see the next new HO engine tooling announcement along with N scale Henry and Edward once Gordon and Emily are eventually released.

I guess Norman isn't exactly one of the best choices for a new tooling in HO Scale, largely due to his minimal usage in the actual show, despite having many fan-made stories that actually use him. It's also unlikely he'll return in the reboot. The better choices for the next new HO Scale tooling are Nia, Whiff, Hiro, or even Winston. I say Winston because he'd be something the Sir Topham Hatt figure could ride on, and Bachmann UK makes Wickham Trollies. Samson was also mentioned, and being a cabless engine, he can have crew figures onboard, and Bachmann UK has the tooling for Bradford. Probably the simplest new tooling for HO Scale would be Philip because of his small box shape. Unlike Norman, Philip had several episodes dedicated to him. Even Timothy might be a better choice than Norman because at least he had a few episodes.

The tooling Bachmann would use for Braford:
https://www.bachmann.co.uk/product/midland-railway-20t-brake-van-with-duckets-lms-grey/38-552b

It's really hard for me to suggest something at this time, with so many products backlogged, Bachmann had to announce almost nothing new in the catalog in order to catch up on everything. The next new tooling for HO Scale could be Nia, Whiff, or Norman to be the best choices, along with Hiro, who's even bigger than Rebecca, and I doubt he'd get announced this NMRA. If Sidney can't happen in HO Scale because of problems with the eye mechanism, he could still happen in N Scale. Sidney doesn't exist in Large Scale, either.

What's needed to be said for N Scale suggestions has already been said many times. We know Henry is top priority, along with Edward.

Doug showed most of the painted slate wagons, the unpainted 12-Ton Van, which was confirmed to be a Bachmann UK tooling, and Beau in the package. HO Scale Beau is supposed to arrive in stock by Memorial Day. Still no unpainted sample of Sir Handel just yet, but they're getting there, since Sir Handel is well in progress, and should finally be shown within a few months, along with the unpainted sample of HO Scale Stanley. Hope the next stream would show N Scale Gordon in the package, who should arrive in stock this summer at the latest. Hope it won't be too much longer before they finally have the painted sample of HO Scale Rebecca ready, for real. It also shouldn't be too much longer before they show N Scale Henrietta fully painted. It may be a little while before they do show unpainted samples of the N Scale Express Coaches.

Quote from: MontagueGWR08 on March 16, 2024, 08:52:52 PM

Quote from: TrainFan97 on March 13, 2024, 04:29:18 PMThey said it was supposed to be a new tooling. If it is exactly the same as the existing Bachmann UK one, then they lied...

Sorry to get on my soap box, but I really feel words like "liar" and other antagonistic phrasing should be avoided. I just feel there are more constructive ways to criticize and get your point across. I love collecting these, but it's just a freight car. It's not worth getting that upset over.

Okay, I may have been a bit harsh. I apologize if I caused any harm. It's just that I remember Doug Blaine saying it would be a new tooling. Maybe he didn't know all the details. It was just a bit of confusion. Like you said, it's only a freight car, not an engine.

With two different liveries, Rosie could also work good in N Scale, but she is not a high-priority like Edward, Henry, Duck and Oliver.

It's unlikely we ever will get N Scale Beau, unless Bachmann brings back the American 4-4-0 in a new tooling for N Scale, just like they did for HO Scale. Given how iconic the American 4-4-0 is, they need to bring back the N Scale one by completely retooling it, so it would look good.

I don't know if Bachmann will announce another newly-tooled engine for HO Scale this NMRA, considering they still don't have Rebecca out there yet, and they're soon to show Stanley unpainted since his 3D design is ready. The best choices for new toolings in HO Scale would be Nia, Whiff, Hiro, or Norman. Maybe even Winston can be made in HO Scale, since Bachmann UK makes Wickham Trollies, and that would give the Sir Topham Hatt figure something to ride on. For recolors, Sidney would make the most sense, and I personally would like to see Mainland Diesel #1 with the annoyed expression he had after James bumped into him, even though recolors like the Mainland Diesels and Green Salty are rather niche.

They said it was supposed to be a new tooling. If it is exactly the same as the existing Bachmann UK one, then they lied...

Pardon this double-post, but the unpainted sample of the HO Scale 12-Ton Van tooling has just been teased.

Once painted, we're starting off with at least four varieties: Gray, Funfair Red and Blue, and Christmas Wreath. Troublesome Truck #7 is bound to be made in this tooling.

In short, the engines for N Scale that are in the highest urgency are Edward and Henry, and to a slightly lesser extent, Mavis, Duck, Oliver and Spencer. Edward and Henry have the absolute highest urgency because they would complete the original Steam Team N Scale. Both must be announced within the next 12 months, with Gordon and Emily arriving in stock this year, and Diesel is soon to start progress.

This NMRA could finally be the time they announce N Scale Henry. He won't completely be a new tooling since he would just recycle Gordon's chassis minus the trailing wheels. Just a new tender, face and body shell. I've stated that the best recolors for the 2025 catalog would be N Scale LBSC Thomas and Origin James, but would be nice if we can get Edward, all of which would be fitting for the 80th Anniversary. Unlike the former two, Edward would 100% be a new tooling, unless they can just scale down his HO Scale tooling to work in N Scale, since it was near-perfect.

For N Scale rolling stock, we desperately need non-troublesome variants of the open wagons, including the green Coal Wagon with Load, Blue Open Wagon and Red Open Wagon. Other very welcome additions would be the Mail Car (great for Percy), Red Coaches, and 20-ton Brake Vans. Red Express Coaches would also be great. Hannah could easily be made using Henrietta's tooling, and she could be the first rolling stock in N Scale that doesn't already exist in HO Scale.

Other great choices for N Scale engines that would be very much welcome include Mavis, since she would recycle Toby's chassis, Duck because of his past rivalry with Diesel, and Oliver because we have Toad. Even Spencer would be a great choice because he, like Henry, can also recycle Gordon's chassis, with his tender being completely different (box-shaped), different trailing wheel design, and a streamlined body shape. Adding Spencer would mean they'd also have to make Special Coaches for N Scale as well. Unlike HO Scale, the Special Coaches can actually have a brake variant in N Scale.

I'd also like Ryan and Daisy, who are the most recent additions to HO Scale, but characters like them I don't see getting announced in N Scale for a while, since they were too recent for HO Scale. Stanley and Rebecca are still upcoming for HO Scale. 'Arry and Bert are discontinued in HO Scale, but could easily be made in N Scale once they have Diesel's tooling ready. Sidney has yet to be made in any scale, but with Diesel's tooling, he could be the first engine in N Scale who doesn't already exist in HO Scale.

If we start getting non-rail characters in N Scale, we could get Bertie and Harold.

Once they start making good progress on N Scale Diesel, maybe they'll bring back 'Arry and Bert, but in N Scale, and see how well they sell before bringing them back in HO Scale. Bachmann should definitely consider making Sidney, 'Arry and Bert for N Scale once they make good progress on Diesel's tooling.

Walthers has the official image of N Scale Gordon, and the next Trainworld Stream is bound to show him in the package. He's set to arrive in stock within the next few months.

But, N Scale Henry still isn't on the cards yet. I understand the announcements were a bare minimum because of so many other products Bachmann has been behind on, but I'm hoping that this year for sure, Henry will be announced for the NMRA. They unfortunately haven't even started on Diesel yet, but they did make progress on the Express Coaches, so that Gordon can have his proper rolling stock as soon as possible. It shouldn't take too long to get the 3D design ready for Diesel, considering they just have to scale down his HO Scale tooling.

Long before the NMRA, Gordon will be out there, and Emily will be available by the end of the year if nothing goes wrong, so this NMRA could finally be the time to announce N Scale Henry, then the 2025 catalog would need to have N Scale LBSC Thomas and Origin James for the 80th Anniversary. Maybe even Edward at a stretch, so as to complete the original Steam Team in N Scale. Great choices for Diesel repaints would be Sidney, 'Arry and Bert. The former has yet to be made in any scale, while the latter two are discontinued in HO Scale, and there's a demand for them to come back. Maybe we'll get 'Arry and Bert in N Scale, but Henry is the #1 priority for the next engine.

Sorry if I keep sounding like a broken record.

It's good to know that progress HAS been made on Sir Handel, the High-Side Wagons and Gondolas, and that they already have the 3D design ready for Stanley, so within the next few months or so, we should see unpainted samples of them. Stanley probably the soonest, and we will see him unpainted very soon. The painted sample of Rebecca still isn't fully ready yet, but that's well underway.

Unfortunately, they haven't even started the development of N Scale Diesel, or the Narrow Gauge Gunpowder Wagons, but they did make progress on the N Scale Express Coaches. So, it's going to be a while before we see N Scale Diesel. It shouldn't take too long to get the design ready though, since they really just have to scale down his HO Scale tooling to work in N Scale.

The big reveal was Sir Topham Hatt's Car, albeit without a chassis or wheels, but it won't be too much longer before we see it fully painted. The Sir Topham Hatt figure will look great standing next to it. Another great use for the Sir Topham Hatt figure would be if they ever do make HO Scale Winston, which should be possible because the Bachmann UK line makes Wickham Trollies, and Winston is one himself. He would be the first "maintenance of way" for the Thomas range in HO Scale. Winston would be something great for the Sir Topham Hatt figure to ride in.

The next stream should hopefully show N Scale Gordon in the package; showing he is very soon to arrive in stock. N Scale Emily's painted sample wasn't final, but if nothing goes wrong, she and her coaches, as well as her set, should be available by the end of this year.

I hope Sir Handel isn't on indefinite limbo like Salty's reintroduction... Considering it's already been two years without even an unpainted sample of him. Same thing with the High-Side Wagons and Gondolas, which have also been in limbo.