For the Narrow Gauge Engines, I'd predict if Luke was the next one in line since if his real-life counterpart is still in service and not in for an overhaul, he'd be doable to make, albeit with some slight modifications to parts like his cab that all they'd need to do was to make a separate "Luke" cab and "Peter Pan" cab for example or his buffer beam without the buffers if they'd consider that...

Quote from: Awesometrain77 on May 31, 2025, 11:19:53 AM

Quote from: DustyMarie53! on May 30, 2025, 08:04:31 PMA potential future Douglas is interesting, but it is worth noting, as they've talked before on stream they go get measurements from the TR themselves. Douglas is currently in repairs I believe in pieces, and unknown when will be back in service. So that might be off the table for a while if they hadn't had foresight. Which could potentially be another reason Duncan was cancelled indefinitely. I believe Douglas's repairs started around early August so timeline wise it could lineup. It's not the main reason as already confirmed but wonder if it played a factor at all

I think the reason why was because his CGI model was so bad . But also something to mention is that Rusty has never really looked like midlander in the show . While Bachmann Rusty is based on his cgi design it is way smaller then he is in the show . However Rusty still does not look like he could be reused.

Regardless personally I like how they made him smaller as I feel it's more right  . The same reasons why I like how Bachmann has shown to prioritize Awdry created characters or characters who were brought back into cgi like Stanley or Rosie .
Which overall makes this range feel correct and I want to thank Bachmann for it .

Yup, considering from what I saw from the pics of Rusty's real-life basis, the Midlander, he's basically a mishmash of past and present features like the Flying Scotsman: based on his previous incarnation w/ some modern features like air-vents on his body. Yeah, that'll be kind of difficult if they wanted to go for at last his real-life basis-OR alternatively just reuse parts of him to make different iterations of both past and present versions if that's possible, like for Luke, but as a diesel engine, I'd figured he'd be slightly cheaper to make since no side rods are required.

NMRA 2025 is in a month
What will be announced
Here are my predictions

HO scale
Whiff
Emily with 12

Judy
Jerome
CGI Cream tanker
CGI fuel tanker
Gordon's special coaches 


N scale
Edward
Red express coaches

I could also see the the following items happening
Narrow gauge Brown vans
Trevor
Well wagon
Cattle vans

Yes, speaking of Whiff: how would they stick his glasses onto his face? I just realized that's probably why he hadn't been made to make that little detail, unless if that's somehow gonna be molded onto his face like previous merchandise of him has indicated...

For my wishlist (or at least part of it at least):

It'll be amusing if they added a Green Salty to be released alongside the returning Salty since it's an official paint scheme albeit flashback from a CGI series episode...

Alternatively, a Blue Bill & Ben could be doable if they need repaints to go for like the latter Salty...

On the trend of RWS-style rolling stock: what about the Ffarquhar Quarry trucks? They can re-use the Troublesome Truck #4 (with the FQC on their sides) that's at least kind of close to the illustrations/models based on what Wilbert made for his layout....?

https://ttte.fandom.com/wiki/Ffarquhar_Quarry_(RWS)?file=MainFQCTrucksRWS.png



https://ttte.fandom.com/wiki/Bachmann?file=BachmannTroublesomeTruck4.jpg

Quote from: Awesometrain77 on June 15, 2025, 04:24:03 PMNMRA 2025 is in a month
What will be announced
Here are my predictions

HO scale
Whiff
Emily with 12

Judy
Jerome
CGI Cream tanker
CGI fuel tanker
Gordon's special coaches 


N scale
Edward
Red express coaches

I could also see the the following items happening
Narrow gauge Brown vans
Trevor
Well wagon
Cattle vans

Yes, an Emily with the updated 12 on her tender should be a thing, since I never see much merch of her updated Season 24 model be made now (not counting the AEG variant...).

Also I'd like to add a bit to your wishlist there: Narrow Gauge Brown Brake Vans too, since if we got the blue and red versions, brown is a perfect one too!

I would also love to see Emily updated with her number 12. I would love to see Judy and Jerome as well.

I am hoping that if they do Gordon's Special Coaches, that they will have both a Gordon's Special Composite Coach and a Gordon's Special Brake Coach. I also hope they have the corridors on the ends like the current Gordon's Express Coaches: This may not be screen accurate, but I would like them to be able to fit in seamlessly with the already existing express coaches.

For recolors, given that I they are willing to look at Railway Series products like the Sodor China Clay Wagons, I would hope that they would be willing to look into Blue Donald and Douglas.

Another few points for Green Salty would be that his real life basis, BR 2991, actually wore a similar livery in real life at one point. Maybe Thomas modelers might want to use or modify a Green Salty into a pre-Sodor Salty. Or maybe Green Salty could appeal to non-Thomas modelers as well, who want to modify a potential Green Salty into the real 2991 or another BR Class 07 diesel. Just wanted to put those potential reasons out on the table.

If they decide to do the CGI Fuel Tanker, I would hope that they would leave the regular model series Sodor Fuel Tanker in the line, like they are doing with both the model series Tidmouth Milk Tanker and the upcoming CGI series Milk Tank. I really LOVE that they while they are introducing the CGI artwork for the Milk Tank, they are also keeping the model artwork for the Tidmouth Milk Tanker available as well. That way, modelers can choose which version of the Milk Tankers they prefer, be it Model Series, CGI Series, or both!

Hey everyone. I recently realized that I have not made a post on the forum since last September, and with the NMRA Announcements less than a month away, I just wanted to make a brief post on what I hope to see announced.

HO Scale
Whiff, Hiro, Harvey, or Diesel 10
Garbage Wagon with Load
Gordon's Special Coaches
Nonrail Van Variants (Sodor Mail, Sodor Bakery, Brass Band)
Iconic Sodor Characters Figure Pack (Alicia Botti, Lord Callan, etc.)
Sodor Brass Band Figure Pack

HO Narrow Gauge
Duncan or Smudger
4 Plank Wagon (https://ttte.fandom.com/wiki/Narrow_Gauge_Trucks_(T%26F))

N Scale
Edward
Tidmouth Milk Tanker
Coal Wagon with Load
Spiteful Brake Van

Large Scale
Origin James

As always, I'd love to read what you guys think. Thanks!

I like some of these ideas .
I have mentioned for a while how diesel 10 havery and hiro along with whiff would be great ideas for the range .
Seeing the post van would be super cool and I would 100% buy it .
The iconic Sodor figure pack would be a great way to get a lot of characters that have been known faces .
I think if they did make the pack it would come with
Alicia botti ,Lord callen ,the Duke , The duchess , Sodor Mayor , the earl of Sodor .
Smudger would be nice as he would be a repaint and he could be used as a test bed for the possibility of making Stepney or BoCo .
Overall I think most people on the form are on the same page that diesel 10 Hiro havery and whiff should be next characters in the range . Diesel 10 is the one I want to see the most . However I feel as whiff is most likely as he appeared in AEG and is a tank engine so he would be cheaper then Hiro and not have attachments like Diesel 10 or Havery .

Now that we are less than a month away from the NMRA announcements, I want to make my final prediction post. I believe July 18th will be the date when Bachmann releases the brochure.

HO:
- Whiff
- Hiro
- Diesel 10 (Cautiously Optimistic)
- Garbage Wagon
- Judy/Jerome
HoN30:
- Luke
- Brown/Tan Vans
- 4 Plank Wagon
N:
- Edward
- Duck (If they choose to make a tank engine)
- BR 20 Ton Brake van or Spiteful Brake van
- Red Express Coaches
G:
- Origin James

I definitely want to see more human and animal figures announced in the NMRA announcements. The animals I want to see get released are cattle.

I was looking at a site to buy some trains after getting an email that some points might vanish if I don't either use them or buy something, and saw this.



I know the 2025 catalog was released earlier this year and Harold wasn't removed, but this website states that he's discontinued. I'm not sure if Bachmann told them ahead of time or it's like with last year when we thought both the lighthouse and Sodor Diesel tankers were gonna be off for 2025, only they were just discounted (we were right about the lighthouses though).

My question is why Harold? I can see Jeremy as he only appeared a few times, but Harold was a character Bachmann had since the start of the line and unlike Jeremy, Harold had a lot of major roles.

Harold is still on the Bachmann website, Maybe they meant its not for sale anymore on that website.

Hi all,

Harold is out of stock at Bachmann but is not discontinued. We are working on scheduling a new production run.

For the mid-year NMRA announcements, we will only be making a Thomas & Friends announcement in HO scale this year. We hope you will still look forward to it.

Okay, thanks for informing! I'll still buy him regardless.

Good to know that we'll only get the HO scale characters as the only confirmation for this mid-year's announcement...! Which leaves my hopeful wish of (could be the same as the above both mine and others):

1. Whiff
2. The Slip Coaches
3. Gordon's Special Coaches/Spencer's Brake Coach
4. Dexter (if he's on his chassis)
5. Judy and Jerome

If there's any potential recolors/add-ons:
1. Green Salty
2. Blue Bill & Ben
3. Emily w/ the #12

Considering the stuff going on at the moment, it would make sense to focus more on the rolling stock since reusing them like they did with Toby's Museum Coaches from the Red Branchline Coaches, it could be interesting to see how they go from there...

I wonder why no N Scale or Large Scale announcements....

Quote from: Yard Master on June 23, 2025, 11:50:26 AMHi all,

Harold is out of stock at Bachmann but is not discontinued. We are working on scheduling a new production run.

For the mid-year NMRA announcements, we will only be making a Thomas & Friends announcement in HO scale this year. We hope you will still look forward to it.

I kind of expected this. We have alot still in production. Particularly in N scale,
Henry
Diesel
Paxton
LBSC Thomas
Origins James
Express coaches
break van
the two 7 plank wagon recolours.

Ho we still have
80th Anniversary set
DCC Thomas and Percy
Salty
Stanley
Sidney
Mainland Diesel
Bulgy
Open Carriage
TT7
Flat wagon with Diesel drums
Sodor China Clay wagon
Tar tanker
Milk tanker
80th anniversary vans

Sir Handel
The 3 gondolas
The 3 high sided wagons
The 3 gunpowder wagons

And LBSC Thomas in Large Scale. Its not like we have nothing to look forward too. I personally would rather a smaller set announcements, Rather then stuff ending up in a backlog or cancelled due to production costs changing or something. Plus that hopefully means a clearer slate for 2026 where Bachmann can announcement stuff in all scales
As for the announcements themselves, I'm really only expecting an engine and a wagon or 2. Maybe a non rail character or figure pack. However I think figure pack wise it might be too soon. I think Bachmann may want to wait until next year to see how the figure sell for the rest of 2025.

My little list is

Probably Whiff (I'd love Stephen obviously but I think hes a best bet right now. Hiro would cost way,  way too much, as would Harvey probably)
Maybe a wagon recolour.
Honestly can't see any new coaches being added. Happy to be proven wrong but I highly doubt it.
Maybe a non rail character either Trevor or gonna throw a massive curve ball out here, Butch. Yes thats right. He appeared from season 5 as a background character and gained his voice in the CGI era. He'd look great on any layout and is popular in the fandom. Plus he has that appeal where older fans will love seeing Butch in the range but he is still relevant in the CGI era.