How About 'Plasticville Sodor'??

Started by Len, September 27, 2018, 02:25:24 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Len

While the cast resin buildings are nice, they are a bit pricey for the younger folks and people on a fixed income. So how about a line of Plasticville type buildings for 'Sodor' that are a bit less expensive? Some suggestions would be:

The Thin Controller's (Mr. Percival) cottage
Mrs. Kyndley's cottage
Wellsworth Vicarage
Post Office w/Tom Tipper's van
Sodor Construction Co. w/machines
Farmer McColl's farm buildings
Farmer Trotter's pig farm
Pub
Fish & Chip Shop
Assorted Other Shops
Assorted Cottages
Terranced Houses
Various UK style trackside structures

Len
If at first you don't succeed, throw it in the spare parts box.

Bucksco

Unfortunately the cost of tooling these days would make a plastic kit a bit high for a beginner market like the Thomas range. Good examples are Tidmouth Sheds and Knapford station. They are fairly large but you can get an idea of what plastic kits might cost. The resin buildings are limited run and don't require a tooling investment which is pretty much why we do them.

Len

Bummer.

Although I was thinking in terms of smaller buildings, similar to the original Plasticville line.

Len
If at first you don't succeed, throw it in the spare parts box.

TerencetheTractor525

Does limited run mean that there will be no more new resin buildings for the range? I, as well as many other Thomas fans, have put in a lot of time and effort into making detailed suggestions for the resin building range through the following thread:

https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,34707.0.html

Please let us know, so that fans do not continue to waste time and space on the forum by making suggestions for the resin building line. Thank you.
Dreaming of a Bachmann Stepney.

Bucksco

Limited run basically means it is a resin casting that does not involve creating expensive steel molds thus it is only available for a short period of time. If the buildings sell well we produce more - if they don't well......

Len

Then maybe Bachmann could do something along the lines of what Scale Scenes does, and offer downloadable files in the eStore for printing and building cardstock models of Sodor specific buildings, like those on Farmer McColl's farm, cottages, Neptune's Refreshments, the Vicorage, etc., etc.

Once the design work was done, and files created, no more production costs except the web space to sell them on.

Len
If at first you don't succeed, throw it in the spare parts box.

TerencetheTractor525

Quote from: Yardmaster on October 05, 2018, 09:07:01 AM
Limited run basically means it is a resin casting that does not involve creating expensive steel molds thus it is only available for a short period of time. If the buildings sell well we produce more - if they don't well......

Thank you very much for the response. I am very happy to see that there is still a chance that more resin buildings will be announced and hope that some of the buildings that I and other Thomas fans suggested in the "Suggestions for the Thomas Resin Building Range" can be taken into consideration.

Quote from: Len on October 05, 2018, 09:51:14 AM
Then maybe Bachmann could do something along the lines of what Scale Scenes does, and offer downloadable files in the eStore for printing and building cardstock models of Sodor specific buildings, like those on Farmer McColl's farm, cottages, Neptune's Refreshments, the Vicorage, etc., etc.

Once the design work was done, and files created, no more production costs except the web space to sell them on.

Len


That's an interesting idea, but I am personally not a fan of cardstock models as they lack that realistic, sharp look that the resin buildings have.
Dreaming of a Bachmann Stepney.

Len

Quote from: TerencetheTractor525 on October 05, 2018, 12:12:21 PM

That's an interesting idea, but I am personally not a fan of cardstock models as they lack that realistic, sharp look that the resin buildings have.

You'd be surprised how nice the good quality ones, with built up window sashes, door frames, etc., can look. Especially with a little weathering.

Len
If at first you don't succeed, throw it in the spare parts box.