Future models: N Gauge Coaching stock

[Les1952]

Definitely Pullmans, though the panelled sided variety rather than the planked sided version - the planked sided version is the old Farish model which is still available at a price secondhand. The panelled variety is the one in post #22.

Alternately extra varieties of types you already do- Gresley sleeper or the blue/grey version of the buffet, different Maunsell varieties.

One I suggested to George Smith many years ago was a celerestory coach. Following on from that, a Stanier non-corridor coach and push-pull brake?

[Ben A]

With the Mk3 prototype coaches confirmed for the HST-P I think the Mk3 SLEP becomes an obvious candidate. All that would be needed is the moulding for the bodyshell/glazing as additional parts are already available.

It offers a variety of attractive sales options:

Individual coaches:

* Blue/Grey
* Inter-City
* Inter City Swallow
* Scotrail Caledonian Swoosh
* "Merlin" Night Riviera
* First Caledonian purple
* Dynamic Lines Night Riviera
* New Caledonian teal
* GWR green/silver Night Riviera
* Northern Belle umber/cream


Coach packs:

* Triple pack EWS executive with maroon FO, SLEP and RMB.

Train packs:

* Inter-City 86 with 2 x SLEP and 1 X standard saloon in Inter-City
* EWS 67 with 3 x SLEP in Scotrail Caledonian "swoosh"
* DB Schenker 67 with 3 x SLEP in First Caledonian.
* Caledonian 67 with 3 x SLEP in new Caledonian livery.

There are plenty of other useful combos but those seemed like a good starting point. Network Rail and Royal Mk3s could also be offered (standard and sleeper) though without costly tooling changes they would have to be "representative" models, missing certain idiosyncrasies of the prototypes.

cheers

Ben A.

[Jbundyuk]

I think these are good suggestions and I can personally seen these being popular

[JeremiahBunyan]

With the Mk3 prototype coaches confirmed for the HST-P I think the Mk3 SLEP becomes an obvious candidate. All that would be needed is the moulding for the bodyshell/glazing as additional parts are already available.

It offers a variety of attractive sales options:

Individual coaches:

* Blue/Grey
* Inter-City
* Inter City Swallow
* Scotrail Caledonian Swoosh
* "Merlin" Night Riviera
* First Caledonian purple
* Dynamic Lines Night Riviera
* New Caledonian teal
* GWR green/silver Night Riviera
* Northern Belle umber/cream


Coach packs:

* Triple pack EWS executive with maroon FO, SLEP and RMB.

Train packs:

* Inter-City 86 with 2 x SLEP and 1 X standard saloon in Inter-City
* EWS 67 with 3 x SLEP in Scotrail Caledonian "swoosh"
* DB Schenker 67 with 3 x SLEP in First Caledonian.
* Caledonian 67 with 3 x SLEP in new Caledonian livery.

There are plenty of other useful combos but those seemed like a good starting point. Network Rail and Royal Mk3s could also be offered (standard and sleeper) though without costly tooling changes they would have to be "representative" models, missing certain idiosyncrasies of the prototypes.

cheers

Ben A.

I'm sure Andy Dapol and Joel Dapol and gang will surely look into something like this.

[JR_P]

I would definitely buy a rake of FGW night riviera SLEP and probably also new Caledonian teal - do it Dapol, do it.... :-) !

I like the sound of some of those train packs, especially with a Cl 67.... wanting another one of those and just need an excuse!

[captainelectra]

Totally agree that the Mk3 Sleeper would be a good seller and a "quick win" for the range. Mark 2 stock may also be worth a look - Bachmann already do the 2A and have promised the 2F air-con variants, leaving B,C,D and E free.

[Chris Newman]

Pullmans For Definite )a list of SR/BR(S) coaches can be found on the back of CWN's (preference is for Steel panelled stock/followed by wood panelled) no one has attempted these since original GF, and just think how good they'll look behind a WC or BoB!!! Also a big yes to any more low windowed Maunsell, and a very BIG yes to High window stock. not forgetting of course we need catering vehicles to match.

[Andy Dapol]

Just commenting on modern image suggestions: I would never say never to any particular model. But it can be a challenge to justify the production of stock that is perhaps vital to our modelling needs, but is in fact only vital if we [the modeller] is depicting that particular era. As the prototype progresses, we are seeing less and less 'standardisation' of rolling stock, whilst this offers great diversity, it's a huge challenge when deciding what to produce. Hence the reason for this thread, it helps no end to see where our focus should be, despite perhaps the seeming uniqueness of the subject.
All this information and debate is read here, and is taken into consideration. Keep up the good work!

[Chris Newman]

Do you actually keep a record of what is asked for/suggested down to individual vehicles, as well as the fact you can re-run current models in new liveries/new numbers??

[Andy Dapol]

We do keep lists, these form the basis of our discussions when putting together new projects. With the advent of the digest, we will compile all suggestions and take on board the reasoning behind them.
The plan is to issue further polls which narrow down specific classes/types, numbers are a bit more tricky, as they depend in part on usage, but we do our best to make a broad choice possible.

[ScottyStitch]

If I may buck the trend away from the Mk3/4s slightly, some TPO stock would be nice, LNER and LMS preferably I'm sure producing the TPOs with the POTs would help sales as well. Also some Thomson non-corridor?

I'm not sure if this falls under coaching or wagons, but an RTR Newton Chambers car-carrier would be very desirable.

[Les1952]

This may be relevant but Bachmann were asked at the Great Central show if they would be shrinking their Thompson coaches down to N especially in the light of the N Gauge Society having done the full brake for them already. The reply was that the market was already saturated for N-gauge coaches (which was taken as a no..)

In the light of that, might it be better to plug obvious gaps in the existing ranges (Collett, Maunsell, Gresley, Mark 3) first, particularly as there is going to be a couple of years of uncertainty ahead?

Just a thought.
Les

[Joel Dapol]

Prudent advice I think Les. All product imported from China has seen a 8% cost increase in the last week and until we get some clarity at what level the pound may eventually stabilise around, I think investing heavily in new projects may be a little dangerous.

[r23betts]

Personally I think it would be great to see Train, Coaching or Wagon Freight Packs and other than the odd Bookset (reduced size) and the Rapido Pendolino I don't think its been done in British N Gauge. (Kato have come closest in thier sets)
Anything from a modern small set, a Loco and Railvac or RHTT set through to a Full HST or the new complete IEP, Royal Scotsman coaching set or the Great Briton coaching stock set or one of the sleeper trains etc.
Loads of possibilities for complete sets of actual trains as opposed to having to collect bits and pieces over months or years of releases manufacturers and special editions to build one actual setup.

[Paul South Midlands]

I think there is a lot of mileage in increasing the range of existing coach sets. This needs a lot less work than a new range as many common parts already exist/are designed.

I have suggested elsewhere high window variants of Maunsells. If you wanted to be radical how about a maunsell push pull set with M7? This would require the later Third Open to be designed as well as modifications to the corridor brake though.

I would also suggest that when selling Southern coaches, higher numbers of corridor brakes should be produced in each batch as the Southerns use of sets meant a disproportionate number were in each train.

[SteveU]

A lot of the suggestions could be accommodated in the existing range with new liveries, maybe the only additional tooling could be provision of 'custom' parts that the end user can fit/replace themselves (saving those labour costs).

I would love to see some earlier pre 60s era Post Office stock along with a range of Pullman coaches from a similar period.

With the uncertainty on the costs and the risks in re-tooling or new tooling then consolidation using existing models with paint and parts could be an option... obviously the Pullmans are a whole new ball game, but one I think there would be a large market for judging by the prices of 2nd had stock on the bidding site...

[Mark Ellis]

As previously requested, 4 and 6 wheel coaches would be really welcome. 40 year old coaches going for silly money on ebay

[CeeDee]

Please sir....may I suggest a Bulleid BCK? I desperately want to model an ACE...... Pleeeeeze....!

[Jeff Eastmond]

You'd have better luck contacting Farish (Bachmann) - they did the other Bulleids.

[gc4946]

I'd add extra carriages to existing ranges for maximum use of common parts:

Mk3s - sleeping cars, loco-hauled RUB and HST TRUB (3-bay windows), also if feasible, Mk3b BFO
Maunsells - third opens (diag 2005, version with large drop-down windows, and the later (1935) diag 2007 version with sliding ventilators)
Gresley - TO (diag 186) - quite a few survive in preservation

PS just signed up!