Electrics Don't Sell...?

[Adam1701D]

Rather than hijack Ben's thread about NGS modern models, I felt a new thread might be a good place to address the "Electrics Don't Sell" argument. As a purveyor of EMU conversions, I have a few thoughts to offer.

The Farish 350 is lovely unit but an odd subject with very limited appeal, as it is so recent and limited to the WCML. The lack of a Pendolino means modern WCML operations may not the the first choice for many modellers. It's a shame Dapol didn't further develop their catenary range.

Class 411 4-CEP - an excellent unit that has inspired a lot of modellers to try their hand at something Southern, as the lack of a conductor rail can be overlooked more easily than overheads. It seems to have been reasonably popular and appears on a lot of layouts and the long life of the unit makes it appealing to steam-era modellers.

I wonder if the 4-CIG would have proved more popular. The CEPs were refurbished in the 1980s but the CIGs kept their original layout until the end and carried a plethora of different liveries.

If I were to win the EuroMillions, I'd commission the Class 319 Thameslink and 4-CIG right away!

[EtchedPixels]

I would have thought some of the 2 car units, or perhaps something more steam era would be more of a logical choice. Difficult to do with any generality except for 3rd rail stuff but I'd have thought 4SUBS, 2BILs, 2HAL etc as more obvious options.

How is the 313 doing ?

Alan

[Tank]

I would certainly think that the 4CIG, 2/4EPB's and 4SUB's would be the most popular.  The CEP was a strange choice IMO.  However, it is a wonderful model that Farish have made.

[PostModN66]

304, 310, 321, 323 plus Pendo please, for a WCML "set" covering three eras.

Are you listening Mr Bachmann........?

Your hopefully

Jon   

[NTrain]

We have managed to sell a few kits and one Class 508 with wrong underframes. I am about to draw up the 507/508 underframes then get them on order from Shapeways.

I am currently awaiting feedback from some of these purchases to see how well they have gone together.

[red_death]

I agree that an unrefurbed 4CEP and the 350 were a bit of odd choices.

A 321 would have been more logical for a WCML EMU given Bachmann's range of HST, 87 and 90.  The 350 doesn't really work without a Pendolino, though it does have the benefit of opening potential other Desiro based units, though why they haven't done the obvious one of the 450 is beyond me...

Sometimes it feels like Bachmann (in 4mm and 2mm) go out of their way to pick variants/models that won't sell just to be able to say they told us so.  Of course that it isn't the reality, but some of the decision-making is decidely odd.

Cheers, Mike

[Greybeema]

I would have thought that the 2/4 EPB would have sold as well.  Don't know how well the OO 2EPB sold anyone know?  Still want another 465 unit(s) but I know that it is limited in its appeal - so am not expecting a commercially available RTR model

[ParkeNd]

I can understand this to an extent. In the steam era they were just plain boring. We would stand on Brentwood Station as Gresley A4 Pacifics blasted through and when it came to our turn to get on a train it was always a boring green electric thing with big yellow bell pushes by the door. When we got to Surrey it was the same story - Bulleid Pacifics to get you fired up - and another boring green electric thing with yellow buttons to actually ride in.

After all that disappointment who can be surprised model ones don't sell?

[dodger]

I would have thought some of the 2 car units, or perhaps something more steam era would be more of a logical choice. Difficult to do with any generality except for 3rd rail stuff but I'd have thought 4SUBS, 2BILs, 2HAL etc as more obvious options.

How is the 313 doing ?

Alan

Have to agree with you. Both EMU's made by Bachmann have a limited area of operation. It would make more sense to sell a common user example.

Dodger

[Bealman]

I can understand this to an extent. In the steam era they were just plain boring. We would stand on Brentwood Station as Gresley A4 Pacifics blasted through and when it came to our turn to get on a train it was always a boring green electric thing with big yellow bell pushes by the door. When we got to Surrey it was the same story - Bulleid Pacifics to get you fired up - and another boring green electric thing with yellow buttons to actually ride in.

After all that disappointment who can be surprised model ones don't sell?

It's funny.... I grew up in NE England very close to the ECML and didn't take a lot of notice of Gresley Pacifics!

On the other hand, the VERY first time I ever had a go at controlling a model train was a neighbour's oval of track running Triang's attempt at a green Southern EMU set!

So I guess it all depends on your perspective.... I find SR emus quite fascinating, and at the risk of offending their fans, - cute.

I never grew up in the area, so they are exotic to me! I don't know jack-you-know-what about 'em, but that Farish model has a thumbs up from me. 

George

[bees]

Have to agree with you. Both EMU's made by Bachmann have a limited area of operation. It would make more sense to sell a common user example.

Dodger

I have a suggested a few times elsewhere, 304, 305 & 308 families of units are pretty widespread across the country, and quite a few liveries too!

[gc4946]

As the 4CEPs as modelled by Bachmann were first introduced in 1959, they could run alongside steam and early diesels, which meant they appealed to the 1950s/60s "transition era" modellers, probably the biggest market in British prototype modelling.

I can only guess Farish went for the Desiros because they've gone for a dual voltage type that has spread their wings geographically (now running up to Scotland) with consideration of liveries both present and future. It'll be interesting if they'll bring out the First Transpennine's version which enters service this year.

Admittedly an Electrostar type would have been a better choice in my view, in terms of the number of liveries they've carried.

Sometimes the choice of prototype depends on how much cooperation model manufacturers get from train operators and preservation groups.

[Tank]

I can understand this to an extent. In the steam era they were just plain boring. We would stand on Brentwood Station as Gresley A4 Pacifics blasted through and when it came to our turn to get on a train it was always a boring green electric thing with big yellow bell pushes by the door. When we got to Surrey it was the same story - Bulleid Pacifics to get you fired up - and another boring green electric thing with yellow buttons to actually ride in.

After all that disappointment who can be surprised model ones don't sell?

When I was growing up, what was left of the steamers were laid up and rusting in sidings or leaking sheds!  There was nothing better than seeing a working EMU flying through the stations on our journey home! 

[NeMo]

Surely sooner or later they're going to have to make (remake?) the electric locos at least? There can't be many diesels that haven't been produced as good quality models in the last few years. So if Farish and Dapol want to issue something new for the 'modern image' modeller, perhaps the electrics might fit the bill?

I think it's interesting that little/no effort has been put into transition era electrics; those electric blue liveries seem quite eye-catching to me. My assumption has always been more models are bought because they're pretty than because they're needed to model a particular time and place where a layout is set. In other words, Rule 1 prompts more purchases than anything else! So wouldn't an electric blue AL6 seem a logical (and inexpensive) tweak to the existing Dapol range of Class 86s?

But sales of the existing 86s do seem rather patchy if they on-again, off-again deep discounts on existing models are anything to go by. Shame really; I've got three Dapol 86s and they're absolute gems, really lovely models, especially with the updated pantographs.

On the Farish side, the 87s and 90s surely need updating.

I wonder how well the DC electrics would sell though? The 76s and 77s seem to be popular on the rail forums, but would they sell as models? I'd love one or two, simply because they ooze character (in my opinion) with their rather dinosaur-like clunkiness and total lack of delicacy. I've also though the 71s and 74s looked nifty too.

(Note: I'd gladly make any of these in kit form if someone made a straightforward one, but I've not had much luck tracking one down.)

Cheers, NeMo

[johnlambert]

My first memories of trains was of seeing 3rd rail EMUs on the Chatham-Victoria line, which was at the far end of a school playing field overlooked by my bedroom.  I can also remember being taken down to my local station by my mum to watch the trains (probably aged 3, which would make it 1979), we didn't make many train journeys so it always seemed like a special event when we did.  As a result I had to buy the 4CEP in blue-grey because it was the closest thing I could get to the trains I remembered.  One day I'll build a layout where it is at home.  If there were an all over blue one I'd buy that too and I'd even buy a NSE one even if it is wrong.  I'd also buy a 2EPB, 4CIG and class 465 (I think that's the right type).  It always frustrated me that EMU stock was never part of the Hornby range when I was growing up; it seemed like a major part of the modern railway had been completely overlooked.

Nostalgia is quite a powerful force, when I was young EMUs were the 'real railway' with locomotives only seen on goods trains.  I wish I'd seen loco hauled passenger services back then.  But I'm looking forward to recreating a small part of that past world.