Way back in the mists of time Bachmann announced they would be producing a class 66.
A few years later, when everybody was fed up with waiting, and Dapol where looking for a new model
to add to their range they decided to produce the 66 which Bachmann appeared to have given up on.
Later that year Dapols baby was finished, but in the meantime, Bachmann had been putting in overtime on their 66, which was finished a few months later.
Among Dapols product announcements for the following years where a class 150, class 03 and Stanier coaches. Weeks later Bachmann announced a class 150, class 04 and Stanier coaches in their range. Dapol wisely gave way to the larger company and changed their proposed product range. They also went into stealth mode and secretly produced a Voyager.
But as soon as the Dapol model was on sale, Bachmann announced that they already had a model Voyager in an advanced stage of development. Given that Bachmanns development cycle is usually at least 18 months, and they have a habit of pe-announcing every model, why would they have a model Voyager already in development?
Dapol appear to have taken this announcement as an act of revenge. They had spent the effort on their Voyager and in a few months there would be a Bachmann copy on the shelves. So they again went into stealth mode and produced a 9F, a model which Bachmann had already announced themselves.
If Bachmanns Voyager was an attempt at revenge, it seems to have massively backfired on them. Their Voyager is still unavailable twelve months later. There is still no sign of their 9F, but Dapols model is due to hit the shops within a month.
Bachmanns actions look like a large company metaphorically beating it’s chest to scare off a small upstart. But all it has done is given Dapol a chance to prove that being smaller makes them nimbler. They can produce a model on schedule. They can produce a model in half the time. That they tackle Bachmanns head on and come out on top.
All this duplication is a sad waste of development resources. A model locomotive costs about £70,000 to develop, so the N gauge world has lost nearly a quarter of a million pounds in development money, not to mention the three alternative models which would have been produced instead.
But it does make for a fascinating spectacle for the casual observer. A true David versus Goliath battle, with David appearing to win every round.
So, how will Bachmann try to regain the upper ground? Will they try and copy another Dapol model?. Will they try to arrange some kind of truce? Will they also go into stealth mode when producing new models? Or will they do what modellers have been screaming at them to do: dig out their Gantt charts, announce realistic release dates and stick to them?
Chris Marchant a.k.a. CJM has long been revered in N gauge modelling circles for his outstanding RTR modern image locomotives and resprays.
Indeed when Eurotunnel wanted to create a scale model of the terminals at each on of the Channel Tunnel for display at Folkestone prior to the actual construction it was Chris who was hired to create much of the rolling stock for the layout. If you are very lucky you may even find some of the wagon kits available on ebay to this day.
He recently made available a DVD displaying a selection of his models and he has now created a website detailing his range of products and services, along with a little of his history. If you’ve never seen one of his models the close up photographs on the site are well worth looking at. Read more at cjmmodels.co.uk.
In an effort to be greener and get some exercise I took a walk to the newsagents today to get the latest copy of Model Rail. When I got half way there and it started to rain I found a good reason why so many of us are wedded to our cars.
In this issue is a six page interview with Graham Hubbard and Dennis Lovett of Bachmann. One of the quotes which grabbed my attention was this one from Hubbard on the subject of duplication, “The UK market for models is small compared to other world markets and with so many options available to manufacturers then it clearly is stupid to produce two class 08s, rebuilt ‘Royal Scotts’ and ‘N’ gauge Voyagers.”.
So, which company was it that anounced a Class 150 after Dapol had announced theirs? Similarly with the Class 04 (after Dapols class 03), Stanier coaches and Voyager? Bachmann claimed last Christmas that they decided to continue development of the Voyager because it was already well developed by the time of the Dapol models release at last years Warley exhibition, yet the model is not expected to arrive until this Christmas. In other words, Bachmann have wasted twelve months development on a model which we already have (from Dapol) when they could have invested that time and money into something new.
On a brighter note there was a comment which brings me a lot of hope, as a southern region modeller. In response to a readers question about whether the ‘OO’ 4-CEP will ever be produced in ‘N’ gauge, “We will duplicate everything we do in ‘N’ and ‘OO’. This could be ‘N’ led, or ‘OO’, but it won’t all happen overnight. It could be ten years before we see it, but if we’ve got all the research we might as well use it.” That should give me something to look forward to in my retirement then (and I’m only 37!)
Just before Christmas last year BBC2 broadcast a programme called “James Mays Top Toys” where the presenter took a look back at various toys, looking at their good points and thir failings.
The last ten minutes of the show as dedicated to model railways - a toy which James thoroughly approved of. Indeed I’m told he actually models N gauge. The segment included a potted history of the hobby, an interview with Pete Waterman - including a look around his large O gauge layout, a section dealing with the collectors, who collect but never play (boo!) and a dinner party which ends with all the males disappearing to play trains.
For anyone who missed it here it is in AVI format:
Low quaility (22Mb): Download
High quality (56Mb): Download
(Right click the download link and select Save File As).
You may remember a few years ago there was something of a craze for videos of burning log fires or fish tanks, which people where using either as electronic wallpaper or as a gentle source of relaxation.
I recently discovered something which has similar uses, but which is much better suited to the railway enthusiast. This was a copy of the DVD “Classic Train Journeys - Scotland". The DVD takes the viewer on a tour of Scotlands most scenic railways with views from inside the cab, the trackside, and even from a helicopter, along with a well constructed voice over which gives many details of the history of the areas through which the trains travel. The DVD even includes the stunning Forth and Tay bridges. I would recommend the DVD both for the railway enthusiast and as a travelogue for the general public.
I looked on the website of the DVDs creators, video125.co.uk and found many more treasures.
The main area of the site is the “Drivers Eye Views” series. These are videos filmed through the trains cab window, for a view which is rarely experienced by the general public. These views are supplemented by lineside ‘pass bys’, views from the station platform as the train pulls in or departs and, on some videos, footage from a helicopter or of the surrounding area.
Whilst I wouldn’t recommend these recordings for the general public, the pictures and commentary include much information for the rail enthusiast and modeller, either from a historic point of view, or by showing lineside ‘furniture’ which should give some inspiration for the modeller. How many layouts feature sections of rail in the ‘four foot’, or the little equipment boxes which the DVDs show dotted along the side of the railway? It’s also interesting to note the ballast detail with changes in colour and depth where recent permanent way work has taken place, sometimes with a noticeable difference between the ballast on each line of a double track railway.
The site also features DVDs of historic railway footage, both steam and diesel and some interesting documentaries. again very useful for the modeller and historian.
You’ll need to use the following registration information:
Name: Open Registration
Key: 248890010702
If you want to link to this site for downloads, then you must link to this page ( http://smallphry.com/xtrkcad ), rather than directly to the download file given above.
. The DVD takes the viewer on a tour of Scotlands most scenic railways with views from inside the cab, the trackside, and even from a helicopter, along with a well constructed voice over which gives many details of the history of the areas through which the trains travel. The DVD even includes the stunning Forth and Tay bridges. I would recommend the DVD both for the railway enthusiast and as a travelogue for the general public.