Wishlist Poll 2016

[65447]

Posted on behalf of the organisers:

'The annual Wishlist Poll for new N and 00 models will be running from 10 to 29 October; full details can be found on MREmag or RMweb from early October (http://www.mremag.com or http://www.rmweb.co.uk).

'The purpose of The Poll is to provide an easy and enjoyable way for modellers and collectors to tell the major manufacturers and commissioners of ready-to-run railway models what they would like to see made from new tooling (excluding models announced, tooled or made since 2000).
There are 20 categories covering steam locos of the Big Four and BR; Diesel & Electric Locos; DMUs; EMUs; Coaches; Non-passenger-carrying Coaching Stock; Freight Stock; General Service Stock; Standard Gauge Industrial Locos; and finally London Underground.

'To act as an aide-mémoire for voters, the 9-man Poll Team has again provided The Guide to the Poll content – about 200 words for each of the 700+ items and about 1600 links in total. If you don’t know the build dates of the various BR Mk1 catering vehicles, or whether one particular 0-6-0 steam loco will suit your needs better than others, you will find all the answers there – and much more!

'If you have any queries, please contact The Poll Team: thepollteam@gmail.com '

No frothing here please but save it up for the Poll - thank you!

[Atlantic 3279]

In the hope that this does not amount to froth and does not stimulate frothing, perhaps we should all concentrate on some basic wishes rather than seeking more and more specific items. Should we perhaps wish:

1. That Hornby's financial woes recede rather than bringing the firm down. Then we might get more versions of the existing LNER models and with any luck some entirely new models too.
2. That Bachmann catch up on long promised releases of new and improved models, rather than announcing more things that we might see in five years or so, if we're lucky.
3. That the many "cottage industry" ranges of UK kits and parts that have become difficult or impossible to get in recent years become more readily available once again.
3. (should be 4, see below...) That we all enjoy good health and find enough time to build all of the models that we've told ourselves we are going to build!

[notascoobie]

Peace on earth would be my wish and so I'm happy building my own toy trains. Mind you a GNR Jenny Lind might be nice!

[65447]

In the hope that this does not amount to froth and does not stimulate frothing, perhaps we should all concentrate on some basic wishes rather than seeking more and more specific items.

I'll certainly go with your 'good wishes list' and, with your permission, pass it on to the Poll Team?

[earlswood nob]

I agree with Atlantic 3279's sentiments, especially 3A.

As for 3B; having reached the age equivalent the total number of B16s built, it's a bit like Mallard's run down Stoke Bank i.e. downhill gathering speed with falling boiler pressure.

Earlswood nob

[drmditch]

In the hope that this does not amount to froth and does not stimulate frothing, perhaps we should all concentrate on some basic wishes rather than seeking more and more specific items. Should we perhaps wish:......

3. That we all enjoy good health and find enough time to build all of the models that we've told ourselves we are going to build!

Agree entirely

[Atlantic 3279]

Ooops! There should have been a 3 and a 4 in that list.

By all means share my wishes with others.

[Hatfield Shed]

...the 9-man Poll Team has again provided The Guide to the Poll content – about 200 words for each of the 700+ items and about 1600 links in total...

Perhaps we ought to systematically check that all 200 words about each LNER/LNER constituent item are sufficiently laudatory concerning the prototype's qualities and the virtues that would attend its availability as a RTR model.

[65447]

...the 9-man Poll Team has again provided The Guide to the Poll content – about 200 words for each of the 700+ items and about 1600 links in total...

Perhaps we ought to systematically check that all 200 words about each LNER/LNER constituent item are sufficiently laudatory concerning the prototype's qualities and the virtues that would attend its availability as a RTR model.

The members of the Poll Team are respected researchers and authors as well as modellers; the individual descriptions have been developed over recent years to be informative as to the subject and accurate as to it's history and development, etc. and adequately cover any relevant variants.

It would not be a fair poll if company hype were permitted to bias it - in favour of any constituent or region.

[richard]

Frozen as requested by 65547 - the original poster. He requested no "frothing"!

[65447]

And now unlocked by Richard (many thanks ) on the request of the Poll Team for 'sensible discussion' now that the Poll is about to open. It runs from Monday 10th to Saturday 29th October - vote your choices wisely

[65447]

Have you voted yet?

The Poll Team has to decide each year what to include and that clearly cannot be everything that has not yet been produced. But, when I voted, I noticed particular discrepancies in certain categories - for example why should the GWR Dyson 6 wheel Milk Tank Road Trailer on carrying wagon be included when these Dyson road trailers, 4 and 6 wheel types, were also well-used by the LNER and SR?

I'm sticking my neck out here, but the Poll Team might find suggestions for obvious omissions from this year's Poll of use in helping them to assess what could be considered for inclusion next year.

Your suggestions please...?

[Phil]

I suspect the wishlist poll might be used as a tie-breaker by manufacturers after commercial considerations have been applied to a shortlist of possible products. They won't simply make the product with the most votes from people like us. They would have gone out of business long since! Anyone who is a member of the blue box collectors club will have seen an article in their latest quarterly magazine on this subject. Perhaps one way of second guessing what might be produced next is to apply a rough-and-ready points system. Here's mine:-

If a locomotive has not already been produced in OO then score 1 point
Score an additional point for every 'era' (pre-group, group, BR early, BR late) the prototype ran in service to give more modelling options.
Score another point if the class had 5 members or more to give scope for those who like to have more than one of something (I suspect the reason the P2 and BR 8P were produced in 'design cleaver' form was that run-ons were limited as once you have one you have the whole class, unless you want to pay c£200 for e.g. a Stirling Single)
Score a further point if there were more then 100 in the class as this will increase the 'ubiquity' and likely to show up on more layouts based on actual locations.
Score 2 points if there is one preserved. (one point for production reasons - there is one to 'scan' - and one for popularity - 'I want one of what I saw at such-and-such railway.
another point if it carried a name
another point if it is a tender loco as they seem to have more appeal and potential for mark-up.

That's probably enough for now.

If we look at what is already out there there are very few GWR or LMS classes not already available, probably a reflection of the degree of standardisation adopted under their CMEs. What LMS classes there are tend to be outnumbered by 8F, Black 5, 3F, 4F for example

I came up with 4 possibilities. A Southern U class mogul - of limited interest to readers of this forum - but 3 possible LNER types

1. An A2/3 - probably a contender for the Blue corner since it would be a tooling progression from their A2. Thompson classes can raise the temperature among some LNER purists but at least no 'Gresley' class suffered in its manufacture!
2. A K4 - probably a temptation for the red corner since it would be a tooling progression from the K1 and once they have a GS 3,500 tender might consider a J38 in due course.
3. The N7 tank. Not sure who would be tempted here but the red corner already have the N2 and the blue corner have been working round the other 3 groups with 0-6-2 tanks with 56XX, E4 and Webb 'coal' tank so the N7 would be a good fit.

If people want to 'nudge' the manufacturers into producing another LNER type then targeting the above shortlist might give the best chance of success. I hope I have avoided the 'froth' trap.

[Brian Macdermott]

Hello Phil

Thanks for writing, but those locos are already in The Poll and are available to vote for. The posting you were replying to was requesting suggestions for the future.

Brian Macdermott (on behalf of The Poll Team)

[Hatfield Shed]

I simply voted for everything I would purchase if produced. With a field of anything up to ten manufacturers and commissioners active In OO, I feel that showing the wide choice in 'never previously available RTR' might be the better course. But I have already fired off my scattergun.

In terms of 'obvious omissions' from ranges, the lack of really small branchline power for the two L's is strange. Surely a Midland 0-4-4T would find takers, and likewise an LNER pre-group design branchline tank engine? As for the dearth of good models of locos built by the Scottish companies and subsequently operating onto the BR(ScR) period, just imagine the outcry if the GWR provision included nothing representing the absorbed Welsh lines. Uh, wait a minute...