Bachmann Thompson teaks

[Kestrel]

There's some photos of the new Bachmann Thompson teaks here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index. ... uary-2018/

[2512silverfox]

Have now looked at the posts on t'other side. Appearance appears too flat and lacks depth. The originals were all hand scumbled and had the requisite number of coats of varnish, hence the appearance of the depth of the finish.

What I do not understand is the (ersatz teak) finish round the windows and that area, which definitely is not prototypical!

If you have a look, take a trip down to the 7mm version illustrated by Coachman in his post.

[Kestrel]

The coaches shown on pages 74-75 of the April edition of HM do look pretty awful although the magazine is singing Bachmann's praises.

[mick b]

The coaches shown on pages 74-75 of the April edition of HM do look pretty awful although the magazine is singing Bachmann's praises.

Some magazines and other self declared experts, Iive in a world were wearing rose tinted glasses is the norm. Another example is the Kernow GWR 1361 Loco made with very obvious when pointed out splashers on the footplate , which they never had. The fault was picked up on the dark side by punters , ignored on most reviews and "experts" were suggesting hide them behind bicycles etc !! .


I think they look dire , the finish and moulded handles are the most obvious problems.

[Atlantic 3279]

I'm sure the likely purchasers will think they are wonderful, especially if they firstly watch a box-opening video with plenty of "wows" and "awesomes" in the commentary.

Others may well take a rather different view.

The finish reminds me of the hopelessly false mock-wood panels applied to the sides of certain 1960s US-built "station wagons". Period photographs of the real coaches suggest something far superior.

[65447]

Nevertheless the teak finish appears to be better than Hornby's last efforts on the non-vestibuled LNER stock... not that it's an excuse.

[MikeTrice]

Just had an email from Hattons telling me these are now in stock.

[S.A.C. Martin]

Here's my thing. The finish is okay, from a distance and under a good amount of weathering prototypical for their time frame (late 40s, early 50s), I can look past that because the actual coaches themselves are very well detailed. I cannot produce Thompson coaches as good as these.

But...the price. I baulk at the price. I question if they are worth £46-50 each. I have recently bought a number of the old (quite inaccurate) Bachmann ones for £9 each. They are in the queue and once I am done with my articulated Gresleys, will get the scumbled look. Which is better?

I may yet relent and buy some. For now, I am content to do some modelling. They're not the worst LNER coaches ever produced, and the scumbled finish whilst not the best, certainly isn't the worst we've seen either.

[mick b]

Buy some etched sides from Southern Pride @ £8 a time and do some modelling !!.

These are the LNER built Scotsman type with lower sides and have been added to old cheap Bachmann Thompson's, cut the bottom extension off if needed ,for other Diagrams, they also do the later BR build Diagrams with curved corners to the windows.

Easy conversion , the painting takes a while .

[davidwest]

Here's my thing. The finish is okay, from a distance and under a good amount of weathering prototypical for their time frame (late 40s, early 50s), I can look past that because the actual coaches themselves are very well detailed. I cannot produce Thompson coaches as good as these.

But...the price. I baulk at the price. I question if they are worth £46-50 each. I have recently bought a number of the old (quite inaccurate) Bachmann ones for £9 each. They are in the queue and once I am done with my articulated Gresleys, will get the scumbled look. Which is better?

I may yet relent and buy some. For now, I am content to do some modelling. They're not the worst LNER coaches ever produced, and the scumbled finish whilst not the best, certainly isn't the worst we've seen either.

Simon - got to agree. Very expensive. They are far better than the 1990's versions. I dont understand the pick up for light provision. I emailed Bachmann encouraging them to remove such stuff. The response was that itonly adds pennys. I bought two c/c on release given to me then as late christmas presents. When maroon are releasedI would like a lot more. Like you I struggle to justify at the cost. Mickb's solution may be the best answer. His look great. Comet could be an alternative supplier.

[MikeTrice]

The original Bachmann Thompsons can scrub up quite well with some effort: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index. ... r-coaches/

[Sniffer]

Personally, I have to say they look very fetching.
Nice models of a very difficult finish.

Assembling a rake will be expensive I agree, but they would look very good behind "525".
(Or a Thompson pacific when it finally appears.)

Replicating the teak finish on a steel body was hard enough in real life, not surprised it's tricky in model form too.

[Hatfield Shed]

...I dont understand the pick up for light provision. I emailed Bachmann encouraging them to remove such stuff. The response was that it only adds pennies.

Although happlly very useful to those like me who need 'complete train out of section' detection. Already redeployed bogies and wheelsets from Bachmann Thompson and Pullman coaches to other vehicles to this end.

[S.A.C. Martin]

So, here’s an about turn worthy of a politician. I’ve bought one...

I decided I needed to make my own mind up. In the flesh, it’s actually gorgeous. The overall shape and proportions seem bob on and the detailing is very good. I have some difficulty reconciling the views on the scumbled finish though. Yes it’s not perfect, but actually I think it represents the era pretty well, and in fact does the scumble a tad bit better than Hornbys last round of Thompson suburbans. Under weathering it’ll be more than passable.

Is the high cost worth it? Well, I’m not sure. No sprung buffers but it does have pickups for lighting. Having had mine apart a lighting kit will easily fit into the roof line and now there’s pickups to wire in too. Future proofing but also practical application. I quite like that.

I went up to the Bachmanns boys at LFORM yesterday and said as much. I do think we’ve maybe been guilty as modellers in maybe shooting first and asking questions later at times. Here I’m not convinced the criticisms of the finish are entirely fair now having one in the flesh.