The first appearance of the long-awaited Mk.2f coaches is the highlight of the manufacturer’s summer briefing.
AS is now traditional, Bachmann provided an update on the state of play with its ranges at the start of July, this being a sort of mid-year report where the latest samples are shown to the model railway press and progress on models under development is detailed.
Notably, the manufacturer reported that sales of its model railway items increased by 8% in the past year, suggesting that its policy of continuing to focus on high-quality models is working. Inevitably, prices continue to be a point of discussion, with Bachmann correctly pointing out that its position at the top of the marketplace means it has far more overheads than the increasing number of small-scale companies, costs that can only be met by selling models at a price that will cover them.
Indications are that most modellers are now accepting the new pricing structure, recognising that Bachmann is maintaining the standards of quality that justify the prices. However, innovations have been promised on future models, such as the Class 90 detailed on the facing page, to deliver extra value.
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Last year’s intention of scaling back on exclusive commissions for third party companies has been reversed, with Bachmann announcing that it is currently working on no less than five new tooling projects with three more under discussion. These are with a variety of retailers and companies, including at least one newcomer to the process, and, while no clues were given as to the model subjects, some of these projects will take until 2019 to appear.
Read more in the August issue of RE – on sale now!
