40 thoughts on “Can Bachmann BEAT Accurascale This Time?(OO Gauge Class 31) | Iron Horse Weekly ep82”
There are no coincidences & Hattons didn’t go bust, they made a business decision & it wouldn’t have been overnight, plain & simple. Ps yeah back loop needs to be seen 😀
I’ve recently cancelled my forthcoming 66 and 31 from Accurascale based on the niggles with my Accurascale 37. As good as it looks it’s really starting to frustrate me……… bought another Bachmann 37 instead of the other two pre orders. Most of my locos are Bachmann, all run perfectly and look fine for me. So I know where I will be spending my money.
Hatton’s owners decided to take their money and run as they weren’t really interested in fighting on! Accurascale and Hattons have had close ties for a while, so it’s good to see that they’ve brought the tooling for the P Class, the Andrew Barclay act.
Duplication again ,there are still some items which have not yet been modelled or updated take the class 81-84 electrics ,class 320/312 ,all the mk3 based emus ,and the PEP based units 507,8, 313,14,15 etc even a Tyne and Wear metro car ,DLR train mmm😮,what you think mate ,maybe this is my personal wish list but I’m sure a lot of modellers would like these but also at a good price then pigs make good birds 😅😂 All the best Mark
It's a shame backmann have decided to copy accurascale – they clearly feel a threat. What's most surprising is that CAN be cheaper when under pressure – which begs the question why are the other items so expecnsive/
The N gauge coming along nicely there. Bachmann are Bachmann, they're confident the retailers will buy them, they have a loyal client base & I guess the top spec versions will sell. The manufacturers are all chasing the juicy low hanging fruit that locos like the 20/31/37/47/50/56 & 60 offer. The real plum turkey is Heljans forthcoming 47, the costs of that for what you get makes Bachmanns rrp look good value. Bachmann investing over £1m in a new 6 axle drive platform.& associated add on 's was always going to yield more than just a 47, with the 37/69 & 31 already on the back of it. So the question is whats next , a 55/56/66?
Had a fair few,31's over the years from the original Triang one , couple of the Airfix ones which given their age really do look the part especially when you get the detailed up / repainted etc, then a few Lima ones, which I if I remember rightly came out in April 1989 totally unannounced & again when you get them done up they produce a model that's really good. The good supply of etch brass bits working wonders. Never bothered with the Hornby one, just knew it was going to be a car crash waiting to happen.
Traction tyres , if you've ever seen the 450 Euro Marklin – Trix class 66 , that's a 4 axle drive model that comes with traction tyres on the 2 inner wheels of each bogie. It's a very heavy powerful.model, you wouldn't know it's fitted with traction tyres at first glance. Maybe the Germans are a bit more on the ball than the UK which has firmly gone down US railroad practise of all wheel drive , that said Cavalex have employed 4 axle drive on its models to counter the problems that the Bachmann 66/70 have thrown up. Did make me laugh when they guys at Bachmann where babling on about accuracy / attention to detail, so why are you making a A-1-A as all wheel drive ,not that accurate then 😀 the model.will probably be more powerful than the real things.😂
Given what's been announced so far it's fair to say that Dapols class 323 & Hornbys stadler flirt are where its,really at along with revolutions 93 / 175/180 in 00. Bachmann made their name with the units & it's frustrating that they have turned their backs on making modern stuff just to keep ploughing the same old furrow with the old diesels.
The auto uncoupler for the God awful tension locks was interesting & again gives the SFX range it's USP. Rolls Royce models at Rolls Royce prices is the pathway Bachmann are on.
Hattons when you think about it has been on the wind down for months , they never seemed to restock certain items especially Peco catenary wires , same with Dapol wagons. I just stopped using them , managed to source what I wanted from various,retailers up & down the country who where just as good on price. Xmas 2022 I brought in a second-hand Bachmann 150 for £84 ex dcc train set model,from.Hattons by Xmas 2023 the same unit was nearer £150 in their pre owned section. Tells its own story.
Hi Craig I hope you are well Yes I was very disappointed in Bachmann 2024 spring announcement No steam but nice to see new n gauge stuff. Am also disappointed in Bachmann for copyright striking a youtuber Keep safe ARP
All competition is healthy and Bachmann v Accurascale is a great to see as ultimately, we all benefit from price, quality and choice. I am aware of a few grumbles with Accurascale locos (Class 55, 92, 37) and it is good to see the life time warranty as a result. I am hedging my bets on the Class 31 as I have both sound fitted options on pre order; time will tell which is best. It may look like Bachmann copied Accurascale, but I agree their announcements are usually later so they could arrive at the same time! There are some signs Bachmann's are responding to the competition, but they probably need to do more. Great to see the progress on the N Gauge layout Craig, and the generous uplift of the prize from Richard at DCC Concepts.
Where the Class 31 is concerned, for the interests of balance I have decided to go for one of each, I already have a Hornby version (31147) and will be getting both the Bachmann (31319) and Accurascale (31276) versions as well. It will be interesting to see how all three versions compare with each other, despite the Hornby version of course being a much older model. But one thing is for certain, once in my possession none of em will be going anywhere! You can have never have too many of em in my view!
At the end of the day manufacturers are businesses and if one was to bring out a particular loco or item of rolling stock I want (and for a reasonable price) then I am more than happy to make that purchase, irrespective of who that may be. It's also worth remembering that there is a common wishlist that the manufacturers themselves will look at. They aren't allowed to reveal to each other what they are working on unless the model in question is on the verge of release.
Mind you though, given the whole reaction from some quarters over this announcement, at least it takes the heat off Hornby for once, who normally get it in the neck, however warranted or not that may be.
I think Hattons could see the writing on the wall and we're waiting for their xmas sales before making any final decisions. Post xmas, everyone is skint so thats probably the better time to call it quits.
We have never been busier – and the same is true of all our dealers with whom I speak regularly. If a dealer moves with the times and offers the customer what they want, they'll always be busy. Fail to evolve and the business will fail – but the same is true of any service enterprise – such as clothing, homeware etc – that we have seen over recent years. Our hobby is incredibly vibrant, what we MUST do is appeal to the next generation of modellers. We have to be open to give advice and assistance, be welcoming and offer solutions which appeal to those with slightly shorter attention spans! Our hobby still has a LOT of life left in it – as long as it continues to adapt 🙂
The Bachmann 31 retail price is £169.95 – who'd have thought we'd see a new tooled Bachy for under £220. Accurascale 31 £169.99. Would Bachmann be offering the 31 at this price if Accurascale didn't have theirs – I reckon not? We may find out when they announce the price of their 69 – for which there isn't a competitor and a similarish type of loco, unless Cavalex extend their rather good 56 range to encompass a 69.
Bachmann's version of the Class 31 and eventually their NEW 66 will be BETTER than accurascales' versions.. Bachmann DO NOT have the issues with motors.. I have several Accuascale class 37s and they are all KNACKERED…. I cancelled nearly £6,000 worth or pre-orders with them because of this.. Then Accurascale announce a lifetime warranty… For me, this is because they are SCRAMBLING.. They know that they have issues with their models.. Issues that should NEVER have been put into the market… But they did.. Bachmann DO NOT have issues like Accurascale.. AVOID ACCURASCALE unless you just want to donate money or have very expensive paper weights…
DCC Concepts are a superb company, that was a very kind upgrade to the gift voucher, well done Lee on winning. Nice one Craig. Interesting point about the Hattons n Accurascale link……hmmmmm.
The new uncoupler from Bachmann is outstanding technology, they just need to engineer it to be cheaper and adaptable to other models! I'm straight-up never going to spend 300 pounds on a single OO model, but I really want to see the tech come down to common models!
I already have two class 31's, the old Airfix ones they'll do me. From what I have seen Bachmann have had the model in development for quite some time possibly a bit before Accurascale announced they where producing it, it is a shame this keeps happening but on the other hand it does give people more choice. The auto uncoupling system is a nice touch but IMHO I think the tension lock coupling has had its day and rather than try and develop it more it should be phased out.
I have preordered a class 31 from Accurascale to go with my 47 year old Hornby version. I think that both the Accurascale and Bachmann models will sell really well as they will both be excellent models with very similar price points. Unfortunately I think that Hornby could be left with a lot of unsold models as a result.
Looking at your layout, I was thinking you could get some inspiration from the track layout at Peak Forest… I like those videos from the 80s/90s…… I'm going to try and get a 31 from Gt. Eastern when they get them in stock… here's hoping.
They are all stupid duplicating models when so many DMU’s, EMU’S and AC electric locomotives could be done, it was an excuse 20 years ago EMU’S don’t sell.
Strange, eh. For the last 4 years, the only class 31s available have been used ones – either the old lima with the fake middle wheels, or the early hornby with Mazzak rot. So I welcome the chance for the first time to get my hands on a decent class 31 (preferably the Accurascale I have pre-ordered).
It’s only recently that Bachmann and to an extent that Hornby have been releasing models closer to announcing them. As for prices, Bachmann are basically making 3 versions too. Normal, SF and SFX. Hornby railroad versions are definitely not for me, but great for kids and newbies. All of Hattons toolings will go to others, why wouldn’t they? But let’s hope accurascale don’t use their supplier for motors! lol.
Hi mate, hope you are doing well and great to see the progress with the layout.
Things don’t seem right to me with this announcement from Bachmann. So many people would of placed pre orders with Accurascale for theirs, it seems very odd to hold onto the announcement until now. Personally I think they think there is an opportunity to poach customers, because of some of the problems they had with the 37. I mean who do you go with, be interested if you did a poll Accurascale 31 or a Bachmann one and see what people think. For me I will keep my orders in with Accurascale. It would be great to get a model and it run straight from the box with no issues, but it’s how companies deal with them that really makes them stand out for me. A few years ago (many tbh) a well known car manufacturer did back to back 24hr testing to get their car ready for the le man 24hrs. In the race however they all broke down and failed to finish. No amount of testing is like the real test it gets in real life. We saw Accurascale at making tracks last year, was this there attempt to iron out problems on forthcoming releases….
A previous video of yours I made a comment about not being able to get a new type of loco if you hadn’t got your preorder in. Most shops/sites seem to be sold out on preorder of Accurascale 31s so Bachman dropping models on the market gives the rest of us a chance. £360???? for an all singing and dancing 31 seems expensive, but I’ve already seen them on offer for just over 300. Ordinary sound fitted 260 I think it was seems a good price. But proof will be when they arrive and the YouTuber army get in first and put them to the test of which, if not both are any good. Plus will the lifetime warranty from Accurascale help make up minds.
Enjoyed the clarity of a bloke who isn’t buying a Class 31 anyway – me too! Got a big box of models from my brother who sadly has health issues and can longer model. Found a Triang Class 31 in the and with a minor service runs fine. Probably from the 1980s and looks very like a Class 31 when running so probably is one and can really see a little dashboard or a couple of hoses when running… job done for me!
I brought my Hornby fully detailed class 31 for £55 about 10 years ago. It had a number which I knew had run down south, though maybe not the correct livery (it was in RF grey when it did, but the model was standard BR blue).
About 5 years after that, I added TTS sound which Hornby produced. So one super detailed, DCC sound fitted class 31 with working fan for less than £100.
Yep Hornby did go through a phase of adding rotating fans to their diesels. These were driven from the main motor of course and not independently driven like the Bachmann ones. Hornby later dropped it as it was seen as too much of gimmick from feedback (my class 50 did not have rotating fans, but I soon sourced the missing parts to convert it, this was again about 10 years ago….).
I have a Bachmann 47 in full SFX edition, this is Lady Diana in Scotrail colours from the first batch of all new 47s they did. I did not want to pay the original release price and thought I had missed out until last year a shop cleared theirs out at about £240. The special glazing, full internal lights and working fans are nice. But – as you said in another video – probably bit of a gimmick.
Compared to my older Bachmann 47 (previous generation), one thing that instantly stands out is the missing driver that they used to do on their previous version LOL.
With Rapido offering steam classes not seen before (and right in my region too), money tends to go there first rather than duplicating loco types whose detailing and running I consider adequate for my layout.
There are no coincidences & Hattons didn’t go bust, they made a business decision & it wouldn’t have been overnight, plain & simple.
Ps yeah back loop needs to be seen 😀
I’ve recently cancelled my forthcoming 66 and 31 from Accurascale based on the niggles with my Accurascale 37. As good as it looks it’s really starting to frustrate me……… bought another Bachmann 37 instead of the other two pre orders. Most of my locos are Bachmann, all run perfectly and look fine for me. So I know where I will be spending my money.
Nice out-take on the end!
Hatton’s owners decided to take their money and run as they weren’t really interested in fighting on!
Accurascale and Hattons have had close ties for a while, so it’s good to see that they’ve brought the tooling for the P Class, the Andrew Barclay act.
I think the Hattons thing was all in the pipe line along time ago.
Duplication again ,there are still some items which have not yet been modelled or updated take the class 81-84 electrics ,class 320/312 ,all the mk3 based emus ,and the PEP based units 507,8, 313,14,15 etc even a Tyne and Wear metro car ,DLR train mmm😮,what you think mate ,maybe this is my personal wish list but I’m sure a lot of modellers would like these but also at a good price then pigs make good birds 😅😂
All the best
Mark
Another good video, were you on question time last week
It's a shame backmann have decided to copy accurascale – they clearly feel a threat. What's most surprising is that CAN be cheaper when under pressure – which begs the question why are the other items so expecnsive/
The N gauge coming along nicely there. Bachmann are Bachmann, they're confident the retailers will buy them, they have a loyal client base & I guess the top spec versions will sell. The manufacturers are all chasing the juicy low hanging fruit that locos like the 20/31/37/47/50/56 & 60 offer. The real plum turkey is Heljans forthcoming 47, the costs of that for what you get makes Bachmanns rrp look good value. Bachmann investing over £1m in a new 6 axle drive platform.& associated add on 's was always going to yield more than just a 47, with the 37/69 & 31 already on the back of it. So the question is whats next , a 55/56/66?
Had a fair few,31's over the years from the original Triang one , couple of the Airfix ones which given their age really do look the part especially when you get the detailed up / repainted etc, then a few Lima ones, which I if I remember rightly came out in April 1989 totally unannounced & again when you get them done up they produce a model that's really good. The good supply of etch brass bits working wonders. Never bothered with the Hornby one, just knew it was going to be a car crash waiting to happen.
Traction tyres , if you've ever seen the 450 Euro Marklin – Trix class 66 , that's a 4 axle drive model that comes with traction tyres on the 2 inner wheels of each bogie. It's a very heavy powerful.model, you wouldn't know it's fitted with traction tyres at first glance. Maybe the Germans are a bit more on the ball than the UK which has firmly gone down US railroad practise of all wheel drive , that said Cavalex have employed 4 axle drive on its models to counter the problems that the Bachmann 66/70 have thrown up. Did make me laugh when they guys at Bachmann where babling on about accuracy / attention to detail, so why are you making a A-1-A as all wheel drive ,not that accurate then 😀 the model.will probably be more powerful than the real things.😂
Given what's been announced so far it's fair to say that Dapols class 323 & Hornbys stadler flirt are where its,really at along with revolutions 93 / 175/180 in 00. Bachmann made their name with the units & it's frustrating that they have turned their backs on making modern stuff just to keep ploughing the same old furrow with the old diesels.
The auto uncoupler for the God awful tension locks was interesting & again gives the SFX range it's USP. Rolls Royce models at Rolls Royce prices is the pathway Bachmann are on.
Hattons when you think about it has been on the wind down for months , they never seemed to restock certain items especially Peco catenary wires , same with Dapol wagons. I just stopped using them , managed to source what I wanted from various,retailers up & down the country who where just as good on price. Xmas 2022 I brought in a second-hand Bachmann 150 for £84 ex dcc train set model,from.Hattons by Xmas 2023 the same unit was nearer £150 in their pre owned section. Tells its own story.
Hi Craig
I hope you are well
Yes I was very disappointed in Bachmann 2024 spring announcement
No steam but nice to see new n gauge stuff.
Am also disappointed in Bachmann for copyright striking a youtuber
Keep safe ARP
All competition is healthy and Bachmann v Accurascale is a great to see as ultimately, we all benefit from price, quality and choice. I am aware of a few grumbles with Accurascale locos (Class 55, 92, 37) and it is good to see the life time warranty as a result. I am hedging my bets on the Class 31 as I have both sound fitted options on pre order; time will tell which is best. It may look like Bachmann copied Accurascale, but I agree their announcements are usually later so they could arrive at the same time! There are some signs Bachmann's are responding to the competition, but they probably need to do more. Great to see the progress on the N Gauge layout Craig, and the generous uplift of the prize from Richard at DCC Concepts.
Hi Craig.
Watched.
Paul. ❤️👍.
Where the Class 31 is concerned, for the interests of balance I have decided to go for one of each, I already have a Hornby version (31147) and will be getting both the Bachmann (31319) and Accurascale (31276) versions as well. It will be interesting to see how all three versions compare with each other, despite the Hornby version of course being a much older model. But one thing is for certain, once in my possession none of em will be going anywhere! You can have never have too many of em in my view!
At the end of the day manufacturers are businesses and if one was to bring out a particular loco or item of rolling stock I want (and for a reasonable price) then I am more than happy to make that purchase, irrespective of who that may be. It's also worth remembering that there is a common wishlist that the manufacturers themselves will look at. They aren't allowed to reveal to each other what they are working on unless the model in question is on the verge of release.
Mind you though, given the whole reaction from some quarters over this announcement, at least it takes the heat off Hornby for once, who normally get it in the neck, however warranted or not that may be.
Bachmann or absolute rip off artists their prices are extortionate and their locomotives are inferior 🤨
I think Hattons could see the writing on the wall and we're waiting for their xmas sales before making any final decisions. Post xmas, everyone is skint so thats probably the better time to call it quits.
14:56 the Hatton’s 31? I see where your opinion on the matter regarding Hattons and Accurascale lies 😂
We have never been busier – and the same is true of all our dealers with whom I speak regularly. If a dealer moves with the times and offers the customer what they want, they'll always be busy. Fail to evolve and the business will fail – but the same is true of any service enterprise – such as clothing, homeware etc – that we have seen over recent years. Our hobby is incredibly vibrant, what we MUST do is appeal to the next generation of modellers. We have to be open to give advice and assistance, be welcoming and offer solutions which appeal to those with slightly shorter attention spans!
Our hobby still has a LOT of life left in it – as long as it continues to adapt 🙂
The Bachmann 31 retail price is £169.95 – who'd have thought we'd see a new tooled Bachy for under £220. Accurascale 31 £169.99. Would Bachmann be offering the 31 at this price if Accurascale didn't have theirs – I reckon not? We may find out when they announce the price of their 69 – for which there isn't a competitor and a similarish type of loco, unless Cavalex extend their rather good 56 range to encompass a 69.
Well said 🙂 My thoughts too.
Dapol make a class 220 Bachmann/Graham Farish make a class 220
Dapol make a class 66
Bachmann/Graham Farish make a class 66
Dapol make a B1
Bachmann/Graham Farish make a B1
Bachmann's version of the Class 31 and eventually their NEW 66 will be BETTER than accurascales' versions.. Bachmann DO NOT have the issues with motors.. I have several Accuascale class 37s and they are all KNACKERED…. I cancelled nearly £6,000 worth or pre-orders with them because of this.. Then Accurascale announce a lifetime warranty… For me, this is because they are SCRAMBLING.. They know that they have issues with their models.. Issues that should NEVER have been put into the market… But they did.. Bachmann DO NOT have issues like Accurascale.. AVOID ACCURASCALE unless you just want to donate money or have very expensive paper weights…
We have a Hattons SECR P class on order. Now Accurascale have taken over the tooling, the price has gone up from £85 to £99..
DCC Concepts are a superb company, that was a very kind upgrade to the gift voucher, well done Lee on winning. Nice one Craig. Interesting point about the Hattons n Accurascale link……hmmmmm.
It be interesting when both models of the Class 31 come out, wonder, could you stick a road bridge between the scenic break?
The new uncoupler from Bachmann is outstanding technology, they just need to engineer it to be cheaper and adaptable to other models! I'm straight-up never going to spend 300 pounds on a single OO model, but I really want to see the tech come down to common models!
I already have two class 31's, the old Airfix ones they'll do me. From what I have seen Bachmann have had the model in development for quite some time possibly a bit before Accurascale announced they where producing it, it is a shame this keeps happening but on the other hand it does give people more choice. The auto uncoupling system is a nice touch but IMHO I think the tension lock coupling has had its day and rather than try and develop it more it should be phased out.
I have preordered a class 31 from Accurascale to go with my 47 year old Hornby version. I think that both the Accurascale and Bachmann models will sell really well as they will both be excellent models with very similar price points. Unfortunately I think that Hornby could be left with a lot of unsold models as a result.
Looking at your layout, I was thinking you could get some inspiration from the track layout at Peak Forest… I like those videos from the 80s/90s…… I'm going to try and get a 31 from Gt. Eastern when they get them in stock… here's hoping.
Hi craig can i ask where did you purchase your foam from and what thickness you using please
They are all stupid duplicating models when so many DMU’s, EMU’S and AC electric locomotives could be done, it was an excuse 20 years ago EMU’S don’t sell.
I approve of class 31s.
Strange, eh. For the last 4 years, the only class 31s available have been used ones – either the old lima with the fake middle wheels, or the early hornby with Mazzak rot. So I welcome the chance for the first time to get my hands on a decent class 31 (preferably the Accurascale I have pre-ordered).
It’s only recently that Bachmann and to an extent that Hornby have been releasing models closer to announcing them. As for prices, Bachmann are basically making 3 versions too. Normal, SF and SFX. Hornby railroad versions are definitely not for me, but great for kids and newbies. All of Hattons toolings will go to others, why wouldn’t they? But let’s hope accurascale don’t use their supplier for motors! lol.
Hi mate, hope you are doing well and great to see the progress with the layout.
Things don’t seem right to me with this announcement from Bachmann. So many people would of placed pre orders with Accurascale for theirs, it seems very odd to hold onto the announcement until now. Personally I think they think there is an opportunity to poach customers, because of some of the problems they had with the 37.
I mean who do you go with, be interested if you did a poll Accurascale 31 or a Bachmann one and see what people think. For me I will keep my orders in with Accurascale. It would be great to get a model and it run straight from the box with no issues, but it’s how companies deal with them that really makes them stand out for me. A few years ago (many tbh) a well known car manufacturer did back to back 24hr testing to get their car ready for the le man 24hrs. In the race however they all broke down and failed to finish. No amount of testing is like the real test it gets in real life. We saw Accurascale at making tracks last year, was this there attempt to iron out problems on forthcoming releases….
A previous video of yours I made a comment about not being able to get a new type of loco if you hadn’t got your preorder in. Most shops/sites seem to be sold out on preorder of Accurascale 31s so Bachman dropping models on the market gives the rest of us a chance. £360???? for an all singing and dancing 31 seems expensive, but I’ve already seen them on offer for just over 300. Ordinary sound fitted 260 I think it was seems a good price. But proof will be when they arrive and the YouTuber army get in first and put them to the test of which, if not both are any good. Plus will the lifetime warranty from Accurascale help make up minds.
We all know accurascale has issues with its class 37 motors so wouldn’t surprise me if their class 31’s have motor issues too
I had a hornby triang 31 in the 70s so have soft spot from then
Massive thank you to Craig & DCC Concepts for the voucher. Amazed by the huge guesture from DCC Concepts. I shall spend wisely
Enjoyed the clarity of a bloke who isn’t buying a Class 31 anyway – me too! Got a big box of models from my brother who sadly has health issues and can longer model. Found a Triang Class 31 in the and with a minor service runs fine. Probably from the 1980s and looks very like a Class 31 when running so probably is one and can really see a little dashboard or a couple of hoses when running… job done for me!
I brought my Hornby fully detailed class 31 for £55 about 10 years ago. It had a number which I knew had run down south, though maybe not the correct livery (it was in RF grey when it did, but the model was standard BR blue).
About 5 years after that, I added TTS sound which Hornby produced. So one super detailed, DCC sound fitted class 31 with working fan for less than £100.
Yep Hornby did go through a phase of adding rotating fans to their diesels. These were driven from the main motor of course and not independently driven like the Bachmann ones.
Hornby later dropped it as it was seen as too much of gimmick from feedback (my class 50 did not have rotating fans, but I soon sourced the missing parts to convert it, this was again about 10 years ago….).
I have a Bachmann 47 in full SFX edition, this is Lady Diana in Scotrail colours from the first batch of all new 47s they did. I did not want to pay the original release price and thought I had missed out until last year a shop cleared theirs out at about £240. The special glazing, full internal lights and working fans are nice. But – as you said in another video – probably bit of a gimmick.
Compared to my older Bachmann 47 (previous generation), one thing that instantly stands out is the missing driver that they used to do on their previous version LOL.
With Rapido offering steam classes not seen before (and right in my region too), money tends to go there first rather than duplicating loco types whose detailing and running I consider adequate for my layout.