Graham Farish (by Bachmann) in 2019

[Cowley]

Evening folks.

I've been looking at the Farish range this evening and there seems to be quite a few new models listed.
I'm particularly interested in the BR blue centre headcode class 37.
Having not bought anything new from them for a good few years, does anyone know how quickly newly announced models appear on the shelves?
Also has anyone had any experience with N gauge DCC sound fitted locos? Some of them sound pretty good on YouTube, but I'd be interested in others opinions.

 

[SCH117X]

Evening folks.
Having not bought anything new from them for a good few years, does anyone know how quickly newly announced models appear on the shelves?

Don't hold your breath - years is often the answer
https://www.bachmann.co.uk/availability/ gives TBA and as models are listed that are scheduled to be released until Jan 2020 sometime thereafter in all probability.

 

[Cowley]

Don't hold your breath - years is often the answer
https://www.bachmann.co.uk/availability/ gives TBA and as models are listed that are scheduled to be released until Jan 2020 sometime thereafter in all probability.

Yes it seems that way doesn't it.
There's a few things I find a bit strange about their range, although the quality of the models is very good.

 

[Cowley]

A thing that slightly puzzles me about the Farish range is which models they release (or are planning to release) compared to Dapol.
Graham Farish for instance are offering DCC sound on their Colas 47 (47727) and the RES red liveried 47745, but not on the other 8 versions (some of which are also new releases).
It's a similar case with other classes.
When you compare this to the way Dapol plan to sell their new class 50 - i.e. All models can be bought either DC, DCC, or DCC sound, it seems like Farish are missing a bit of a trick.

Something else I don't quite understand is that when I looked to buy a DCC starter set with track controller etc (and stock that was based in the 1980s or early 90s), the only thing available was the 'Highlander' set (pictured here)

Great if you want to model one particular line in the whole of the UK, not so great if you don't.
Wouldn't it have been a better idea to have a set made up of a standard blue 37 with two blue and grey Mk1s/2s instead?
I've ended up buying everything separately instead.

 

[JohnMcL7]

Even as a Highlander I'd also prefer blue and grey carriages, can you even buy any more coaches in that colour scheme?

 

[Cowley]

Even as a Highlander I'd also prefer blue and grey carriages, can you even buy any more coaches in that colour scheme?

Well they're also planning on releasing this in N gauge -



(ex class 101 observation car and mk2 pack), which is very nice actually, and I did go on it years ago. But I mustn't get sidetracked with nice Scottish things.

 

[JohnMcL7]

I also wish it wasn't a Highland specific one as there would be much less temptation to buy it. I didn't realise the set had been out a few years as I thought it was a recent one so I should wait and see if they release the matching viewing car for it. It seems odd they have the viewing car and coach for OO but no normal carriages in the livery to go with it that I can see then for n-gauge they have two normal carriages but not the viewing car part.

Does the 37 in the Highlander set have lights and DCC sound? I've been looking it up to buy it but they don't list DCC sounds nor does it show on the box with the red icon other sets, DCC sound equipped locos seem few and far between plus they seem to be about the same price as this entire set. However videos of the set on Youtube show it with DCC sound.