Midland Pullman

[kdruthless]

Hey Guys!

This is my first post here, so forgive the rather formal tone of this posting.

I have recently got it into my head that it might be possible for all of those people who are sick and tired of waiting for a super-deatiled, modern Midland Pullman could band together and commision it straight from the manufacturers rather than wait for them to do it for us.

The downside of this is of course cost. The initial investment on such a new model will have to be huge, but i believe that if enough people are interested (and bear in mind, we're only talking about 2500 people here) and will give a little money up front, then this could be a reality.

Let me know what your thoughts are, 'cause i won't bother if nobody agrees with me

Please note: I haven't said at any point that this is going to happen. If people show enough interest, then i will set up a website and get advertisements in magazines,

[boilersuit]

Good grief, I thought! Then I realised... kdruthless must be talking about a model.

[kdruthless]

that would be why its in the 'modelling' area dude

[John H-T]

Welcome to the Forum Kdruthless.

2,500 is a bit low. You would need to go for 5,000 if you want to keep the costs within bounds. Even then you are probably talking at least £400-500 for a full set! I think Bachmann qoted this price for a "normal" production run in an interview recently.

Bachmann minimum run is 5,000 for a special commision, as they are doing with the NRM Deltic.

You will have to pay up frount of course, could cost you £150,000-£200,000!

I know that Hattons/Heljan are doing a run of 2,500 for the Class 14 but look at the price: £115 for a super shunter! More than the NRM/ Bachmann Deltic!

I'm not trying to be a killjoy but commisioning and selling 5,000 could be a big job! You could of course make £50,000-£75,000 if it all went right!

Best wishes,

John H-T.

[kdruthless]

Thanks for the interest and the encouragement.

you were by no means being a killjoy in that posting, and i am more than aware of the difficulties involved.

However, I do not intend to make a penny out of this (just the set with the Number 1 on it) and I wouldn't be selling them through a retailer, so there are two costs gone already.

Also, with an authentic six-car set (triang and kitmaster coaches) along with new detailing parts for the power trailers, and a motor upgrade to make the thing run half decently is approximately £300 just for the raw materials! You've still gotta build a lot of it when you have spent that.

If the cost per unit to the subscriber is similar to this, but in RTR form, with the current standard of model construction then naturally the new product will win on its comparative merits.

In response to the problem of shifting the whole batch of them, well, we will require a lot of money up front for this, and we wont commission the model unless we can afford it.

Thanks again for the interest

KD

P.S. Would you be interested in a BP?

[John H-T]

KD,

Thanks for taking my post in a positive spirit.

When I did my calculations last night I had just come in from a meeting and did everything in my head as a quick reply. When I looked at the figures again I realised I had dropped a '0'! : £150,000-£200,000 should of course read £1,500,000 - £2,000,000! This is based on a cost price per unit £350 ex VAT. x 5,000 = £1,750,000.

I arrived at this figure by taking the Jan 2008 price for the New Hornby HST Power car and dummy unit and adding 4 standard Hornby pulman coaches which gives about £280, there has been a price rise since!

Yesterday I was looking at the new Dapol spine wagons which are stunning, so Dapol might be a good bet and you might be able to go back to 2,500 units.

It will be interesting to see how the Kernow "Thumpers," from Dapol looks and how much they are. They are due sometime next year.

As far as the Hattons/Heljan Class 14 is concerned it looks to me as if there is approx 50% mark up on the price I would expect to pay for a normal production model of a loco of this size.

On the up side the NRM have now sold 4,000 Deltics. I believe the next batches will be sound and weathered.

I am not sure about buying a BP myself: 1. Cost. 2. It doesn't fit in with my layout. 3. I have a very long list of other wants!

Best wishes,

John H-T.

[Shed Cat]

Is there a standard detailled version that could be commercially super detailled and upgraded in a Batch for much less cost than a brand new version??

[DSY011]

If you ever think about a Garratt I would be interested but I'm afraid modern locos do not interest me when it comes to modeling.
I would however like to welcome you to the Forum Kdruthless, and I hope you are successful in your quest.