A winner Eugene and so is your presentation as always from you! You have won me over, im prepared to pay 70 pounds for the dcc fitted versions DRS, probably get four, as i do have the DBSO from the BCC club even though the lights arnt prototypical. Yes will order them from my dear friend Jim at the Locoshed in Manchester. Big bucks then soon for me as the Accurascale 37/66 are fairly due soon, a few swaps might help! Excellent as always from you, cheers Nick.
Thanks Nick and best of luck with your new purchases. Should make a handsome train. If you already have the DBSO, you're foot is halfway in the door already.
An interesting review! I'm not in the market for these coaches, being a Continental modeller, but the discounted prices match the prices for LS Models coaches (more or less) and I wanted to see if that was justified given the high quality offered by LS. The main difference seems to be the lighting features, which you don't get with LS Models. I would say the difference in terms of detailing and build quality (also packaging) seems to be that LS Models coaches just 'look' better to me (but then I would say that being a Continental modeller!). It'd be interesting to see what LS charged for a UK coach, if they ever entered the market. Personally, I'm not a fan of coach lighting so the price of the non-lit, non-DCC versions would make them a winner for me if I ever returned to UK OO.
Thank you for this video Eugene. I really appreciate the review of this model. I think I might get some once I have relocated and set up my new layout. I will be getting an NCE Powercab for DCC as that will help with my American trains that will be 95% of my fleet. Keep up the great work mate. All the best, Peter.
I ironically enough joined the Bachmann CC primarily because I wanted to get a hold of the DRS Mk2Fs as they just look so much better than the Hornby equivalents which don't even use the correct shade of blues. The only trouble is that at £95 EACH for a DCC one is simply far too much for an unpowered coach (and even then £70 for a DC one is also asking frankly too much) but clearly since they are now available at Bachmann supported retailers they have now become far more appropriately priced and I shall definitely get some in due course. I just gotta wonder when the DBSO will become available to retailers because at £150 it's probably the most expensive coach that's currently out there on the market and I dont think that's something to be proud of (not when it doesn't match the prototype with it's incorrect light cluster layout)
The pricing has been crazy and £150 for a model that isn't even fully aligned with the prototype is hard to swallow. I'm looking for it get down to the £110-£120 level. I'd love for it to lower but it will probably sell out around this level. Thanks for commenting.
@EuviRail I'm really struggling to understand Bachmanns pricing here not only for a DBSO but their models across the board. I appreciate that the UK outline model railway market has low volumes compared to the US or European but if the likes of Accurascale/Dapol /Rapido /Revolution can produce accurate models at reasonable prices why can't Bachmann and Hornby?.
Hi eugene great review as always.wondering will you be reviewing the murphy models mk 2 coaches and if you have had any coupling issues with them. Cheers
Great review, thank you. I went with the non-DCC versions from a retailer for the lower cost (plus my layout is DC) and run them with the same Accurascale class 37 as yours.
Another forensic and entertaining review. Oddly for me, I'd have given them a slightly higher score for Price/Value but lower on Packaging & Docs, due to the issues you raised. But let's face it, we are discussing minor points. I also agree that the Hornby versions should not be discounted, especially if the lighting fearures are not a must-have.
Quite a well put together video and carefully crafted review. I think you would only want these coaches if you are modelling exactly this era and scenario. As a general layout train, it is too expensive! BTW I have ordered R30106 Southern VEP and should have it in a day or two and I shall be reviewing it. Thanks for uploading.
People were so horrified at the Bachmann CC price they probably sold less than 10, hence why they are now sold at discount via retailers...Bachmann will never learn. I'm waiting for their JJA's & JPA's to go the same way, £95 for a single JJA is mind boggling.
£70 is steep for a coach but the lighting feature is definitely on point and top of the line, they run well, and have loads of detail and no light bleed what so ever. I want to say £70 isn't a fair price... But the truth is I think it is... and I just can't afford them.
£70 is still steep, particularly when building a decent rake - ouch! I'm hoping Accurascale's Mk2 coaches can provide decent lighting at a lower price point.
Thanks for a great review and comparison with the Hornby model. I am in the market for some DRS coaching stock and was trying to choose which manufacturer and would be interested if Accurascale produced a batch of these in DRS livery.
The second hand prices of these coaches, especially the Blue/Grey and IC Exec TSO show that Bachmann have probably judged their target customer base fairly accurately. Exceedingly expensive though they are, as I’ve expanded my fleet with further liveries, I’ve been talked into selling nearly half of my B/G fleet and was offered three times what I paid for my TSOs. That alone funded further models. Unpopular opinion perhaps as I’m effectively defending these prices, but I reckon Bachmann know exactly who they are aiming at with these spec models at these prices.
Hi Simon, the B/G prices on eBay are crazy for sure. Certain models like this can turn out to be like investments. As you say, Bachmann had a view to the buyers for coaches like these though £99 is still a crazy RRP for a coach. At least the broader range is more affordable now and whatever you purchase now will likely hold it's value which is always a good thing. Thanks for sharing.
I wish I'd known you were selling Mk2f TSO in Blue/Grey livery! It's taken me ages to get a TSO to complete my rake. I was fortunate enough to find 3 (DBSO, FO and Buffet) in Blue/Grey livery on Facebook market place for £200 for all 3 - but just couldn't find a TSO anywhere! I even tracked one down for sale in America, at a model shop - paid for it, only for them to let me know they were out of stock. So many of the others for sale - but TSO's are incredibly rare.
@@mauricekerrigan6759 I have to admit to not intending on selling any TSOs. I had built two and a half rakes in B/G which included 12 TSOs, with the half rake being part of a 1980s mix with IC exec. Its hard to say no when offered £900 for 5 of them because they'd lost a few £180 bids. I didn't have to think about it for very long! Solid aircon trains weren't that common in my 70s/80s main focus. While building the rakes I'd been using Mk2a TSOs and just went back to those, which to be honest I was happier doing as it was more representative of the prototype anyway. Thinning the 2Fs out ultimately did me a favour as it paid for a glut of Accura Mk2b/c (when they arrive) to see off the elderly Mk2a as well as a SFX class 47. The other ones I'm always on the lookout for are FFA inners in old Freightliner livery, those are every bit as difficult to find as TSO! Though the recent C-Rail International 20ft dry box release mitigates that as it means I can get away with the Maersk FFAs and switch to older containers. Even so, I still haven't hit my target of 3 five sets, being 2 FFA short after years of looking...I've never paid more than £50 for one though, and won't get drawn into ebay bids!
They are nice coaches, however I do think that Bachmann are trying to squeeze as much profit out of them as possible…. They aren’t worth nearly twice the price of an Accurascale mk2… Saying that, if they release another blue/grey batch then I’ll get another rakes worth…
DRS Coaches are good with very little running resistance. Lighting good but not a must have feature for me. Have 2 to add on to 4 similar Scot Rail coaches.
Hi Chris, sometimes the little spur at the back of the lamp that plugs into the coach may need to be shaved down ever so slightly or the hole widened slightly so that it can fit. It's an interference fit so it needs to be tight. A tiny bit of loco oil or something similar may also help to ease it in without damaging anything. If the spur breaks off in the hole (happened to me) you have to open the coach to clear it. A long nose pliers or short tweezers will also help with inserting it.
