kennyGWSR wrote:No release date for any of it yet....
Just to put the record straight, it's been out for a few months now, but sold out! You can get it on Ebay and similar but will pay a premium. It will be worth waiting for the next batch Bachmann produce (they have already confirmed there will be a second run)... Both the 009 Society's Sales Team (for Members only) and Tootally Thomas have sold around 150 or so between them and at well below the cost of importing them from the USA or buying from other UK retailers who seem to want to load the price. For non 009 Society members I'd recomend emailing Steve at Tootally to reserve one. His prices for the first run were by far the cheapest. The stock that goes with it is so far repainted Peco wagons which can be bought over here (but not in TTE livery!)...
Bachmann have already announced the next loco, Rheneas, though there has been no firm date as yet, other rolling stock is likely as well.
Although they are advertised in the US as HO scale that is just for sales over there, Skarloey is actually a pretty good scale model of Tallylyn in 009, there are a couple of deviations, the main one being the size of the cylinders (they are way too prominent!), but as Daniel has said there are several people who now offer a "conversion kit" for those who want to make it more like Tallylyn (or even a proper loco!). Chris Ward also produces a replacement smoke box front for the face.
For those who wonder what on earth Bachmann are up to not selling a "true" version of the loco in the UK or even selling the loco itself in the UK, they can't due to Copyright issues, mores the pity, so you can only get them as a sort of grey import.
The ones I've seen are nice runners, though I have also heard that one or two have had issues, very much in the minority, though, and have been replaced straight away by the importer.