Britains Ltd New Plastic ranges (2 Viewers)

Don't know but I believe the plastics and metals are made by different companies since Britain's Petite broke up
 
thebritfarmer said:
Britains still make some of the Deetail plastics.
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That's called stating to obvious.
When the firm was sold to Racing Champions, Richard Walker said that he wanted to introduce new plastic ranges but apart from a better paint job, nothing for the last four years.
I keep hearing rumours about either new ranges or re release of Robin Hood, etc but so far there has been nothing while the metal ranges have been released by a very rapid rate indeed.:confused:
 
I think it's very unlikely. They still have some figures that they could re-release and there is no sign of that. I think they are more focused on metals. At one point there wasn't a lot of plastic to choose from but there are lots of companies on the market now, and I suspect not as much customer base as before. I'd be happy to see them do the Napoleonic as well as the US Southwest figures again as well as the western wagons and buildings and never mind new stuff.
 
Hi Jay,
You are correct, I don't believe Britains will ever produce new Plastic Figures. They know nothing about the market and don't want to spend money on new moulds.

As far as I know the only Deetail figures they still have the moulds for are the Robin Hood ones, and of course the ones they currently produce.

The Napoleonics that you are hoping to see again are gone forever as the moulds have been lost. Your hoped for Western Buildings won't be produced again as , guess what, the moulds have been lost. Same excuse applies to the Apaches and the two man mini sets of WW2 Mortars, recoiless rifle and gatling guns . They may still have the moulds for the Kubelwagen ,Jeep and German motorcycle with sidecar, as Racing Champions made mutterings about doing them as they were diecast vehicles, their passion and reason for buying Britians to start with was for the Farm series of vehicles.

Hope you are not too disappointed, between DSG and Britains you can own the bulk of the Deetail and Herald ranges as re-issue items. Better painted than Britains ever issued them as a bonus.:)

Hope this answers your question.

Best Regards
Dave M
 
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Welcome to the forum Dave!:) Are you the same Dave from the Hat 1/32 blog?
Years back when the new owner of Britains took over the company he stated here on the forum interst in getting back into plastic figures and he said they would first start with re-releasing the older detail figures first and then getting into all new figures for complete revamp of the whole line and talked about improved painting and talk about if the figures should keep the metal bases and then talk of new improved metal base with a textured base ect,,, and it looked like plastic figures were going to be done again but!!! that looks like they put the squash on that whole idea and it looks like the whole plastic idea is out the window.:(

There was talk here on the forum awhile back that K&C might have some interst in doing plastic figures????
I,d really like to see another company do real high quality plastic like what Conte has done and do a metal quality multi piece figure in plastic. These figures give you so much conversion possibilities to work with because there is no figure blocking to deal with and no one piece mold constrictions to the figures.

It would have been great to see Britains do some of there older metal figures as plastics. Too bad they ditched the whole plastic idea.:mad:
 
Mr Fish Head
Your Idea Is Excellent.
A New Batch of Multi Pose Figures Will
Really Make Conversions Less Injurious.
Torsos, Limbs, Heads, and Weapons !
 
Hi FISH,
Yes, it's the same Dave M from the HaT Blog, thought it was time to get involved. To discuss companies other than HaT.

Britains did make a statement that they were considering producing NEW plastic figures but it depended on the success of the current range selling really well. I don't see the sales of the OLD figures being that good as for one, how many can you buy of the same pose, and two they are NOT easily available on the market. Britains are not the company they once were, a TOY producer, now they are a collectable company with different goals , as we all know it is easier and cheaper to produce metal figures than plastic.

Personally ,I am not impressed with the sculpting of the Matte metal range but I think the Gloss metal range would have some potential in being produced as plastic, better sculptor all round with correct anatomy.

As to multi part figures, I agree these would be good for convertors, but it would depend on the type of plastic used. I Like the plastic used by TSSD and DSG as both are easily glued with superglue. The concept used to produce the 28mm Perry Miniatures would work well in 54mm.

Dave M
 
Interesting comments but I get the feeling that if a miracle happened and Britians brought out new plastics they would end up looking like Conte or TSSD and not fit in at all with the other older Deetail ranges:confused:
 
ericpodeofcroydon said:
Interesting comments but I get the feeling that if a miracle happened and Britians brought out new plastics they would end up looking like Conte or TSSD and not fit in at all with the other older Deetail ranges:confused:
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They need to keep the horses as I think they are the best on the market today and also in the past. Their animal sculpts take some beating!!
 
ericpodeofcroydon,
Yes, I think you are right, if they did plastics again they would go the CONTE, TSSD route.

This is why I think the glossy metal figures are better for sculpting and scale. Made in plastic they probably would be a closer fit to the Deetail range.

Dave M
 
They should get Peter Cole who sculpts 'REPLICANTS' to do a range. He actually worked for Britains and has a far better concept of what a new range should look like.
However judged by WBritains attitude - see their pathetic 'history' booklet just out , laughable, Mr Walker hasn't got a clue.
 
ericpodeofcroydon said:
They should get Peter Cole who sculpts 'REPLICANTS' to do a range. He actually worked for Britains and has a far better concept of what a new range should look like.
However judged by WBritains attitude - see their pathetic 'history' booklet just out , laughable, Mr Walker hasn't got a clue.
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Wow that is a bit harsh! I think 1st Gear have been ding a fabulous job of turning the company round after the bought it from RC2. Things take time and there are still some teething troubles that are being addressed.

Are you taking about the booklet/CD that is available from the Collectors club? What's wrong with it? I think it is a handy source of reference.
 
ericpodeofcroydon said:
They should get Peter Cole who sculpts 'REPLICANTS' to do a range. He actually worked for Britains and has a far better concept of what a new range should look like.
However judged by WBritains attitude - see their pathetic 'history' booklet just out , laughable, Mr Walker hasn't got a clue.
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You can't be serious. While I haven't seen the history book you talk about, Richard Walker is about the best thing to happen to that company in 50 years. Just because they don't do plastic like you would like, or honestly, others would too, doesn't make him clueless. I think you need to ask around to plastic makers. There are not millions of buyers out there anymore. A lot of them are barely making it. Seen anything from Conte in plastic lately? No, and you won't. Richard is there to run a company profitably, not to satisfy every plastic collectors whim.
 
The booklet gives a totally distorted view of Britains history - almost totally ignores the fact that the merger with Herald saved the company, produced plastic figures for over 30 years and that for over ten years Britains made no metal figures at all.
James Opie's Britains book and Peter Cole's excellent 'Suspened Animation' (the definitive book on Britains/Herald) are far superior, as they tell the history and are not concerned with praising and no blaming.
I spoke to Mr Walker several years ago at the London Show and he said that he was personally commited to bringing out new plastic ranges. I am sure that for metal collectors he has been great...but for plastic collectors....nothing.
The ready excuse has been cost of tooling but the ranges are made and painted in China. Supreme, a Chinese company has in production over a dozen different sets of painted plastic figures, so why can't Racing Champions make at least one new range of figures ?
That's why I get bemused by the current tag line 'Carrying on the great tradition of Britains Ltd' - they are not, they are not making toys for children but highly priced collectors figures for an adult market
 
ericpodeofcroydon said:
The booklet gives a totally distorted view of Britains history - almost totally ignores the fact that the merger with Herald saved the company, produced plastic figures for over 30 years and that for over ten years Britains made no metal figures at all.
James Opie's Britains book and Peter Cole's excellent 'Suspened Animation' (the definitive book on Britains/Herald) are far superior, as they tell the history and are not concerned with praising and no blaming.
I spoke to Mr Walker several years ago at the London Show and he said that he was personally commited to bringing out new plastic ranges. I am sure that for metal collectors he has been great...but for plastic collectors....nothing.
The ready excuse has been cost of tooling but the ranges are made and painted in China. Supreme, a Chinese company has in production over a dozen different sets of painted plastic figures, so why can't Racing Champions make at least one new range of figures ?
That's why I get bemused by the current tag line 'Carrying on the great tradition of Britains Ltd' - they are not, they are not making toys for children but highly priced collectors figures for an adult market
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Which booklet are you talking about? I definitely think they are carrying on the tradition of Britains, Britains are best known worldwide for their metal toy soldiers and that is what they are making.
 
If children can't play with them they are not toys...they are collectables.
Also it seems that Mr Walker is happy to is there to run a company profitably, and to satisfy every metal collectors whim.
 
Jay said:
You can't be serious. While I haven't seen the history book you talk about, Richard Walker is about the best thing to happen to that company in 50 years. Just because they don't do plastic like you would like, or honestly, others would too, doesn't make him clueless. I think you need to ask around to plastic makers. There are not millions of buyers out there anymore. A lot of them are barely making it. Seen anything from Conte in plastic lately? No, and you won't. Richard is there to run a company profitably, not to satisfy every plastic collectors whim.
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I think this comment shows the patronising and dismissive attitude shown towards plastic figure collectors in general.
 
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