Can't speak for all modellers, only for myself, and a handful who I imagine are in the same boat...
Why would you want Bachmann or anybody dabbling in the Irish market right now?
The IRM lads have said time and again that their UK side is what keeps their Irish side afloat. Wouldn't be worth their while to continue without the UK side.
If another manufacturer, Bachmann for example, were to cut a slice of that already-anorexic pie, we may end up saying goodbye to Irish RTR models altogether.
Is anybody really short-sighted enough to want one or two Bachmann Irish releases, more than likely nowhere near as accurate as IRM stuff, and then have nothing at all after that because everybody throws the towel in?
Bachmann Class 37 timing is very suspicious, I do concur. If it was an announcement, not a physical in-stock release, it would be grand, but they've obviously been working at it a while if they have the models on the shelves already.
The only "bad" thing for Irish modellers at the moment is the affect that IRM are having on their bank balances!
We've never had it so good. Can't be said enough times.