In fairness to the manufacturers we have all been moaning for years about increasing the quality of our RTR locos and stock, we wanted more details, better quality running, more variety of product (which means diluting the number of sales for each model by the way), add to this we wanted better quality packaging too, to protect our models, we asked for more accuracy and research to ensure everything was right. Well in the main I think a huge number of manufacturers have delivered on a large number of these things.

The catch of course is that it all comes at a price as we are all quick to throw up our hands when we see child labour being exploited to manufacture sports wear, and rightly so, then we have to expect manufacturers to also pay decent market wages to all who are involved in manufacturing and distribution both here in the UK and overseas.

From the Cad design, tooling, assembly, painting, packaging, shipping, importing, customs duty, VAT, warehousing, advertising, distribution, retail outlets costs and profits, everyones salaries, pensions and tax national insurance payments, sick pay, holiday pay, accountancy etc etc. I can assure you the distance between raw production costs and RRP gets nibbled away at every stop along the way.

The market we all have an interest in, is a relatively small one, and one that is sadly shrinking as more folk are dying than younger folk are coming into the hobby...

So how about cheering the manufacturers for once and recognising our glass is half full rather than half empty.

Kevin Derrick

Strathwood Publishing