Falcon Brassworks - a warning!

[polybear]

7 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

Still loads of bargains about. If people stopped paying over the odds, the prices will soon come down to their true worth.

 

For clarity, I'm not blaming the sellers, but the buyers.

 

But when prices come down to their "true worth" then many more will want them as they are now affordable - which will push the prices back up again.....

[Steamport Southport]

20 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

But when prices come down to their "true worth" then many more will want them as they are now affordable - which will push the prices back up again.....

 

Basic supply and demand.

 

Most of these things are ten a penny. I'm not picking on W M Collectables, but he has three B12s and sold one recently. Hardly rare and you would probably pick up a brand new Hornby version for not much more when you include wheels, motor, etc.

 

http://wmcollectables.co.uk/index.php?pg=gb

 

That's why you put a bid in for what you think they are worth. If you don't win then you can virtually guarantee another one will be around soon.

 

It's people buying things on Buy It Now at silly prices that is the problem. It wasn't long ago that people were paying £50 for Coopercraft wagon kits that should be about a tenner at most!

 

 

Jason

[hayfield]

14 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

Totally different market though. 

 

Would I pay about £250 for a new Hornby loco? Yes, already have done for Turbomotive. It'll probably still have a reasonable resale price in decades to come, even after I've got pleasure out of it.

 

Would I pay full price for something like a Martin Finney or PDK Kit? Yes. Same goes for all new kits as that will be the price of making them.

 

 

Would I pay £XYZ for a second hand kit that was outdated decades ago. Where the previous owner probably paid a fraction of the price for it. And stored unwanted in the loft until someone found it forty or fifty years later? No.

 

I bought a D&S Y6 a few months ago for about £30. I've seen them sell for over £100.

 

I even bought a McGowan B12 for £20 off eBay recently which is a third of what W M Collectables are charging....

 

Still loads of bargains about. If people stopped paying over the odds, the prices will soon come down to their true worth.

 

For clarity, I'm not blaming the sellers, but the buyers.

 

 

Jason

 

Jason

 

Yes its a totally different market but the principal in my opinion is the same.

 

I look at the latest prices charged by most of the companies as both eye watering and unnecessary, especially as I continue to read about reliability issues with some models. BUT that is my opinion. However if others see these as either good value or a sound investment who am I to question their opinion. You do seem to agree with me but not for RTR but kits " the prices will soon come down to their true worth. "

 

I totally agree with you for anyone paying over the odds whether it be a kit or a RTR model. I now have bought a few kits which used to be priced well out of my comfort zone a few years ago, and yes there are a few older ranges of kits which are very poor exactly as there are some very poor RTR locos and stock from the same era. I now only have only a few Jedinco kit built locos, but like some older RTR models some of their range are highly valued by some and in the right hands they are made into superb models.

 

Unlike the latest RTR offerings, older (decent) loco kits and kit built locos can be bought at a good discount when prices are compared to modern kits. In fact with a canny but of buying and selling the second hand kit market can be quite inexpensive. In some cases thanks to the more bespoke RTR ranges. And I expect  will last very much longer

 

Lets face it, Look back at the old Triang/Hornby range which were built to be used (played with) and keep running 70 years later. Servicing them is a doddle. Un like a Bemo loco I have, certainly runs like a Swiss watch, but if it ever goes wrong it will need a watch maker to repair it

 

But to me the enjoyment is in building the kit, not running a loco on a layout, more importantly I model the steam era to EM gauge.  Spending £250 on a scale model with a chassis that is incompatible with my chosen gauge is a definite no no. 

[jjb1970]

As with anything, monetary value (which may be divorced from any other value) is determined by what a buyer is willing to pay for it. 

[GWR1890-1908]

Yes, I paid 50 pound for the GWR 2000 gal tender kit, but: 1, I am in Australia, and these things do not fall out of trees here, and 2, I have been scratch building for 50 years, so my intention is to use the kit (noting the bits that are inaccurate) as a pattern to hand make the others that I need. With regard to the prices for Hornby locos, I would not even look twice. The plastics being used now are not high impact (read soft), and I doubt their longevity. There have been many complaints regarding flimsy valve gear, plastic crossheads etc, BUT it is the small suppliers who are making the more practical small pre-group locos. Hornby seem intent on bringing out one-off types like the Hush-Hush, and the  Turbomotive, and newer and better Flying Scotsman. It's the railway equivalent of continually bringing out new tools for Spitfire and Lancaster kits, when there are many other things deserving of being produced. Now if Bachmann used the Earl Chassis to produce a Bulldog, or Hornby produced a GWR 2000 gal tender, I might take some interest. 

[Tim Dubya]

Personally I've had some bargains from WM Collectables in the past.  He studies the market and prices accordingly.  You don't have to buy it 😉

[hayfield]

3 hours ago, Tim Dubya said:

Personally I've had some bargains from WM Collectables in the past.  He studies the market and prices accordingly.  You don't have to buy it 😉

 

Tim

 

If you think the likes of SEF and London Road models now sell kits in the region of £130 (yes there do sell some cheaper as well)  and this is a business, not someone selling an unwanted model he is charging retail prices. Like any other retailer you don't have to buy from him. For me they are a bit on the pricey side, but I am happy to sit back and wait for something a bit cheaper to come along

[hayfield]

3 hours ago, GWR1890-1908 said:

Yes, I paid 50 pound for the GWR 2000 gal tender kit, but: 1, I am in Australia, and these things do not fall out of trees here, and 2, I have been scratch building for 50 years, so my intention is to use the kit (noting the bits that are inaccurate) as a pattern to hand make the others that I need. With regard to the prices for Hornby locos, I would not even look twice. The plastics being used now are not high impact (read soft), and I doubt their longevity. There have been many complaints regarding flimsy valve gear, plastic crossheads etc, BUT it is the small suppliers who are making the more practical small pre-group locos. Hornby seem intent on bringing out one-off types like the Hush-Hush, and the  Turbomotive, and newer and better Flying Scotsman. It's the railway equivalent of continually bringing out new tools for Spitfire and Lancaster kits, when there are many other things deserving of being produced. Now if Bachmann used the Earl Chassis to produce a Bulldog, or Hornby produced a GWR 2000 gal tender, I might take some interest. 

 

 

I am in total agreement with you, plus I am always happy to post my items abroad as I have been told many times how difficult things are obtaining items down under. What I will not do (unless requested) is to use eBays global shipping program

 

As for you views on Jedinco/Falcon Brassworks, they are what they are and can be of great use (I plan to marry three of their etch only kits with their respective whitemetal kits, making hybrid models using the best material from each kit for the job in hand ( example using etched footplates and cabs with whitemetal fire box/boiler/smoke box. I enjoy building simple as that

 

I am also wary of modern chassis and their longevity. Especially with the niche companies

 

But on the other hand, others may dislike building models. Simply each to their own 

 

By the way try buying a tender kit new under £50, not that easy  

[Tim Dubya]

41 minutes ago, hayfield said:

and this is a business, not someone selling an unwanted model he is charging retail prices

 

WM Collectables is a business.  Most of his original stock was from a massive private collection, all brand new (or in my case new but opened to add extra detailing parts such as white metal battery boxes, dynamos and vacuum reserve tanks, themselves new and unopened from Comet).  If you want it and he has it, what's the problem with buying from him if you're happy with the price?