New RTR releases - is your purchase really necessary?

[rob D2]

Well, I think batch production in China encourages me to hoard stuff for the future.

 

I've got enough stock for a china clay plank and used to have enough for a blue one too.....I like the thrill of the purchase and don't want to be paying lots on eBay in the future.

 

But this had to stop - I can't afford draws of stuff gathering dust for years. I'm prioritising my favoured 1995-2000 time frame. But even then I only have a6' scenic section - do I need 7 class 37s? No, of course not. I want 20....

 

I'm part collector, part modeller, part tinkerer. In fact the part I get the most out if these days is rdnumbering and personalising stock.

[APOLLO]

My loft layout is loosely based on the ex GC main line area in the Nottingham area around 1965-68 (yes it closed in 67) so basically I can run a huge selection of steam / diesel. It's an imaginary GC / GN joint line, (with an ex Midland freight line at high level) so it allows me to also run Deltics and other ECML locos. 

 

If I like it / can afford it I buy it. The S&D 2-8-0 is ex Derby works on a test run !!!!!

 

Brit15

[brianusa]

My Name is Brian and I was a Trainaholic!  Starting off in N, there was a layout that took up half a room.  This changed into a OO layout that took up a bit more space which was followed by small Lionel and LGB layouts. The Lionel grew more upon joining the TCA and with impetus from other collectors (note Collectors now) until I had to have everything that was considered collectible.  So many freight and passenger cars, so many engines especially when more scale types with  all the bells and whistles (literally); the older Lionel was sold off and newer stuff took its place.

 

Enter Hornby!  At a TCA show I picked up an early M3 for $10.  Needed new wheels which Mike Corthorn supplied and not since before the war had I had my fingers around a working Hornby train.  They seemed so small now!  Same scenario as before, joined HRCA and decided that if I was going to collect Hornby trains, they'd be LMS as they seemed to be the most reasonably priced in spite of my allegiance to the GWR.  Due to E Bay and others, these trains swiftly grew in numbers including the acquisition of a County of Bedford and a rake of GW carriages.  Since then - more GW stuff!

 

Since those days, reality has set in.  Hornby has become the prime player but a lot of US locos and stock rest on shelves around the room, some gathering dust from not being used.  I run some of the US locos every now and again if only to keep the batteries charged but tempus continues to fugit and what will I do with all this?  None here are very interested in foreign railways, real or model; it'd cost a fortune to ship back to its homeland and then would it be worth it to get a return?  Or does it go to the dump or the skip to quietly rust and return to nature?

 

The same goes for my Meccano, so soon choices will have to be made and right now I don't want to make them.  I still succumb to the odd wagon or two; six to be exact and I still enjoy the Meccano.  Hopefully having lasted this long, I shall stretch it out further but to be without my toys while I am able to enjoy them and while away time in front of the TV instead, would be intolerable.  I am no longer a Trainaholic, I shall go to a train show next week and not buy anything.

 

Brian.

 

Unless there is some Hornby!

[Mad McCann]

Well, CK, for a man who generally restricts his input on this forum to celebration of the humble sausage, you certainly have hit the mother lode with this post! I think that, particularly over the last 10-15 years, many (if not most) of us have undertaken a similar journey. For me it probably started round about the time Hornby released the MN. Seeing the quality of that, I "just had to have one" and there began a chain reaction of purchase, trade and upgrade until for me personally the high point of 2009 where most of the equipment required to recreate the 1965 ScR was pretty much available. Thereafter, the relevance to me of new releases started to flatline, coincident with the post-divorce world where I was buying out my other half's share of the house and paying off additional mortgage. This only resolved itself in 2014 as I retired from my old career with enough to pay off the mortgage but only a small amount of disposable. During that time, I had developed an interest in EM, but a whole series of crises, followed by a 7-month return to full time working (which only ended this very day) led to not a lot of modelling going on.

Admittedly, the last few months generated a bit of disposable but this went largely into a small collection of blue era 'nostalgia models' for a display case. I find that as time has gone on, I am less moved by new RTR and more interested in creating something of my own with current thinking gravitating to a 1970s period industrial/BR exchange in a smallish space. Most of my relevant stock is already acquired so I only need to meld it all into something akin to a layout. I think a lot of people are ultimately waking up from the shallowness of the consumerist mindset and working out what it truly is about the hobby that flicks their switch. Witness the number of people on here who are scratch-building locos and various other things, safe in the knowledge that the now, limited-edition focussed and highly expensive RTR market will probably never deliver the models they desire. 

Still; nice Duchess!  ;-)

 

D

[davknigh]

There is, of course, a way around the urge to collect. Model in P4, then you have to convert everything in order to be able to run it. That said, I have running rights on some 00 layouts so I may have weakened a few times....

 

Cheers,

 

David

[wombatofludham]

I must admit in the past to a scattergun approach to purchasing as I went through ten thousand iterations of various layout ideas but recently I have decided to focus on a small number of fixed dates and will be offloading all un-necessary stock as a consequence.  It's been remarkably liberating.  No more "Ooh, that looks nice, I'll get one just in case".  No, unless it fits the dates 1963, 1968, 1986, 1995 or 2006 AC electric West Coast or 1934 or 1939 North Wales Coast (or Ruabon-Barmouth late 1930s or 1950s for the Dolgellau exhibition Layout) it is dead to me, with the sole exception of the APT-E.  It enables me to prioritise my spending, rationalise the loft collection (although I still maintain it is the large number of model railway and model bus crates in the loft that keep my roof on in the local storms) and focus on what will still be a varied and interesting range of operating scenarios.

[Dunsignalling]

I must admit in the past to a scattergun approach to purchasing as I went through ten thousand iterations of various layout ideas but recently I have decided to focus on a small number of fixed dates and will be offloading all un-necessary stock as a consequence.  It's been remarkably liberating.  No more "Ooh, that looks nice, I'll get one just in case".  No, unless it fits the dates 1963, 1968, 1986, 1995 or 2006 AC electric West Coast or 1934 or 1939 North Wales Coast (or Ruabon-Barmouth late 1930s or 1950s for the Dolgellau exhibition Layout) it is dead to me, with the sole exception of the APT-E.  It enables me to prioritise my spending, rationalise the loft collection (although I still maintain it is the large number of model railway and model bus crates in the loft that keep my roof on in the local storms) and focus on what will still be a varied and interesting range of operating scenarios.

I think such focus is becoming ever more necessary, often for lack of storage space rather than (or as much as) financial considerations.

 

The more coherent look imparted to layouts is a pleasant bonus and everything spends a bit more time running and a bit less in the stock box. 

 

John

[Zomboid]

I've bought gay far too much stuff, engines in particular. But I can afford it at the moment, and even so I'm pretty good at avoiding impulse buys. My latest (a Bachmann US 'Russian Decapod') is something that I debated for about 2 months before finally giving in and ordering it.

What can I say? I just wanted to own a steam engine. It's lettered for an Eastern road so doesn't fit at all with my other stock, which is from Western roads, so I'll have to do a little bit of actual modelling and re-letter it for a fictional shortline, to explain what it's doing in Louisiana...

[Guest Midland Mole]

At the moment I fall completely into the collector side of the hobby, buying stuff because I like it not because it fits with a period/region/idea. I will have a layout one day and get to explore the actual modelling side of the hobby but need to sort the space out first.

 

When I look at my collection so far and how quickly it has grown, it does genuinely scare me. I find it hard to believe I have spent so much money on model trains. But then I don't smoke, I don't drink, I gave up buy video games yonks ago and I have no children relying on me. This hobby is my only vice and my only real interest these days, so I'm happy to put any spare money I have into it.

 

Does it scare me, yes, but would I ever stop unless forced to? No way! The simple pleasure of being able to get out a beautiful model of a Duchess, a Freightliner 66, a Webb Coal Tank, a C Class or anything else anytime I want and just have it on the desk in front of me makes it all worthwhile. Not one of my purchases are necessary from a "needed to live and survive" point of view, but from a "it makes me happy and is good for my mental well-being" point of view, I consider it essential.

 

Alex

[gc4946]

So far in OO this year I've bought a Hornby Hall (for re-naming/re-numbering), two LNER Oxford Rail wagons and two PO wagons.

 

For some years now I've limited myself to collecting and modelling on specific themes based on where my family and I lived over the years.

 

Whilst I could have replaced the following:

an ancient kit-built J17 Bec body on a Triang-Hornby chassis with Hornby's J15, 

Hornby's older Triang-based, Chinese version of their B12 numbered 8572 in apple green with their all-new version, 

or a Chinese made tender-drive Hornby 28xx 2-8-0 with Oxford Rail's Dean Goods,

I've chosen not to do so as they add variety to a fleet that could have otherwise consisted of modern off-the-shelf types.

 

I may still consider buying Bachmann's LNWR Coal Tank as a possible replacement for my sole LNWR representative, a G2 0-8-0.

 

The all-new recently released Hornby Duchesses look stunning, but I still prefer to run their older early 2000s loco-drive versions because they have swivelling rear pony trucks, whereas later versions have them fixed, which look odd when traversing sharper curves. 

 

[Nearholmer]

Until following this thread, I hadn’t quite realised the degree to which new purchases are made to replace older models, on an ‘upgrade’ basis.

 

That implies that model train buying is now quite similar to most other consumption, phones, cars, hair dryers (SWMBO has just request an upgrade for Christmas), etc. Which in turn implies quite a bit of deliberately provoked desire.

[Clearwater]

QTWTAIN!

[Jol Wilkinson]

.

I am not a collector by any stretch of anyone's imagination but I do sometimes buy things just for the sheer pleasure of ownership-even if it is just a temporary whim.

 

Also I don't call my self a modeller, its far too loaded a word these days - I just buy and sometimes make stuff that could suit an idea that I have at a time; If I change that idea so be it.

I can still use what I have to do something else

 

Which is surely a definition of a collector?

 

I agree with the word modeller being loaded, or perhaps "confusing" might be better.

 

I consider myself a model maker, as are most of my "modelling" friends. I make what I want from kits, because I get satisfaction from that. The act of purchasing a kit is enjoyable, and holds promises of further enjoyment to come, which I don't think I would get to anywhere the same extent from buying RTR models. I also struggle with the need for even relatively small, fleets of the same loco. Unless you have a large layout, why have ten of this or twenty of that? The only duplicates I have are from different kits, where a different and usually more recent, kit provides a different building/construction experience.

 

The interest in buying collections (as in several, some, many or lots) of RTR models is surely another facet of a consumer society. People cue up to buy the latest IPhone, because it is the thing to own, not because it necessarily makes your life better than the one you had before. People increasingly believe they are measured or defined by what they own. So if buying whatever the RTR manufacturers are producing is what gives you pleasure, don't agonise over it, just do it. Don't expect me to understand what you get out of it though. 

[The Bigbee Line]

QTWTAIN!

Please don't post things that most of us have to look up.  Text speak is for the lazy and unimaginative......

[Oldddudders]

Well, I think batch production in China encourages me to hoard stuff for the future.

 

 

 

I think there is evidence that the batch order is changing. How it affects the collectors remains to be seen.

 

In recent times, a new model would be released in an initially small range of liveries. So the gotta-have people would settle for the version closest to their heart. Next year it would be released in the livery which everyone really wanted - so everyone invested again. Cue the Hornby H class tank, which has so far only been released in the absolute killer livery (SECR, pretty as a picture, apeing the sellout Bachmann SECR C class) which few can resist, and is selling accordingly, which is very good for Hornby's (and the dealers') cash-flow. How big the take-up will be for BR black etc remains to be seen. 

[The Bigbee Line]

Until following this thread, I hadn’t quite realised the degree to which new purchases are made to replace older models, on an ‘upgrade’ basis.

 

That implies that model train buying is now quite similar to most other consumption, phones, cars, hair dryers (SWMBO has just request an upgrade for Christmas), etc. Which in turn implies quite a bit of deliberately provoked desire.

The definition of upgrade isn't one that I had thought of in this context, but have to agree.  Maybe the marketing boys are trying to move the model railway market into one where we clamour for the new release, then wonder why we made the purchase....

 

As a thread it may act as a reality check for many.  As like many others I have purchases that I 'had to have', but in the cold light of reality will I actually use them.  One sales tactic is that if you do not pre-order you will miss out.  You then pay top whack and then see them after at reduced prices as there is surplus stock..  In my case it was the S15.  I have 2 (and do not regret the purchase).

 

My thought is to rationalise the various models into groups that can run together and start the disposal of some items.

 

A last thought is how we see a prospective new purchase and then rationalise the purchase...

[The Bigbee Line]

......How big the take-up will be for BR black etc remains to be seen. 

I wish they would tone down the 'black' used.  It just soaks up any light.... A veritable black hole..

[phil gollin]

.

 

I reckon I have enough locos and coaches to totally fill up the whole running space of my layout - the wagons will have to stay on the shelves.  But, I can run anything from pre-grouping up to the end of steam, so I don't care, mixing ancient Hornby Doublo EMUs with this year's items is more of a shock.

 

This month, hopefully, I will add Gate Stock, Bullied diesels and a "foreign" DJ "1361" saddle tank, and next year there is likely to be the 2-HAPs and Hornby Lord Nelsons (?)

 

Sooner or later I will need to slow down - the ridiculous rise in prices will hasten that day.

 

. 

[Nearholmer]

Of course, 'provoked desire' in the model train market isn't new.

 

WJBassett-Lowke was pretty good at it before WW1, and Frank Hornby raised it to an art form. Brilliant adverts; Meccano Magazine; various 'clubs'; headline grabbing freebies to the royal family etc etc.

 

If you study old Hornby publicity, you will understand how he managed to lodge 'future purchase plans' into the minds of eight year old boys so effectively that they were prepared to spend their pensions on the objects of desire when they were eighty.I've seen these 'Hornby Boys' in action at auctions, and Frank certainly got his message across to them!

 

I think the real issue is that model trains are now so cheap in relation to disposable incomes for quite a wide cross-section of society that it is possible for many to create a giant stash, in a way that was simply unaffordable until probably as recently as the 1980s.

Edited November 5, 2017 by Nearholmer

[APOLLO]

Sooner or later I will need to slow down - the ridiculous rise in prices will hasten that day.

 

 That happened to me quite a while ago. I seldom buy new these days, and certainly never RRP. There are many bargains to be had if you look for them - both new and (for me these days) second hand. 

 

Yes I also have too much, and keep threatening (myself) to a cull. But like others I can't resist a bargain !!!

 

It certainly is a "golden age" of availability (discussed in another thread), and the trend is still upwards, but for how long is anybody's guess.

 

Brit15

[Clearwater]

Please don't post things that most of us have to look up.  Text speak is for the lazy and unimaginative......

Come on...So I've expanded your knowledge. Please do not describe me a "lazy and unimaginative." An unnecessaryily rude response to a light hearted comment.

[gc4946]

The limiting factor - at least in my case - is available storage space.

At home, I've capped the amount of space devoted to storage, there have been no impulse purchases for some time now.

 

I'm even limiting my private owner wagon collection specifically to Bachmann's Blue Riband and Hornby's 1990s ex-Top Link range of 3-, 4- and 6-plank wagons with a few Dapol or Oxford Rail products if applicable.

 

 

 

[Chris M]

My reasons for buying new locos are entirely philanthropic. When I buy a new loco from the local shop I am helping the owner to keep going and helping the manufacturer to get a return on their investment. Both of the above helps other modellers as well by increasing the likelyhood of more new models and keeping model shops open. I don't do it for me at all.

[Legend]

I just failed again! Off to Scotmodel in Falkirk looking for some Wrenn wagons and come back with a Wrenn 4MT in LMS red . Yes I know it’s not accurate but I’m reliving my Triang Hornby catalogue days in the 70s . I’m placating myself in that she only cost slightly more than a Birdcage and a lot less than gated stock. Another one from childhood ticked off list

Edited November 5, 2017 by Legend

[Mark Saunders]

Please don't post things that most of us have to look up.  Text speak is for the lazy and unimaginative......

I believe that Douglas Adams will be turning in has grave as his Babel Fish could not translate it either!