New RTR releases - is your purchase really necessary?

[Ruston]

The whole buying RTR items more or less passes me by.

 

Because I am interested in industrial railways, and have been for a long time, I am used to having to build kits and scratchbuild things and I actually enjoy building things. Even if I don't use the model on a layout I have enjoyed building it and it gives great satisfaction to sit back and look at a finished model and be able to say "I built that"..

 

I look at the RTR stuff on the shelves in my local model shop and they do look very nice but I'm not going to buy any of them unless I have a use for them on a layout as there's no joy in wasting money and there's no satisfaction in opening a box.

[brack]

There's something in that Ruston - when push came to shove and I needed money, I sold my kit built locos (even the kits I'd designed myself) and kept my favourite scratch built engine. There's more of me in it, and I console myself by thinking that if I need another of the locos I sold I can buy a kit easily.

[faulcon1]

Is your purchase really necessary?. It all depends on who buys it. If it's someone being led by the nose with all the advertising and reviews gushing over the model then I'd say no. But if it's a model that's never been produced before in R-T-R form and it fits want you want as in for your layout then yes go ahead a buy one. I'll put my hand up as I've bought engines in the past that now I look back upon and think 'why did I buy that?', because I listened to all the hype when it was released, that's why.

[Dunsignalling]

Necessary? Almost never. Desirable? quite often.

 

However, if you wish to retain some cash, room and sanity, it pays to keep a grip on it.

 

My way is to tread a fairly narrow path for location and period, and try not to be tempted by items that don't conform.

 

Success is variable, but I haven't felt the need to clear out any unused and unwanted items for over three years, so I must be doing it more-or-less right.

 

John

[The Johnster]

I've shot myself in the foot with the narrow period approach by deliberately choosing probably one of the most varied periods for liveries in UK railway history, 1948-60.  But modelling a specific area, even with a freelance model (a real location that never had a railway) means that I am able to restrict locos and coaching stock to those which appeared locally, and modelling a branch line avoids having to cater for expresses or through freights from hundreds of miles away on different regions.  I have all the locos I need bar a 94xx and 8750, but not in all the liveries...

[Mark Saunders]

Beware of temptation, I did not need one, it was the wrong colour and yet I now have a secondhand Heljan 05!

 

Mark Saunders

[The Johnster]

Beware of temptation, I did not need one, it was the wrong colour and yet I now have a secondhand Heljan 05!

 

Mark Saunders

 

And I have only last week temporarily given up on the new Hornby 14xx, not used in my particular modelled locality.

[davknigh]

We shall soon see how well some can resist temptation when the new product announcements come out in about 8 hours time when Warley opens

 

Cheers,

 

David

[Steamport Southport]

Well I've already got my eye on a WCML Deltic.....

 

 

 

 

 

Jason

[The Johnster]

I very much doubt if anything announced at Warley will tempt me, unless somebody is trying to beat Baccy to market with a 94xx, or any pre A27 auto trailer, or any GW non-gangwayed stock other than another B set.  Sorry, I'm banging on a bit now...

 

Remaining on a GW/WR theme, any tolerably accurate late GW or early BR liveried open merchandise wagon.

[OnTheBranchline]

My problem is that I do not have a true layout of my own (waiting until we get a house), so I buy locos because it's easier and they look nice. But I've come to the realization that I've spent all this money on locos/stock but I don't really have anything to show for it when I get around to starting the actual layout.

[Dunsignalling]

My problem is that I do not have a true layout of my own (waiting until we get a house), so I buy locos because it's easier and they look nice. But I've come to the realization that I've spent all this money on locos/stock but I don't really have anything to show for it when I get around to starting the actual layout.

I'd recommend that you start developing ideas about the layout you eventually want to build, era, approximate area, main line, branch line, freight only, industrial, etc.etc etc. 

 

That way, you will develop a natural strategy towards the stock you are most likely to actually use when the time comes, rather than finding out that half of what you own won't really be useful. 

 

John

Edited December 3, 2017 by Dunsignalling

[Captain Kernow]

As per the government warning..... " Gambol responsibly".

 

A most apposite warning to young sheep.

[PaulRhB]

I'd recommend that you start developing ideas about the layout you eventually want to build, era, approximate area, main line, branch line, freight only, industrial, etc.etc etc.

 

That way, you will develop a natural strategy towards the stock you are most likely to actually use when the time comes, rather than finding out that half of what you own won't really be useful.

 

John

I develop layouts to run the stock I've bought. My 10ft long layout has four different identities at home from the Southern tip of Dorset in two different eras, to Metroland, right up to the West coast of Scotland One crate holds three different station buildings, some huts and a collection of appropriate vehicles. That was a cheap way to have a layout for each without needing huge spaces and the mind papers over the cracks when running the two that really stretch reality of the scenery

[The Johnster]

It is, despite my earlier comments, very much an advantage to have an idea of the area, period, and, if appropriate, the prototype location that you want to model even if you haven't started on the layout yet; you can accumulate stock that will be useful and may no longer be available when you finally have something to run it on, while avoiding wasting money on stuff you won't need.  My focus has always been on South Wales in the 50s or early 60s steam period, so the stock accumulated over the years has been of use (mostly) on my current BLT, but even in this comparatively restricted field of biodiversity there is an enormous amount of variation and some wastage has occurred.

 

There is a noticeably different attitude to the acquistion of models 'dese daze' to the situation when I began 'proper' modelling half a century ago; the advent of eBay makes the re-selling of models no longer wanted or needed easy as will as sourcing 2h ones that are for a project.  In the old days the purchase of a loco was such an event that we thought of it as a lifetime commitment and would never have thought of selling one on, and I still think this way, being too old to change and adapt to modern thinking.  So my cut and shut 3 car Lima based class 116 dmu in green whiskers livery sits in a box, but once in a while appears as a bank holiday excursion to Porthcawl or Barry Island.  I cannot find any work for my Taff Vale rebuilt A or Rhymney R, though!

[locomad]

It is, despite my earlier comments, very much an advantage to have an idea of the area, period, and, if appropriate, the prototype location that you want to model even if you haven't started on the layout yet; you can accumulate stock that will be useful and may no longer be available when you finally have something to run it on, while avoiding wasting money on stuff you won't need.  My focus has always been on South Wales in the 50s or early 60s steam period, so the stock accumulated over the years has been of use (mostly) on my current BLT, but even in this comparatively restricted field of biodiversity there is an enormous amount of variation and some wastage has occurred.

 

 

I know where you are coming on with this, when I started over 50 years I tried to focus on a particular period and location say for example ex LNWR 50-60's, but then found I quite liked the BR blue period or modern as it was called then, been in my 20's, good job, spare money started to collect locos of that period.

 

When it came to a layout I decided to plan the track, stations for a much wider period say 1923 - late 80's, idea been layout which is differcult to change could cope with a wide period different stockwhich is easy to take

 

It works one can alter the odd structure such as an old signal box with a more modern one , if you look at most track plans, station layouts, streets etc they stay the same. If you use semaphore they too fit a long time period.

 

One idea I'am working on is a change of land use of the large mpd, post 1970, simple take off couple of large structures coaling stage, etc, place thin 9mm ply cut to shape on top, turn it into a car park

[Mark Saunders]

It can be argued that it is a two tailed hypothesis!

 

1   Buy now while stocks last as runs of your desired model seem to be getting smaller

 

2   Buy now at the current price as recent price rises are above inflation

 

Mark Saunders

[The Johnster]

Buy it when it's available, worry about the price afterwards.  Prices seldom drop over time.

[Oldddudders]

Buy it when it's available, worry about the price afterwards.  Prices seldom drop over time.

 

That varies. If a model sells well then prices hold up, but those models for which demand is lukewarm can be compelling bargains less than a year later. The tricky bit is deciding if the killer model that will 'make' your layout is in the former or latter category. 

[Dunsignalling]

That varies. If a model sells well then prices hold up, but those models for which demand is lukewarm can be compelling bargains less than a year later. The tricky bit is deciding if the killer model that will 'make' your layout is in the former or latter category. 

If it's something I really want, that's not a risk I'm willing to take.

 

I therefore paid close to full whack for two Hornby S15s, and judged a third to be extravagant. However, the chunky discounts offered on the second tranche of releases persuaded me otherwise.

 

John

Edited December 4, 2017 by Dunsignalling

[locomad]

Buy it when it's available, worry about the price afterwards.  Prices seldom drop over time.

Tell about everyone I meet especially those who seem to think your going to make money collecting model railways for investment your not going to make money, more likely lose over time.

 

Prices do drop compared to inflation, yes there's the odd item which seems to become a collectors dream, but most stock falls in value.

 

At present with quiet high model railway " inflation" and low interest rates you could make some small profit, but I wonder if this will last.

 

I look at the stuff I purchased in the 80's & 90's doubt I would even get what I paid for it now.

[Bernard Lamb]

I bought an Hornby J15 when they were first available..

By the time I thought about buying another one the second batch had arrived and the price was now over the 100 notes mark.

Last week they were on sale at under £70.

One has just arrived. Well I did need some rail joiners and I needed something to make up a worthwhile parcel.

Bernard

[Colin_McLeod]

Well I did need some rail joiners and I needed something to make up a worthwhile parcel.

Bernard

Classic!

[Dunsignalling]

At present with quiet high model railway " inflation" and low interest rates you could make some small profit, but I wonder if this will last.

 

I look at the stuff I purchased in the 80's & 90's doubt I would even get what I paid for it now.

That's because a large proportion of it has been superseded by much better equivalents since 2000.

 

What is likely (but in no way guaranteed) to make more recent models maintain or increase their face-value is that the quantities being made of each one are only around 10% of 20th Century numbers.

 

"Bread and butter" models can do well but it's not across the board. An obvious example is the early releases of Hornby's Bulleid Light Pacifics. When these were introduced, they cost around the £70 mark, but nowadays the Brunswick green versions, Wilton and Tangmere, whilst not hard to find second-hand, are seldom obtainable for under £100 if you want a mint-boxed example. Also, their Malachite contemporaries, Blackmoor Vale and 92 Squadron are less sought after and prices reflect that.

 

However, alterations, visible wear or damage will reduce prices significantly. Back in August, I acquired a very competently renumbered/renamed Wilton for £85 that has around twenty quids-worth of Fox plates on it.  I am currently breaking a 92 Squadron to provide spares and parts for other conversions I have in mind. It came with damaged injector pipework, one ladder missing (brass replacements are obtainable for both) and a couple of minor scratches for the princely sum of £40. I've already recouped most of that by re-using the motor (£22 as a spare part) and the front bogie (over a tenner but not currently available).  

 

Very few models will prove to be red-hot "investments" once general inflation takes its toll, but that applies to most investments, too.

 

John

Edited December 5, 2017 by Dunsignalling

[Jol Wilkinson]

Surely railway modelling is about having an enjoyable and satisfying hobby, rather than an investment opportunity. Or I have got that wrong?