Just Like The Real Thing Class 40 Diesel Kit

[Rudolf_Diesel_V16]

Hi,

 

I have just recently heard the sad news about the demise of JLTRT. 

 

What sort of price would I expect to pay now for an unmade brand new boxed JLTRT class 40 kit  (if any were available). The demise of JLTRT has scuppered my plans of building a few class 40s for display purposes as the JLTRT models were the most accurate depiction by far. Being a class 40 enthusiast for many years I tend to be very critical of detail and I can say that the Heljan and DJH are nowhere near the JLTRT for detail and accuracy.

 

Cheers

 

Andy

Edited August 11, 2018 by Rudolf_Diesel_V16

[ROSSPOP]

You are perhaps a little behind with the news.............

 

https://mm1models.co.uk/index.php?route=common/home

 

Theyare on the way back hopefully............................................

 

John

[MarshLane]

Hi,

 

I have just recently heard the sad news about the demise of JLTRT. 

 

What sort of price would I expect to pay now for an unmade brand new boxed JLTRT class 40 kit  (if any were available). The demise of JLTRT has scuppered my plans of building a few class 40s for display purposes as the JLTRT models were the most accurate depiction by far. Being a class 40 enthusiast for many years I tend to be very critical of detail and I can say that the Heljan and DJH are nowhere near the JLTRT for detail and accuracy.

 

Cheers

 

Andy

 

Hi Andy,

I spoke with Laurie at MM1 the other day, on exactly the same subjects.  He said he thought they would get round to the Class 40 kits later in the year, probably around Christmas - so they will be back ... although maybe the kit price will be different to JLTRT.  In all honestly, I didn't ask Laurie about price, because I assumed it was unlikely to be known until they get to the kits.  I am certainly interested in a centre head code one to add to the 'to build' pile.

 

Rich

[Rudolf_Diesel_V16]

Hi Andy,

I spoke with Laurie at MM1 the other day, on exactly the same subjects.  He said he thought they would get round to the Class 40 kits later in the year, probably around Christmas - so they will be back ... although maybe the kit price will be different to JLTRT.  In all honestly, I didn't ask Laurie about price, because I assumed it was unlikely to be known until they get to the kits.  I am certainly interested in a centre head code one to add to the 'to build' pile.

 

Rich

Hi Rich,

Thanks for the reply. I am after a split head-code and a centre head-code one. I already have a disc one still in box untouched which I bought years ago. Hopefully they will become available again at some point.

 

Cheers

 

Andy

[JeffP]

If the large price increase noted for wagons continues onto the locos, expect the range to last a LOT less time than they did under JLTRT before going undfer again.

 

I fancied a Prestwin, but it's price has increased by NEARLY 50%!!!

£130 for a resin kit with some brass castings? No thanks.

[markjj]

I doubt you will ever see the cheap prices again. That's why it went under before and why Pete eventually pulled the plug on subsidising things. I'm guessing they were relying on large volumes of sales to recover the costs but it never happened... If you want it and you want the ease of building things you have to pay for it or buy what few options there are in RTR now...

[Jintyman]

If the large price increase noted for wagons continues onto the locos, expect the range to last a LOT less time than they did under JLTRT before going undfer again.

 

I fancied a Prestwin, but it's price has increased by NEARLY 50%!!!

£130 for a resin kit with some brass castings? No thanks.

 

 

And yet the BR 12t vans, the Ex-LMS vans and the Southern vans have only gone up a little and still represent good value.

Not sure of the pricing structure with MM1, but I agree, some of the kits are somewhat dearer than they were before.

 

Jinty

[Ian Smeeton]

Hi Rich, 

Thanks for the reply. I am after a split head-code and a centre head-code one. I already have a disc one still in box untouched which I bought years ago. Hopefully they will become available again at some point.

 

Cheers

 

Andy

 

Why stop at one of each when you could have a combined one?

 

 

40 121 127 Guide Bridge, split box AND discs

 

Regards

 

Ian

 

Edited to correct loco number

Edited August 12, 2018 by Ian Smeeton

[MarshLane]

Never seen that example of 40121 before!  Wondered what happened - presumably the front door was 'borrowed' from a disc head code member of the class ... do we know how long it stayed that way?  I am guessing that was a 1979-1981 period picture?

 

In terms of the ex-JLTRT models.  This is coming from purely what I have read, no conversations with anyone at MM1 about this, (and not wishing to start a debate about MM1/JLTRT) but they appear to be going for a batch system approach.  Ie. product a batch of 10 kits and then thats it for a while, while they do others.  That likely is more viable (in terms of time and costs) than producing to order or however JLTRT were running it.  But the costs probably need to rise to a) make it profitable (they are a business at the end of the day), b) cover the costs and c) keep it viable.  If the prices go up, do they become too expensive?  I suspect its all about the old adage of people get what they pay for - for some they may be too expensive, others may be happy to pay.  It all depends on the individual modeller, and the level of detail/accuracy they want I guess.

 

However, the way, Heljan have been performing lately, it wouldn't surprise me to see the '40' re-released with either split or centre head code boxes in the next 12-18 months.  Will that beat a JLTRT kit, I suspect not, but it will likely be an option for 90% of modellers for a variety of reasons.

 

Rich

[woodyfox]

If the large price increase noted for wagons continues onto the locos, expect the range to last a LOT less time than they did under JLTRT before going undfer again.

 

I fancied a Prestwin, but it's price has increased by NEARLY 50%!!!

£130 for a resin kit with some brass castings? No thanks.

Remarkable considering any research and development costs have been concluded by the demise of JLRT. Any subsequent production by a 'new' company shouldn't be burdened by such encumberances.

[markjj]

The additional cost comes from small batch production. Buy anything in bulk and it becomes cheaper. Go to your local DIY store and buy one piece of wood it won't be 1/6 of a pack of 6 price it will be a lot nearer 1/3. I'm guessing JLTRT would have had someone making large quantities of bits either in house or outside to make things more cost effective. I know a lot of other companies have to buy large amounts of castings to keep the costs down unless they produce everything themselves in house.

[Rudolf_Diesel_V16]

Why stop at one of each when you could have a combined one?

 

2010_0901Workshop0069.JPG

 

40 121 Guide Bridge, split box AND discs

 

Regards

 

Ian

Hi Ian, the split box 40 with disc head-code doors is actually 40127. At some point in its life it had nose connecting doors fitted off a disc head-code 40. The combination of class 40 front ends is enormous, you have the Scottish ones that were converted to centre headcode, some with rounded corners, some with square corners, 40158 that head the centre head-code platd over with lenses as per refurbished class 37s and 40058 that had a completely smooth plated over nose at one end only! This is to name a few!

 

Cheers 

Andy

Cheers

Andy

[F-UnitMad]

I doubt you will ever see the cheap prices again.

...and there's the problem, perhaps, because to me, JLTRT kits seemed hellishly expensive, costing as much or more than R-T-R locos but still needing the cost of wheels, motors & gears adding on top.

I may want locos as accurate as possible, and in the case of the Class 40, if I wanted one I wouldn't buy the Heljan model as I think the windscreen angle is wrong enough to really spoil the look of it, but having to watch the pennies I wouldn't consider the JLTRT kit either; I'd just do without.

Of course that is my own situation - there are people out there who buy O Scale locos costing several thousand pounds each, who undoubtedly would view the old JLTRT prices as cheap, but I suspect there are far fewer of those modellers around than there are ones like me, with more serious budget constraints, & so JLTRT kits never sold enough to make money for the business.

 

Either that, or the simply superb results made by Brian Daniels actually put others off, as they'd not be able to do as good a job!!

[JeffP]

The additional cost comes from small batch production. Buy anything in bulk and it becomes cheaper. Go to your local DIY store and buy one piece of wood it won't be 1/6 of a pack of 6 price it will be a lot nearer 1/3. I'm guessing JLTRT would have had someone making large quantities of bits either in house or outside to make things more cost effective. I know a lot of other companies have to buy large amounts of castings to keep the costs down unless they produce everything themselves in house.

 

 

Sadly, there ALWAYS seems to be a reason why these kits are over-expensive for the average guy. First it was R&D, now it's small batch production.

 

Yet other kit manufacturers seem to do better?

 

Not going to affect me, however. My wife's health probs now mean both my modelling budget and time are both severely curtailed.

[markjj]

I think the biggest reason was overstretching and trying to re-invent the wheel in a lot of cases. If you also look at the prices it's often things that no one else sells that command a higher price though...

The standard vans although you need to buy wheels and do the building work are pretty much comparable to a RTR one in price.

[JeffP]

I think the biggest reason was overstretching and trying to re-invent the wheel in a lot of cases. If you also look at the prices it's often things that no one else sells that command a higher price though...

 

Really?

 

Yet look at the prices of the Judith Edge small loco/shunter range, and some of those are pretty obscure? Yet the range is expanding.

[Tetarch60]

On 11/08/2018 at 17:58, Rudolf_Diesel_V16 said:

Hi,

 

I have just recently heard the sad news about the demise of JLTRT. 

 

What sort of price would I expect to pay now for an unmade brand new boxed JLTRT class 40 kit  (if any were available). The demise of JLTRT has scuppered my plans of building a few class 40s for display purposes as the JLTRT models were the most accurate depiction by far. Being a class 40 enthusiast for many years I tend to be very critical of detail and I can say that the Heljan and DJH are nowhere ..near the JLTRT for detail and accuracy.

 

Cheers

 

Andy

Have you tried advertising in the wanted section of the GOG Gazette advertisement section? Give it a try you may find what you need. Depending on the kit,£300 to £450 perhaps. The latest price for a new kit from MM1 on their website is today (18/07/19) £699.