EBay madness

[PhilJ W]

5 hours ago, John M Upton said:

Athearn SD9?  I don't think so...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/275204423686?hash=item4013764006:g:7o8AAOSw0FNiKkCI

Yet the write up further down describes it as a Fleishmann model of a Deutch Bahn locomotive

[MrWolf]

6 hours ago, John M Upton said:

"Very good boxed condition"

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/134050439110?hash=item1f36075fc6:g:l50AAOSwbyFiKydg

 

Presumably boxed as in the pugilism sense, it's been dropped I reckon.

 

How is in "very good condition" when:

 

A: It doesn't run.

B: The cab is loose

C: A blind man on a galloping horse can see that the handrails are all smashed up?

 

As @Hrothsays, Rails must have yet another new trainee.

Twenty years ago, there was a car  breakers yard in the old railway station opposite the shop. 

 

Maybe.....?

[Enterprisingwestern]

1 hour ago, MrWolf said:

Twenty years ago, there was a car  breakers yard in the old railway station opposite the shop. 

 

Pedantically, this wasn't the railway station as such, the building that can be seen in the car breakers is/was the booking office at the bottom of the slope leading up to the original, as built, 2 track railway platforms, up until quadrupling of the line in 1901.

 

Mike.

[Esmedune]

18 hours ago, 96701 said:

I've tried something that might work because it is sufficiently obtuse that they might ask a supplementary question.

I went with no item listed

[paul-dereham]

On 10/03/2022 at 18:47, Esmedune said:

Am I alone in thinking this advert is deliberately trying to trip a buyer up?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/384771139329

 

So £20 for a cheap speaker?

 

[MrWolf]

24 minutes ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

Pedantically, this wasn't the railway station as such, the building that can be seen in the car breakers is/was the booking office at the bottom of the slope leading up to the original, as built, 2 track railway platforms, up until quadrupling of the line in 1901.

 

Mike.

 

Would it have been Heeley station? 

I think that is what that area of Sheffield is called.

[Paul H Vigor]

30 minutes ago, paul-dereham said:

 

So £20 for a cheap speaker?

 

An "Incomplete" cheap speaker?

[The Johnster]

'Very Good Boxed Condition' apparently = 'it is in a a box that is in a very good condition. but we want to create the impression that the item itself is in very good condition despite it's being fit only for an exciting new career in the landfill industry, because our secondhand operation are a bunch of mendacious chisellers, and if you've got any sense you won't buy any of our stuff.  We don't deserve the custom of decent people and are not honest brokers'.

[Enterprisingwestern]

1 hour ago, MrWolf said:

 

Would it have been Heeley station? 

I think that is what that area of Sheffield is called.

 

Apologies for the thread drift, but,

it's dependant on your interpretation of "railway station" really, hence my use of the word pedantically.

Rightly or wrongly, I call a "railway station" the collection of buildings on and/or adjacent to the platforms and lines, which the buildings in question weren't, being some way disconnected, although obviously still a functioning part of the infrastructure.

Especially in the case of Heeley, when the line was quadrupled, then all the relevant buildings were grouped together in a totally new station, which, appearing in the very early 20th century, most local peoples living memory is of that one, accessed by the still extant but bricked up holes in the retaining walls in Chesterfield Road.

A question of semantics?

 

Mike.

[Esmedune]

19 hours ago, paul-dereham said:

 

So £20 for a cheap speaker?

 

A cheap speaker surround, two screws and the DCC blanking plug. Basically what you have left over after taking the item out and fitting it. Most of us would just stick this in the bin, but here they are asking £20 for their rubbish with an additional £2.45 to post it out. Barefaced cheek in my books.

[Paul H Vigor]

2 hours ago, Esmedune said:

A cheap speaker surround, two screws and the DCC blanking plug. Basically what you have left over after taking the item out and fitting it. Most of us would just stick this in the bin, but here they are asking £20 for their rubbish with an additional £2.45 to post it out. Barefaced cheek in my books.

And "Incomplete" is their 'get out of jail free' card! It actually smells like a con?

Edited March 12, 2022 by Paul H Vigor
to add information

[MrWolf]

You'd never be able to get a refund based on the "item not as described" clause. Plus you're getting what's in the pictures and it is "incomplete". 

I suspect that they're fishing for someone who is in a bit of a hurry, types in speaker and picks the lowest price item.

It's a really simple trap for anyone who doesn't study absolutely everything before clicking buy.

There's shysters in every other game, so no surprise there are some who are railway modellers.

[Mol_PMB]

This weathering job isn’t quite as bad as some we’ve seen, but whichever ‘Professional’ did it ‘to a Very High Standard’ clearly didn’t base their work on photos or an understanding of how steam locos work:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hornby-OO-Gauge-Class-A3-R2342-60077-White-Knight-Professionally-Weathered-/255432741340?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

Or, here’s another:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255432736616

 

Remember folks, ‘professional’ just means you’re paid, it doesn’t mean you’re any good...!

[The Johnster]

I'd say that we consider ourselves to be (and very largely are) a hobby of gentlemen, and that this is reflected in our behaviour, but can also be used to camouflage some pretty dodgy activity when there is a chance of money being made.   eBay is not the sort of environment that brings out the best in people, not that I'm excusing such behaviour!  Caveat Emptor!

[MrWolf]

39 minutes ago, Mol_PMB said:

This weathering job isn’t quite as bad as some we’ve seen, but whichever ‘Professional’ did it ‘to a Very High Standard’ clearly didn’t base their work on photos or an understanding of how steam locos work:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hornby-OO-Gauge-Class-A3-R2342-60077-White-Knight-Professionally-Weathered-/255432741340?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

Or, here’s another:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255432736616

 

Remember folks, ‘professional’ just means you’re paid, it doesn’t mean you’re any good...!

 

First thought is; that looks like a locomotive that has never been oiled or greased.

 

Ever.

[PieGuyRob]

It looks as though they have used photos of the gwr machine that did railtours in the outback as inspiration. It looks as though they have been caught in a sandstorm.

[Paul H Vigor]

3 hours ago, Mol_PMB said:

This weathering job isn’t quite as bad as some we’ve seen, but whichever ‘Professional’ did it ‘to a Very High Standard’ clearly didn’t base their work on photos or an understanding of how steam locos work:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hornby-OO-Gauge-Class-A3-R2342-60077-White-Knight-Professionally-Weathered-/255432741340?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

Or, here’s another:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255432736616

 

Remember folks, ‘professional’ just means you’re paid, it doesn’t mean you’re any good...!

I guess everyone knows that water is blue!? 

[Paul H Vigor]

3 hours ago, The Johnster said:

I'd say that we consider ourselves to be (and very largely are) a hobby of gentlemen, and that this is reflected in our behaviour, but can also be used to camouflage some pretty dodgy activity when there is a chance of money being made.   eBay is not the sort of environment that brings out the best in people, not that I'm excusing such behaviour!  Caveat Emptor!

I imagine anyone getting caught out by such a scam would be left with a pretty negative idea of model railway traders (tarred with the same brush), especially if that purchaser was new to the hobby?  

[Paul H Vigor]

3 hours ago, Mol_PMB said:

This weathering job isn’t quite as bad as some we’ve seen, but whichever ‘Professional’ did it ‘to a Very High Standard’ clearly didn’t base their work on photos or an understanding of how steam locos work:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hornby-OO-Gauge-Class-A3-R2342-60077-White-Knight-Professionally-Weathered-/255432741340?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

Or, here’s another:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255432736616

 

Remember folks, ‘professional’ just means you’re paid, it doesn’t mean you’re any good...!

Curiously, the loco is photographed on what appears to be a rather decent layout? Doesn't mean, off course, that it is the personal layout of the 'pro' weatherer! 

[Mol_PMB]

There’s a bluish dribble from every washout plug or mudhole door. Even one plug leaking slightly is cause to fail a loco on shed, if they’ve all been leaking enough to leave dribble stains then there’s some criminally poor inspection and maintenance going on!

 

Those valves on top of the smokebox behind the chimney are snifting or anti-vacuum valves for the superheater header. When operating, they suck air. They don’t dribble water! Even if they aren’t seating perfectly and leak something, it’s superheated steam, not liquid. 

 

It’s odd that in addition to the overall brown dirt, the ‘Pro’ has put in effort to represent weathering details like these that just shouldn’t be there!

[Jol Wilkinson]

11 hours ago, The Johnster said:

I'd say that we consider ourselves to be (and very largely are) a hobby of gentlemen, and that this is reflected in our behaviour, but can also be used to camouflage some pretty dodgy activity when there is a chance of money being made.   eBay is not the sort of environment that brings out the best in people, not that I'm excusing such behaviour!  Caveat Emptor!

 

I believe that eBay originally started as  a facility for the "community" to sell/recycle  its unwanted items. It has become a platform for "traders"  many of whom operate from their front room, probably don't declare their profits as income, (business rated don't apply unless they have converted part of the property for business use, e.g.. the garage into a storage and packaging,  AFAIK), etc.

 

Clearly some have found that model railways is lucrative because they can get hold deceased modeller's collections cheaply, too many modellers are gullible and/or greedy, the dishonest are rarely caught and so on.

 

Caveat Emptor certainly applies, but relies on the buyer having some uncommon sense.

[The Johnster]

14 hours ago, Paul H Vigor said:

I imagine anyone getting caught out by such a scam would be left with a pretty negative idea of model railway traders (tarred with the same brush), especially if that purchaser was new to the hobby?  

Sadly, yes.  My recommendation is for starter outer newcomers to the hobby to avoid secondhand models despite it being a good way to save money on your initial outlay before you are certain you are in it for the long game, unless you are very sure of their provenance, at least until you have acquired the skillsets necessary to identify dogs and to bring them up to running standard if needed.   Despite the high and increasing cost, at least new purchases from dealers gives you the protection of the warranty!

Edited March 13, 2022 by The Johnster

[cessna152towser]

8 hours ago, Mol_PMB said:

There’s a bluish dribble from every washout plug or mudhole door.

That explains everything.  Here was I wondering why all the AdBlue spills? 

[letterspider]

Should have gone to Specsavers?

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LIMA-CLASS-37-DIESEL-TRANSRAIL-LIVERY-MODIFIED-ENDS-G-27-UK-/325090504791?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

[Esmedune]

22 hours ago, Mol_PMB said:

This weathering job isn’t quite as bad as some we’ve seen, but whichever ‘Professional’ did it ‘to a Very High Standard’ clearly didn’t base their work on photos or an understanding of how steam locos work:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hornby-OO-Gauge-Class-A3-R2342-60077-White-Knight-Professionally-Weathered-/255432741340?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

Or, here’s another:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255432736616

 

Remember folks, ‘professional’ just means you’re paid, it doesn’t mean you’re any good...!

His limescale is a funny colour and oozing out of some strange places...