Jump to content
RMweb
 

EBay madness

Marcyg

By Marcyg
in Ebay Topics

 Share

Recommended Posts

jwealleans

jwealleans

Posted
Posted

I remember having the same reaction when I moved back to this country and started to take an interest in model railways again in the late 1990s.  I went into Rails of Sheffield and was gobsmacked to see a Wrenn A4 in a cabinet for north of £800 when the (then) vastly superior Bachmann one could be had in the same shop for £65.  It's a market I don't even pretend to understand.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • RMweb Premium
kevinlms

kevinlms

Posted
  • RMweb Premium
Posted

Some of those Collectors must be just bonkers.  Its purpose is to be taken out of the box and played with, something that can be achieved now with a full length model for the same price that is a 100 times better which by definition should in a sane world render the old Wrenn rubbish as fit for nothing except chucking in the bin with the boxes chucked in the recycling.

 

I just do not understand the mentality of the collecting fraternity at all.

Does it matter? As long as not your money.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • RMweb Gold
TheSignalEngineer

TheSignalEngineer

Posted
  • RMweb Gold
Posted

 It's a market I don't even pretend to understand.

You don't need to. Just wait to see what happens to most of the prices as the people who remember the stuff when it was the d**s bo***x fade away.

At present we have a significant number of buyers who didn't have the disposable income when the stuff was new but are now past raising families etc. The other factor in collecting is the rarity value.

People outside the hobby think all Dublo is valuable. There were about a quarter of a million Montroses made, but Liverpool was only done for a very short time, and after 2-rail had been introduced, similarly ring field motored 3-rail locos usually get a good price.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • RMweb Gold
Re6/6

Re6/6

Posted
  • RMweb Gold
Posted

I could get a modern complete Hornby for this one rather than this now obsolete old tat that isn't worth a tenner now:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/310622597257?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

 

 

Wrenn is most certainly a collectors market, irrespective of the model's accuracy. Condition is everything.

 

I sold one each of the above on behalf of a friend, from his late father's estate, and realized £200+ on each. One of the winning bidders was as interested in the condition of the box as much as the models and wanted additional close-up snaps of the box not only to show it's condition, but the faint stamped packing number during the auction. These numbers even seem to have significance.

 

As they say, "it's a mad, mad world"!

 

Anyway, my friend was very pleased at the prices realized with a new family member on the way.

 

Me, I'm looking at some of the Hornby Brighton Belle offers that are around at the moment.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • RMweb Gold
Oldddudders

Oldddudders

Posted
  • RMweb Gold
Posted

Me, I'm looking at some of the Hornby Brighton Belle offers that are around at the moment.

We know you have somewhere appropriate to run it, John! I think that is what baffles me about such models in RTR - why invest in tooling for a train that, by and large, only ever covered the same 50-odd miles for its entire 40-year life? Models purporting to represent the Brighton main line are less than numerous, I think, not least because it was among the first to be electrified. Ah, well, at least I rode it on the last day!

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • RMweb Premium
kevinlms

kevinlms

Posted
  • RMweb Premium
Posted

We know you have somewhere appropriate to run it, John! I think that is what baffles me about such models in RTR - why invest in tooling for a train that, by and large, only ever covered the same 50-odd miles for its entire 40-year life? Models purporting to represent the Brighton main line are less than numerous, I think, not least because it was among the first to be electrified. Ah, well, at least I rode it on the last day!

Its always been a bit that way.

 

Why did Tri-ang ever make the Caledonian 123, which itself was a one off by Neilson, I think.

Ratio made a kit of the C.R. bogie iron ore wagon, the kit apparently being in continuous production (or did they make so many, that they're still selling the original run?). There have many many kits of one off prototypes, such as hearse vans and the like.

 

Conversely, until comparatively recently, 0-6-0's of pre-group railways for instance, have been very thin on the ground, on the basis of no market for them. Yet almost every single railway had them or tank versions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Horsetan

Horsetan

Posted
Posted

..... Models purporting to represent the Brighton main line are less than numerous, I think, not least because it was among the first to be electrified.....

 

I can only remember Ferring-on-Sea, and Pulborough, as Brighton mainline layouts. Both P4, BTW......

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • RMweb Gold
Oldddudders

Oldddudders

Posted
  • RMweb Gold
Posted

I can only remember Ferring-on-Sea, and Pulborough, as Brighton mainline layouts. Both P4, BTW......

Those are LBSC - but not the main line, of course. My point is the Belle only ever - in the course of normal working - plied between London and Brighton, and few seek to model a station between those points.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • RMweb Gold
Re6/6

Re6/6

Posted
  • RMweb Gold
Posted

A little OT, I recall, a few years ago, having a conversation with the editor of one of the mainstream mags when I was discussing the problems with some models of converting to EM & P4 gauges.

 

I suggested that it would be very helpful to those of the 'wider' persuasion to have the the bogie frames, axleboxes etc. 'designed in' at the planning stage to facilitate easier conversion. One would've thought that there would be no additional cost to the manufacturer if this was thought about.

 

I don't know what the ratio of followers of the 'minorities' is compared to the standard 00 users, but I would guess at maybe 1%>99%, but that small percentage could represent to the manufacturers additional sales if conversion was easier. I would certainly buy a lot more of current high quality RTR if it was more easily convertible rather than spending time scratch/kit building...(an age thing..I now like to sit and play trains...!) 

 

I was surprised at the response to this idea. Apparantly the manufacturers had said that over 80% (can't remember the exact figure) of all model trains bought worldwide end up on shelves, in cabinets or just in their boxes (presumably as 'collectors items').

 

So by this reasoning Hornby's thinking was probably along those lines as the Belle would mostly be a display/collectors item. But who knows, maybe I'm wrong.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • RMweb Premium
kevinlms

kevinlms

Posted
  • RMweb Premium
Posted

A little OT, I recall, a few years ago, having a conversation with the editor of one of the mainstream mags when I was discussing the problems with some models of converting to EM & P4 gauges.

 

I suggested that it would be very helpful to those of the 'wider' persuasion to have the the bogie frames, axleboxes etc. 'designed in' at the planning stage to facilitate easier conversion. One would've thought that there would be no additional cost to the manufacturer if this was thought about.

 

I don't know what the ratio of followers of the 'minorities' is compared to the standard 00 users, but I would guess at maybe 1%>99%, but that small percentage could represent to the manufacturers additional sales if conversion was easier. I would certainly buy a lot more of current high quality RTR if it was more easily convertible rather than spending time scratch/kit building...(an age thing..I now like to sit and play trains...!) 

 

I was surprised at the response to this idea. Apparantly the manufacturers had said that over 80% (can't remember the exact figure) of all model trains bought worldwide end up on shelves, in cabinets or just in their boxes (presumably as 'collectors items').

 

So by this reasoning Hornby's thinking was probably along those lines as the Belle would mostly be a display/collectors item. But who knows, maybe I'm wrong.

Well with figures like that, why bother making it easy to convert, the vast majority would never know? From your figures, only 2 in every 1000 models would be converted (meaning that on average, only one of each of the limited editions end up getting converted to EM/P4.), so manufacturers would spend 5 seconds making that sort of decision. I suspect the percentage that don't come out of their boxes is far less than stated.

 

We all know of 'modellers' (hoarders really), who have cupboards full of stuff that has never turned a wheel. I know I have some R-T-R stuff in that category, but don't mention the kits!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Il Grifone

Il Grifone

Posted
Posted

I remember having the same reaction when I moved back to this country and started to take an interest in model railways again in the late 1990s.  I went into Rails of Sheffield and was gobsmacked to see a Wrenn A4 in a cabinet for north of £800 when the (then) vastly superior Bachmann one could be had in the same shop for £65.  It's a market I don't even pretend to understand.

 

it's just the railway modelling corner of the vast collecting market.

For example, why does some eyesore become valuable just because it's the 'work' of a famous artist? I won't give any examples, I'm sure you can think of your own.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Il Grifone

Il Grifone

Posted
Posted

One set is upside down for a start...

 

They look bent too and there appears to be a quartering problem! She probably runs passably on the track, with all that thick oil muffling any untoward noises,,,,,

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • RMweb Premium
PhilJ W

PhilJ W

Posted
  • RMweb Premium
Posted

******** nitpickers!

 

Steady on chaps, that's one of mine!

 

Being a long time contributor to this thread just imagine my utter horror when I clicked the link. :wild:

 

Seriously Ian, well spotted and thank you. The screw had come loose and the coupling dropped. Now rectified and new snaps uploaded. It does actually run quite nicely.

 

 

 

 

The sale of this loco must be jinxed! Actually I got a 'you've sold your item' e-mail within 10 minutes of putting it up. There was an error in the listing, which to their credit, Ebay rectified in short order.

It was certainly worth more than the £3.95 . Somehow a BIN price had appeared , but not shown at my end.

I am the winning bidder on this and I did expect the bidding to go a bit higher. I hope you are satisfied John with the price as I was.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Carbonel

Carbonel

Posted
Posted

 

 

The rods on this are suspicious to say the least, which does make me wonder how it "ran well"

 

Such a shame to see such a lovely kit end up like this

 

Paul A.

 

 

 

It actually says that the loco motor ran well - nothing at all about the locomotive's actual performance. Perhaps that's why a service is recommended...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
industrial

industrial

Posted
Posted (edited)

 

The rods on this are suspicious to say the least, which does make me wonder how it "ran well"

 

Such a shame to see such a lovely kit end up like this

 

Paul A.

 

 

 

It actually says that the loco motor ran well - nothing at all about the locomotive's actual performance. Perhaps that's why a service is recommended...

But fairly easy to fix with a bit of brass tube the right size. (no I am not bidding for this lot)

 

Also the starting price is plenty high to get many people interested in this and the other ones he has got for sale.

Edited by industrial
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • RMweb Gold
Re6/6

Re6/6

Posted
  • RMweb Gold
Posted

I am the winning bidder on this and I did expect the bidding to go a bit higher. I hope you are satisfied John with the price as I was.

 

That's fine Phil. It's actually nice to sell something to someone on this thread!

 

Any item offered for auction is only ever worth what people will bid for of course. A complete lottery in reality. Recently, I sold a number of Wrenn lots for a friend from his inheritance estate and was quite surprised at the really wide variations in prices achieved and against expectations both ways. As they say on TV antique auction shows, it depends who's in the room on the day.

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/350737760531?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

The rods on this are suspicious to say the least, which does make me wonder how it "ran well"

 

Such a shame to see such a lovely kit end up like this

 

Paul A.

But fairly easy to fix with a bit of brass tube the right size. (no I am not bidding for this lot)

 

Also the starting price is plenty high to get many people interested in this and the other ones he has got for sale.

If I wanted this, I wouldn't hesitate about bidding on lots from this seller (see posts on this thread #5894/5)

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • RMweb Premium
newbryford

newbryford

Posted
  • RMweb Premium
Posted

There was only ever going to be the one reason.....

 

A bit like this one.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151004510747?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

It's called capitalism, profiteering or enterprise (no pun intended) depending upon which way you view it.

 

Now I wish I'd bought one, as I'd have used the profit to buy a maroon one and a sound decoder........, but hey, hindsight is a science.

 

Cheers,

Mick

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Horsetan

Horsetan

Posted
Posted

A bit like this one.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151004510747?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

It's called capitalism, profiteering or enterprise (no pun intended) depending upon which way you view it.

 

Now I wish I'd bought one, as I'd have used the profit to buy a maroon one and a sound decoder........, but hey, hindsight is a science.

 

Cheers,

Mick

 

There but for the grace of God, eh?.....And, as "DapolDave" commented darkly on another thread, he knows where the original buyers / warranty holders live.....

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • RMweb Gold
Oldddudders

Oldddudders

Posted
  • RMweb Gold
Posted

"A Mainline Warship Class 52 diesel loco with good, undamaged bodyshell in BR blue for spares/repair. Non-runner and listed as found and as in photo, which will appear on Thursday evening. Will be bibble-wrapped in a cardboard box for the safe journey to your layout."

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MAINLINE-CLASS-52-WARSHIP-DIESEL-LOCO-WITH-UNDAMAGED-BODYSHELL-FOR-SPARES-REP-/111029861850?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item19d9e53dda

 

Defies belief. Can't tell a Warship from a Western, no pic 'til Thursday, and "bibble" wrapped. Bibble was a photo-software package, last time I looked. A good kick in the nuts would do no harm here.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...