Model Railway Forum

While prices of model loco's and stock continue to increase, I ask the question are we as modellers being taken for a ride.

In some instances we are being given older revamped models at the new increased rates, while I understand development and new tooling attract a higher price are manufacturers attempting to hike prices on older stuff.

Came across this tonight in an email from Derails.
https://derails.co.uk/index.php?route=p ... rch=31-117

Now, I do buy regularly from Derails but they are not giving you the full picture in their description of the item and I expect this is apparent on many retail sites!
On checking the Bachmann https://www.bachmann.co.uk/product/br-s ... %29/31-117 the specs quite clearly show this equipped as an 8 pin decoder socket, from my experience with Bachmann all 8 pin decoder sockets are loco fitted and not the retooled version with a 21 pin socket in the tender. So in my opinion we are paying a higher prices for older tooled loco's.
For an extra 98 quid you can have coal and deluxe weathering, what a complete rip off
TMC should be ashamed https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265539773869 ... OnEALw_wcB

I am quite happy paying for a new tooled / updated loco but recycling older loco's with no improvements is just a rip off.

As a side note has Hornby met their match?

Perhaps it’s a good thing we don’t have to buy them.

I notice that the loco is at least that price just about everywhere.

I can get a highly detailed O gauge Class 08 for slightly less than the Bachmann loco.

Knowing just how much work and time it takes to weather a loco, I would suggest that’s a little unfair to TMC.

I do think that the value for money between the scales, that 0 is very tempting as one is getting so much more for ones money. One can buy a nice 0 gauge wagon for £35. One can buy a similar wagon in 00 and it will cost around £20 and when one takes it out the box one thinks "Is that it?" and examines the box to check there is nothing else in there!
And I have noticed that some 00 gauge wagons I have seen retailing very close to 0 gauge prices! Yes, they are really lovely wagons but when one thinks "I need a rake of twenty" and then thinks how much it will cost... Uhmmm. Maybe not?

Today I saw a thin strip of wood on the pavement that I had seen there in the past. I decided to rescue it. Now with this wood I can make a body for a narrow gauge waggon. I will need to buy (If I did not have any at the time) a pair of wheels, a small amount of wooden dowel or instead use a few lollypopsticks glued together to make a chassis frame, and two drawing pins, two paperclips and a small amount of wire to make the couplings and we have a waggon. Ok, some paint and glue as well... But the largest cost of the build are the wheels and these simple waggons are not that difficult to make. It goes to show what can be done if one changes scale.
A few days ago I took delivery of two loco body kits to go on little Hornby 0-4-0's and these 3D printed kits are £20 each, so when I build them I will have an 0 scale narrow gauge loco for around £60 or less. (If one goes to buy a donor loco one should get one for around £35 or less. Less if one buys secondhand).
I say this to show that though 00 prices are high, there are ways around this if one wants to enjoy this hobby.
And what is wrong with buying a cheap little toy trainset and turning it into a model? Ok, some are not easy to do this, but one can have some serious fun in making something good at under the price of a single new 00 gauge wagon.

We need to share what can be done without spending too much money because it saddens me when I hear the words I have heard a few times before "I'd love a model railway but I can't afford it".
I want to say "You can!"