Model Railway Forum

I know we have inflation and I know that looking to buy a single piece of wood is not cheap compared to buying in bulk, but while in our "Local" (40 ish miles away) B&Q, we needed to buy a number of items so the drive was worth it as it saved us a lot to go in one shop rather than lots of shops, and one thing on our list was a single piece of wood of about 3ft length by about three quarters of an inch (An inch would do) and by about three inches n width... And I saw what I needed which was slightly longer (A metre?) but was ideal... Except I didn't buy iy. I saw theprice! Not far off ten pounds! How much!!? Now I know shops and sawmills and staff along with lorry drivers etc need profit, but for a small length of wood which isn't even wide or thick... I honestly do not think I could justify such a price. Could almost plant ones own tree and wait a decade or two for less! Had to look remind myself I was in B&Q and not some model railway shop selling Hornby or Bachmann! OK, I do admit the wood had a lot of finescale detail, but it was ordinary pine!

Anyway! I thought I would share my thoughts and I realize that it was ready planed wood... But planing is not so difficult to do. But na! Not at that price!

BUT it was not all bad. We did get everything else on my Mums list while shopping there including two items we did not expect them to sell. A toilet brush (Sadly and oddly, no toilet brush holders, and a large pack of toilet rolls. (Anyone tell them the covid epidemic run on toilet rolls is over? Did ask my Mum why she bought the toilet brush with no holder and she said it was cheap in a sale. Think she paid about a pound and it has a sleek metal handle too!))

But yes. Wood is waaay overpriced and I believe it is due to modern climate regulations as a neighbour where I used to live wanted to fell a few trees in his few acres of forest near their house to stop trees falling across the lane, and he had to go round his land and account for every shingle tree and where it was on a plan and which ones he wanted to fell due to the stupid regulations and it cost him a fair bit to do this. No wonder our wood prices are high. Soon one will.have to geta tree vet out to inject an anistehtic into every tree before cutting incase they feel pain whist being cut... And first employ an "Expert" insect specialist out to remove every insect from each tree incase they get hurt when the tree is cut...
Actually, at just less than ten pound for that piece of wood, I seems like one has paid fo all of that if one buys! Stupid! Rant over!

I recently went into the same store for a length of strip wood and came out without it - last year £1.99 this year £5.49! Everything has shot up. Bought my neighbour a thank you bottle of wine last year for £9.99. This year it was £19.99. Needless to say, he got a different bottle this year.

Depending where you are it may be looking round for a smaller private supplier rather than B and Q. I always found Wickes a bit cheaper anyway. I live in Kent but spend most of my time in Telford where my partner has donated me a spare room in which to build my railway. (whether she did this to ecourage me to spend more time here or to get me out of the waybis debateable ) Anyway i have found a small supplier here whose prices are much less than B and Q in Kent and they also give away off cuts. I reckon i can get 2 sheets of 9mm ply, cut to size, and all the 3 x 1 bracing ill need for under £100

Cheapest place to obtain wood is a skip. I am amazed at the amount you can find in them. Wickes in our part of the world is well known for its naturally made hockey sticks.

Over here, the local tip lets you have anything from skips, even get it out and load and empty your car. Their view is the more they give back for Re use, the better.

We in the USA are howling, too. I am perhaps more fortunate, as I paid off my home for about $39,000 BPS fifteen years ago, and the car I drive has clocked 482,000 km, but as it still runs reliably have no interest in replacing it. It's been quite some time since I got anything from the UK, but imagine I will be in for a scalding when I do.

Anyone would think it grew on trees!

Plywood has been affected particularly, as a lot of it previously came out of Russia. With the sanctions now in place, it's just not as readily available... sad times!

If anyone has a Selco locally check their plywood out. An 8’x4’ 18mm ply is about £25. Seems to be better quality than the stuff from the usual suspects. Recently made two mobile cabinets for a couple of saws and only found one void in the layup.

Thats a great price for 18mm. Their 9mm is a good price too slightly cheaper tham my local supplier, A K Williams in Telford if anyone is local. Mind you Williams cut it to size for free which is handy for me as it means it will be straight and fit in the car . Their 3 x 1 is 3.60 + vat for an 8ft length so the whole baseboard will come in under £100 allowing for 2 sheets of ply and 8 x 8 foot lengths of 3 x 1. Just pays to shop around and cbeck the skips