Hello
I've just started the layout again after 10 years. I have 10 locos (incl. a DMU) and now think that I have too many, so I've sold a few on Ebay.
How many locos have other modellers?
Regards
Geoff
You'll get few answers on this, I'll bet.
I'm back into the hobby since Jan 2017. I have a modest 19 (1 kettle and 18 DEMUs).
I know of one member here who has lost count. :D
Alec.
I'll be interested in the replies you get. As a recent newcomer to the hobby I have 3 locos and one DMU. Once my layout is complete I will probably increase this number.
Quote from: geofff on January 23, 2021, 01:22:07 PM
Hello
I've just started the layout again after 10 years. I have 10 locos (incl. a DMU) and now think that I have too many, so I've sold a few on Ebay.
How many locos have other modellers?
Regards
Geoff
Ah, the proverbial "how long is a piece of string" question! ;)
The reality is that the majority of railway modellers have more locos than they could ever run on their
current layout.
There are people who are very disciplined in their acquisitions e.g. specific time frame, region, liveries and so on. Others, are advocates of Rule 1 and everything in between.
I have no evidence to support this, but I suspect with the price rises over the last few years the number of impulse buys has reduced. Those of us who enjoyed the 2000s can attest to the amazing offers/deals that were available.
Alas, those days are behind us and your typical loco is now a more considered purchase for many. :(
In terms of
HOLLERTON JUNCTION, I had over 100 locos at one point and then I came to the conclusion that this was madness (for me).
Since the peak, I have slimmed the fleet down to just under 50. Even this number is too high and no doubt a few more will be passed on in the future.
Kind regards
Paddy
There is no right or wrong answer. - It's purely personal desires and satisfaction...
Some collect one of everything, some like to build a representative fleet of which could be seen in a particular location at a particular time.
my only rule is that for an exhibition layout, I'd aim to have at least two suitable locos available for every job to cover for failures, so for the 1930s branchline which requires 5 trains, we have a fleet of 12 regular locos. For the 1950s/60s urban layout with fiddle yard space for 18 trains we have approaching 40 appropriate locos and half a dozen DMUs between two of us..
Including DMUs I have 197 :goggleeyes:
Too many and "no idea" would be my response but I really don't see that changing. I am though slowly disposing of my few remaining non-DCC ones (except for my Class 44 and 45 - no chance!).
Roy
No such thing as too many locos if you enjoy owning and running them. It's not a competition either! You may have more than your layout can support at any one time but maybe you like running sessions with different themes and periods of stock?
I'm definitely not someone who can just dispose and change theme as-and-when, I have more attachment to my models than that and truly appreciate them all. The last time I did anything along those lines would have been way back in the 80s when I switched from British N to Continental N. Since then I've found myself re-buying examples of the locos I used to have, purely for sentimental reasons even though I have no British layout to run them on ;)
I think I may know who @Invicta Alec (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=5868) is referring to regarding losing count :D Actually the majority of my Continental N stock is inventoried and individually numbered but that doesn't account for everything (for example my crate of British N)
I agree with @PLD (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=647) regarding exhibitions, I can populate 4 or 5 different cases of locos, one of which comes with me to a show with enough to run 2 dozen trains and with replacement/spare locos. If the show is near enough that I'm not staying over I may swap to a different case for each day. I can ring the changes and maybe run older period locos for a day if I feel like it.
I only have a few as I've not been buying them for long - about 4 years or so - and including EMUs that few number 20.
I use the term 'few' in its comparative sense as from posts on other threads here I've learnt that some folks have 'lots', while others even have 'lots and lots', and some it seems even have a darned sight more than that!
But the real answer is that I have a mixture of what I want, what I like, and what I can afford, with an ever-changing list of others that I want, that I'd like, and only when I can afford them (and sometimes when I can't but what the heck! :D ).
I am not sure of the exact number but it's got to be 100+, and that number is growing regularly. :hmmm:
@daffy (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=5634) yes can be a problem when too many speculative/cheeky bids and offers on ebay in a particular month result in yet another mint un-run bargain priced loco making its way here :D
I suppose the current situation will curtail my forays into German ebay for a while though :worried: A money saver!
No idea. There's a large box of Poole Farish, minitrix and lima stuff knocking around somewhere and the contents haven't seen the light of day for twenty years or so. Probably better off down the tip to make some space. Does anyone still collect the old stuff?
The tip! :o
Please no!
Ads on here, or a list in a thread as I'm sure some of what you have will be wanted by others here.
Quote from: SD35 on January 23, 2021, 03:10:59 PM
No idea. There's a large box of Poole Farish, minitrix and lima stuff knocking around somewhere and the contents haven't seen the light of day for twenty years or so. Probably better off down the tip to make some space. Does anyone still collect the old stuff?
Certainly not :no:, but as it happens I a run an ecologically sound Model Train Recycling Service, so rather than go to the hassle of taking it to the tip and risk contaminating the ground water, put it in a box with my address on and I'll paypal you the postage.
Quote from: SD35 on January 23, 2021, 03:10:59 PM
No idea. There's a large box of Poole Farish, minitrix and lima stuff knocking around somewhere and the contents haven't seen the light of day for twenty years or so. Probably better off down the tip to make some space. Does anyone still collect the old stuff?
Hi Mike,
Please do not send to the tip. There are lots of older models which are still valued by modellers. Also, older models can be used for conversions etc.
Either list them on the NGF or eBay - you may be pleasantly surprised!
Kind regards
Paddy
Having been into N gauge for over 35 years, and a layout based loosely where 4 regions of British Railways would meet in the late 50s/early 60s, I have 100-110 loco/units. I won't be stopping there either, as I have 5 more on pre order and another 3 to order when the order books open.
Rolling stock is like garlic: can't have enough of it
I don't even try to count :D
Quote from: AlexanderJesse on January 23, 2021, 04:26:37 PM
Rolling stock is like garlic: can't have enough of it
I don't even try to count :D
I think my wife and I have that conversation every other day..."does this have enough garlic?" ......"do another just to be sure".
Wish she said the same when I talk about buying more model trains ;D
Regarding the original question, I have...6 currently (two are EMU). However I have a long list of "wanted", just need to be able to find them!
If theres any Minitrix warships in the box threatened please let me know, Im still short of the whole fleet...... :sorrysign:
I've been collecting since 1971, but I have very few models now that are pre 2005. Perhaps a better measure of how much this hobby takes over is how much I have sold on EBay and the N'porium to fund the newer stuff. Now that would buy a 2 year old BMW 3 series...
My worst admission of guilt is that ten years ago I started collecting in OO the things that you cant get in N - mostly SR EMUs and DMUs initially, but then I found I had to have locos to go with them as well, and in OO I now have examples of classes 03/07/08/31/33 (3 different ones)/35/42/47/52/71/73. Plus 8 Mk 1 coaches, a Parcels train, 7 Yeoman PCAs, 4 Dogfish and Shark, and 5 B and A class tanks!
And it all takes up eight times the volume of N!!!! Sheer lunacy!!!!
Bob
Apart from the Lima stuff I cant part with anything...got far to many, but will end up with some more.
I enjoy scratch building/modifying/kit building/detailing RTR locos far more than actually using the layout and have been doing so for 35+ years. I counted up my locos and multiple units a couple of years ago and it was north of 250 and I've built quite a few since!
Once upon a time before I saw the light I modelled the GWR and have at least 40 locos none of which have turned a wheel for over 25 years and whilst I have purchased more recent GWR loco offerings they were immediately sacrificed to the Southern or Great Eastern.
For a while I went all NSE and have a number of locos and MU's but, again, they are now confined to stock boxes and are unlikely to see the light of day any time soon.
Interests change and develop and as a consequence so does the loco fleet.
:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: That's like asking a woman how many pairs of shoes to you have!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As for me, more locos than I need and I will no doubt get some more! :beers:
Quote from: SD35 on January 23, 2021, 03:10:59 PM
There's a large box of Poole Farish, minitrix and lima stuff ... Probably better off down the tip to make some space.
Noooo.... (well apart from the Lima locos maybe, they were rubbish) :D
Minitrix locos generally very well made and still perfectly useful. Poole Farish stuff not my thing (I moved to Continental N back in the 80s specifically to get away from Poole Farish and run more good quality Minitrix, Fleischmann etc. :) )
Quote
Does anyone still collect the old stuff?
Yes definitely, same as some people like old cars: robust and easy to service.
I have a "history of N gauge" fleet within my collection with models going back to the 60s.
On my layout at shows you'll find 1970s models still playing their part and running perfectly well alongside 20xx models :D
Just one short answer
NOT ENOUGH
Mike H
I would put ads up as paddy suggests in the ngf classifieds. You never know some one will find a good home
Minitrix stuff still sells for decent prices maybe not as accurate but reliable even now.Repaints help.
Quote from: Nbodger on January 23, 2021, 05:45:38 PM
Just one short answer
NOT ENOUGH
Mike H
I'm with you Mike.
Cant spend on holidays. And there is only so much food and drink you can consume at any sitting...
Bob
Quote from: BramptonBranch on January 23, 2021, 06:01:04 PM
Minitrix stuff still sells for decent prices... Repaints help.
Er.. that rather depends on the quality of the repaint. The ones I've come across are mostly terrible and I wonder why on earth someone thought is would be a good idea :'( , but of course we do have stars like @Ozymandias (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=3534) of this parish who do a proper job :D
Well @Ozymandias (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=3534) repaints mine so I KNOW.
just how good they can be. The fact he services them is bonus.
I just need one more. That's been the case for as long as I remember.
Not everything is catalogued, but 105 are.
Problem with the Limas is, that certain models were available ONLY from Lima...
Quote from: Intercity on January 23, 2021, 07:30:00 PM
Between my US locomotives and British ones, probably around 350.
I am now feeling much more relaxed, now that I know there is at least one other n gauge modeller with more stock than I have!!!
And I'm still not admitting how many locos I have.
Bob
Just glanced at my spreadsheet which says 271 but I know they are not all on there...
Quote from: Chuffington on January 23, 2021, 09:48:28 PM
Just glanced at my spreadsheet which says 271 but I know they are not all on there...
Locos or stock?
Thanks mainly to Revolution's Class A and B tanks, and Accurascale's Cemflos I have almost £5k of wagons, and I'm a southern modeller. We don't do freight!
Bob
Well all I can say, having read the original post and some of the answers, is that the majority of the respondents must be i) single, or ii) have a Chief Accountant who is not that good at her/his job, or iii) a partner who takes no interest in the other halfs hobby, or iv) some of you are very good at hiding what the postman brings. In my case, whilst married, I have a partner who is i) not too bothered about what I spend on the hobby - as long as the bills get paid, plus, ii) I am at home all day, whilst Louisa is out at work, so she very rarely sees the postman. ;). And in answer to the original question - a lot, but I am going to be thinning my UK stuff down, but only because I seem to have acquired quite a few USA stuff :hmmm:.
I'm blushing. Thank you. 😊
Pretty modest compared to many! About 100 locos I think. Virtually nothing "rule 1", aside from a Eurostar and two FGW/GWR HSTs everything is WCML, post-2010 stock.
Mrs njee20 knows what it all costs (or at least she has access to the spreadsheet and I don't hide it), and I actually had most items out today trying to sort out the boxes items from the empty boxes where stuff's in stock boxes. I do probably have too many 66s though.
I've got piles.
PW
There's only one that matters in my collection..... :D
(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/albums/Bealman's_Album/Dir_6/main_9030.jpg)
i rejoined the n gauge model railway world in june 2018...after a 25 year hiatus. i wanted to collect models i saw--or could have--in my trainspotting years in the early 60's..starting with LM region..Western region and standards--even black or green diesels. Mostly what i saw in the Birmingham area--including those wonderful sunday diversions when the Trent Valley was closed for electrification and expresses went within easy reach of my home.
Then a chance opportunity to buy a dapol terrier freshwater in olive green southern livery added another dimension.
i think ive topped the 50 mark now.
a question--maybe for a new thread--What are your favourite 3 locos--and why ?
Quote from: Bealman on January 23, 2021, 11:28:54 PM
There's only one that matters in my collection..... :D
(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/albums/Bealman's_Album/Dir_6/main_9030.jpg)
i spotted the real thing at Birmingham New street station a few times in the early 60's.
Cool! :drool: :drool: :envy:
I'm in the starting out stage but I think I'm at 9 locos, 5 DMUs, 2 HSTs and a random Budd RDC set that was bought for a micro layout that never got beyond the idea stage.
I have 2 HSTs on order along with the LNER 800. A few more being eyed up.
I should perhaps crack on and finish the baseboards first...
Quote from: Bealman on January 23, 2021, 11:28:54 PM
There's only one that matters in my collection..... :D
(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/albums/Bealman's_Album/Dir_6/main_9030.jpg)
Just the one? :D
(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/88/262-100320000305-885171305.jpeg)
1 is never enough (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ColGo4z6O6M&list=PLqzxqG9ebiN9Qq_vCHO1d2nn9xxL1bGlw&index=1)
When I started out in this hobby, I decided I needed one steam loco, one DMU and a maximum of two diesel locos which would serve all my needs for the future and beyond.
So I've stuck to my guns. I've got 26 which run, one which doesn't and one of the 26 is a shameful waddling travesty which will probably be parked somewhere quiet and look scenic rather than embarrassing itself.
I've not gone crazy, to my mind, and I think I'm done - although I do have one 73 on pre-order with Gaugemaster, but that might as well not exist as I'm sure I'll never see it in my lifetime. That being said, if a 4-VEP model was released, or a "Hampshire Diesel" 3H CL205 DMU I'd be a buyer of a few at pretty much any price. A 4-TC set would open the wallet also. I know we'll never see a 4-REP modelled, but the 4-TC on a push-pull with a 73 or a 33 would look rather lovely.
I've got roster spots for all of them on my new layout timetable (as yet to see the light of day) but they've all got an on-stage role on Moorpark 3 whenever that comes to fruition. Actually, all bar two which I fell for as "bargains" on eBay but even with Rule 1 and a Tardis they're pretty much impossible to shoehorn into the schedule so I might have to sadly let them return to the land of second lives.
@Bigmac (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=847) - hard to pick favorites, but I can pick the least favorite of the operational ones - a Dapol CL35 "Hymek" that sounds like a bag of spanners when it runs, to the extent that I invested in a dummy 35 sound-fitted to run double-headed and try to drown out the clanking and groaning of the powered loco. Mostly unsuccessfully. It still sounds like a bag of spanners, just somewhat drowned out by the sound loco.
I recently took delivery of a rather lovely CL47 weathered and custom-renumbered by TMC to become D1662 "Isambard Kingdom Brunel". I took the excuse of needing a loco to test some recently-laid track and couldn't resist using it as the test loco, just to enjoy watching it trundle up and down the fiddle yard and admire the workmanship (theirs, not mine, just to be clear).
My piece of string is longer than some, and certainly not at all close to the length of others.
Definitely lots of answers and some pretty impressive collections.
I have been doing British Outline N Gauge since 1977 and currently have about 35 locos, 1 HST, and several DMUs in service.
I like to see my locos and not have them hiding in boxes, so I am TRYING not to buy too many more..
Having said that I still like the old Poole Farish locos as they are easy to maintain and keep going and going with just a little routine maintenance. I know they don't look as good as current models, but I haven't had great experiences with reliability with several more recent ones. Still have several with 3 pole motors and brass gears in service. Nearly all the rest have had their original wheelsets replaced with Bachmann ones due to the old split gear problem.
Also still have a couple of Lima 31s, Minitrix 27 and 42, a couple of Peco Hymeks (as seen here recently) and a couple of Poole 08s hiding away in store. The newer Farish 0-6-0 shunters are certainly a big improvement on the Poole 08s in both running and appearance, I do admit.
Quote from: Bob G on January 23, 2021, 10:08:36 PM
Quote from: Chuffington on January 23, 2021, 09:48:28 PM
Just glanced at my spreadsheet which says 271 but I know they are not all on there...
Locos or stock?
Thanks mainly to Revolution's Class A and B tanks, and Accurascale's Cemflos I have almost £5k of wagons, and I'm a southern modeller. We don't do freight!
Bob
Locos :D
Coaches 300+ but not all catalogued & I haven't even started to catalogue wagons but probably over 500.
Seeing some of the replies I don't feel so guilty now. A mere 78 N mostly British all eras, a couple of US Operation North Pole sets, a few German and 1 Shinkansen set. Rule 1 applies! Plus 43 OO British Big 4 and pre grouping 'cos I like the different liveries ( 'pretty' engines ) and finally 3 Maerklin HO. Expensive but very worth it.
Rolling stock? Who knows?!
C. :)
(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/105/3385-240121100419.jpeg) (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=105150)
Quote from: Bigmac on January 23, 2021, 11:44:34 PM
..
a question--maybe for a new thread--What are your favourite 3 locos--and why ?
Let's not go there. I'd give a different answer every day! :D
After last week's Zoom I reckon Alex @Hailstone (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=1193) might be afraid to respond in case someone sees his reply who he doesn't want to!
Quote from: PennineWagons on January 23, 2021, 11:22:19 PM
I've got piles.
PW
You have my sympathy but how many locos have you got?
As for Locos/HST's/DMU's, not sure the exact amount but I have around 110-120 of them in total.
Rolling stock 500+ including all my coaches and freight rolling stock. Quite frightening when you count up what you've bought over the years!! :o
Cheers, Stu
Just to inject a serious note into the thread, for those of you who have not thought about it, can I ask you to check your insurance cover? A couple of years ago, I realised that I was well in to the thousands of Euros mark on what I had paid for my rolling stock. As the household insurance was coming up for renewal, I mentioned this to the insurance company. I can not remember the exact figures, but I was told that as long as the total value did not exceed a certain percentage of the total insured value, I was okay, otherwise, the stock would have to be declared separately. Just a thought.
Re:"Just the one?"
Thats a tight reversing loop.................................
Quote from: dannyboy on January 24, 2021, 10:53:55 AM
Just to inject a serious note into the thread, for those of you who have not thought about it, can I ask you to check your insurance cover? A couple of years ago, I realised that I was well in to the thousands of Euros mark on what I had paid for my rolling stock. As the household insurance was coming up for renewal, I mentioned this to the insurance company. I can not remember the exact figures, but I was told that as long as the total value did not exceed a certain percentage of the total insured value, I was okay, otherwise, the stock would have to be declared separately. Just a thought.
Yes, definitely. also worth checking if there's a limitation on outbuilding cover too, for those who keep stock in sheds/garages.
Wagons are definitely my downfall, about 600 it would appear. :worried:
My spreadsheet claims 81 British outline units (not counting the Lima ones). In my defence (and I have a watertight one prepared by one of the leading legal minds in the field of hobby purchase justification), the vast majority was acquired as bargains or second-hand, and a fair few of the latter were acquired cheap as non-runners, as for some reason I find it quite satisfying to fix them up and get them running again. The British electorate's decision to vote for a long-term weakening of the pound in 2016 was very helpful in really kickstarting the collection, though I've acquired maybe a dozen locos/DMUs here in Japan as well. The best bang for my yen was 3,000 thereof (say 25 GBP) for a modern but "broken" Bachmann-Farish Class 47, which (guess what) merely had a split gear.
That figure is however dwarfed by the Japanese side of things, which is at about 250 powered units, and probably some more I have squirrelled away without getting around to cataloguing them. Again, largely second hand and quite a few fixer-uppers, aided and abetted by the general cheapness of Japanese N gauge and the fact that in the used market, the slightest imperfection results in often quite hefty discounts.
Oh, and about 50 German/European/Other.
At a guess I'd say overall about 80% is "Rule 0", i.e. directly relevant to my specific layout interests (admittedly, those cover three countries and quite broad time periods), most of the rest "Rule 1", and the rest of the rest "Rule 2" ("Rule 2" is "I'm not sure why I need that, but they want how little money for it!??").
i have a mixed bunch ... 47 steam locos all BR livery, 27 diesels in green and blue liveries, 3 DMUs, Midland Pullman, Brighton Belle, an HST and a 4CEP so that I can ring the changes as the mood takes me.
Quote from: Newportnobby on January 24, 2021, 10:05:13 AM
After last week's Zoom I reckon Alex @Hailstone (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=1193) might be afraid to respond in case someone sees his reply who he doesn't want to!
Quote from: PennineWagons on January 23, 2021, 11:22:19 PM
I've got piles.
PW
You have my sympathy but how many locos have you got?
I have only been collecting them for 16 years Mick @Newportnobby (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=264) and haven't paid full price for over half of them 194 steam, 70 Diesel including multiple units
Regards,
Alex
Favourite loco Minitrix Warships, I have err a few..Farish WD 2 -8 - 0 is great,Peaks were a common sight on the Midland Main line so have a couple,soft spot for the kit built Metro Vick too.oh and 08s must have a few Brush 4s.....
then theres the type 1s (20s)...... :helpneededsign:
Numbers are irrelevent.
I have less than I want and more than I need. :D
When I get the current tramway board finished I can restart clearing the "unfinished kits/mods dept", which includes:-
LMS Garratt
LMS Ex Midland 0-4-4T
LMS Ex L&Y Saddle 0-6-0T (making two)
LMS Turbomotive (this has "only" needed lining, numbers, etc for a decade!!)
LMS Princess
LMS ex LNWR 0-6-2T Coal Tank (Etched)
LMS exL&Y Steam Railcar (making two)
LMS exMR "Flatiron" 0-6-4T (making two, this one black)
LMS exMR 0-4-2T "Bissel Truck" (heavy hack on a GWR Pannier!)
LMS unrebuilt "Royal Scot"
(and probably a few more not remembered!)
Numbers are not irrelevant. The original poster asked how many locos we had!
Dave (Bad Raven),
What is your starting point for the Flatiron ?
Best regards,
Joe
Quote from: PennineWagons on January 23, 2021, 11:22:19 PM
I've got piles.
PW
Maybe I could have phrased that better.
I've probably got around three dozen locos. Which, as I can now see from other posts, isn't many at all. There are a great many people on this forum whose piles are much bigger than mine.
PW
My loco collection (first N gauge loco kit bought in 1967):
- Steam = 22
- Diesel = 28
- Electric = 3
- DMUs = 5
Total = 58
Breakdown:
- Ready to Run = 39
- Modified RTR = 5
- Kit-built = 10
- 3D Print = 3
- Scratchbuilt = 1
List attached, if you are interested.
Ian
Quote from: joe cassidy on January 24, 2021, 06:25:39 PM
Dave (Bad Raven),
What is your starting point for the Flatiron ?
Best regards,
Joe
Its an old Beaver Kit from ABS Models of (unsurprisingly??) Poole!, code N654 dating from the 80's or early 90's AFAICR, Its not a bad whitemetal kit, using the then obiquitious Grafar GP Tank 0-6-0T with provided truck and wheels. I bought two kits as its a favourite (and visually quite different to almost anything else). Only made one so far, it was shown in the NGS Journal way back when my first non area specific "Wyrefleet" was featured.
I also have Beaver N653 kit unbuilt, which is a LMS (exHR) 0-6-4T, same chassis. As said, I have more than I can remember, especially as most are 70 miles away from where I'm on Lockdown, and have not surfaced fro a decade while my interests were elsewhere.
Both of mine were bought shortly after they became available and the castings are nice and crisp.
In three words- perhaps too many...
Totalled as follows
UK Steam- 44 Pacifics (A4-17, A3-17, A1-5, A2-4, Britannia-1), 6 V2s, 14 4-6-0s (10 B1s and 4 other), 2 0-6-2T, 2 0-6-4T, 4 2-6-0s, 3 4-4-0s, 8 0-6-0s, 6 2-8-0s (4 WD), 6 9F 2-10-0, 4 0-6-0ST, 2 0-6-0PT, 2 0-4-4T, 1 2-6-4T total 100 plus any I've forgotten
UK diesel - 3 shunters, 1 type 1, 5 type 2, 5 type 3, 2 type 5 total 16
UK DMU- 2 2-car, 1 3-car, 2 4-car total 5
UK motive power total 121 or so.. This now only has one layout to run on (Croft Spa) with the sale of Hawthorn Dene and Rise Park.
Continental steam 5
Continental B-B diesels 3, other diesels 2
Continental Bo-Bo electrics 29- I think.
Continental Co-Co electrics 2
Continental other electrics 3
continental railcars/dmu 2 total 47 This lot is all for Bregenbach which is only 8 feet by 2 feet...
That makes a total of 168 minus any boxes I've missed- and that is after I've been thinning out the collection having sold Hawthorn Dene.
Plus of course Thomas and Percy now sitting in the showcase waiting for reassignment....
It also ignores the 50 or so OO small locos for NO PLACE.....
You can't have too many locos.
Les
Let's face it - beyond 50 or so locos, you have more than you'll ever need for all the layouts you'll ever build. And so you've become a collector.
Quote from: PennineWagons on January 24, 2021, 06:32:26 PM
Quote from: PennineWagons on January 23, 2021, 11:22:19 PM
I've got piles.
PW
Maybe I could have phrased that better.
I've probably got around three dozen locos. Which, as I can now see from other posts, isn't many at all. There are a great many people on this forum whose piles are much bigger than mine.
PW
I actually know a joke about piles which has a railway connection. I could probably get away with it on the forum, but it's pretty long, so I can't be bothered typing it.
It's one of those jokes that benefits from gestures during the telling, anyway.
Involves someone pulling the emergency cord. ;)
Quote from: longbow on January 25, 2021, 01:15:39 AM
Let's face it - beyond 50 or so locos, you have more than you'll ever need for all the layouts you'll ever build. And so you've become a collector.
Fully agree with you longbow. I see Les1952 has a
crazy number of locos(!!)..probably won't use a fraction of those. Personally, I've got about a dozen, together with 2 DMUs. There all my favourite ones, so I'm happy with that and it means I can rotate their rosters nice and easily.
Quote from: Bad Raven on January 24, 2021, 08:36:31 PM
Quote from: joe cassidy on January 24, 2021, 06:25:39 PM
Dave (Bad Raven),
What is your starting point for the Flatiron ?
Best regards,
Joe
Its an old Beaver Kit from ABS Models of (unsurprisingly??) Poole!, code N654 dating from the 80's or early 90's AFAICR, Its not a bad whitemetal kit, using the then obiquitious Grafar GP Tank 0-6-0T with provided truck and wheels. I bought two kits as its a favourite (and visually quite different to almost anything else). Only made one so far, it was shown in the NGS Journal way back when my first non area specific "Wyrefleet" was featured.
I also have Beaver N653 kit unbuilt, which is a LMS (exHR) 0-6-4T, same chassis. As said, I have more than I can remember, especially as most are 70 miles away from where I'm on Lockdown, and have not surfaced fro a decade while my interests were elsewhere.
Both of mine were bought shortly after they became available and the castings are nice and crisp.
And by chance someone listed 3 unmade kits on eBay yesterday.
Quote from: springwood on January 25, 2021, 07:31:22 AM
Quote from: longbow on January 25, 2021, 01:15:39 AM
Let's face it - beyond 50 or so locos, you have more than you'll ever need for all the layouts you'll ever build. And so you've become a collector.
Fully agree with you longbow. I see Les1952 has a crazy number of locos(!!)..probably won't use a fraction of those. Personally, I've got about a dozen, together with 2 DMUs. There all my favourite ones, so I'm happy with that and it means I can rotate their rosters nice and easily.
During the exhibition season Hawthorn Dene and Croft Spa each went out with three boxes of eighteen locos- both need 22 locos on trains at any one time. Croft Spa is a high attrition layout for big locos- they run at scale speeds on a line with an 80mph speed limit on the prototype, and pull trains of up to 10 coaches. If a loco is used over a whole weekend it runs quite a bit over a mile.
I now have two Dapol B1s and one Farish WD where
I've worn through the plating on the tyres. One of the B1s has done 38 shows- that is 38 miles it has run (tender first) - probably beyond its design life. The other was also used on Trevor Webster's "Stamford East" until he sold it, so will have run something approaching the same figure. The WD is the strongest of my four so is used the most.
(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/105/1473-250121094809.jpeg)
My first layout Furtwangen Ost had a tramway that needed five trams to run the service. I had nine, a number that eventually grew to eleven. After twenty weekends of showing I noticed that all of the trams were getting to the stage of needing replacement if the layout did many more shows. I then calculated how far each tram had run - yes, about a mile and a half each weekend so they were all reaching or beyond their design life. Selling the layout was a better option than forking out for a new set of trams at £150 a time. Its new owner doesn't run intensively so the trams will last a good few years at low mileage.
So yes, I am a bit of a collector but that collection has to work hard for its living.
Les
Quote from: longbow on January 25, 2021, 01:15:39 AM
Let's face it - beyond 50 or so locos, you have more than you'll ever need for all the layouts you'll ever build. And so you've become a collector.
Oh absolutely, I'll freely admit that and there's absolutely nothing wrong with it (let's not get into the debate whether or not some people's approach is "railway modelling" or "playing trains") :) I buy something because I'd like it for my collection, not necessarily because it will fit in with my current layout's theme.
Despite owning and running a modern themed German N themed layout I can run locos and stock from different time periods at a show just for a change, for example a steam special and historic electric loco session. I also have items from other countries which wouldn't be seen in Germany but I just happen to like them; souvenir and fantasy liveried models that will never actually be seen on the layout and which sit in a display cabinet; old models from the history of N gauge (push-along Minitrix, Arnold Rapido 200, Ibertren 3-rail N).
Then there is the stuff in other scales: T, Z, TT, HOe, HO, OO, O, G......
Quote from: springwood on January 25, 2021, 07:31:22 AM
Quote from: longbow on January 25, 2021, 01:15:39 AM
Let's face it - beyond 50 or so locos, you have more than you'll ever need for all the layouts you'll ever build. And so you've become a collector.
Fully agree with you longbow. I see Les1952 has a crazy number of locos(!!)..probably won't use a fraction of those. Personally, I've got about a dozen, together with 2 DMUs. There all my favourite ones, so I'm happy with that and it means I can rotate their rosters nice and easily.
You may say that, but if anyone brought out RTR models of the EM1/EM2 electrics I'd buy them like a shot and have to build another layout I'll never finish :-[ :)
Quote from: thebrighton on January 25, 2021, 08:34:03 AM
Its an old Beaver Kit from ABS Models of (unsurprisingly??) Poole!, code N654 dating from the 80's or early 90's AFAICR, Its not a bad whitemetal kit, using the then obiquitious Grafar GP Tank 0-6-0T with provided truck and wheels. I bought two kits as its a favourite (and visually quite different to almost anything else). Only made one so far, it was shown in the NGS Journal way back when my first non area specific "Wyrefleet" was featured.
And by chance someone listed 3 unmade kits on eBay yesterday.
[/quote]
Thank you Dave and Gareth.
Any idea whether the Beaver kit might fit on a Farish Poole LMS 4F chassis ?
Thanks in advance,
Best regards,
Joe
By some descriptions on here I'm a collector and have too much stock.
All my stock gets run (albeit infrequently) and when it does I run locos that match the rolling stock. I'm trying to replicate the look and feel of trains in North West England/North Wales in the late 1980s. Doing that means modelling a couple of dozen distinct trains, each with characteristic locomotives.
I could take the class 47 of the Euston train and put it on the rake of HAA going to Fiddlers Ferry but it would look wrong and break the spell I'm trying to make. Would probably be easier (and less expensive) modelling some sleepy GWR branch line...
Steven B.
Quote from: joe cassidy on January 25, 2021, 11:38:15 AM
Any idea whether the Beaver kit might fit on a Farish Poole LMS 4F chassis ?
Sorry, I can't give a definitive answer but the chassis block will be the same but wheel spacing may not. The drivers are also larger than those on the intended chassis which may cause clearance issues inside the body.
I have 20 locos, but quite a lot more stock and steven b @Steven B (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=3063) I have pm ' ed with a link to confirm
I'm glad I got in early on this thread, subsequent posts have shown me just
how small a minnow I am in the N Gauge Pond.
Nevertheless I'm happy with my collection :)
@OffshoreAlan (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=6273) as I wrote way back, it's not a competition you should just approach the hobby in the way you enjoy - whether than be one single favourite loco in your fleet or hundreds of the blighters :D
Quote from: Bigmac on January 23, 2021, 11:44:34 PM
a question--maybe for a new thread--What are your favourite 3 locos--and why ?
That's easy for me to answer: Kato RhB Ge 4/4 III, Kato RhB Ge 4/4 II, and 3D printed RhB Tm 2/2. Why? Because they're the only locos I have!
I think the "collecting gene" is more strongly expressed in some of you than it is in me. I like to dabble in lots of interests, so will never have a model train collection to speak of.
It depend on your approach too.
I'm aiming for something loosely based on the Calder Valley line in the late 1980s, but also with an eye on traffic on the North Wales coach (several trains were common to both!). To do it justice the locos and the trains need to be in keeping. This means large logo 47s on Transpennine passenger trains with oil tanks and bin-liner trains handled by freight liveried versions of the same loco. Similarly coal trains would be normally be class 37 or 56 hauled. I can't take the 56 of my HAAs and put it on a rake of Mk2s without spoiling the atmosphere I'm aiming to recreate. It'd be like putting an LNER A4 on an engineers train - theoretically possible but not likely or common.
End result is a large-ish fleet of locos to go with the key trains - the fleet could be larger but I can live without return workings!
I do have plans for something based on Dymock on the Ledbury - Gloucester line in the 1950s. To achieve the same level of realism would need just three locos (14xx, pannier and prairie tank engines) and a diesel railcar. Same approach, completely different size of stock-box.
Steven B.
Regardless of how many locos or how much stock we have, there's a high chance it will all end up in the hands of buyers of collections unless you happen to have someone lusting after your models (family and/or friends) when you leave this earth. Mine will all just get sold off and the monies go to a charity of my choice (in my will). It won't stop me adding new ones. Something to perhaps be considered :hmmm:
There - that's a cheery thought for a Monday afternoon, eh? :D
Quote from: thebrighton on January 25, 2021, 12:02:52 PM
Quote from: joe cassidy on January 25, 2021, 11:38:15 AM
Any idea whether the Beaver kit might fit on a Farish Poole LMS 4F chassis ?
Sorry, I can't give a definitive answer but the chassis block will be the same but wheel spacing may not. The drivers are also larger than those on the intended chassis which may cause clearance issues inside the body.
I'm pleased to report that I managed to buy one of the Flatiron kits on ebay.
Thanks again for the tip-off.
Well ...
... the idea of my pre-grouping layout "Neraland 2" is to showcase just how much pre-grouping modelling is possible WITHOUT resort to scratch building (people used to tell me "you can't do pre-grouping in N because the trade doesn't support it" ... but that just ain't true). I aim to be able to run a minimum of 4 trains from each of the major pre-grouping railway companies, and at least some trains from as many of the minor ones as possible, and I am marshaling my stock into permanent train formations.
At present, I have:
*51 pre-grouping trains in full running order
* about 20 locomotives which are "good to go" and just waiting for their trains
* about a dozen locomotives in the erecting and paint shops
* about half a dozen locomotives in running order waiting to go into the paint shops
* 7 locomotives which have been contracted-out for repainting or other work and should come back in due course
* 30 or so unbuilt kits / conversion projects queuing up for their turn in the erecting shop
* 20 or so locomotives with no particular purpose in life which will probably end their days as mechanism donors
PLUS
* A dozen or so locomotives in the livery of my fictitious Ouse Valley Light Railway
* 8 locomotives to enable me to run a "Thomas" session should the presence of young children so require (Thomas, Henry, James, * Percy, Stepney, Toby, Duck, the diesel shunter)
* 3 locomotives because my wife likes them (Flying Scotsman, Tornado, and a Class 47 in Scotrail livery)
* 1 locomotive that I have no use for but cannot bear to part with (LMS no. 5552 "Silver Jubilee", recently pictured in the N Gauge Journal)
* Divers other locomotives which I cannot for the life of me remember what they are, where they are, or why I got them, including various which I acquired as non-runners to mine for spare parts, or to appraise for suitability for intended projects only to deem them unsuitable, or that were used in projects which I started and then abandoned for one reason or another
Is that enough? Hell, no ...
No matter how many you have, you'll always want at least one more...... :D
But I agree with Steven B; if modelling a main line station on a busy trunk line, if you had the room then fifty probably wouldn't be enough; if you were modelling a typical branch line with three trains a day, then three locos is probably more than enough.
As has been said, its not a competition, and anyone modelling for twenty or thirty years is probably going to have more than someone who started modelling in lockdown.
Martyn
Not saying how many I've got, I honestly don't know.
Hi all,
Slightly left field in relation to the main topic on this thread .... So regardless of how many locomotives you have and where they are located on the layout, fiddle yard or in boxes how does one ensure that they all get an even outing? Of course I understand if you run a prototypical timetable (as some forum members seem to) then usage of locomotives is a given. However what do people do, say if they are still in the "testing" and building a new layout phase?
How do you allocate your locomotives "track" time?
I'm with @Bad Raven (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=1153) here.
Everybody has somewhere between too many and not enough, where not enough is greater than too many :D
I've got around 45 things with decoders in them, perhaps I'm in a minority but for me, I want every loco to have a train to run, so my loco purchases are sometimes limited by my rolling stock purchases. MU's are a different matter.
I've got 16 CL66's but a couple more wouldn't go amiss, and 7 CL68's but I'll buy one more as soon as Dapol get around to bringing out a second one in TPE livery.
I'll eventually have 7 Pendolinos as well.
As far as running them all goes, all of my stock is on the layout mainly in the storage yards, and gets very little track time.
For that reason, and others, I've started to automate the layout, the first schedule I'll be putting together will be a really simple run every train 3 times round the layout kind of thing.
Regards,
John P
@Richardxharrison (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=7594) For exhibitions I keep a suitable selection of locos in one case, another equivalent set in another case etc. so I can run different sets at each show. The main trouble with that at the moment is of course there are no shows.
I'd say at present 99% of my collection is just languishing in their boxes, and all I do is pull half a dozen specific types out in order to test track laying and catenary alignment on my current project. If a new purchase arrives that will at the very least go for a spin around my servicing test oval just to prove all is ok, then it goes to join the rest.
A couple of times a year I get the urge to set up a larger oval of Unitrack and try to "stir the oil" in as many locos as I can over a few days. The main layout cannot be set up at the moment due to the space being required for working from home and also for junior's music studio while he's back at home after finishing uni. I'll get my train room back one day!
With so many locos and so much rolling stock, I tend to have 'sessions' where I can use the same coaches or wagons with many different locos e.g. a WR steam session, an ER diesel session etc until I've run through them all without getting loads of stock from their boxes.
The good thing about my exhaustive test of Kato #4 points is that I had to try every loco/unit through the points for a full evaluation.
Quote from: jpendle on February 03, 2021, 06:06:01 PM
I've got around 45 things with decoders in them, perhaps I'm in a minority but for me, I want every loco to have a train to run, so my loco purchases are sometimes limited by my rolling stock purchases. MU's are a different matter.
I've got 16 CL66's but a couple more wouldn't go amiss, and 7 CL68's but I'll buy one more as soon as Dapol get around to bringing out a second one in TPE livery.
I'll eventually have 7 Pendolinos as well.
I used to be the same, I've even got an old note on my phone of exactly which wagons each loco would haul, no duplicate liveries or anything. Then one day I realised I had forty 66s. I'm not sure how this happened. :worried:
What have you found for seven 68s to haul?!
Quote from: njee20 on February 03, 2021, 07:36:40 PM
Quote from: jpendle on February 03, 2021, 06:06:01 PM
I've got around 45 things with decoders in them, perhaps I'm in a minority but for me, I want every loco to have a train to run, so my loco purchases are sometimes limited by my rolling stock purchases. MU's are a different matter.
I've got 16 CL66's but a couple more wouldn't go amiss, and 7 CL68's but I'll buy one more as soon as Dapol get around to bringing out a second one in TPE livery.
I'll eventually have 7 Pendolinos as well.
I used to be the same, I've even got an old note on my phone of exactly which wagons each loco would haul, no duplicate liveries or anything. Then one day I realised I had forty 66s. I'm not sure how this happened. :worried:
What have you found for seven 68s to haul?!
I've got 4 top and tailing my KUA's and my Farish flasks.
I've got one hauling some megafrets, and one idle, although DRS do double head some of their intermodals.
The TPE one is waiting for my MK5 rakes from Revolution.
Regards,
John P
Yep my two are deployed on Megafrets, in a bid to move a decent rake!
I'm going to throw a different spanner in the works here.
A friend who owns a model shop - I'm NOT going to be drawn as to which one but he knows most of his large customer base fairly well - made an interesting observation based on his regulars as they get older.
The proportion of collectors (as in showcase collectors) who suffer from dementia is in his experience about three times as high as the proportion of modellers who suffer it.
That is not related to the number of locos, as many modellers have larger loco collections than many collectors. The difference is the creative activity of the owner- modellers build things, locos perhaps, or buildings, or scenery etc rather than just sit and enjoy a showcase of toys.
Just a thought
Les
Quote from: jpendle on February 03, 2021, 06:06:01 PM
I'm with @Bad Raven (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=1153) here.
Everybody has somewhere between too many and not enough, where not enough is greater than too many :D
I've got around 45 things with decoders in them, perhaps I'm in a minority but for me, I want every loco to have a train to run, so my loco purchases are sometimes limited by my rolling stock purchases. MU's are a different matter.
Regards,
John P
I work the same in reverse- every train needs three locos- one to run the train at a show, a second travels with the layout to act as a change-over spare at the show to cover at-show servicing, and to take over if the first develops a longer term problem. A third is in the box left at home to swap with no.1 or no.2 on return from the show to allow bigger servicing- pre-Covid I occasionally had three shows on consecutive weekends which doesn't give much servicing time in between them.
Bearing in mind Croft Spa has 22 trains running that makes 66 locos to keep the layout active when shows return...
I have three layouts, one BR (NE), one Industrial OO, and one German outline.....
Les
I
am currently thinning out analogue BR-outline models after two other layouts I supplied stock to have passed on to new owners.
I guess we could also ask who has the greatest loco to track ratio...
I have 39 Locos - 95% Steam, mainly LNER/BR with some LMS/GWR - none of them were bought full price, usually sales, shows and the Bay. Being annoyingly anal about it I have a spreadsheet of everything, locos average price £69 Average RRP £134.
Most of them new, a few second hand and some NQP from Dapol open days that are destined for minor repairs to get running.
Side note I have 94 coaches; 52 Wagons and 27 vehicles (mainly oxford off the Bay)
Amount of track layout = 0' what I had is in storage and although at one point I had a rolling road test bed that is also stored at present.
Loco to track ratio 39:0 :laugh3:
Quote from: Les1952 on February 04, 2021, 10:40:53 PM
I'm going to throw a different spanner in the works here.
A friend who owns a model shop - I'm NOT going to be drawn as to which one but he knows most of his large customer base fairly well - made an interesting observation based on his regulars as they get older.
The proportion of collectors (as in showcase collectors) who suffer from dementia is in his experience about three times as high as the proportion of modellers who suffer it.
That is not related to the number of locos, as many modellers have larger loco collections than many collectors. The difference is the creative activity of the owner- modellers build things, locos perhaps, or buildings, or scenery etc rather than just sit and enjoy a showcase of toys.
Just a thought
Les
Maybe this deserves its own thread. A friend once asked me how many members of the club I am a member of had dementia and the answer was none that I knew.m. My friend said that was the case at every club he had asked. The suggestion being that the problem solving and creative brain work required to build a model railway helps to keep dementia at bay. I hope that is the case but of course it just be that members go slowly downhill and then just disappear off the radar so we don't hear about it.