Quote from: Bob G on March 22, 2026, 09:02:53 PMDrop the ensign and go full on colonel mustard.

Hehe - I always read it as "Ensign Expendable"  after a song my band wrote in the 90s about the Star Trek red-shirts who often failed to return from missions

Model railways expensive?

I sail..

Admittedly I'm on the cheap end of the market, per year..
Sailing club membership family £180
Broads tax sailing boat £74.22, paid that yesterday..
Insurance £96
Crane club membership ( to lift boat in and out) £75
Average cost of Maintenance £350
Mooring fee should be £320.

But costs are rapidly increasing, before Tango man's current adventures a 2 litre tin of antifouling £187... As the antifouling is made from oil based products.....
Then paint, varnishes, sailcloth, lifejackets, waterproofs are all made from oil...

Quote from: EtchedPixels on March 22, 2026, 09:11:58 PM

Quote from: Webbo on March 22, 2026, 07:22:16 AMChris,

Bear in mind, that the £99 meal provided enjoyment for four persons, not just for you. An equivalent $200 for a decent meal in Australia for four sounds quite alright to me.

Not sure a meal is a good comparison. There was a period when N scale models lasted about as long as a meal but these days they can provide enjoyment for far longer than a good steak.

But a good steak is a lot tastier . . .

Quote from: Webbo on March 22, 2026, 07:22:16 AMChris,

Bear in mind, that the £99 meal provided enjoyment for four persons, not just for you. An equivalent $200 for a decent meal in Australia for four sounds quite alright to me.

Not sure a meal is a good comparison. There was a period when N scale models lasted about as long as a meal but these days they can provide enjoyment for far longer than a good steak.

Speaking as a 2mm modeller they are worth nothing but the enjoyment they  bring

Quote from: Chris Morris on March 22, 2026, 06:48:49 AMI think there was a click bait element to EtchedPixels video headline.

Sorry I'm totally confused. What video - what are you talking about ?

I'm just looking at their returns and cash holdings over the past few years.

Quote from: Ensign Elliott on March 22, 2026, 07:30:36 PMThey obviously think a £100 model is then worth the £125+ that they will have ended up paying for it.

I don't think that at all. I do it because I value your skills. I don't think the models go up in value. Well not yet.
But you would have to get a more appropriate company name. Drop the ensign and go full on colonel mustard.

Bob

This is an interesting question, and one that I have been pondering myself recently.

My own thinking is that good weathering increases a models value ie. some people will be willing to pay significantly more for a better looking model than a pristine one. In the case of renumbering, renaming and slight livery changes, I think that increases it even more.

My own amateur weathering business seems to confirm this. Its doing very well, in large part due to repeat business from forum members and facebook users, many of whom buy brand new models and send them to me. They are happy to pay £25 for me to weather them, plus extra for renumbering in some cases. They obviously think a £100 model is then worth the £125+ that they will have ended up paying for it. Though I suppose its all a matter of personal taste.

I have been wondering about buying brand new models, doing a good weathering job (and potentially fitting stayalives) and then selling them on for a small profit. I wonder if its worth doing...

Well I decided to treat the wife to a takeaway yesterday using the Just Eat app. I have not used them for ages since I ended up having to collect the meal myself lastime, meal delivered somewhere else even though they give you a number to give the driver.
Well it was a disaster again, they offered me a voucher 80% off which did not work, ie not available from this outlet. Then some of the meal was missing, and what was there was not that warm so one negative review for them not trying that again.....

Quote from: Bealman on March 22, 2026, 03:21:41 PMGeordie waiting for a derby win 

Well, I tried not to react ... but