A recent thread was how many locos do you have. Several replied and some had more than 100, and some people said they really had too many locos.

I get emails from Model Raiways direct and others informing me of new items and special offers. Sometimes the reductions/sale items are very tempting and I really have to consider if I really want it, or is it just because of the discounted price/ It's a similar situation to the reduced yellow sticker items in a Supermarket, where I'm sure many of us impulse buy because it's reduced. Some would say it's only a bargain if you entered the store intending to buy said item, and find it reduced.

Dapol have some Grange class steam reduced and this has caused a lot of soul searching for me. Do I really need more locos with around 35 already?  Is it just because of the discount?  Actually I'm not that keen on the Karden shaft they use so maybe I should go with my gut feeling and leave alone?


Another consideration is I now have several coaches I have made from brass etches and these need some farish wheels to finish, actually I require quite a lot of them. So I have resisted the reduced price Granges so far, and will spend my money on bits for work in progress items ensuring they do not become another back burner item.

Do you manage to resist cut price items, locos in particular, or do you invariably give in to temptation? (a light hearted question)

I have surprised myself with my self control at times. There are plenty of locomotives that I quite like but don't fit any of my current plans. As a result I have so far resisted things like the Dapol Schools class and the Graham Farish Deltic. The Grange, however, does fit my plans and is quite tempting.

I used to cave in to temptation all to easily.
These days, I am much more resistant.
In fact, it's 18 months since I last purchased a locomotive.
The schools is a possible temptation, as is the UM collet goods.
However, my next loco  may well be a second UM T9. That is if Colin has any left. I won't lose any sleep if they are all gone however.
The only four locos that really would tempt me if available in RTR form would be
O2, Beattie Well Tank, 13xx pannier or an 0-4-0 railbus.

There is so much temptation out there. For me, N gauge stock is always a temptation even if its not reduced in price. A visit to my local model shop is enough to get me drooling.
When I get home a glass or two of wine usually calms me down if I didn't give in to a potential purchase.
Trouble is I could probably afford another purchase if I gave up the wine.....
What to do? What to do?   

I thought I was in control but have bought 2 x WR steam locos in the last 2 days.
Just hope they run OK in which case, yes, a bargain.

For me it's not about temptation, I don't buy many new products from shops.  It's the collector in me seeing something on ebay I that don't have and that's not made any more!  I will only bid up to what I consider to be a bargain price though, I don't get involved in bidding wars.

I always tend to resist the temptation these days, unless it is something limited in some way and then I can be very tempted.  I keep my eye on ebay and have just bought two 'Minitrix' container wagons, just because they have a 'Royal Mail' container amongst the three on board. I only bid on those because of my 'Royal Mail' collection. (Plus, I am awaiting delivery of a third one, that way I can have one wagon with three 'Royal Mail' containers!  ). However, if I see something on ebay, I will put in an early bid just to see what the competition is like, plus put a note on the listing that I have a maximum amount I will pay. If when the auction is near ending and it has not reached my maximum, I will put in a further bid, if the item has exceeded my maximum, my tough luck!

  Oh, shiny thing! I'm weak. :'(

Having been bitten by several expensive 'bugs' in the past (see my user name), and being a bit of a completist, I have learned to pick and choose, or be very poor. I have managed to limit the N gauge to specific requirements, but I'm only human, and I have allowed myself a few indulgences outside of these parameters. Eg. the Graham Farish 64xx and two autocoaches has no place in my plans, but is lovely; and given that I'm modelling the mid-70s to mid-80s, I couldn't not have a HST, even though there were no scheduled services in the Cheshire area.

I even managed to resist all the cheap Dapol 56s until the right blue one turned up in the discount section.

A bargain's only a bargain if it's something you already wanted. Otherwise, it's just another triumph of marketing over common sense.(c)

Balancing finances against competing interests and home improvements/repairs makes temptations somewhat dangerous when you live on a pension and accumulated savings.
Sometimes a locomotive or wagon or carriage might unexpectedly arrive ( I was expecting it, its my wife who wasn't), but lately, with an unexpected ( neither of us was expecting it) and much welcomed serious upturn in my health  the desire to catch up on a missed life is making such things rarer by the day.
I could give in to all manner of little temptations if the man who operates ERNIE was to look kindly upon us, or if I bothered to buy a Lottery ticket with all the winning numbers on it, but I guess I am happy with what I have thus far. Nothing is urgently desired on the trains front, and I am all too aware that 'collecting' could be a dead end for me where desire has overpowered need, while preventing me from engaging in a broader life.
So, for now, shed roofs are being repaired, holidays are being taken and planned, the train room plans (along with those of the kitchen and sundry other DIY projects) are progressing, grandchildren and spouse are being treated (and not for any illness or malady, I hasten to add), and life is being lived more fully than for many a year.

Life is full of tempatations. The problem, as ever, is choosing which to give in to at any given moment so as to bring the greatest pleasure.

Right now, even if it is nearing 10:00pm, a Snickers bar is top of my list.

That sounds like very good news to me, Mike.

All best wishes.

John

Excellent sentiments daffy and what could be better than a serious upturn in health?   

Glad to hear that you are in good health, Daffy. 

Regards the OP, I am guilty of that yellow sticker in the supermarket malarkey 

No I don't get tempted by offers or new releases. I decided on a time period and a location (East Anglia in the mid-1970s) and that helps a lot on what I collect. I liked the look of the Dapol Class 56 when it was on offer recently, but it's too late a timeframe and wasn't used in East Anglia anyway, so I walked away from that one...

Pete

I can say with more than 100%.......that I can......not.....resist.

Yes I'm one of those people with more locomotives than I need, I am also one of those people that perceives a bargain should be jumped on.

Ok call me weak, I accept it.

The Dapol 56s that have been mentioned were one I fell all over, as for saying it's only a bargain if you intended to buy one I think is false, I didn't intend on getting 2 56019s but when they went on sale I got the card out and bought them, why because I was getting 2 for the price of one (it is a bargain as I didn't intend on buying one, but When you get 2 items for the previous 1 item price then you have to make that choice) and I'm weak, and my wallet is apparently loose)

I troll ebay regularly as that is one of my only options for out of production and to a certain extent for British outline stock. I still find the odd seriously cheap item (a Dapol FL 86 the other day was one, even with shipping)

Will I use all of them, well I hope so, but I also like to have to option of a display too, they can be rotated out of the display box when I need a change on the layout, to me it gives me more options, it's nice to grab something from your stock box when you want it.