Weathering......Good thing or bad thing.

[Joe 90]

Hi Everyone and Merry Christmas to all.

I have started this topic to find out what your views are regarding the weathering of rolling stock (locos, carriages and wagons). Apart from making your layouts more lifelike,which I commend, I am more interested in whether or not you think it detracts from the resale value of the items.

Would you pay more or less if they had been weathered by the user.

I am excluding stock that already has been weathered by the manufacturers as a saleable item.

[EtchedPixels]

In my experience it depends on the item and who did the work.

For stuff collectors want (eg Minitrix Gresley coaches) it certainly reduces the value but for stuff modellers want done well it often raises the value, and in some cases (eg CJM) materially so.

I'm in the weathering camp for most stuff (although much very modern stuff is fairly clean) as I think it looks better in a model, and also because it'll mean if it ever gets sold or passed on it'll only be of value to someone who will actually enjoy it not lock it in a cupboard and tick a box on their collectors list.

Alan

[Lawrence]

Agree with Alan. depends on who did it and how well it is done, also important to look at the prototype and see what they were actually like, I wont be weathering any of my Japanese MU's but the freight stuff might get some light work.  My USA stuff will all probably get weathered to a greater or lesser degree

[Dock Shunter]

I agree with what EP has said....
A model weathered by say Mercig is only going to add to the value (although you are going to pay top dollar for it in the first place) were someone who has just waved an airbrush over a model,although it might be acceptable to them, someone else might see that as depreciating the value of the model.
I buy my trains for my own enjoyment and don't really think about resale value so i would love to have all my stock weathered but i dont have the confidence to do it to a standard i would be happy with so would probably pay someone to do that over a period of time.......

[Paul B]

(although much very modern stuff is fairly clean)

I don't know - have you ever seen the state of First Great Western's HST's? 

[BobB]

When it comes to coaches, just a very light, almost a suggestion, of dirt looks OK to me. For locomotives, well it depends. Work horses like the small diesels, quite heavy weathering seems to suit. The glamorous type 4 and 5 locomotives seem OK with light weathering.  Wagons always look better with heavy weathering.

Given these opinions, the price I'd be prepared to pay will depend upon what was being offered.

[Alex]

Hi,

I weather most of my rolling stock, although for some reason I haven't done any of my engines. Don't know why.

Some of the weathering is light some very heavy, just depends on my mood when I'm doing it. I also think it helps top hide the plasticy look of some models.

Alex

[Mustermark]

.

When it comes to coaches, just a very light, almost a suggestion, of dirt looks OK to me. For locomotives, well it depends. Work horses like the small diesels, quite heavy weathering seems to suit. The glamorous type 4 and 5 locomotives seem OK with light weathering.  Wagons always look better with heavy weathering.

Given these opinions, the price I'd be prepared to pay will depend upon what was being offered.

I agree with that BobB.

I'm mostly in the weathering camp, especially for wagons and diesel locos, though I have one or two that I will keep pristine. 

I would assume whatever I weather will be much reduced in value as I think its very personal how to do it and how much.  I think the professional weathering would add value as others have said.

Ironically my Dapol FGW HST is porobably one of the pristine ones on account of me remembering them when they first came out in that livery and were all shiny and new.  Bet they are all filthy by now

[Chris]

My own personal experience is that selling weathered stock attracts about the same kind of price as unweathered stock. I tend to be put off by the "professional weathering" as this always looks a bit over-done to me.

[bbdave]

I think i'll end up weathering as much as i can i don't really consider resale but nothing ever seems to be pristine in real life

Dave

[Newportnobby]

IMHO the manufacturers ought to produce more weathered items rather than pristine, especially for idiots like me who are 'scared' to do it. I keep all my stock as bought, on the basis if I want to sell it, it will just have normal wear and tear rather than any awful attempt to weather that I may try

[GWR-Kris]

For me im going on Era3 GWR and LNER, for main line express im not going to apply any weathering as i prefer it to be kept clean but for the frieght i am going to weather the train and trucks.

[Newportnobby]

I deliberately bought the Dapol weathered 9F and then got a rake of weathered hoppers from County Rolling Stock, so I guess I will have to weather a brake van

[PLD]

I am more interested in whether or not you think it detracts from the resale value of the items.

If all you're buying stock for is to re-sell it at a later date, whats the point? Model trains are made to be enjoyed (i.e. played with!) and there are far more secure 'investements'...

Re-sale value is irrelevant, the condition of the stock should be apropriate to the scenario of the layout...

[Newportnobby]

To a certain extent I agree, but what if I want to change my imaginary location for another, meaning I will have redundant stock to dispose of to effect the purchase of other rolling stock. I'm not sure the prospective purchaser would want any cack-handed effort from me