price rises - how long can this be sustainable

[47033]

I'm the opposite to Cypherus. I'm buying all my rolling stock now, before it gets any more expensive. In fact over the last 3 years I think I've purchased about 75% of what I will want. Things I'd still like to get are not in production yet but you can bet as soon as they are released I'll be buying them. I can't imagine how expensive this stuff will be in 5 years time.

Every time they have a re-run on a model and renumber it the price goes up.

Jamie

[austinbob]

I'm the opposite to Cypherus. I'm buying all my rolling stock now, before it gets any more expensive. In fact over the last 3 years I think I've purchased about 75% of what I will want. Things I'd still like to get are not in production yet but you can bet as soon as they are released I'll be buying them. I can't imagine how expensive this stuff will be in 5 years time.

Every time they have a re-run on a model and renumber it the price goes up.

Jamie

I'm pretty much the same as you Jamie. I've been accumulating stock that I want over the last four years for a layout that is still under construction and progressing rather slowly.
Unfortunately even this 'pre-acquisition' doesn't stop you wanting another 'must have' as soon as it appears on the market.

[Les1952]

Having spent a lot of years chopping and changing (and recycling layout cash at regular intervals for 44 years) I'm now at the stage where I have the majority of the locos I need.  In terms of stock there are still a few gaps here and there.

Thinking ahead to the next big layout project- I have a stud of North Eastern Region locos, plus the appropriate stock.  They all see a lot of use on Hawthorn Dene.  I COULD decide to base my next layout somewhere else entirely- the area North of Freiburg Im Breisgau seems inviting, as does something in South Lancashire.

HOWEVER, the incessant rises in price mean I'm going back to the North Eastern Region for the next project- Croft Spa.  I will still need to buy a few more coaches, and probably add to my collection of brown vans.  But I won't be buying huge numbers of locos that fit a new area. 

This means I spend the money I would have shelled out on models will go instead to getting a pair of baseboards made- of better quality than I could build myself.  My pre-orders for Class 17s, J94s and Q6s from DJM will still be relevant to the new layout, as will Farish's J72- but VERY little else......

Les

[port perran]

Well........we had to travel up to Wiltshire this weekend and on the way back popped into East Somerset Models.
Bought a 6 wheel milk tanker and an open wagon but......
spent ages mulling over a couple of carriages. At £27-00 each I decided NO (that is just too much). OK, the detail is fantastic but.........that's over £100 for 4. I'm afraid the bar has gone just that little bit too high for me.
I shall not be purchasing new carriage stock at that price I'm afraid.

[acko22]

It's a catch 22 really!

For the models to get better quality it costs so we have to pay for that but also when you think about it there are more people at an average Premier League football match than there are n gauge modelers so the models are never going to be cheap as it is a Niche market in itself!
But its one of them if we are not willing to pay the price that is demanded then the manufactures aren't going to continue producing N gauge and to the standards that we now demand.

its a cruel and horrid beast it just means we have to be more selective with what we purchase!

[njee20]

As new prices go up and least second hand do too, so you can recoup more on old stock.

I agree with Jason, you spend what you have, and if you can't/don't want to pay current prices there are other ways to procure stuff, or don't.

That said... The new PCA tankers being £28 whilst the old one with a different running number was £10 is utterly mind boggling.

[Caz]

And at that price I'd expect to have at least the pickups for lighting fitted as per Dapol coaches but as far as I know none of the Farish coaches are light bar ready, the only one with pick ups was the Royal Mail coach.   

[trkilliman]

Port Perran Said "that's over £100 for four coaches"

Another poster said it means we will have to be more selective with what we purchase.

As I said previously there seems to be two distinct camps here...those that can and will continue to pay, and those who will decide or have little option than to cut back on purchases.

The next couple of years could be interesting as prices from Chinese manufacturing continue to rise, and emerging smaller 3D model manufacturers get into their stride. It could be a bit like the cottage industries who supplied many white-metal items in days gone, only now high tech and computer driven.

I do not of course expect 3D items to be as cheap as chips, but they may steal a march on the big boys whose prices have often risen beyond acceptable levels for possibly significant elements of the modelling fraternity.

A case of clouds and silver (ish) linings maybe ?

[Bob Tidbury]

Like most members on here I will now have to be very carefull of the Locos I buy ,the only things I can think of are the new GWR Locos people and Colin Heard of Union Mills Model hinted at , and the only modern image is a class 68 in Chiltern livery because they run through High Wycombe other than that my pension just won't stretch any farther ,plus my wife had to take early retirement this year due to a head injury she had last year leaving her with a problem remembering numbers ,but she isn't entitled to her state pension for another six or seven years so money will be really tight for the foreseeable future ,unless of course we win the lottery.
Bob

[Snowwolflair]

This thread creates so much energy, if I could only capture it I would have free lighting for a year.

(and buy a loco with the savings  )

[paulprice]

All I know if I saw some of the Dapol SR coaches in the flesh recently and at £23 pounds each they are stunning, and I'm a die hard LMS fan. I think they are well worth the money.

I hope the Domestic Overlord does not read this, because as soon as I can work out which ones I need for a "Football" special I will be getting a rake.

[richard9002]

I'll freely admit to being a bit shocked by the price of new Farish Mk1's in my local model shop when I paid my first visit having been away from the hobby for the last 12/13 years. However I was equally amazed by the sea change in detailing on them, a world away from the old Mk1's I have sitting around waiting for me to build a layout!

Out of sheer curiosity I've dug out one of my old Poole Farish Mk1's that I got new around 1998/99, and the price label on it was for £11.95. Adjusted for inflation, the BoE calculator tells me that would be £18.68 today. Meanwhile a Poole Crab of similar vintage has a £79.99 sticker, roughly £125 today. Of course there are other factors not considered there, like much vaunted increasing Chinese production costs, etc.

Is the jump for today's models worth it? I suppose that's all down to your wallet and your sensibilities, and everyone has their own angle on it. They make for beautiful displays when sat in a case or on a layout's sidings. On the other hand, how much of the fine detailing do we actually see when they are trundling along our layouts at speed?

I dunno, I tend to make impulsive purchases anyway and buy what I like the look of, if the price isn't eyewatering. Well, as long as it ain't a boring blue diesel anyway! 

[Drakken]

I must admit the prices have increased a lot but as been said before up to you if you would like to buy it or not. Makes purchasing a more picky experience and overall a better experience as I have to think hard about what I would really like rather than just buying things left right and centre.

If you have the money or masses of disposable income then that's awesome for whoever does. If you don't then that's fine too just mean like me your rolling stock and loco maybe less than other but that's fine too.

I understand both side's it's expensive or buy or don't buy, but for me. Aslong as I enjoy what I have that's the main thing 

[railsquid]

I'll freely admit to being a bit shocked by the price of new Farish Mk1's in my local model shop when I paid my first visit having been away from the hobby for the last 12/13 years. However I was equally amazed by the sea change in detailing on them, a world away from the old Mk1's I have sitting around waiting for me to build a layout!

Out of sheer curiosity I've dug out one of my old Poole Farish Mk1's that I got new around 1998/99, and the price label on it was for £11.95. Adjusted for inflation, the BoE calculator tells me that would be £18.68 today. Meanwhile a Poole Crab of similar vintage has a £79.99 sticker, roughly £125 today. Of course there are other factors not considered there, like much vaunted increasing Chinese production costs, etc.

Is the jump for today's models worth it? I suppose that's all down to your wallet and your sensibilities, and everyone has their own angle on it. They make for beautiful displays when sat in a case or on a layout's sidings. On the other hand, how much of the fine detailing do we actually see when they are trundling along our layouts at speed?

Personally I can't get enough of the Mk1s, from your price comparison they seem reasonable value given the extra detailing compared to older models, though I'd really like to have electrical pickups at that price, like Caz says. I've also discovered close-up photography as an offshoot from this hobby, so extra detail is always good. Having said that, I'm only ever planning to run 3 or 4 coach rakes, if I were intending to run prototypical-length trains at speed I'd be buying Lima ones by the bucketload.

[Bob Tidbury]

I'm glad my family paid up front for my POPYLINO  at the Kickstarter price although it is a little bit late for my birthday and Chistmas gone I'm sure it will be worth the wait and judging by today prices is an absolute bargain,if we hadn't paid up front I think due to the circumstances We would probably had to cancel it .Im so glad it's paid for.
Still , loads of detailing to do on the layout , and that doesn't cost as much ,just time and now I've retired I've got plenty of that.
I will also have to thin down some of the duplicate Locos in the stock box I know I won't get a lot for them but it will help to get the two or three new Locos in the future, and help someone who's just starting up hopefully get some sorted out for TINGS.
Bob