Seriously, who spends £50 on an old-style, no outside frames Farish 08 shunter?

[NeMo]

This eludes me. They look terrible compared to the newer design, and lack the quiet, smooth performance too. But every time they come up on Hattons they're being offered for around 50 quid!

I get prices in this hobby are going up, and the new style models seem to retailer at around £90, which seems insane given they were maybe half that just a few years ago. But still, does anyone really need these old style Farish shunters except perhaps for kit-building?

I don't understand secondhand prices sometimes. £67 for a working Peco Jubilee yesterday, and £45 for one more or less in bits!

Cheers, NeMo

[nookfield]

But still, does anyone really need these old style Farish shunters except perhaps for kit-building?

Yes. Not everybody can afford to buy a new model at £90.

[Steven B]

Second hand prices have been going up. I'm still suprised when I see second-hand Poole era coaches on sale for only a couple of quid less than the newer super detailed models.

[Bealman]

My old style 08 is still a good runner  and I use it as my electrical test loco, and it clears platforms, unlike my new one!

I wouldn't pay that for one though.

[Bingley Hall]

Seriously, if someone wants to pay that for one, that's their business and no-one else's.

If Hattons wan't to charge that for one and it doesn't sell, then that's their problem.

Having said that, I think the pricing of their pre-owned stuff is often left up to the work experience kid.

[guest311]

I remember a few years ago that Hattons were selling the old style class 25s at £45 brand new, couldn't believe it when I saw one go, used, for £65 plus postage on fleabay 

[njee20]

People don't check Hatton's. "If it's on eBay it must be good value". I consistently see items being advertised for more than they're available in shops, including brand new releases.

[Dr Al]

lack the quiet, smooth performance too.

Subjective - they can be made to run extremely well.

But yes, I wouldn't pay £50 for one - shows perhaps the latent demand that isn't being satisfied by deliveries of new models. Of course, it also is still half the price of a new model (however better that may be).

Cheers,
Alan

[Bob G]

Its a nice chassis - same chassis was used for the later issue Austerity tank IIRC.

There has been some debate over the equivalent of the Hornby Railroad approach of issuing older models at a more affordable price, while advancing the level of detail in latest versions of the model.

Interestingly there are few who rave over the idea of continuing production of old Farish Halls, Castles and Kings, but we still love Minitrix kettles, because of their sturdier design, even though both Minitrix and Farish designs are clearly not state of the art any more.

And even more significantly, the Farish BB/WC and Rebuilds are seeing a renaissance and superhigh prices on EBay because we don't have a replacement yet and Dapol have only just confirmed the streamline WC/BB will be forthcoming.

I suspect there is a place for everything, and everything has its place...

Discuss

[ScottishModeller]

Hi all,

The old chassis Cl08 is a very popular item with 009 modellers as there are several kits that have been designed specifiaclly to fit it.

The new chassis with outside frames is no use on these kits.

Probably whey they still command a good price.

Hint - if you want an 08 chassis for 009 - don't buy an 08 - buy the J94 - they are usually cheaper.

Thanks
PHil h

[NeMo]

Interestingly there are few who rave over the idea of continuing production of old Farish Halls, Castles and Kings, but we still love Minitrix kettles, because of their sturdier design, even though both Minitrix and Farish designs are clearly not state of the art any more.

Well, I think you're right to a degree. I'm perfectly happy to own and run my old Peco Jubilee given its reliability and essentially 'right' appearance. It doesn't stand comparison to the Farish one, of course, but on its own with a few coaches behind it, it looks fine. The fact it's a nice piece of engineering and a bit of railway modelling history doesn't hurt.

And obviously the fact Union Mills can turn out basic but well built models that sell out quickly says something about the market -- though what I cannot say for sure!

I'm not so sure about the old Poole-era 08, which really does look appalling below the solebar. But as others have said, it does the job for half the price!

Cheers, NeMo

[Bealman]

I'd forgotten that the same chassis was used on the saddle tanks.

I have two of those (BR black and NCB blue), and they too are still going strong.

The point about 009 is valid, I feel. 

[BR Signalman]

"And even more significantly, the Farish BB/WC and Rebuilds are seeing a renaissance and superhigh prices on EBay because we don't have a replacement yet and Dapol have only just confirmed the streamline WC/BB will be forthcoming".

Having done a few quick measurements, the Farish unrebuilt is a WC/BoB, the rebuilt is a MN. Given that you can add detail to both of these and tweak the chassis to make them look better, Dapol have picked the wrong one to start with as far I am concerned. The rebuilt WC/BoB is the one I am waiting for! As far as the older Farish locos go, I never cease to be amazed that the old "Pizza Cutter" wheeled ones still sell. Those and the Wrenn "4MT" etc was one of the reasons I would have nothing to do with N Gauge till recently.

[Bob G]

"And even more significantly, the Farish BB/WC and Rebuilds are seeing a renaissance and superhigh prices on EBay because we don't have a replacement yet and Dapol have only just confirmed the streamline WC/BB will be forthcoming".

Having done a few quick measurements, the Farish unrebuilt is a WC/BoB, the rebuilt is a MN. Given that you can add detail to both of these and tweak the chassis to make them look better, Dapol have picked the wrong one to start with as far I am concerned. The rebuilt WC/BoB is the one I am waiting for! As far as the older Farish locos go, I never cease to be amazed that the old "Pizza Cutter" wheeled ones still sell. Those and the Wrenn "4MT" etc was one of the reasons I would have nothing to do with N Gauge till recently.

Poole Farish of course used both for both, having produced air smoothed versions of BoBs Spitfire and Hurricane, and short air smoothed versions of the MNs Channel Packet, Belgian Marine and Cunard White Star, with moulds dating from 1977, while producing rebuilt versions of Launceston, 602 Squadron, Clan Line and Port Line with Bournemouth Belle headboard (all versions with pizza cutter wheels), with moulds dating from 1997.

When Farish moved to China we at least had prototypical models in terms of overall size, with Winton Churchill, Fighter Command and Tangmere as air smoothed BB models, as well as Clan Line, British India Line, and Holland America Line with Atlantic Coast Express nameboard, and Canadian Pacific in preserved (fake) early blue livery as MN rebuilts.

For what it's worth, the Lima Standard 2-6-4T was designed in 1968, so there was a huge progression in realism over teh next 9 years from then to the BoB Spitfire of 1977. The problem we had in the old days was it took so long to get new models. We really are spoilt now. When i started in N there was only the Jubilee, Britannia, Warship, and Class 27 (plus Lima rubbish). Then Grafar entered the fray with a 94xx pannier and a Holden tank. The China production 94xx models are really rather nice, reliable machines, but the early Grafar locos were so noisy and horrible.

Happy days!
Bob