flying scotsman123 wrote:dubdee1000 wrote:That was a really good post Alex. You got both sides nailed down
Hear hear!
Another poor humble uni student here, I decided to pack in rtr modelling a couple of years ago and haven't looked back since! It helps that my favourite era is late-pregrouping where there's not much rtr anyway which prodded me in the right direction.
My coaches for example come in at around £15 each.
They don't quite stand up to the £50 modern offerings but because I can't run any of those anyway it doesn't matter. There are some brass kits available but they end up being more expensive than rtr coaches by the time you've got all the bits.
Again wagons, nothing available rtr, and I could buy some very expensive kits (which still only have a limited range) but the only bits that cost any real money here are the wheelsets (£1 per wagon) and buffers (£2.40 per wagon).
Locos are a bit more complicated, depends on what you're starting from and where you're trying to get to!
But that's been my solution, I now spend virtually no money on rolling stock in boxes, and much more satisfying running something you've made than taken out of the box. Both of the above examples are only the second such builds of each type I'd ever tried, give it a go and you might surprise yourself, if you start off with just a wagon body you can try out for pennies without even splashing out for buffers and wheels each time until you're happy.
I suppose I'm 'lucky' in what I model (SECR/LBSC through to 1930 Southern Railway) and so theoretically I have a lot of scope for stock which I can include, RTR or otherwise. But, several of my locomotives will be coming from kits and 'bashes', such as two GBL C classes and eventually a Golden Arrow 01.
Kit-building and stock adaptation is, I think, more fun than box-opening (but I shan't open that can of worms) and it's more affordable once you've built up a good stock of parts. And anything is adaptable- I'm using old guitar strings to form goal post and pin type couplings, as I abhor conventional tension-lock types. I definitely enjoy tarting up older models- I've got a fictitious six axle Pullman on the go, a repainted and new-chassis GraFar 00 gauge brake. It's reasonably easy, cheap and it's enjoyable! Best of all, I think I paid £12 on Hattons for it.
Those coaches look fantastic by the way, are they Ratio? IIRC there are some of their Midland examples which allegedly pass well for LBSC 48' stock.
All this has got me wanting to go to a show now...