RailwayRobbo wrote:
Hattons have a few Easter bargains...
Heljan blue Parcels DMU @ £54 being the one that stands out.
mkrob wrote:
For anyone starting new in this hobby....
MkRob, et-al - It was only as late as summer 2016 that I got "back into" this wretched expensive hobby !
That makes ME relevant to your comment....
"For anyone starting new in this hobby" - (As I started again, 'new', having left-off since 1971 !)
From summer 2016 onwards (till sometime last-year), I was ALWAYS able to pick-up some decent veritable "Bargains" (as per thread title)
Even a "late-comer" like me (2016-onward) has found the prices of brand-new engines & carriages getting increasingly "eyewatering"
( I view it as, say, £135.00-£150.00+ for the average "decent" engine, thesedays - BTW, I "do not" buy s/h, only Brand-New)
Let's take an example of a "Sale" in recent memory, which made my eyes light-up & made even me spend a whole GREAT chunk of cash...
IIRC, it was 'the box-shifter' near Merseyside (no names
) who named their "Sale" after a famous Anglia TV show, hosted by Nicholas Parsons
"SALE OF THE CENTURY" it was called, & basically it had a "returnee" like me (since 1971), foaming like a rabid-dog !
They were doing the Hornby 'Minoru' for about £79.00 - (I'd paid £99.00 for mine, during that summer, along w/'Woolwinder', LNER)
They were banging-out HELJAN class 58's for around £72.00 a shot - (I bought three !)
Loads of other obscene bargains, at arm-wrenching (for me), prices.
Another was the lovely Bachmann 'Colas-Railfreight' class 37's at around £90.00-£95.00 each (I bought two)
Now these prices MIGHT sound high, to those of you who've been involved in this hobby for years & years...
But I (alas), HAVEN'T - so by my "post-2016 just returned since 1971 eyes", the prices ("Bargains") seemed like a good-draw.
Fast-forward just two-years on & for me, "Bargain-wise", it all looks rather "flat as a pancake" & "dull as ditchwater".
The Merseysiders latest "Festive Sale" (to me, at least), looks as appealing as a Keg of Watney's Pale-Ale from 1971, served in 2020 (no-thanks !)
I spent a bloody-fortune (playing 'catch-up') during that (Nicholas Parsons) "SALE OF THE CENTURY"
Now, it's only two-years later, two years on & my wallet is clearly "staying closed"
Am typing this out, as it's now in the early hours of Pre-Dawn (27/11/20) & supposedly, it's "BLACK FRIDAY" today....
Haven't seen ANYTHING YET that is tempting me to part company with my (limited thesedays) "cash"
"BLACK FRIDAY" and I'm finding it all rather "underwhelming"
Anyone-else here feeling the same ?
P.S ; Mk.Rob -
IIRC, it was "BLACK FRIDAY" in 2018, that YOU put out a call, highlighting the L.T shop, selling Dapol's class 52 'Western'(s) at just £75.00 each
Am I wrong in just assuming that it (seems) flat as a pancake, model-railways-wise, on "BLACK FRIDAY" = 2020 style ?
P.P.S ; I know that Merseyside "fell-out" w/Bachmann & that Sheffield "fell-out" w/Hornby, which might explain "not much happening".
Even M.R.D (whom I've bought engines from during the last few years), seem
"Flat as Ghandi's sandals"
Am I missing something here ?
(or, is it just that I've been spoiled in 2016-2018) - "Black Friday" & the sage-brush is rollin' across the plain !