Do the increasing prices of model railways effect how much you spend?

[Bufferstop]

Some the the design practices on new models also put me off .............I'm not against all progress.............properly fitted NEM sockets

The huge gaps between wagons because the NEM fitted tensionlock sticks out so far, gets my goat, it wouldn't have existed if they'd designed the version for UK models to take the tensionlock first, then produced NEM versions of KDs and the Continental coupler with longer tongues. I take a bit off the face of the NEM pocket and if necessary the shoulders of the coupler to bring the curve of the buffing bar in line with the buffers. Sometimes I need to take a bit off the end of the tongue to clear the axle, and put a dab of bostik clear on the tongue (it holds the coupler in but will pull apart if you want to remove it). I don't imagine many UK models get fitted with continental couplers, and another length of KD isn't going to get noticed among the myriad that they already produce.

[Mountain]

I don't actually know why they changed to nem pockets as the UK had just about standardized what is a much better more solid coupling mount and that is the one used by Mainline and Triang, which had a central screw with two tabs. As long as everyone kept to the same positions of these tabs in relationship to the screws they were great. One could buy wide, medium or narrow tension lock couplings and they were firm and solid so had virtually no flex. When the nem pockets came in, the first issue I encountered were the triangular slot that held the nem pocket device to the underside of the vehicle would not retain the coupling assemblies so one needed to try to find a suitable glue which wasn't easy as the plastic used with some wagons didn't take to conventional glues like superglue or polysteirene cemement. Then the excessive flex... It was so bad on some items of stock that I must admit I sold some at give away prices not long after buying the things, as one can't return items when there is nothing wrong except for a bad design.... My gripe is that some model railway retailers refuse to allow customers to open the boxes (To examine the design etc) since due to increasing prices, much of their trade has shifted to the collectors market who refuse to buy any model which has any marks on the box. (Maybe strange, but fair enough, that is now the main trade for new models, hence why any non working loco is not really a concern as the locos they buy are never run or even had their boxes opened). As I wasn't allowed to open any boxes, I asked if the model shop owner had looked to see if the coaches had close coupling and he said he didn't know as he couldn't open the boxes. He said as soon as the box was opened, he could not sell the item.