Re: BARGAINS!

InFullSteam · Post by **InFullSteam** » Thu Feb 23, 2023 1:53 pm

Silly question - with the prices of everything these days, are they really 'bargains' or just the price they should be to begin with?

Phred · Post by **Phred** » Thu Feb 23, 2023 10:21 pm

Well if I see something I like at the price it used to be, I think 'Bargain!'

I wait with great anticipation until it arrives in the post and gloat over it for a bit.

Then I run it in, put it in the display cabinet and wonder why I bought it.

Bigmet · Post by **Bigmet** » Fri Feb 24, 2023 9:58 am

InFullSteam wrote:... question - with the prices of everything these days, are they really 'bargains' or just the price they should be to begin with?

Hobby product is priced at what the market will stand. In general, if prepared to wait out the period after introduction of the 'newest most wonderful thing', for the time when the retailers need to recover their outlay on whatever remains on the shelf, in order to purchase stock of the latest 'newest most wonderful thing'; that's the 'bargain moment'. And pounce!

There's also the little matter of spotting the items at bargain price when new. At the moment in OO that's Oxford Rail. All their new prices are at 2010 levels, there or thereabouts. Funny story from circa 2009. Not long after Bachmann introduced their 4-CEP (class 411) EMU, the price came down to £69.99; this at a time when their mk1 coaches were retailing circa £20. Thus the price of a 4-CEP was effectively 12.5% off four mk1 coaches, with the drive, lights, conductive couplers, thrown in for free. An acquaintance thought this still too much and wouldn't purchase at the time. Some years later and Bachmann were asking £300; and he's still without a 4-CEP and grumpy about it.

The only problem with waiting is that sometimes you miss out. But soon enough you will find what you want, s/h. The model railway customer base has a quickly bored element amongst it who sell on the 'latest and greatest' the moment something 'latester and greatester' hoves into view.

End2end · Post by **End2end** » Sat Mar 04, 2023 11:16 am

10% of at Scalecast (Linka)
https://www.scalecast.co.uk

Use CODE at checkout March23
TAKE 10% off all orders while stock lasts
"New products now on line for 2023 are in our NEW PRODUCTS category"
https://www.scalecast.co.uk/store/c24/N ... cts.html#/

Thanks
End2end

Post by **Bufferstop** » Wed Apr 19, 2023 11:19 am

Visited Hornby Visitor Centre yesterday. The shop had for clearance, Southern Region Green Mk1s (lots of), LNER teaks, and Steampunk 0-4-0s, all at £15. The 0-4-0s would be a good source of a latest production chassis, for kit bashing or renovating an older 0-4-0. After 40 years of building it the latest specimens seem to suggest they've finally got that chassis right, even got blackened wheels and rods.

centenary · Post by **centenary** » Wed Apr 19, 2023 12:54 pm

If you're signed up for 'alerts' or emails from Rails, Derails and hattons recently, they've all been doing flash sales with some substantial savings on locos.

Obviously the discount might not be on the particular loco you want but you just have to bide your time.

mkrob · Post by **mkrob** » Fri Apr 28, 2023 2:37 pm

Rails have reduced the prices of EFE loco's again by about another £10! The J94
are a good buy at that price (from£79.50).

https://railsofsheffield.com/search?q=EFE%20J94

https://railsofsheffield.com/collection ... z=EFE-Rail

4472 · Post by **4472** » Fri May 19, 2023 4:47 pm

EX-DISPLAY WEEKEND
Special prices on many items across all brands.

Date: Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th July 2023

Time: 10am - 3pm

Hornby Hobbies Margate

Might be worth a trip

End2end · Post by **End2end** » Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:33 am

Scalecast Summer Offers

20% off Moulds, Use code Moulds16 at the checkout
30% off all NEW Glue Kits, Use code GLUE16 at the checkout
10%off all casting plaster, Use code PLASTER16 at the checkout

Valid starting 8th August - offer ends 20th August
https://www.scalecast.co.uk/#/
"To add to our range we have added several new products to our range
check out our New Products area

We are now making a new range of European building moulds and will launch these during the winter of 2023 - watch this space for our latest updates."
Thanks
End2end

mkrob · Post by **mkrob** » Fri Sep 08, 2023 3:01 pm

Wagons under a tenner from KERNOW.

https://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/c ... r-a-tenner

mkrob · Post by **mkrob** » Fri Dec 22, 2023 4:53 pm

32-444SF WSL Bachmann Class 24/1 97201 Experiment @ Kernow for £179.99 with sound.

https://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/p ... Experiment

mkrob · Post by **mkrob** » Tue Jan 23, 2024 6:25 pm

Heljan OO Gauge Class 33 from £104.95 at Rails.

https://railsofsheffield.com/collection ... ce=Klaviyo

mkrob · Post by **mkrob** » Sun Feb 18, 2024 6:15 pm

Now down to £99.95!

peterws · Post by **peterws** » Fri Mar 08, 2024 10:53 pm

InFullSteam wrote: ↑Thu Feb 23, 2023 1:53 pm Silly question - with the prices of everything these days, are they really 'bargains' or just the price they should be to begin with?

But don't you think the quality has risen? I bought a K1 62015 for £120 new, (horrified at the price, but I'd ridden behind "Lord of the Isles" 62005) and just had to have it. Its a stunner. Top quality from H!

Mountain · Post by **Mountain** » Sat Mar 09, 2024 12:50 am

Yes. The quality has risen. Reliability can be questionable on a few modern models, and ease of servicability can be difficult compared to the past, but not many ask the question:

"Why do we need such fine detail when what we had was admittedly good and reasonably priced?"

I think I know the answer to that if one thinks of it from another angle.

By steering the market towards the finer scale areas of the market (With the help of the modelling press) they have been able to survive the recent competition from the new kids on the block with their computers equipped with 3D printers who are not yet able to mass produce to the finescale markets (Though that may change in future years as they are not that far off to give them credit).