OO Gauge Prices - Ouch

[Greedy Boards]

Hi

Has anyone clocked the step up in costs for buying steam locomotives recently?

I ordered a Hornby Thompson B1 4-6-0 Stembok, when it was announced in the new catalogue earlier in the year. The latest edition of Hornby Magazine Issue 123 September 2017 announces Stembok's arrival this month in September, at £ 174.99.

Speaking to my local, it seems that the hike in prices is due to a different rate of exchange for advance purchasing with China, so am also expecting my latest Q6 to cost a little bit more than previously expected.

I wonder if prices reflect the wheel configuration and complexity of the model delivered? If so, how about manufacturing more smaller locos with an 0-6-0 wheel arrangement, such as a Worsdell J26/J27 0-6-0 configuration?

Regards

Greedy Boards

[Clock O' the North]

The prices are increasing due to a number of factors, one of them being the quality of the models being produced. No longer are we getting models for one company in all of the big four liveries. The price also reflects the amount of research, creating the moulds and then creating a production slot for it. The other chunk of the price comes from the mechanism, e.g. DCC harness, wires, the chassis and in some cases the decoder. The plastic used in the model only constitutes a very small portion of the model.
However I'm pretty sure most people on here would enjoy more smaller locomotives, especially if they are of the same quality as the current models Hornby is producing

[Nova]

more 0-6-0s would always be welcome, and maybe given the success of the Hornby Claud Hamilton some more LNER 4-4-0s like the NER D17-D20 4-4-0s

[Dave S]

I'm not a fan of the big box shifters, but a quick glance at Hattons
http://www.hattons.co.uk/164465/Hornby_ ... etail.aspx
Gives 148 as DC
DCC fitted £170.

I rarely buy RTR, if I do I tend to wait for some time after release and pick one up either as the price reduces or secondhand.

[nzpaul]

It doesn't seem that long ago that I posted coments on the forum about the price of the NRM Atlantic. It's still available for the same price but no longer does that look out of proportion, now having seen one in person I don't suppose it ever was. I think prices will only continue to rise as factory workers in China rightfully demand to be paid properly.
Have to laugh that I was quite happy to part with £70 odd to purchase a tiny 0-4-0 with Huntly and Palmers written on it recently, last time something similar was available it cost about £15 but I'd still rather pay the extra for the end product, things have advanced a fair bit.
I confess to being happy to wait for bargains to crop up, has served me well having purchased a B17 and a few A3s for well under £100 each, A3s all needed some work though, still, cheap enough.

Cheers
Paul

[Mersey508138]

I have to agree that prices of locos lately have been absolutely ridiculous.

I remember back in the early 80s & 90s that steam locos could be bought brand new for around £35 to about £67 although 0-4-0 & 0-6-0 tanks could be bought again brand new for around £20 - £25.

Now as we all know, since the advent of loco drive and super detail in steam locos the prices have rapidly climbed and are now at such stupid prices that the companies are putting many locos like the B1, A3, A4 & P2 classes to name a few way beyond the affordability of some modellers like myself who cannot just fork out say £150 for a brand new loco and have to save for them.

Even some of the Hornby Railroad range are now topping the £80 mark.

Most of the LNER locos I own now have been bought mostly 2nd hand but a small number of them brand new after getting a small loan.

I think the last LNER loco I have purchased was Bachmann Class A1 Tornado for I think it was £110 and before that a J39 0-6-0 tender loco when I was on holiday 7 years ago for roughly £65 I think it was.

I have to admit that it does make me wonder how long it will be before locos top the £200 mark even without dcc.

My apologies for the waffle but the difference in prices from 20 - 30 years ago to now is unbelievable.

[exile]

But the quality and accuracy of our models have increased disproportionately as well.

Back in the 80s my A3/A1 model (note not even a hint that there might be differences in detail between an A1 and an A3) had flangeless central drivers; simplified valve gear; the bogie wheels bore no resemblance to the prototype in either size or number of spokes, let alone finer details; handrails were moulded on and so on. OK it only cost £19.95. But back then it was still quite a chunk of money.

If you want a real price explosion look at the Slaters 4mm NER wagons - brake van and coal hopper wagon. Back then I could probably get a kit by hunting around for £5 or less. Today I will be lucky to buy the same model (and I do mean the same model, not some upgraded reworked Chinese version) for ten times that, second hand on Ebay. And don't even begin to think about talking of D&S kits - except the few now being re-released by Dan.

[65447]

Has anyone clocked the step up in costs for buying steam locomotives recently?

Hundreds if not thousands, judging by it being probably the most discussed and ongoing single theme on RMWeb...

[RayS]

Have you looked at the prices for the continental ranges handled by Hornby? Our prices look cheap by comparison!

The general point is taken however, and particularly how can the younger generation build a layout, even at Railroad prices, without help from their elders?