Ugh!

The danger of trying to protect the s/h market is that, as a cynic might suggest the car makers do, the way forward would be to build in obscelecence and/or make key spares obscenely expensive (thereby subverting the 15 year rule). While good for the s/h market it would make life difficult for those who wish to keep their own models "forever".

Cheers Richard

Except the sellers who are stuck with second-hand stock bought at higher prices.

Its self governing then - Railroad hits second hand, which then becomes over-supplied thus hitting Railroad until second hand reduces so Railroad ..... :-)

A model like a train should be for life - I cant bring myself to sell anything. Still have the first trainset bought for his nibs on his first birthday. Tender drive flying scotsman in A1 LNER livery - something that really fits my plans. So I gain, Railroad and cheaper second hand.

Cheers, Jack (aka simon)

Youre kidding, they just have to wait a little longer for the mug to visit. Have you seen the prices some people charge ?

cheers, Simon (who has been caught out at least once)

I thought model electric trains were not suitable for children under 8 years old. Who did you really buy it for?

BTW I also have a tender drive A1 FS, as displayed in 1923.

Not everyone wants to handle his models. Quite a few put them on rails and leave them there.

And some want to just leave them in the box, so perhaps there is a market for being detailed on one side only. ;-)

Kevin Martin

"beamends" wrote

And what about Hornby's beloved 'collector' market. Are their models going to self-destruct in their unopened boxes after fifteen years?

John.

"Wim van Bemmel" wrote

Oh, agreed. But some of us (self-included) have end-to-end layouts which require the loco to be moved by hand at the fiddle yard end of the railway.

John.

Obvioulsy not, but then how many collectors are there in relation to "users" (or indeed to the probably much larger number of models that get used for a while and then get put away in the loft 'for later')? As ever, trying to keep one market segment happy is bound to upset those in another. Hornby have to sell product, that's what they do. I dare say they are well aware that the few remaining shops need s/h to sell, but they have to look after No. 1 first - a difficult balancing act.

Cheers Richard

"beamends" wrote

I really don't know, but it's rumoured that they outnumber users - although I've no evidence to back that up.

Why would Hornby refer to their customers as 'collectors' rather than 'modellers'? Who knows?

John.

On Sat, 24 Jan 2009 09:17:10 -0000, "John Turner" said in :

Obvious: if you collect something then you will buy more to complete the set. They want people to collect their stuff, not just buy a few with which to play trains.

Guy

In message , John Turner writes

Sounds like a good idea to me. "Use it or lose it"!

Wonder if there would be a market for Unpowered models for those who just want to look at them. Might be able to sell them slightly cheaper. Don't know it the present Hornby offer such an option but Tri-ang used to offer at least one. My first 00 track and indeed the first one to have a semblance of scenery was built for me when I was about 5. All stock was push along and mainly Kitmaster but amongst it there was a Tri-ang Diesel sold as non powered. It was the one loosely based on a Australian Victoria Railways unit. Maybe they operated in pairs and the non powered model was intended to help achieve this look.

Obtained from Jones Bros in Turnham Green whose premises backed on to our Garden.

G.Harman

Could have a different No or livery on each side so the collector can kid visitors that he has more models than they really have.

G.Harman

There's a guy modelling N-Gauge on the North-East exhibition circuit who's done exactly that with a lot of his stock!

It also happens in real life too. I recall an article on private owner wagons in one of the main magazines (probably Railway Modeller) where the author of the piece said he'd seen some lovingly restored wagons from the road and decided to have a closer look.

Upon entering the museum and walking up to where he thought the trucks were he was confused to find that they were nowhere to be seen, even though he was certain he was in the right spot. The mystery was then resolved when he went round the other side of the trucks...

Or, detail and letter them differently on the two sides... Thanks, the idea is not mine.

wrote

Never saw the point in that, and several manufacturers have tried it. An unpowered loco is fine, until you want to use it, and then it becomes a total waste of space. I guess it would also seriously inhibit resaleability.

John.