Roundhouse 2016

[JMORG]

I know it maybe a bit early. Lets get debating what we want to come out of Doncaster!

[funandtrains]

It would be good to see something in 15mm scale such as a Southwold tank other than just sticking to 16mm.

[TonyW]

Darjeeling C-Class Pacific, or a Festiniog Funkey with internal combustion engine, and some pigs preparing for take-off...

[JMORG]

That's what my father thought about the Garratt every year, eventually his wish came true!
Equally unlikely is a Double Fairlie, or a Snowdon Mountain Railway engine (it doesn't matter which) or maybe a Shay?

[DLRdan]

All the Roundhouse releases have been 3 things for me. It will look nice, won't be my thing and will be out of my budget.

[JMORG]

Don't worry Dan, I'm in the same boat financially as you!

[pippindoo]

An upgraded Dylan!!!

[andymctractor]

That's what my father thought about the Garratt every year, eventually his wish came true!

Me too. The problem is I can't afford one at the moment. So, I'm more concerned about them keeping them in production till I can.

[Keith S]

Maybe they will make a 7/8ths scale engine.

I'd actually be happy to see another "Basic" series engine. I'd like to see something with Hackworth valve gear too. If they ever resurrect 'Carrie" I will buy one at once.

[-steves-]

Looks like I am in the same boat as everyone else, look great, run great, Cant afford one, so it don't matter what they bring out, unless its a 50% off year it's extremely unlikely I will get anything from them

For now I will have to stick to Accucraft which are more in my price range, not that I am complaining as I think they are excellent too, though to be fair it's also very unlikely I will be getting one of those either

[funandtrains]

Roundhouse prices have massively increased over the past few years making most locos out of reach for many. I wish they would out-source some of the components to get the prices down but still allow for their factory assembly and testing to keep quality up.

[-steves-]

Roundhouse prices have massively increased over the past few years making most locos out of reach for many. I wish they would out-source some of the components to get the prices down but still allow for their factory assembly and testing to keep quality up.

100% totally agree, but then all competitors, even the Chinese once have also have massive price increases over the last few years, I wish they would stop inflating them, just because they can

[Keith S]

I think the Chinese prices are bound to go up as skilled workers realize that they would like to be paid in money rather than kicks in the rear end and propaganda posters. Especially those workers who are busy making toys that they themselves can not possibly ever afford or have spare time to play with.

I hate to say it but I think this is why Roundhouse engines are expensive. The guys who make them need to eat. They live in England. You would not be able to look Roger Loxley or Harri Harrison in the eye and tell them that they ought to live in a stinking overcrowded tenement and have nothing but beans for supper so that toy locomotives can be more accessible to common folk. If locomotives made in other countries rise in price to near Roundhouse levels, you can take this as a sign that life for some people in other countries is getting a little better-hopefully not just the CEOs of the respective factories.

These are, after all, "luxury" items. You could always learn to make one yourself!

I'm sorry that I sound like a preachy hypocrite here. I acknowledge that my coffee-maker and model helicopter were probably made in China. I am perfectly willing to take advantage of cheap Chinese labour. But I will try not to complain too much if Chinese things get a bit more expensive.

I have one locomotive. It's a Roundhouse engine. I cannot afford another one without incurring serious displeasure from my wife. In all honesty though, If I stopped drinking beer on wednesdays with my friends for a year and a bit, I would be able to afford it.

[-steves-]

To be fair it sounds more like you are just a roundhouse fan to me as most of the things you own are made or have parts made in China, in fact, most of what everyone own has something made in China in it. So much for the poor Chinese workforce and what ever crud they live in, we all support it, knowingly or not.

However..

What I am saying is that these toys have gone up MASSIVELY over the last 5 years, way way way more than inflation or anything close to it, in fact I have had pay cuts compared to even 7 years ago, but if you make toy trains, then you can just keep wacking the prices up as there are always the richer ones that can always afford it, it doesnt make it right or fair to do so. That to me says that Roundhouse and Accucraft are putting their prices up simply because they can, metals might have gone up, not by the amounts that the loco's have.

[Keith S]

Yeah, there does seem to be an anti-"Roundhouse Fan" counterculture at work in the garden railway community, judging by your comments. Perish the thought that someone would show any brand loyalty when there is a cheaper option. You can't say "to be fair" and then proceed to insult someone with equanimity. It seems to me that individuals who seek to justify their foreign purchases like to resort to turning the tables on those who have chosen to buy a higher quality domestic product and accusing them of being "fan boys"... and in any case, as I am a Canadian, Chinese and English products are equally "foreign"! I will admit however, that when looking for a British-style model, all else being equal, I was compelled to buy a steam locomotive that was actually British, rather than merely appearing to be so.

You will note I did acknowledge that I willingly take advantage of cheap Chinese labour, as does almost everyone else. As it happens I ave in fact purchased a steam locomotive as a gift for my Father that was made in China. It was about half the price of my Roundhouse engine, and was very well-made in general, although it needed some fettling in order to run as nicely as my other engine did right off the hop.  Well, this might be coming to an end as the Chinese worker starts to demand fair pay for his work.

Anyway the exchange rate being the way it is, the price of a Roundhouse locomotive or any other product from England has, for me, doubled in the last couple of years, not even taking into account the rise in price due to whatever other forces are at work.

I would still very much like a "Carrie" or something with Hackworth valve-gear. But I doubt we will be seeing very many more "generic" locomotives. I think scale models are getting to be more in vogue, which I think is unfortunate.

[-steves-]

Me, I would love a Fowler and a Katie at some point in time, but I just can't justify the cost at the moment (let alone actually afford it). I had a really tough decision to make regarding a Fowler, and in the end, I didn't get one, and I was gutted, truly gutted, but thats the way the cookie crumbles for some of us, needs must and all that.

No malice was intended with my comments, purely as I see things from reading here, but take them as you will as I shall never lose any sleep with what one or many people say to me on an open public forum and neither should anyone else, life is way too short to worry about such things, no matter where you live.

[invicta280]

Have Roundhouse prices (or Accucraft for that matter) gone up massively in recent years? Over the last 3-4 years I don't think so.
It looks like you can buy a Bertie for £600.

Ive just got back from the supermarket where my wife paid £70 for 2 night's dinners, a few beers, a small selection of other groceries and 3 2016 calendars (don't ask!).
I've just paid out £600 for a second hand transit back axle.
A Bertie is a precision made steam loco that will outlast its owner. How is that expensive?

Don't misunderstand me, I'm not rich . I've just bought a second hand Ragleth after waiting two years to buy a loco.
The Chinese are finally waking up and realising that they have a global responsibility ( now that they are choking in their own pollution). Naturally the cost of Chinese made goods is going to rise, and so it should. As mentioned above Roundhouse have to comply with UK and European Regs, and make enough profit to keep going.

I am looking forward to the day when I can buy a R/H loco. To get back on topic I would like them to make a model of the chinese C2.
Now that would be ironic wouldn't it?

[Keith S]

Yes Steve I agree with you, it would be wrong to experience any hurt feelings (or try to inflict them) over this sort of thing.

In fact all other factors being equal, I do prefer Roundhouse locomotives because they are English, and it's not some high-minded ideal about the rights of Chinese workers- I admit that I suppose, under duress. But the quality of Chinese products has gone up recently too, and I suppose if they are to be more expensive then hopefully the money is going somewhere it ought to.

These days, if something stays the same price, a look behind the scenes will reveal that the quality has gone down. I am cynical about this, and I have resigned myself to the fact that unless I am actually willing to give up beer with my friends for a year, (I'm not) then my next locomotive will probably be home-made with whatever parts I can scrounge up.

I guess after all my bluster I must admit that I am another one of those who will enjoy seeing photographs of whatever they come up with next, in the knowledge that in all likelihood I will never be playing with one.

Like Invicta just said here, we spend this kind of money all the time, it's actually how it would appear to my wife and her subsequent anger if I bought myself another engine that is stopping me from doing so.

[Joe]

Regarding prices, nowadays for an average 00 gauge loco your looking at paying around 120 pounds if recently released; so a new roundhouse bertie for example is only 5 times dearer than a standard 00 gauge model but yet a roundhouse model i am sure has far more craftsmen ship and time spent on it as well as being made in Britain than a overpriced Chinese 00 gauge model. You can even get very nice second hand millies and berties for as low as 500 pounds which is only around 4 times the price of a 120 pound 00 gauge model,it just seems silly to me. For me one of the reasons i chose to switch from 00 gauge modeling to 16mm was the fact that for every 4/5 00 gauge models i buy i could be getting a British live steam loco!

[TonyW]

What I am saying is that these toys have gone up MASSIVELY over the last 5 years, way way way more than inflation or anything close to it...

Let's compare the prices from the 2011 price list (http://web.archive.org/web/201208130021 ... ceseec.pdf) and the current price list (http://www.roundhouse-eng.com/pdf/prices.pdf). Bear in mind that the product range has changed over the years but the manual models common to both lists look like this:
Bertie: £570 vs £599 - a difference of £29.
Billy: £1130 vs £1218
Charles: £1380 vs £1490
Darjeeling: £1735 vs £1785 - a difference of £50.
Fowler: £1370 vs £1490
Katie: £1130 vs £1218
Lady Anne: £1175 vs £1270
Millie: £570 vs £599 - a difference of £29.
L&M: £1525 vs £1649
Mountaineer; £1625 vs £1720

So yes, some models have seen some increases that reflect the more expensive world we are living in compared with five years ago, but others - particularly Bertie and Millie - still seem to be pretty good value to me. The price increases in energy and materials have been significant in that time and they have to be absorbed some how.