Roundhouse 3 plank wagons

[Dannypenguin]

At the end of September Roundhouse are releasing a new three plank wagon kit intended for use with the new Little John locomotive.

Single kits are £17, 5 kits are £80 (£16 each) and 10 kits are £150 (£15 each). They will be available at the end of September, orders being taken now.

Source: Llanfair Garden Railway show.

[hussra]

Photos now at http://www.roundhouse-eng.com/stock.htm - I thought them a little reminiscent of some of Brian Clarke's stuff, for those who've been round long enough to remember Saltford Models...

[MDLR]

You're thinking of these:

[hussra]

You're thinking of these:

I am indeed!

[METHSSNIFFER]

You would of thought Roundhouse would of done a better job I thought they were an Engineering company. These wagons look very toyish. Come on Roundhouse lets see something on par with Slaters please!

[laalratty]

You would of thought Roundhouse would of done a better job I thought they were an Engineering company. These wagons look very toyish. Come on Roundhouse lets see something on par with Slaters please!

May I refer you to the price in the first post, they are extremely cheap for what they are! A Slaters type model would surely demand a Slaters type price...

[laurence703]

Designed to run with the Little John diesel... so therefore they are a good size and they look good in the wood and metal
would look great in a quarry of some sort

[williamfj]

For what it's worth, my opinion is that they're good value, they look good and I'm thinking of buying a set of 5 at Elsecar for my electrics.

[METHSSNIFFER]

£17 will buy you a true scale model of a dinorwic slate wagon from slaters a bit extra other finescale slate and MOD wagons can be sought by them too. Then again if you want to play toys they is playmobil I guess. I think Roundhouse should stick to what they know best LOCOs

[DolwyddelanLightRail]

£17 will buy you a true scale model of a dinorwic slate wagon from slaters a bit extra other finescale slate and MOD wagons can be sought by them too. Then again if you want to play toys they is playmobil I guess. I think Roundhouse should stick to what they know best LOCOs

With due respect Mr Meths...

Slaters and Roundhouse are appealing at two entirely different markets all together. Slaters are appealing more to what the finescale modellers appeal for, and RH are appealing to a slightly more entry level market. If you sit down for a few minutes and think about it, why should RH make finescale models of waggons in the first place? The market out there is all ready pretty saturated I'd say with the amount of different types on offer so if RH did produce some finescale models, I doubt they'd make much even any money out of it in the first place, and I highly doubt that they'd be the same price as the new ones being offered. RH have instead aimed something as an extension to they're own range which is their new battery locos, which makes far more sense commercially and they can also appeal to people who don't even have the little battery loco either.

At the end of the day we all choose what we want to do in this hobby as that is how we all enjoy it. This product may appeal to many people as they may not have the time, money nor patience that you may have to build something from slaters, and effectively referring it as playmobil isn't exactly going to put you in a good stance when they try hard with little they have to enjoy the hobby is it?

[TonyW]

£17 will buy you a true scale model of a dinorwic slate wagon from slaters ...

Where can I get them for £17? Their web site says £19.87 + postage.

[METHSSNIFFER]

10% discount!

[TonyW]

10% discount!

Ah, so when you said "£17 will buy you..." you actually meant "£17 will buy me...".

[METHSSNIFFER]

Ah that's what I meant still value for money at that Tony.

[LnBmad]

Are they rtr? If they are then I think they are a great entry and look very reasonable for a freelance wagon. If they're a kit they're still good value but I would look at other options.

[METHSSNIFFER]

£17 will buy you a true scale model of a dinorwic slate wagon from slaters a bit extra other finescale slate and MOD wagons can be sought by them too. Then again if you want to play toys they is playmobil I guess. I think Roundhouse should stick to what they know best LOCOs

With due respect Mr Meths...

Slaters and Roundhouse are appealing at two entirely different markets all together. Slaters are appealing more to what the finescale modellers appeal for, and RH are appealing to a slightly more entry level market. If you sit down for a few minutes and think about it, why should RH make finescale models of waggons in the first place? The market out there is all ready pretty saturated I'd say with the amount of different types on offer so if RH did produce some finescale models, I doubt they'd make much even any money out of it in the first place, and I highly doubt that they'd be the same price as the new ones being offered. RH have instead aimed something as an extension to they're own range which is their new battery locos, which makes far more sense commercially and they can also appeal to people who don't even have the little battery loco either.

At the end of the day we all choose what we want to do in this hobby as that is how we all enjoy it. This product may appeal to many people as they may not have the time, money nor patience that you may have to build something from slaters, and effectively referring it as playmobil isn't exactly going to put you in a good stance when they try hard with little they have to enjoy the hobby is it?

Well first of all thanks for sitting down yourself and thinking about it. I too am sitting down and am quite relaxed.  First of all Slaters and Roundhouse are in the same market they produce scale models of 16mm to the foot scale, well Slaters do. Roundhouse produce something of an oversize model and IP serve a purpose in producing oversized models themselves to suit. The market is not oversaturated. Not in 16mm scale its not. Brandbright, Atropos and Tenmille produce accurate finescale models. Though they are limited productions. DJB, Finescale and Accucraft produce finescale locos in 16mm scale. Though DJB are marketing coal conversions more now. The Association of 16mm Modellers should mean just that and nothing above and below this standard. I think you will see in the coming years with Roundhouse that they will produce more rolling stock of a standard to suit there locos and this is a good thing. They are becoming limited in what they produce and this is why they take something off the market and reintroduce it some years later. They cannot bring out a new loco every year. They have been dragged into this by their customer base. At some point they will have to go for 7/8ths as this is proving more popular and is an expanding market. Yes, Roundhouse without them, there wouldn't be a hobby being a market leader as they are. Long may they survive. I think these little wagons are a dummy run to see how popular they are and Im sure something better will be produced though if they prove too popular they will fall into the mamod syndrome.

[DVT Dweller]

Well first of all thanks for sitting down yourself and thinking about it. I too am sitting down and am quite relaxed.  First of all Slaters and Roundhouse are in the same market they produce scale models of 16mm to the foot scale, well Slaters do. Roundhouse produce something of an oversize model and IP serve a purpose in producing oversized models themselves to suit. The market is not oversaturated. Not in 16mm scale its not. Brandbright, Atropos and Tenmille produce accurate finescale models. Though they are limited productions. DJB, Finescale and Accucraft produce finescale locos in 16mm scale. Though DJB are marketing coal conversions more now. The Association of 16mm Modellers should mean just that and nothing above and below this standard. I think you will see in the coming years with Roundhouse that they will produce more rolling stock of a standard to suit there locos and this is a good thing. They are becoming limited in what they produce and this is why they take something off the market and reintroduce it some years later. They cannot bring out a new loco every year. They have been dragged into this by their customer base. At some point they will have to go for 7/8ths as this is proving more popular and is an expanding market. Yes, Roundhouse without them, there wouldn't be a hobby being a market leader as they are. Long may they survive. I think these little wagons are a dummy run to see how popular they are and Im sure something better will be produced though if they prove too popular they will fall into the mamod syndrome.

I'm not sure what the point is over your comments and Roundhouse being out of scale? I've thrown a ruler over my VoR and compared it to the copy of the Swindon drawings I have possibly there are one or 2 bits that are a gnat's todger out but that's it. I agree some locos have bits that are very slightly out but that's what keeps the cost down, reusable parts. I believe the new Alco is very close to spot on too. The only one I've heard as being out of scale is the Tal and even the Ffestiniog built one isn't the same scale as the original.

As for the wagons, they are to go with a generic loco (if there's no original how can anyone know if its out of scale) and anything else the purchaser would like to run with them. For under £20 I don't think anyone can complain, they look like they will be rugged enough for everyday use in the garden and will stand up to the little generation that will be interested and perhaps allowed to have a play with them and the diesel (I'm thinking 10 & under). I'd live a set of slaters D class but I also have a 2 year old who loves being out with the trains in the garden and I know they wouldn't stand up to his inquisitive touch. I'm slowing collecting E-train items for him to use but these wagons are just the kind of thing that would allow him to make that next step up in a few years and at an affordable price.

[Dannypenguin]

£17 will buy you a true scale model of a dinorwic slate wagon from slaters ...

Where can I get them for £17? Their web site says £19.87 + postage.

According to Roundhouse's pricel list (or the one I have looked at) they RRP at £17 + P+P. My Dad however is selling them for £16.50 + P+P on his site (which I won't put a link on here to unless I am asked to by someone), although his site has crashed recently due to an error, and will be back up shortly...

[tom_tom_go]

These are cheap so I guess we can't complain, however, they do remind me of Brio wooden wagons (google image search it and you will see what I mean).

I think they would at least inspire someone new to the hobby to have a go at making their own once they have built these

At least suppliers are giving us a choice rather than supplying either very expensive models/kits or cheap and nasty versions.

[TonyW]

Where can I get them for £17? Their web site says £19.87 + postage.

I was referring to Slater's Dinorwic slate wagons, not the Roundhouse wagons.