I have had one of these on my want list for quite some time and although Jim does the later round boilered version, I do like the earlier version with the decorative splashers. Like this one courtesy of John Turner of 53A Models in Hull. https://flic.kr/p/9Cea3p I noted that one had been listed on eBay last week which finished at 10:30 last night. Now for quite some time I have put things on watch without any real intention of bidding in fact I cannot remember when I last bid on anything as opposed to buying it now. Bidding was steady but still the price was still reasonable in the last few minutes so I put in a bid of a £131 and change in the closing seconds. I was most delighted to win it for £115.00 plus P&P. I was even more delighted when the seller offered me a set of Slaters wheels for it for another £85.00 - Loco kit and wheels for £200 is what I call that a result. I believe that this kit now rests with Ace, although when I looked last night to get an idea of the price of a new kit I couldn't find it. I am pretty sure that it will be be a good bit more than £115 for a tender engine. I will post photos when it arrives but when I get to building it will be another story altogether.
and Toto didn't bid for it - he must be slipping (or is that sleeping) in his old age. Certainly looks different. Paul
I saw this one also and glad to hear you got it at a good price, very often bidding goes above the cost in buying new from manufacturers, for example I happened to note a BR standard Meat van by Slaters with 6 bids on it at £47... ... some people need an education me thinks.
I think that they get a bit carried away whereas I set myself a limit and stick to it. In fairness I usually bid so late that I only get one shot at it anyway
I think they did Rob, there isn't much I bid for now... I'll do a BIN if the price is right and to be honest its cheaper buying new wagons direct from Slaters with the discount.
I'm generally the same as Rob, I'll go in at the last minute ..... seconds even. Just waiting to hit the button. It is worth doing your homework on cost new though as I have seen z few numpties paying over retail price at new ...... where is the logic there. Not only dearer than new but probably with no warranty. Crazy.
Whats your fastest last minute bid time Toto? I did 5 seconds once, can't remember what it was now but I got it.
I agree with both of you, as I said I haven't actually bid on anything for possibly a few years before this one but I buy BIN items regularly.
I suspect the people who big the price up with silly bids on Ebay don't really have the contacts knowledge on the proper price, they get what I can bid blindness... like a rabbit in car headlights at night, they only get tunnel vision. The best example of sillyness was that Meat van which went for nearly £50 and last night someone was selling a Big Jim J79 kit marked as "RARE" for round about the same price as a new one would cost... and it still has another 8 days to go... someone's hopeful.
Hi Paul, If I am looking at the right one, it's a J69 rather than a J79 and it is out of production so could be classed as rare
I occasionally use a 'Sniping' site for bids if I know I won't be around when the auction closes, not just during the day either, as sometimes this can be in the middle of the night if the seller happens to be (for example) a shift worker. The one I use (Gixen) also has the capability of bidding on many of the European, Australian and American Ebay sites if I so choose, although with postal charges, that's unlikely. I have the option to set the bid time to whatever I feel is best (usually 5 seconds before closing), and as many bid items as I wish, and it has the bid made simultaneously from two different US server locations, so even in the event of a power failure in one, the other provides backup. Should bidding go over my chosen limit, I also get an email informing me, so I have time if I wish, (never happened yet!) to raise my bid. The basic service is free (bidding from one server only) but you have the option (the "Mirror Service") to opt for this for a 'suggested donation' of US$5 a year, which to me is a small price to pay if I'm after a particular item in short supply. Like Paul and Rob, I do my homework first, decide what I'm willing to go up to, and that's it as far as I'm concerned, if it goes over, then I just walk away, as, like a Corporation bus, there'll always be another along sometime, I might just have a fair time to wait! I must add the usual 'disclaimer' that I have NO connection with Gixen except as a satisfied user, I've not always won the 'bid-for' item if I've been outbid over my set limit, but I've not yet lost a bid within my limit using Gixen, so it's been 'Value for money' as far as I'm concerned, and as someone of an age that's usually in bed by 10.30, I can sleep easy and let Gixen get on with it, hopefully leaving me the task of paying for the item when I get up next morning. Keith.
The B12 arrived with me last Thursday but I didn't have any time to take photos. First up the castings Wheels The Etches, although I have now realised that I didn't take a shot of the chassis or rolled boiler but I am sure that you get the idea.... Finally the destructions
The observant amongst you will note that some backs mention missing castings? They were noted on the sale listing and at the price I paid I can afford to replace a lot of castings. By good fortune I was telling the chap that bought one of Chris's paintings who is also an O gauge modeller of my buy on Sunday. He told me that when SM were selling up he bought a full set of B12 castings and to let him know what's missing and he will have a look in his bags of castings for me. I seem to have really landed on my feet with this kit. Lets hope the good fortune feeds through to the build too.
