Help Please (with valuation)

[Zoefos]

I was given a big set of trains and tracks and bits and bobs and spares and a gauge master, I need help from someone to give me advice on what any of it is, and what it’s worth, as I will be selling all of it.

I have never owned trains and have no idea.

[Going Spare]

You will probably achieve a higher value if you sell privately, through ebay for example, but you will have a fair amount of work to do to accurately describe and price each individual item or the collection as a whole.

Taking or sending it to a model railway retailer will probably be the easiest way of selling it as a job lot but will not give you such a good return. If you do not have a shop near you, the monthly railway modelling magazines give a good selection dealing in secondhand models but they will probably require at least a basic description.

[RDS]

Hi

Probably the best idea you can get of what people are prepared to pay, is by looking on something like eBay.

Unless items are in perfect condition and with a box, also in perfect condition, they don't tend to be worth as much as we would like to think they would be.

[The son of Triangman]

Sound advice there. I would also add obtaining Ramsay's guide to British model trains as it lists market retail mint factory fresh boxed condition prices and mint unboxed. The trade and retail tend to use the guide, as eBay prices are unreliable and can fluctuate depending on who's bidding, the weather, time of day, time of year etc.

As has been said condition when selling is everything, an item in poor condition won't be worth a lot unless extremely rare

[ColinB]

I tend to look at the EBay bid prices. So if an item is listed and people bid on it (not "buy it now") looking at the final price it sells for is a good guide. There are a lot of people, some I suspect are Dealers, that put inflated prices on items that no sensible person would pay, which gives an unrealistic value of an item. Second hand track doesn't fetch much, I avoid it like the plague. Most modern peco track age hardens and disintegrates when you try to use it, I think old Hornby stuff is a bit better at not "age hardening".

[maw78]

Also on ebay, if you go into the filters and go down to completed items ( you may have to click on "see more" at the bottom ) you can look back and see what the last several ones sold for as opposed to just the one.

[Engine shed 1]

You could try a model railway shop in East Sussex near Hastings in a village called tishurst he will collect from where you live and full collections as well so well worth considering contacting him goggle the shop for his details as I don't want to give his shop details as I don't want to upset the mods by breaking the rules.

[Chrissaf]

ES1.....this shop information would not breach any forum rule.

[Going Spare]

I believe the shop being referred to is Classic Rail in Ticehurst (classicrail.co.uk).

[Engine shed 1]

OK no worries, wasn't sure, yes that's the shop. Classic rail a brilliant shop, well worth a try, like I said he will travel to collect as well.