How many is too many?

[Mayshus]

Hi everyone.

This is my first post in the group.

I have recently inherited a collection of trains from a relative, and there seems to be an excessive amount. He was buying them well into his 80s, and has amassed quite a hoard. He doesn't even have a track layout of any kind, just the engines, most of them still in the boxes.

My question is, how many trains would be considered as an insane amount, and who amongst you has the biggest collection?

I won't say how many I have acquired yet, mainly because I haven't had a chance to count them all, but also because I would I like to get a general idea of how many engines people have, and of course, how many is too many... grinning

[Chrissaf]

There are two types of member on this forum. Collectors and Layout Builders. Your relative falls into the "Collector" category. We have serious collectors on this forum with collection numbers measured in thousands of products. Unless your relative's collection exceeds a thousand units, it would be considered a small to medium collection.

[Rog RJ]

See this thread - https://uk.hornby.com/community/forum/how-many-do-you-have?ccm_paging_p=1

[Rana Temporia]

There are never too many, until ‘someone else’ finds out just how many there are and starts to ask questions.

[ColinB]

Well it wasn't until I catalogued them I found out I have close to 270, I do though have a layout. Obviously I cannot use them all at once, I just buy ones I like plus I fix quite a lot from wrecks on EBay.

[wairoalbany]

If you ask my wife she would say I have too many. I would disagree. I have 66 so far. As far as big model railways and collectors go I am small fry. I am a collector who is currently building a model railway.

[JJ73]

Don't worry about it - I've lost count how many I have - I think it could be more than about 180 I think!!! & as Chris says above - we have got 1 member who has so many Locos - that he is applying to 'The Guinness Book of World Records' cos he know that he has got that many!!! 😉🚂🚂🚂

[DarkRedCape]

I have 10 so far, but I’ve only been collecting for a few months. I’m not sure there is ever a number that’s too many, if it’s something you enjoy and you can afford it, why not.

I can certainly see myself collecting many more.

[Tony57]

Hi

You can never have enough, some stick to 1 era single region , others like multi era on the same region, there are others who like me love multiple era and regions with multiple manufactures including the early makes like the Triang Transcontinental range and later Triang Hornby Canadian Pacific and National range.

[Bulleidboy]

I was a collector and then built a layout. I think "How many is too many" is the wrong way of describing the number of loco's you have - if you only had space for ten loco's, but had twelve, that could be described as "too many". I think many of us, and it was mentioned earlier, just buy what we like. I have a Mallard and a Flying Scotsman - they will never run on my "southern region" layout, but they are iconic loco's (there are others), and a collection of any sort would lacking without these loco's. My collection is over one hundred and may increase a little more over the years - it's often space that restricts collections getting bigger - as is my case.

[ellocoloco]

As Einstein established in his other, lessor known theorem, the optimum number of locomotives in a collection is the existing number +1...

I do think Rana sums it up equally well....'There are never too many, until ‘someone else’ finds out' .

I am convinced that my wife will never know how many locos I have (100+) unless she sees them all at the same time, and I won't let that happen.yum

[atom3624]

I suppose it's a 'state the obvious' ..

Funds, space, railways fascination ... and maintenance abilities / available time.

Al.

[ColinB]

I started in the 1980s, over the years my late wife used to buy me ones for Christmas. When I retired I decided to get back into the railway, so I bought a lot more. I must admit I tend to buy ones I like. I seem to have a lot of A4s, Duchess and Bullied West Countries etc. When Bachmann started making really good diesels I tended to buy them, class 37, 47 and 66s. My layout is mainly 60s although one station is Goathland, another an LNER country station and the third one mainly Southern with Sheffield Park buildings, because they in different parts of the layout they don't look that out of place. So I try and be as detailed on the scenery so it looks reasonablely realistic. Of course in the old days if something was ridiculously cheap then I tended to buy it, now I think "do I really need it".``

[96RAF]

Over the last 15 years I seem to have amassed 31 locos. Not a lot you may say, but too many to sit comfortably on my layout with their associated rakes.

Many have been generated from the plethora of bits and pieces I have bought or been donated. I enjoy the tinkering bit as much as running trains.

[threelink]

One can never have too many. I cobble locos and stock from bits of rubbish. At the last count the roster stood at 89 locos, 50 plus carriages and 200 plus wagons, plus kits of parts for another 27 locos and a lot more rolling stock. I have no intention of stopping.

[JJ73]

@ Threelink :- " I have no intention of stopping." I think your right there - once you've got the bug - nothing is going to stop you!!! 🙂🚂🚂🚂

[threelink]

Hi JJ,

Lack of storage space can be a stopper but I have found that selling a few items makes room and funds further purchases of rubbish so I think you are right - once bitten by this ferociously addictive bug, one never stops. Maybe I need to get out a bit more.

[Simmo009]

Just had a quick count up.

47 BR Late Crest steam locomotives (pugs to 9F's).

8 diesels (2 BR Green and 6 Railfreight livery) for a couple of shunting layouts.

1 B17 in Apple Green 'Sheffield Wednesday' in a display case as it's my team.

12 assorted locomotives and a 3 car DMU in the 'to be sold' box.

Plus 2 locomotives on pre-order (Hornby 2MT tender whenever that may arrive, and Bachmann 3MT tank same story), both BR Late Crest.

Plus 2 x full 64 litre really useful boxes full of goods stock, and a half full one of carriages.

Better get started on the layout really.😆

[JJ73]

@ Null :- "Better get started on the layout really." Yep that might help!!! 😉🚂🚂