QUOTE (flygopher @ 17 Dec 2007, 20:41)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Adding to the debate, maybe you can consider trains from those companies not longer around.
One example from me, I lived in Leicester some years ago and saw Midland
Mainline trains (those really nice with Banbi! Not the later blue funny mosaic)
everyday. I didn't bother to buy a set of OO during that time. Now Midland Mainline
had gone forever. I looked for the Banbi sets and found very few of them in the
market. I saw one used set (original price 55 pounds) had been sold at 80 pounds in
Ebay with more than 15 bidders. It's getting worse. So wish I could have stocked one
5 years ago. Guess it will reach £££s after another couple of years
Another example is Scotrail. It has been bought by the First group and the Scottish
purple livery had gone forever.
That could be more to do with the fact that the company has gone and a new one is in place so the model manufacturers will no doubt focus their efforts on the new companies livery for a time, therefore anyone who actually wants to run Midland Mainline or Central Trains will no longer have the option of buying new. So the rise in prices could be due to runners buying them rather than prospective collectors.
I've noticed that the first examples of a given loco seem to command the highest prices, Holland Afrika Line and The White Knight are two examples, however there was a Holland Afrika Line listed on ebay as mint never out of box, on a buy it now for £65 and it didn't sell, I've seen this loco sell for 3 times that so maybe there is a seasonal effect on what prices the collectables can fetch.
What will make a good investment has to be something that is made in limited numbers, is a little different but has a demand that outstrips it's production run so there is a demand from the word go. The Bachmann collectors club models are perfect candidates especially the Caley Faiburn and 46441.