Most desirable MM locos

[murphaph]

I'm interested in hearing your thoughts on which MM models are the most desirable (I'm thinking money is often useless and the only way to get people to part with certain models is to offer them something more desirable to them in return). I'd like to know which MM models I should be keeping my eyes open for in this regard.

For me the interest lies in tippex liveried stuff from the 90s above all else.

Or is it a more even spread simply determined by what we remember mostly from our childhoods?

[Noel]

37 minutes ago, murphaph said:

I'm interested in hearing your thoughts on which MM models are the most desirable (I'm thinking money is often useless and the only way to get people to part with certain models is to offer them something more desirable to them in return). I'd like to know which MM models I should be keeping my eyes open for in this regard.

For me the interest lies in tippex liveried stuff from the 90s above all else.

Or is it a more even spread simply determined by what we remember mostly from our childhoods?

It varies depending on folks interests, some love the tippex era, others the black'n'tan era, some the 1950s green+silver era.  I cannot comprehend why anybody would pay €350+ for a baby GM model nowadays, these could be readily got for €110-130  only a few years ago. Its a false market, fake value, just like the unfortunates who payed €400 for poor Lima 201s about 8 years ago, now you could not give them away worth at max €50 as a door stop, or layout scenery. Personally tippex is a very attractive looking livery yet a bit modern for my own personal nostalgia memory. In reality I've covered more miles on board CAF mk4 behind 201s than all the years on board laminates, park royals and cravens behind B&T GMs. Personally I find the A class and 201 class prototypes less interesting shapes than the baby GMs and later 071s which had distinctive walkways and cabs. The 201 shape seems about as interesting as a long peat briquette.

Judging by recent eBay sales tippex livery 141, 181s seems the most in demand and fetching the highest prices. I was fortunate to slowly build up a collection of these baby GMs over the years spanning B&T, Supertrain and Tippex. I cannot see a re-run ever happening, perhaps only a refreshed release by MM, or even IRM or perhaps Bachmann who may want to reestablish a small foot hold in the Irish market. 7500 baby GMs were produced in many livery variations, unsure if that would be economic these days. The most unpopular models seem to be the 201s. Not sure why, perhaps it was because MM did a Lima release before their own, or just that the prototype is less appealing and has less nostalgia appeal?

[DJ Dangerous]

Probably simple supply and demand.

Models that are more scarce will "seem" more desirable.

The 141's are harder to find these days, so we pay a premium.

The NIR and grey 071's were limited runs (I think) so we pay a premium.

The Intercity 201's were early to sell out so command a premium.

Value is perceived by the buyer.

If an NIR 071 is worth three tippex 071's to a buyer, then they've set the models desirability level at that themselves.

Pretty sure that the NIR 201's were also smaller runs, so we can expect to see them go for crazy money in five years time.

 

[Robert Shrives]

I have to say I was lucky with the Old Ian Allen book shop who remaindered a pile of MM models a while back including  weathered 177.    At Redditch show 4 years ago I got a 201 for £100 - blue NIR loco to go with the lima one .    

Some years before at IA they had the Lima Irish coach packs at silly prices so these sit waiting flush glazing and new wheels on some rainy day in the future.. 

As noted the value of any item is what a person is prepared to pay, ebay in lockdown has seen a lot of inflationary pressures but this ought to be only temporary . 

Bachmann a while distanced themselves from the Murphy models works saying it was all MM owned and originated so unless the tooling etc was sold on it is down to the good gent wanting to court a factory for a re-run. Perhaps when the aging process of the 121s have passed and blood pressure normal... Interesting to know 7500 as the production run. This compares favourably with numbers banded about for current OO production runs but small to the US railroad productions by Kayder.   

Robert

      

  

[DJ Dangerous]

Were 073 and 080 the only IR liveried 071's?

Does the 073 model reflect her original IR configuration or her current one?

[iarnrod]

All 071 Class locos carried IR livery during the IR period and for a time in the IE period.

The 073 model reflects the loco in the IR period. The main differences in it's current condition  being the marker lights, removal of cab handrails and handbrake wheel.

[DJ Dangerous]

4 minutes ago, iarnrod said:

All 071 Class locos carried IR livery during the IR period and for a time in the IE period.

The 073 model reflects the loco in the IR period. The main differences in it's current condition  being the marker lights, removal of cab handrails and handbrake wheel.

Sorry, I wasn't clear enough. I was asking if they were the only two 071 models in the IR livery, following on from the theme of the most desirable MM locos.

 

[iarnrod]

6 minutes ago, DJ Dangerous said:

Sorry, I wasn't clear enough. I was asking if they were the only two 071 models in the IR livery, following on from the theme of the most desirable MM locos.

 

Apologies, misunderstood what you meant.

Yes, MM only produced two IR liveried 071's.

 

[DJ Dangerous]

Damn it, then those two are pretty high on the desirability list!

[iarnrod]

The MM 071 is an excellent model, but MM have none left in their warehouse, so its basically a case of checking what stockists have left in stock, ebay or the various model shows if you are after a particular model.

The MM model accurately reflects the class until the end of 2015 detail wise, but would not be entirely protypical for the real locos in their current specification. 

[DJ Dangerous]

6 minutes ago, iarnrod said:

The MM 071 is an excellent model, but MM have none left in their warehouse, so its basically a case of checking what stockists have left in stock, ebay or the various model shows if you are after a particular model.

The MM model accurately reflects the class until the end of 2015 detail wise, but would not be entirely protypical for the real locos in their current specification. 

MM no. 071 was released in both CIE and engineers silver and black livery?

[iarnrod]

Loco no. 071 only ever released in black/silver livery by MM.

[enniscorthyman]

2 hours ago, iarnrod said:

Loco no. 071 only ever released in black/silver livery by MM.

Was not 071 released in grey livery along with 088?.

[NIRCLASS80]

53 minutes ago, enniscorthyman said:

Was not 071 released in grey livery along with 088?.

I think it might have been 071 and 078 in the grey release. 

[iarnrod]

1 hour ago, enniscorthyman said:

Was not 071 released in grey livery along with 088?.

It was. Forgot about that one.

[Noel]

A 101 Sulzer loco would be nice to see from one of the manufacturers. Personally the Black'n'Tan original 141 with the tablet catchers is the best model loco ever produced, probably until the imminent 121. Certainly the best chassis and smoothest runner.

 

Edited August 16, 2020 by Noel