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I started collecting locos, cars and track towards my future LGB layout three years ago in 2001 and at that stage I was purchasing from the only authorised LGB dealer in Africa. Yes, folks, read that again ... In the entire continent of Africa (not just the Republic of South Africa) there is only one LGB dealer. I was paying very high prices there because he imports directly from LGB Germany and pays in Euros. When converted into our local currency the Rand, which means multiplying by 10 and adding 14% VAT this resulted in prices like R5000 for a small 0-6-0 LGB tank engine, R1200 for your average freight car and R160 for a 2ft length of track. I couldn't afford to continue and was not able to build my model railway at those prices. I contemplated giving up. I considered scratchbuilding. I tried to find a local engineering company that could machine brass rail which I could hand lay on sleepers I cut myself on a bandsaw. I tried all avenues and was on the point of despair. I was unable to buy anything for 2 years due to the astronomical prices. I nearly lost it. And then, in January this year, while surfing randomly on the internet, I accidentally stumbled across [:D] TRAINWORLD [:D] You must imagine that this announcement was done with a fanfare of trumpets. Now let's run that calculation again. Their discounted prices in Dollars when converted into our local currency the Rand, which means multiplying by 7 (not 10 as in Euros) and adding 14% VAT resulted in prices like R2500 for a small 0-6-0 LGB tank engine, R600 for your average freight car and R60 for a 2ft length of track. The bottom line is that on the average, locos and cars are half what I was originally paying and track was one third. So I bought the entire remainder of what I need for my model railway from Trainworld in 10 consignments at one month intervals and paid less than half of what I would have paid the local dealer. In Dollar terms, I saved $6,000 overall. I read with sympathy all the posts about how the poor LHS is struggling and needs our support, etc. but -- money talks, baby. I now buy exclusively online. [:P][:P]
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