easondown,
The problem with the 737 rating is that £16,500 (GECAT quoted figures) only buys you the groundschool and sim parts of the rating - the base training is around another £4,000.
You can get an SD330/360 rating for £8,000 and that includes 7 hours in the aircraft.
I could stretch to £8,000 if it increased my chances of being employed. At the moment £20,500 I could not stretch to without robbing a bank or discovering a rich uncle I didn't know about. It's proving hard enough working out where the money to renew my IR is coming from (thank you Mr Visa)...
Of course, as has been highlighted, the Shed operators that offer type ratings fit the training in around their usual flying program so you could be left waiting a long time to complete the course - as the old saying goes 'time to spare, go by air' I suppose.
Thanks for the inside track on the shed rating, Scroggs.
cheers!
foggy.