@@SamsTrains Sam, I get one of those catalogs from train fairs every year! They're not going to kill you! Enough with the slander! (Not gonna lie, it was funny to watch you eat one. We should probably get another Sam'strains out of context some time soon.)
When I asked why N scale locomotives are more expensive than H0 or 00, a shop owner explained it with this analogy: a wristwatch is more expensive than a wall clock.
My introduction to the Bachmann N gauge Thomas range was seeing the Percy and troublesome trucks set. It was a pure impulse purchase, but then I had to get Thomas, Annie and Clarabel. I also got Toby. Although I think of myself as a serious modeller, I'm deeply impressed by the Thomas range. And if Thomas and friends don't bring you joy, I honestly fear for your soul.
i think what i find the most hilarious about this channel is you come across as a more serious reviewer but then you make out of pocket jokes that always land. love the content man!
You make my heart sing. I know I've uttered this lyric too many times, but you always agree with me. Thomas, we love you. One little thing: Clarabel is the wrong way round. She always faces the track at the back. It's a goof found in some of the old Thomas stories, that she's seen the wrong way round.
I really appreciated that this was a normal format, serious review eventhough it's Thomas themed! Top job as always and a delightful set of models I wish I had in my collection! 😇
Would love to see reviews of the entire N Scale Thomas range from you, they look amazing and they're really tempting me. I'm hoping to stock these at the hobby shop I work for soon, and your reviews are a great way to learn accurately about the products I'm selling. Hopefully the high prices won't scare customers away from genuinely good little models!
The occasional appearance of Thomas or one his Sodor colleagues on an otherwise serious exhibition layout may be cheesy, but the children love it, and it's a great way to get them interested in the hobby.
I’m personally more into the Tomix N Gauge Thomas stuff but this is still really great for what it is! Definitely better than the normal Bachmann Thomas!
Wonderful video once again! I’d just like to say though that N Gauge is usually a lot more expensive due to a smaller buyer market and the fact that manufacturers have to cram a similar amount of technology in half the size of OO.
despite this thomas being a great runner, that is also why most of them dont run too well. decent running N scale is fairly new, at least afaik. its better right now than ever before i'd say.
I actually have the “starter set” from Bachman. I bought it because my sister babysits our neighbors’s four year old who really likes trains and other vehicles and wanted to play with my “trains that move by themselves” as opposed to the wooden trains he has.
The higher prices are due to the N Scale Thomas technically being an American model. The model is made under the Bachmann USA branch of the company, so the higher price at Rails Of Shefield is to account for importing it to the UK. The reason why the OO Thomas is cheaper, is because its made in the UK, and hasn't been imported from another country.
Like you, I've given in to my younger years and just bought Thomas and the two coaches in n gauge. I agree, the price is high but the quality and joy is priceless 😊
Hi, Sam! I’m glad you finally got around to trying this model out! I knew you’d love it, and I’m so glad it scored so well. Just a tip- the lining on Thomas does come off very easily, so please be careful when handling it!
I have to admit that I'm not into the Thomas line of products because both my boys were influenced by things long before Thomas became a thing here in the states. I did watch a couple of episodes due to Ringo Star but as a rule not for me and add my aversion toward Bachmann, I'll tag out. Please don't take my skewed opinion too seriously or to heart it is just the ramblings of an old man, lol. Your review and grading were on point and the locomotive ran very well so nice job. Jersey Bill
I know today's youngsters only seem to be familiar with the videos and not the books, but I still prefer the book versions of the characters. I am shortening two old Poole era Graham Farish suburbans to to make them 50ft bogie coaches similar to those in the books, one of which is a brake-end correct for Clarabel. Hopefully I can get a Bachman Thomases to haul them and wait for my grandson to discover them.
the N gauge Thomas range seems fairly competent. There are a number of 009 kits to rebuild Percy into something realistic and people seem to love the chassis
Honestly from my experience the n scale Thomas is a really good loco! Albeit I got him when I was eleven for my birthday (aka 2021) and has suffered some damage from carelessness such as missing 3 buffers, but I still love him as he was my first EVER model train! Great videos keep them up!
As someone who usually dabbles in the HO/OO and OO9 scale Thomas models, it’s pretty cool to see that the quality of the mechanisms are great. I’d recommend the Gordon and Emily models which aren’t out yet but they will be soon, both look really nice. I will say for OO9 that Rheneas is honestly still good but is probably the weakest out of the range (especially in your case seeing as you had more issues on your end), I’d recommend Peter Sam or Skarloey, or even the new Tallylyn models that came out.
I'm shocked by how well this performs, I would never have expected a Thomas model to exceed other more serious models in performance and even mechanism!
Glossy paper usually gets its shine from plastic coatings. Sam isn't just eating microplastics like the rest of us - he's branching out into the world of culinary macroplastics!
20:45 I agree that comparing N gauge to HO slow speed performance is valid, because Kato can make it happen, and if Bachmann can do it too, that’s a great thing.
Great video, Sam. The Bachmann N scale Thomas range is amazing. I strongly recommend that you continue reviewing the others as their all high quality where the mechanism is concerned 👍.
Sam … first off good review Second off . We are now missing percy he should be second in the lineup . Along with the scruffey truck too . Also Bachman is making Gordon for n scale too . By 2026 early he will be out so I think a review on his model is needed by all accounts . And his express coaches too to go along with him Them are my recommendations .
Sam . Have you ever had an issue with the details all rubbing of on your Bachman Thomas and friends items From what I know of the Thomas line has always been quality apart from one tiny little thing … the red lines across the sidetanks of Thomas always can rub of with an accidental wrong move of your nail . I did it with my OO one of him . And I have been wondering do you have that . Becasue I can’t have had bad luck every 3 times with thomas . Please let me know sam … I am curious . Thanks and bye !
when putting self tappers back into plastic turn them counterclockwise till you feel a slight click, then turn clockwise to tighten up, this tends to make the screw follow the original "cut" thread
It's a nice running model. I have one too and I'm planning to repurpose the chassis for a custom 3D printed engine. I'll probably also keep the Thomas shell and turn it into a non-powered dummy like the ones you see on tourist railways. Also, have you ever heard of Kato Compact Track? They make N scale curves and switches in really tight radii (~150mm) and I'd be interested to see how well your British models handle those.
It really is - and the chassis on this is awesome... well worth using them in other projects! Yeah I have heard of that actually - that'd be fun to try! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Nice Review! You should look into the other N scale models (including more narrow gauge characters). As for HO, hope to see Rebecca, Stanley, and Diesel in the future.
I think I got the very last Tomix Thomas that Plaza Japan had in stock - they had to go digging around the warehouse to find it! It's a lovely models but a little out of scale, it's almost closer to TT120. This looks like a really good true to scale Thomas and like you said an excellent likeness.
You should absolutely try n scale gordon, he's just been released and will be avaliable real soon Also Emily, as she will be the first ever n gauge single ever
you should build a tiny narrow gauge line in N Scale to go alongside the mainline and so you can strength test them if you ever get N Scale Bogey Coaches
Yep, bachmann n scale pricing confuses me too. That said, I'm excited to see more of this range! Also, I'm not sure that's what they meant by "digest size." Lol
FANTASTICALLY FANTASTIC! By the way, if ya look closely, you’ll actually have clearly noticed that Thomas the L B S C Railway 0-6-0 E 2 class tank engine himself certainly happens to actually have his own official headlamp in the official mineral/empty wagon head code that he wears regardless of whatever task he’s doing for Sir Topham Hatt a k a the Fat Controller’s own official standard gauge North Western Railway on the magically legendary Island of Sodor respectively alongside respectfully!
I could be wrong, but in regards to pricing I believe it's due to the N guage Thomas being newer in comparison to the HO/OO Thomas. I think the HO/OO Thomas is still the same casting since Bachmann first started the Thomas and Friends range around the early 2000's (which is quite a while ago now and it shows with the face for example) wheras the N guage one is only a few years old, around 2020 I think? I feel like if Bachmann made an all new casting for the HO/OO Thomas it'd likely be more expensive or around the same price range as the N guage one Edit: Okay, the shade towards "AEG" gave me a good chuckle, I see Sam wasn't a fan of the "reboot" either lol
Great review and seems a great model. A consist note, normally clarabelle would face the other way with her end windows facing the rear. These coaches are actually a push pull set like autocoaches something never covered in the tv series 😊
One thing some might not be aware of why the N scale range Thomas is so tiny compare dto ither N scale trains is that he's based off his CGI Series model (which was actually leaked as rigged and textures 3D model last year!), and due to the way how he transitioned from live-action to CGI, his proportions got tinier compared to his S1-12 models (which were innitially started as scratch-built model from the pilot, then fitted eith cut-down Märklin chassis, then he was recreated fully from brass), so much so that the rest of the characters (bar James and Duck who somehow kept their proportions from Gauge 1 models) are also tinier than other HO/OO models. Surprised you thought to start with Thomas exactly, seeing as how Percy became a massive seller as a donour for custom models like a Hornby Peckett W4, as rn he's the only 0-4-0 that has more or less decent chassis.
I think the reason for Thomas’ good performance over the points may have something to do with his wheel base. It appears that there is only one wheel at a time on the frog, thereby allowing Thomas to receive power from two axles at a time while rolling over the dead space of the frog. I’m like you, I watched the original “Thomas the Tank Engine” series on BPS when Ringo Star and George Carlin were the hosts. Although the computer generated version is ok, they still can’t compete with the live character models of the original series. I cannot believe the quality that Bachmann has put into this “toy” model, I wish they would do this with all their N scale models, however to give them credit, they are making great strides in the quality area across the whole range of products.
Well that was a pleasant surprise 😁 I didn’t think this would be that good, thanks for doing this and I look forward to other N gauge Thomas characters. Still waiting patiently for the day when you review an N gauge diesel, maybe even one I own. Best
So Disapointed the Coaches didn't come with a 'Snack' too..! And for those prices you prob'ly needed the 'Snacks' to get through the Week..! 😂😂 Great review as always Sam. Well Done Young Sir..! 👍
I’m surprised you didn’t mention Clarabel being virtually identical to Annie, right down to missing the brake compartment. Generally speaking though I can’t find any practical fault with them as a whole, Thomas runs well and looks great, easily worth the purchase along w/ Annie & Clarabel.
The n scale Thomas range is much batter than the HO range. The G scale line is also pretty great, but n scale is my favorite. Right now, I have Percy, Toby, and Thomas in N scale. They all preform brilliantly.
Dear Sam, my favourite objects and I had a great time working with you. Will you consider inviting me back onto the show? Please? I have a lot more favourite objects to show off to you and your viewers. :)
I think the main reason for the OO and N gauge faces looking different here is the OO is modelled on the Model Thomas face from the early seasons and the N gauge one is modelled on the CGI face, which are fairly different looking.
Hi Sam. Not sure if your local or even available on Sunday 24th November 2024 but at Brockenhurst Village Hall in Brockenhurst Southampton my OO Gauge layout makes its first appearance at the exhibition. Why not come down and see it?
Finally a review on a N scale Thomas Sam lol. Maybe one day I'll get him for my layout, that is If I can find him for a good price. Cheers Jasper & Willow
Thomas isn't really my jam but I do enjoy seeing the miniaturisation of smaller scales. I've got quite a lot of Continental N scale and am vaguely tempted to buy some French Z scale by Azar models. Eye-watering prices, tho, given the limited market!
Kato also produced or produced the Thomas range as well, but welcome to the smaller gauges in the price. The smaller the scale the higher the price, just check out Z gauge prices.
Hey Sam just a tip for you when you decide to use thomas and annie and clarrable clarables face doesn't face the back of annie there's just a tip for you man 😅
Sam, please remember that the market for N gauge is signifficant smaller (only around third IIRC) of the 00 / HO market! Moreover given its small size N gauge is not really suited to children as such - It’s far more likely that these will be bought by adults who already have N gauge layouts to entertain youngsters. It’s also true that costs don’t magically shrink just because it’s N - gauge (you can’t pay the design staff less just because it’s a smaller model) As such it stands to reason that a new N gauge release is going to be more costly to market than a decades old 00 version.
@@SamsTrainsIn Transformers G1, Ravage used to eat the snacks. remember this? Megatron: Soundwave. I can see Starscream telling you what to do. Now, Starscream. Starscream: Soundwave, activate Ravage. Soundwave: Ravage, transform. Starscream: Come to Megatron. Megatron: Starscream, you know what to do. Ask Ravage to eat the snacks from the school.
I’m honestly surprised how high Thomas did in the rankings, if you do anymore n scale Thomas reviews I would love to see you do a review on the upcoming N scale Gordon
Great review Sam. Price is unfortunately is the downside of N gauge, as is a lack of variety; many models being run once by the manufacturer. Annie and Clarabel are based on the old 4 wheel Farish coaches that they no longer manufacture (and go for a lot of money on Ebay). OO has always been more affordable with a greater range of models. Saying that, if i only had OO to choose from, i wouldn't have a railway, i just dont have the space. I think if you do a comparison between OO gauge locos and their N Gauge equivalents, You will find N will generally be more expensive (maybe an idea for a video?). Keep up the good work 🚂👍
Cheers to the team who decided that younger enthusiasts should be treated with respect, having a quality model released for them 🍻I have several 6 wheeled N gauge locomotives that run significantly worse than this one.
I have an N scale Tomix Thomas that came with Annie and Clarabel for just over $100 Australian dollars and it was much better looking and quality i think. If you can get hold of one, definitely do a comparison.
Great video Sam, a cute little engine to be honest with you, he's very cool! Gotta say though, the coupling rods don't look the best, much prefer the Hornby or Bachmann 00 gauge Thomas's! Great video as always sam!
Miracle Thomas. Weren't N gauge always pricey? Fleischman back in the day (early 1980's) started at around £80 - 90 if I remember rightly. Due to having to engineer something so small means you have to be extra precise like a watchmaker.
@@SamsTrains yeah . Tho I recommend the scruffy truck and a sodor water tanker . For Percy to pull something in his eventual review . And perhaps you could combine your Thomas and regular goods wagons for the Percy review . I mean Percy is based upon a GWR saddle tank . Sooo it wouldn’t be out the question for him to pull the stock from the western rambler set . Imagine n scale percy with scruffy truck , water tanker , gwr wagon , gwr wagon & GW toad breakvan . it would be a fairly lengthy goods train really . And Bachman is too releasing a N scale gordon by early 2026 I think march . And as for whenever his review may come by next year or so i recon he could run with your LNER coaches . Tho that’s for the future sam to worry about !
Very nice little Thomas 👍 Some prices make no sense I just got a set of Scale Trains Union Pacific excursion tenders from Canada for my big boy and they were a lot cheaper even with the postage and they even included a bag of gummy bears. 👍🤣👍
"Digest size", proceeds to eat the catalog. Classic Sam.
hahaha!
Lol
😂
LMFAO
@@SamsTrains Sam, I get one of those catalogs from train fairs every year! They're not going to kill you! Enough with the slander!
(Not gonna lie, it was funny to watch you eat one. We should probably get another Sam'strains out of context some time soon.)
4:38, “Digest Size.”
Sam: *EAT’S CARD.*
😂 Peak Comedy.
It wasn't nice.....
Babies when they see lego (fine dining)
@@SamsTrainsYou are great man!
When I asked why N scale locomotives are more expensive than H0 or 00, a shop owner explained it with this analogy: a wristwatch is more expensive than a wall clock.
My introduction to the Bachmann N gauge Thomas range was seeing the Percy and troublesome trucks set. It was a pure impulse purchase, but then I had to get Thomas, Annie and Clarabel. I also got Toby. Although I think of myself as a serious modeller, I'm deeply impressed by the Thomas range. And if Thomas and friends don't bring you joy, I honestly fear for your soul.
They would have no soul
Thomas Brings Me Life
i think what i find the most hilarious about this channel is you come across as a more serious reviewer but then you make out of pocket jokes that always land. love the content man!
“Digest size” funny as always Sam! I’d love to see more Bachmann Thomas N gauge.
haha thanks! More on the way soon :D
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
The Japanese Tomix N gauge range was also amazing. Great machanisms.
And around around 20 years ago, complete with Annie and Clarabelle. Before I sold it it was among my most reliable locos!
You make my heart sing. I know I've uttered this lyric too many times, but you always agree with me.
Thomas, we love you.
One little thing: Clarabel is the wrong way round. She always faces the track at the back. It's a goof found in some of the old Thomas stories, that she's seen the wrong way round.
N gauge Thomas has made the Thomas and Friends franchise proud apart from the price, and also makes a fine addition to your collection.
haha thanks Kelly - enjoyed that as always!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
She's supposed to be facing behind since Thomas was meant to be a push-pull consist
I really appreciated that this was a normal format, serious review eventhough it's Thomas themed! Top job as always and a delightful set of models I wish I had in my collection! 😇
Would love to see reviews of the entire N Scale Thomas range from you, they look amazing and they're really tempting me.
I'm hoping to stock these at the hobby shop I work for soon, and your reviews are a great way to learn accurately about the products I'm selling. Hopefully the high prices won't scare customers away from genuinely good little models!
The occasional appearance of Thomas or one his Sodor colleagues on an otherwise serious exhibition layout may be cheesy, but the children love it, and it's a great way to get them interested in the hobby.
..and that is all that matters..
I’m personally more into the Tomix N Gauge Thomas stuff but this is still really great for what it is! Definitely better than the normal Bachmann Thomas!
Bro attacked the Thomas reboot with no mercy! 😂
He seemed pretty merciful to me.
Wonderful video once again! I’d just like to say though that N Gauge is usually a lot more expensive due to a smaller buyer market and the fact that manufacturers have to cram a similar amount of technology in half the size of OO.
Thanks so much Jimmy - yes that'll be why it costs so much... but for the customer, that's a big down side!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Actually an eighth of the size in volume!
despite this thomas being a great runner, that is also why most of them dont run too well. decent running N scale is fairly new, at least afaik. its better right now than ever before i'd say.
Of all the Thomas models out there, this one might be the one of the best one's so far.
I think so too - it's really really awesome!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
okay thank you for absolutely destroying me at the five minute mark, I did not expect this
I actually have the “starter set” from Bachman. I bought it because my sister babysits our neighbors’s four year old who really likes trains and other vehicles and wanted to play with my “trains that move by themselves” as opposed to the wooden trains he has.
The N gauge face seriously looks so much better, actually doesnt look like he has been on some spicy substance
The higher prices are due to the N Scale Thomas technically being an American model. The model is made under the Bachmann USA branch of the company, so the higher price at Rails Of Shefield is to account for importing it to the UK. The reason why the OO Thomas is cheaper, is because its made in the UK, and hasn't been imported from another country.
I’ve been loving your narrow gauge and n scale reviews!
Like you, I've given in to my younger years and just bought Thomas and the two coaches in n gauge. I agree, the price is high but the quality and joy is priceless 😊
Love seeing a thomas model reviewed, especially by you. Keep up the good work sam
Hi, Sam! I’m glad you finally got around to trying this model out! I knew you’d love it, and I’m so glad it scored so well. Just a tip- the lining on Thomas does come off very easily, so please be careful when handling it!
The whole starter pack from Tomix with annie and clarabel is available for $185
I have to admit that I'm not into the Thomas line of products because both my boys were influenced by things long before Thomas became a thing here in the states. I did watch a couple of episodes due to Ringo Star but as a rule not for me and add my aversion toward Bachmann, I'll tag out. Please don't take my skewed opinion too seriously or to heart it is just the ramblings of an old man, lol. Your review and grading were on point and the locomotive ran very well so nice job. Jersey Bill
Thanks Bill - no problem at all, it won't be for everyone!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
I know today's youngsters only seem to be familiar with the videos and not the books, but I still prefer the book versions of the characters. I am shortening two old Poole era Graham Farish suburbans to to make them 50ft bogie coaches similar to those in the books, one of which is a brake-end correct for Clarabel. Hopefully I can get a Bachman Thomases to haul them and wait for my grandson to discover them.
Gordon: You thomas, are smol. Small small small, teeny weeny weeny.
Thomas: No im not!
Sam: Well in todays video you will be!
the N gauge Thomas range seems fairly competent. There are a number of 009 kits to rebuild Percy into something realistic and people seem to love the chassis
Honestly from my experience the n scale Thomas is a really good loco! Albeit I got him when I was eleven for my birthday (aka 2021) and has suffered some damage from carelessness such as missing 3 buffers, but I still love him as he was my first EVER model train!
Great videos keep them up!
I think it is too - well it's pretty cool he still works after all that then haha!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
As someone who usually dabbles in the HO/OO and OO9 scale Thomas models, it’s pretty cool to see that the quality of the mechanisms are great. I’d recommend the Gordon and Emily models which aren’t out yet but they will be soon, both look really nice.
I will say for OO9 that Rheneas is honestly still good but is probably the weakest out of the range (especially in your case seeing as you had more issues on your end), I’d recommend Peter Sam or Skarloey, or even the new Tallylyn models that came out.
I'm shocked by how well this performs, I would never have expected a Thomas model to exceed other more serious models in performance and even mechanism!
Glossy paper usually gets its shine from plastic coatings. Sam isn't just eating microplastics like the rest of us - he's branching out into the world of culinary macroplastics!
20:45 I agree that comparing N gauge to HO slow speed performance is valid, because Kato can make it happen, and if Bachmann can do it too, that’s a great thing.
Great video, Sam.
The Bachmann N scale Thomas range is amazing.
I strongly recommend that you continue reviewing the others as their all high quality where the mechanism is concerned 👍.
It really is amazing - and thank you, I'll definitely do more after this!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
The Digest Size part was perfect! Peak comedy:)
I need to buy the n guage percy to use the chassis for a 009 project
Absolutely!! If it's like this I can imagine it being very very good!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Sam … first off good review
Second off . We are now missing percy he should be second in the lineup . Along with the scruffey truck too .
Also Bachman is making Gordon for n scale too . By 2026 early he will be out so I think a review on his model is needed by all accounts . And his express coaches too to go along with him
Them are my recommendations .
Thanks Maxwell - and Percy is a very good shout! Can't wait to see Gordon
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
I know others brought this up already, but it was really funny when you ate the card.
Sam . Have you ever had an issue with the details all rubbing of on your Bachman Thomas and friends items
From what I know of the Thomas line has always been quality apart from one tiny little thing … the red lines across the sidetanks of Thomas always can rub of with an accidental wrong move of your nail . I did it with my OO one of him . And I have been wondering do you have that . Becasue I can’t have had bad luck every 3 times with thomas .
Please let me know sam … I am curious . Thanks and bye !
when putting self tappers back into plastic turn them counterclockwise till you feel a slight click, then turn clockwise to tighten up, this tends to make the screw follow the original "cut" thread
Would definitely like to see Percy reviewed as he's my favorite character!
You should review the Tomix range Sam.
Yeah the are much affordable then this too
@ The Tomix Henry though is so rare I will be surprised if Sam manages to get his hands on one.
@@arstreamingandgaming true
Honey sam has made a new N gauge video and its about thomas, bring the kids in
It's a nice running model. I have one too and I'm planning to repurpose the chassis for a custom 3D printed engine. I'll probably also keep the Thomas shell and turn it into a non-powered dummy like the ones you see on tourist railways.
Also, have you ever heard of Kato Compact Track? They make N scale curves and switches in really tight radii (~150mm) and I'd be interested to see how well your British models handle those.
It really is - and the chassis on this is awesome... well worth using them in other projects! Yeah I have heard of that actually - that'd be fun to try!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Nice Review! You should look into the other N scale models (including more narrow gauge characters). As for HO, hope to see Rebecca, Stanley, and Diesel in the future.
I think I got the very last Tomix Thomas that Plaza Japan had in stock - they had to go digging around the warehouse to find it! It's a lovely models but a little out of scale, it's almost closer to TT120. This looks like a really good true to scale Thomas and like you said an excellent likeness.
I DCC converted mine to use on the layout, now there's a challenge.
I'm glad they fixed the chassis color on the n scale coaches
bachmann:
makes thomas in 2002 (what in the world is the face?)
makes thomas 2020 (🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩)
love the video!
I had almost forgot about Bachmann’s N Scale Thomas. It’s one of the most underrated Thomas lines.
I think so too - if only the HO/OO ones were this good!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Your review of this model has gotten very tempted to get into n scale
4:38,
I Procceded to keel over laughing, that so funny idk why.
Love the review Sam, what a tiny Thomas!
You should absolutely try n scale gordon, he's just been released and will be avaliable real soon
Also Emily, as she will be the first ever n gauge single ever
you should build a tiny narrow gauge line in N Scale to go alongside the mainline and so you can strength test them if you ever get N Scale Bogey Coaches
Yep, bachmann n scale pricing confuses me too. That said, I'm excited to see more of this range! Also, I'm not sure that's what they meant by "digest size." Lol
MIGHT have something to do with how small that mechanism is. At some point you pay for the fact it's a tiny model.
Cannot wait for that Bachmann skarloey review
Awesome video Sam
Thanks Brian!
@SamsTrains you're welcome Sam
my grandpa had an early Christmas present and it was this N gauge Thomas
should of gotten the Annie and Claribel Sam!
FANTASTICALLY FANTASTIC! By the way, if ya look closely, you’ll actually have clearly noticed that Thomas the L B S C Railway 0-6-0 E 2 class tank engine himself certainly happens to actually have his own official headlamp in the official mineral/empty wagon head code that he wears regardless of whatever task he’s doing for Sir Topham Hatt a k a the Fat Controller’s own official standard gauge North Western Railway on the magically legendary Island of Sodor respectively alongside respectfully!
Thanks David - and appreciate the info on the lamp!!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
I could be wrong, but in regards to pricing I believe it's due to the N guage Thomas being newer in comparison to the HO/OO Thomas.
I think the HO/OO Thomas is still the same casting since Bachmann first started the Thomas and Friends range around the early 2000's (which is quite a while ago now and it shows with the face for example) wheras the N guage one is only a few years old, around 2020 I think?
I feel like if Bachmann made an all new casting for the HO/OO Thomas it'd likely be more expensive or around the same price range as the N guage one
Edit: Okay, the shade towards "AEG" gave me a good chuckle, I see Sam wasn't a fan of the "reboot" either lol
You need to try Percy with some Troublesome Trucks + SC Ruffey , Toby with a set of Tankers with Toad Brake Van.
Great review and seems a great model. A consist note, normally clarabelle would face the other way with her end windows facing the rear. These coaches are actually a push pull set like autocoaches something never covered in the tv series 😊
One thing some might not be aware of why the N scale range Thomas is so tiny compare dto ither N scale trains is that he's based off his CGI Series model (which was actually leaked as rigged and textures 3D model last year!), and due to the way how he transitioned from live-action to CGI, his proportions got tinier compared to his S1-12 models (which were innitially started as scratch-built model from the pilot, then fitted eith cut-down Märklin chassis, then he was recreated fully from brass), so much so that the rest of the characters (bar James and Duck who somehow kept their proportions from Gauge 1 models) are also tinier than other HO/OO models.
Surprised you thought to start with Thomas exactly, seeing as how Percy became a massive seller as a donour for custom models like a Hornby Peckett W4, as rn he's the only 0-4-0 that has more or less decent chassis.
Thomas got reduced to the size of an ant XD
hahaha he sure did!!
S m o l T h o m a s
I did notice that despite Clarabel being a brake coach, she is missing her guard and luggage compartment
So far I have Thomas, Annie and Clarabel, James, Percy and Toby in my N gauge fleet. Just waiting on Gordon to drop next month.
Any bachmann and Williams catalog ad that ends up is Sam’s hands is in grave danger
I've always loved Thomas' coupling rods.
Specifically these ones or generally??
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Really nice to see N Scale Thomas being reviewed :)
I recommend you to get Percy or Toby someday (Henrietta is yet to be released at the end of 2024)
I think the reason for Thomas’ good performance over the points may have something to do with his wheel base. It appears that there is only one wheel at a time on the frog, thereby allowing Thomas to receive power from two axles at a time while rolling over the dead space of the frog. I’m like you, I watched the original “Thomas the Tank Engine” series on BPS when Ringo Star and George Carlin were the hosts. Although the computer generated version is ok, they still can’t compete with the live character models of the original series. I cannot believe the quality that Bachmann has put into this “toy” model, I wish they would do this with all their N scale models, however to give them credit, they are making great strides in the quality area across the whole range of products.
Well that was a pleasant surprise 😁
I didn’t think this would be that good, thanks for doing this and I look forward to other N gauge Thomas characters.
Still waiting patiently for the day when you review an N gauge diesel, maybe even one I own.
Best
Thank you! I didn't really think it'd be that good either... very pleasant surprise indeed!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Wow, I have a G scale Thomas but I have to say that these little models look great too!
Ooh wonderful - how are the G scale models??
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
So Disapointed the Coaches didn't come with a 'Snack' too..!
And for those prices you prob'ly needed the 'Snacks' to get through the Week..! 😂😂
Great review as always Sam. Well Done Young Sir..! 👍
I’m surprised you didn’t mention Clarabel being virtually identical to Annie, right down to missing the brake compartment. Generally speaking though I can’t find any practical fault with them as a whole, Thomas runs well and looks great, easily worth the purchase along w/ Annie & Clarabel.
Femtosecond!! Looks like you may have just won a bet to slip that one into a review! Well done Sam!
The n scale Thomas range is much batter than the HO range. The G scale line is also pretty great, but n scale is my favorite. Right now, I have Percy, Toby, and Thomas in N scale. They all preform brilliantly.
Dear Sam, my favourite objects and I had a great time working with you. Will you consider inviting me back onto the show? Please? I have a lot more favourite objects to show off to you and your viewers. :)
Hi Michael, lovely to hear from you - yes please that'd be brilliant - how about a second episode in a week or two??
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Sam I think the Michaelmyfavouriteobjects guy you replied to was a robot 😂 He joined UA-cam 14 minutes ago and has your face as his profile picture 😢
@@Gatherleymodeller. It's a reference to a live stream
@@RustonProductions-AVRE I know but the channel was made just before the video was posted so I think it is a bot 🤖
@Gatherleymodeller. Oh, silly me
I think the main reason for the OO and N gauge faces looking different here is the OO is modelled on the Model Thomas face from the early seasons and the N gauge one is modelled on the CGI face, which are fairly different looking.
Only thing you messed up with Annie and Clarabel was that you had Clarabel facing forward instead of backwards.
Now that you've got the Bachmann n scale Thomas. A comparison between the Bachmann one and the tomix one would be interesting.
Hi Sam. Not sure if your local or even available on Sunday 24th November 2024 but at Brockenhurst Village Hall in Brockenhurst Southampton my OO Gauge layout makes its first appearance at the exhibition. Why not come down and see it?
Finally a review on a N scale Thomas Sam lol. Maybe one day I'll get him for my layout, that is If I can find him for a good price.
Cheers Jasper & Willow
haha finally gotten around to it! I can highly recommend it!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Thomas isn't really my jam but I do enjoy seeing the miniaturisation of smaller scales. I've got quite a lot of Continental N scale and am vaguely tempted to buy some French Z scale by Azar models. Eye-watering prices, tho, given the limited market!
Kato also produced or produced the Thomas range as well, but welcome to the smaller gauges in the price. The smaller the scale the higher the price, just check out Z gauge prices.
Hey Sam just a tip for you when you decide to use thomas and annie and clarrable clarables face doesn't face the back of annie there's just a tip for you man 😅
Great video Sam, those tiny thomas models are brilliant 😁
Thanks Charlie - they're wonderful aren't they?
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains your welcome
Sam, please remember that the market for N gauge is signifficant smaller (only around third IIRC) of the 00 / HO market!
Moreover given its small size N gauge is not really suited to children as such - It’s far more likely that these will be bought by adults who already have N gauge layouts to entertain youngsters.
It’s also true that costs don’t magically shrink just because it’s N - gauge (you can’t pay the design staff less just because it’s a smaller model)
As such it stands to reason that a new N gauge release is going to be more costly to market than a decades old 00 version.
Tomix is giving the whole starter pack with thomas, annie and clarabel, oval, power unit for $185
Yeah true - but this is extremely expensive compared with other N scale models too - the Sonic J50 is far more complex and detailed and is £5 cheaper!
5:00 - Wow! A snack before dinner!
Absolutely Kenji!
@@SamsTrainsIn Transformers G1, Ravage used to eat the snacks. remember this?
Megatron: Soundwave. I can see Starscream telling you what to do. Now, Starscream.
Starscream: Soundwave, activate Ravage.
Soundwave: Ravage, transform.
Starscream: Come to Megatron.
Megatron: Starscream, you know what to do. Ask Ravage to eat the snacks from the school.
True model railroaders always get Annie and Clarabel in the wrong order. 👍
Perhaps you'll get n scale percy next with troublesome trucks
I’m honestly surprised how high Thomas did in the rankings, if you do anymore n scale Thomas reviews I would love to see you do a review on the upcoming N scale Gordon
Great review Sam. Price is unfortunately is the downside of N gauge, as is a lack of variety; many models being run once by the manufacturer. Annie and Clarabel are based on the old 4 wheel Farish coaches that they no longer manufacture (and go for a lot of money on Ebay). OO has always been more affordable with a greater range of models. Saying that, if i only had OO to choose from, i wouldn't have a railway, i just dont have the space. I think if you do a comparison between OO gauge locos and their N Gauge equivalents, You will find N will generally be more expensive (maybe an idea for a video?). Keep up the good work 🚂👍
0:16 I like that song in the Warner Chappell music.
Thanks Kenji glad you liked that!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Cheers to the team who decided that younger enthusiasts should be treated with respect, having a quality model released for them 🍻I have several 6 wheeled N gauge locomotives that run significantly worse than this one.
I have an N scale Tomix Thomas that came with Annie and Clarabel for just over $100 Australian dollars and it was much better looking and quality i think. If you can get hold of one, definitely do a comparison.
Great video Sam, a cute little engine to be honest with you, he's very cool! Gotta say though, the coupling rods don't look the best, much prefer the Hornby or Bachmann 00 gauge Thomas's! Great video as always sam!
Thanks very much Jack - yeah the rods are a little chunky, but that makes sense for what he is!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Miracle Thomas. Weren't N gauge always pricey? Fleischman back in the day (early 1980's) started at around £80 - 90 if I remember rightly. Due to having to engineer something so small means you have to be extra precise like a watchmaker.
I was expecting this video at some point .
I mean … I was expecting sam to get the n scale thomas .
Y know what is next in line . Percy !
haha yeah it had to be done... Percy on the way one day! :D
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains yeah .
Tho I recommend the scruffy truck and a sodor water tanker .
For Percy to pull something in his eventual review .
And perhaps you could combine your Thomas and regular goods wagons for the Percy review . I mean Percy is based upon a GWR saddle tank . Sooo it wouldn’t be out the question for him to pull the stock from the western rambler set .
Imagine n scale percy with scruffy truck , water tanker , gwr wagon , gwr wagon & GW toad breakvan . it would be a fairly lengthy goods train really .
And Bachman is too releasing a N scale gordon by early 2026 I think march . And as for whenever his review may come by next year or so i recon he could run with your LNER coaches .
Tho that’s for the future sam to worry about !
Very nice little Thomas 👍 Some prices make no sense I just got a set of Scale Trains Union Pacific excursion tenders from Canada for my big boy and they were a lot cheaper even with the postage and they even included a bag of gummy bears. 👍🤣👍
Gotta love the continuing war between Sam and Bachmans 300 page full color catalog lol