4:36: in the French instructions, for 2 point the 10 flech is correct Before cleaning the transformer with a cotton and alcohol, is much be disconnected
@@SamsTrains It would actually say: Warning In the French user manual in 2. point, the 10 dash is correct. Before cleaning the transformer with cotton and alcohol, it must be unplugged. ( I actually understand French so that is as accurate as you can get )
I really enjoyed this review. I actually bought the regular TGV set after seeing your review on the Cargo Train set and I have to say, it seems pretty decent for the money. Mine started fine but it did require a few minutes of break in to get it running smooth without wobbling at higher speeds. I did have some derailing issues with mine too however it's only a problem in one direction so it may be just problems with my track. I may buy another someday in a different paint scheme.
Ahh fantastic - glad to hear you're pleased with yours - yes they do seem to be quite poor out of the box, but they get much better! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I rode this last year, top deck - (essentially the ryanair of railway services in france - but actually comfortable - TGV inOui being the higher end service) and the speed they get up to is incredible.. it felt like we were flying along, and the way it took curves was fantastic!
Ouigo is a French open access rail brand , tickets purchased online only and single class service . Operate some cross country routes on low frequencies yet frequently couple up with the regular SNCF TGV services.
I have used them to Reims; just okay to be honest . French rails reputation is hyped somewhat . As regular user of the Transilien services they are dirty crowded slow and almost always graffiti encrusted . A pacer might actually be better ! Sam SNCF TGV network is left hand running (same as us) . Right hand in Netherlands and Switzerland on recent journeys
Paul Coale the set you got was one of the older "hobby line" mehano TGVs. As implied, the Hobby Line's quality and detail is WAAY better. I honestly don't get why Mehano stopped making higher end models like Hornby does.
A guy from Canada who has UA-cam train channel brought the same train had same issues. He took it to the work bench found nothing wrong except lack of oil. After he put some lubricant it ran fine.
This looks good, the livery is amazing and is well applied. The only thing I’d say for the price it is a bit cheap for what you get to be honest, you can probably get a cheap hornby railroad loco for the same price. But this does look appealing to starting modellers. Another brilliant review from you Sam! Ned
Thanks a lot Ned - yeah overall I was very impressive - and compared with the likes of Hornby, the price is actually really good! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I remember the Thalys I got as a kid for christmas. Still have it somewhere in a box. The locos are built exactly the same with the metal frame and all-wheel drive, but the coaches are the single level ones. And actually it even has proper LED lights which switch with the direction.
Hi Sam! Mine ran fine out of the box after a 40 minute run in. It does need large radius curves. The prototype doesn't take tight curves in day-to-day operation, so I didn't worry too much. Sometimes I buy a locomotive and I feel fleeced. I didn't care with this set, the imperfections were nowhere as bad as glue marks on a £200 locomotive. I just enjoy it.
Great to hear that mate - yes that's very true of all model trains in real life - they should be able to handle 3rd radius though, at least in model form!! ;D Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Sam's Trains Yes, please do a review on the Hornby Eurostar e300 starter set. I was planning to buy it as it is my favourite train. Unfortunately, there are no proper reviews on UA-cam, so I would love to see your opinion when compared to the Ouigo. Also I have the Renfe Ave S100 by Mehano from 2008 and funnily enough it has lights, an interior on both coaches (sadly still no interior cabs), I never had any derailment or performance issues with the central coaches, and it definitely did not need cleaning. It was 80 euros only the train, but still amazing value. I guess over time the company may have been struggling financially, and had to cut corners. A bit sad, but still looks great! Anyway, thanks sooo much for you amazing videos. Big fan of your work, and thanks for making the lockdown easier to manage. Take care. 🙂
I bought mine about two years ago and didn't have any problem with it. I was amazed about the value for money. Nice to see you have tested it now and think the same about it. Pity they didn't make more coaches for it. Please more video's with cheap trains (sets). Or coaches/ wagons.
Hi Sam I have bought a intermediate coach pack for the original silver and blue TGV. All wheelsets were tight and I had to remove each one and open out the plastic bearings in the bogies! The entire train now runs smoothly!
Really love your videos on the cheaper train sets! I got the Hornby Eurostar set last Christmas and I think overall it is better than the TGV. The detail is not amazing but definitely better than the TGV and the performance, mechanism and quality is at the usual Hornby standard. The shared bogie for the passenger cars works really well and looks realistic and it looks really elegant when running. I’d probably give it around an 8/10 but I would love to see what you think. Of course the value might not be quite as good but the track, trackmat and controller are quite useful. If you do decide to do a review of the Eurostar I would love to see in your opinion how it stacks up against the TGV! Thanks Sam!
Hello Sam, just got one of these sets off Amazon £38.00 !! thats why i bought it! i have a few brit models (a J52 is on route!) but mainly model North American. I have given the power unit a quick run but it is very noisy! sounds very dry so we shall see, for the money its worth messing about with,
I'm from France, thank from the review, i'm buying this one month ago, it's perfect for the price, there's no probleme on my train, it's just a good pleasure for the price ! Thank you
2:57 Boom clap The sound of the tender The beat goes on and on and on and Boom clap The sound of the coal Go in the fire go in the fire That’s what I was thinking of when it said “boom tender” at the end of crane car, LOL! 😂
4:45 to english is in the French manual, at the 2 point the 10 dash is correct before cleaning the transformer with cotton and alcohol, it must be unplugged
Not sure if you reply to old videos, but try a modern Jouef TGV set. Not the Junior, but try the DC or DCC/Sound set. It is expensive, but you should check out the drivetrain. Fair warning, they are not easy to open up, so open up the motor car, and dummy loco, with care.
I did look at this and a few other sets from the continent, some of the reviews on Amazon put me off and I decided to leave them all. Clearly some people just can’t be pleased and am glad to see you did a review, a proper review. Cheers!
It's a good model, I saw that it has excellent details in relation to the cost, Sam, you did well to review it. A good start for those who start this passion, but it can be interesting for even the most experienced!
Bought the Thalys version years ago for my son. Got a whole layout along with it with paper skyscapers. It ran perfectly straight out of the box. I remember the paintjob to be better than this Ouigo though.
Hi Sam, that connection between the carriages is called a Jacobs Bogie, they're very common with certain manufacturers and a lot of light rail. They have some big advantages but obviously they're only useful if your train is always going to be the same length!
Hi Sam, I operate 3 full length (10 parts) tgv trains of Mehano on my club layout. The layout is about 80 meter long. All of them are running over 5 years now without any derailment or fault. However they are made digital, have full interior and have weights in them. They are the professional versions offered be Mehano before they went out of business and restarted more as a toy train company instead of pro series. A shame as the pro versions are fantastic runners. Keep up de the good work.
I have the eurostar and it is Ok-ish a interior (i think),and i think its decently fast for me. It is still a Nice model. It comes with track pack A With the extended track. Its a 4 coach set with a new controller with plug. the loco is a bit heavy but im no expert. It has the coach couplings like the TGV, Inside the coach coupling it a area to push the coach into the carriage gangway where it clips in and won’t move unless you pull it out.
10:38 the small signs below the 764 (train number) are "Rame grande vitesse entretenue par les technicentres SNCF" --->"High speed train maintained by SNCF technicentres" 10:51 390t weight of the trainset (10 cars) the symbol above the wheel is the location of the fulcrum to lift the motor with the maintenance equipment (we call this chandelles/candles in French) 11:03: train manufacturer registration number
@@SamsTrains Thks ...it's easy for me..i'm french ^^ and i took TGV duplex (normal not ouigo)last Thursday between Paris and Lyon. I talked with the driver before departure about symbols on the train.I imagine you already took the real TGV ?? I prefer to take N scale for tgv with Kato .....they sell TGV duplex (two colors) ,tgv lyria ,tgv reseau duplex ,and thalys (2 scheme color)
I just bought a Tri ang M7 in br lined black for 25 pounds! Love the little features of the smoke box door and the lit up fire inside ,thanks for showing me some more bargains! ☺
Here in Canada Mehano partnered up with a grocery store chain and they made Canadian train sets every christmas,most of them are steam engines and they are pretty good
I have MEHANO (Yugoslavia/Slovenia) sets from 1980 to current. All work just fine even from 40 years ago (then they had better quality, now they are made in China) :) The transmission systems I have never greased or opened in any use case, so I can say all are very rigid and problem free...
This looks like it can be a great set for someone who comes from another dynamic model hobby and so already has the skills to look at eventual faults, but also doesn't want to spend too much to "have a look" at running model trains. Shame for the track, a simple circle is barely enough to have a look at the model running and it being steel track means that you're better off simply making a new layout from scratch rather than upgrade. All in all, I believe that with a replacement motor and a bit of paint touch up on the bogies, pantographs and corridors it can become a pretty nice model. Some clear smoke acrylic paint on the windows will also help hide the lack of an interior for those who aren't interested into making the interior from scratch, without completely blocking up the windows.
19:00 Nope France unusually runs them on the left like the UK. Been on a few Ouigos in real life and they aren’t bad, and the real ones have interiors. Would have travelled on one at the end of this month but that’s all been cancelled now.
In most of France the trains run on the left. The exception is the Alsace-Moselle region where they run on the right (as they do in Germany). The trains change sides as they enter Alsace-Moselle
They have done all manner of TGV for years now, with some of the more "Premium" ones available with DCC even. In Germany many years ago there was even an offer by ALDI, with various Mehano trainsets, including an AGV and TGV. They weren't amazing, but they are pretty good starting material for when your kid is interested but you want to see what becomes of the product in the hands of them.
@@SamsTrains Well don't expect miracles. The "premium" aspect was just DCC ready and DCC fitted options. They did have things like an American steamer with DCC sound and smoke though. The electronics retailer "Conrad Electronics" in Germany used to offer a lot of Mehano stuff.
The connections between the two cars is actually pretty normal for some hst’s. I was kind of surprised to see that. As for the interior it looks like it would make for a good project. That’s just my opinion really. As always , awesome job Sam.
Hey Sam, I had a Mehano TGV Tricourant which is a single deck version of the Ouigo in a different livery. For me, it ran straight out of the box but slow speed was non existent! I think for the price they are a great set. Thanks for the good review!
Sam it would say: Warning In the French user manual in 2. point, the 10 dash is correct. Before cleaning the transformer with cotton and alcohol, it must be unplugged.
Another comment from France . The contents list on the box is for another train set entirely , the one mentioned on the box comes with a diesel loco a recovery crane and a wagon . Love the reviews Sam .
Great and interesting review Sam, at 2:55 it says 'includes diesel loco', but yet the loco is clearly electric as they have pantographs. Really confusing!
well, the Ouigo is a cheap-fare train so it makes sense it was turned into an inexpensive model train set! 2:57 that description is from the other Mehano diesel train, which came with a crane car 16:00 I have two worm-drive steam locomotives and they tend to jam up. Although one I was able to fix so that it doesn't jam up anymore In France, the trains run on the left-hand track like the British, but the roadways are set up to be driven on the right side, so running it like that on the middle line was correct. You should do that more often
At 15:38 you have seen something a bit like this with a worm drive to each axle. Standard on most Tri-ang designed motor bogies from the first around 1955 to the 1980s change to Ringfield and spur gears. Eg your circa 1958 R.253 Tri-ang Dock shunter. Although Tri-ang had the armature centred on the worm shaft, without extra jointed shafts to a central motor. Still prefer a good all wheel drive design with a good central motor, but the Tri-ang design gave such good service over the years. Especially those with ball bearings held by a self aligning bronze bearing at each end as in the earlier four wheel designs like the Dock shunter bogie.
Hi Sam. I thought you might like to know that this train set is also sold by the French firm Jouef, which is distributed in the UK by Hornby. The Jouef set has what appears to be a Hornby controller. At the time of writing, on Amazon the Jouef set is £7 cheaper than the Mehano one, though of course Mehano controllers are superior to Hornby ones! Lol. Which one would I buy? Probably the Jouef seeing as Hornby distribute them, but power it up with a Mehano controller. Thoughts? Best, Pete.
I don't know - are you sure it's the same set? I assumed the Jouef one was a different one? Definitely interested to try a Jouef one! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains It's different packaging design on the front and has a Hornby controller. Reviews on Amazon not favourable, mainly due to the controller. Take a look. Best, Pete.
After 30 years finally bought two new Mehano sets. Than it was a dometic product now it is a neighboring state product made in China. Good quality for money but also had to grind corners on coach to runn smoth on 457mm radius.
I find myself very intrigued by the trains in the background when you do the ratings. The one in the top dies not seem to have a loco in there. Just a point of observation... Great channel Sam. Keep up the good work mate.
For those on a budget this set would be ideal, It's a damn sight cheaper than Hornby's APT set, which you wouldn't get much change from £500. This set could be ideal for modders, fitting of lights, interiors etc shouldn't be that difficult, even smoothing out the edges of the printed logo wouldn't be too difficult either. From the money you save by buying this set compared to others you could spend a bit more and have a great looking and performing train. Another good and as always honest review, Sam! :)
At 4:36 it says that there is an error in the French language manual, point 2.10 and what it should say about unplugging the transformer before cleaning it with cotton and alcohol. As long as people stick to the English text, they should be fine.
Hi Sam. Although I have yet to test it out, I now have the Jouef version of this train. As Jouef is owned and distributed by Hornby, it is basically a Hornby train set under the name of Jouef. I think it will be a superior version to the Mehano set: nickel silver track, red rerailer, power track piece, owners manual and track mat. The controller is the usual bog standard Hornby one and the adapter is 2 pin. I think only the rear bogies on the power car pick up, unlike the Mehano one, in which both bogies pick up. Maybe get it and review it? I did have to clean the pickup wheels as, like the Mehano ones, they were filthy. By the way, I am running in the power car now. At the time of writing it's still only £70.72 from Amazon. Pete.
Thanks a lot for sharing Pete - do let me know whether or not there are any major differences! I'd be very interested to try one myself! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains Hi again Sam. The major difference is that the power car is far smoother and much less noisy than the Mehano one, as well as all the extras I mentioned earlier. I don't know why, but the Mehano coach needs a big power surge from the controller to get it running and it shakes if turning the wheels using power leads manually, unlike needing just a slow, gentle increase in power from the controller. I would appreciate knowing why this might be and how to disassemble the mechanism and try and see where and what the problem is. Incidentally, if you were to get a set from a UK retailer, (I bought a similar set from Gaugemaster recently) the power adaptor would have a 3 pin plug. Looking forward to hearing from you, Pete.
The coach articulation using a shared bogie goes back a long way. Gresley first introduced articulation in passenger stock in 1907 using converted vehicles, but in 1911 he produced some articulated suburban stock for the GNR. These were articulated pairs and were later rebuilt as four-coach ('Quadart') units. From 1921-9 further 'Quadart' compartment stock was built with an eventual total of 97 GNR and LNER sets. Two 'Quadarts' formed an eight-coach train. Because of their high seating capacity they were popular with the operators and some continued in traffic until April 1966. One set is preserved by the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway Society at the North Norfolk Railway. Gresley's first major job was on coaching matters. This design means more seats in a given length. Less space wasted between coaches.
I'd really do some work on this one, replace the motor with a proper 5 pole one, paint the moulded plastic details, because the finish on them is terrible, touch up some of the finer detail, perhaps replace pantographs etc.
I have the Mehano Thalys high speed train pack that has directional lights in both loco and dummy car. Detail & quality a little better than the one you just reviewed, mechanically is the same with exception of traction tyres which I know you dislike Sam! I think my model was produced in the early 2000’s & I picked it up off eBay for a reasonable price
The worm drive in the bogie reminds me of the old Gützold models from East Germany. Especially their diesel locos such as the East German class 118. Those models were pretty much indestructable. I have one that I bought second hand. The cast metal lower chassis also looks somewhat similar to your TGV, so maybe there is a common ancestry of some sort there?
Hi Sam, have sent you an email to your Outlook box about a Mehano Thalys train pack I bought the other day. Problems about lack of freewheeling on the coaches. Possible solution could also be the non-powered motor coach being almost as heavy as the powered one (has light fittings). Hope you can help. Best, Pete.
Hornby arnt always going to run perfectly out the box. The hornby granges front bogie can often jump off the rails due to its lack of weight. Any ideas on how to prevent this problem?
Had the normal TGV Duplex from Mehano when I was in childhood. Liked it. Sad that i was not able to find some more coaches to make the train longer, Hope that Mehano will produce them for this one, it will be great to have it on its original length.
Hello Sam, if you're looking for a good value for your buck train set, try the Piko ICE 3 starter set. I paid around 130 bucks for it, came with some nice Piko nickel silver track as well. You should put it under your radar.
I have the spanish AVE, very similar to this one. runs pretty well, and it has white lights on the front and red ones on the rear as well, which change when you change the direction
Have become addicted,to your videos.Very informative.Answers lots of questions,I would ask.What is the best scale for 1/50 trucks,cranes, and various types of plant?G scale is too big,OO scale is way too small.I would like to transfer containers,from road,to rail.There are models of machines(excavators)that can travel on rails.
Thank so much! That's a good question - I've never actually owned anything like that, sorry not to be of any help on those :( Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Still a solid train set. I feel these European companies can learn a lot from North American starter sets, some of which (like Athearn, Atlas, and Walthers) tend to have dual flywheels and 5-pole motors. They’re often DCC ready which makes it easier to upgrade it if you go up to DCC and/or want to run it at the club
Very modern of you, Sam. Good to have a mix of Engines old and new and a great deal. The name “Ouigo” sounds like the word “Ouija, or Ouiji”. Luckily this set is not cursed. Otherwise, you might summon the ghosts of the long lost engine classes that were entirely scrapped long ago, seeking revenge on the cutter who possesses the torch.
wel its better then the paddington set, but is it as cheap as the RAF one? which were just basic models at a higher price but you do get 2 extra coaches so that is quite good, mind you all depends on how they run,
Interesting review Sam . Always fancied a TGV but as I model U.K. I’ve resisted so far . I wonder if they do intermediate coaches . Must have a look at Mehano range
Thanks a lot Russell - they don't seem to offer any extra coaches, which is a great shame - the loco could easily haul them! :( Thanks for watching - Sam :)
And... Heeeeeeeere OUIGO! Very fitting, Sam! You make "Economical" run VERY well! At the high speed, I wondered about that S-Curve home (imagine those living there looking out their window, eeeeeks!), but success is a good thing you have presented. By the way, with the set being Mehano, would you say this French HST is actually HO 1:87? Hmmm. John West Canada
I would buy one but im more of a steam engine fan and it would not look good on my layout but for the money i think its worth it because i payed almost 20 pounds more for my Hornby Henry model and it broke 2 weeks later and i had to repair it it works fine now but ill have to get a new valve gear
Kind of intrigued by duplex coaches (I've probably been on one myself for a couple trips to Chicago); with my G16 and Y10 Thomas OCs, I've been considering the family who owns them reside in a renovated duplex coach (or two) kept with the engines in their shed.
Hi Sam, Have you seen how the Hornby Beatles’ Yellow Submarine coaches are connected together? Have a closer look. It looks very similar to this SNCF model. There’s more of this on the extra Yellow Submarine coaches too. I have ordered both a train pack and the extra coaches for the Hornby Yellow Submarine, so I am hoping it goes round corners better than the French model! Jim
I honestly wish I could send him a lionel train, one of the higher models that has insane detail, weighs a dumb amount but looks absolutely amazing and runs even better, I feel like he'd be amazed by it
Note: the trains in most parts of France are left-hand running because the first French railways were built by British engineers. In Alsace and Lorraine, however, they're right-hand running because most of the railways in that part of the country were built by the Germans when they administered that region from 1870 to 1918.
Not an expert and Im not Sam:) but 60 pounds seems to be a really tight budget. Youd have the most luck searching on second hand websites, stores and those things people sell their trains at. Train fairs or something? Perhaps Mehano has something.
One of my first Train Sets from Mehano was the TGV Duplex,pretty fimiliar to the Ouigo Set. It was pretty cheap around christmastime available at Aldi. No kidding! What the hell could go wrong for 39€? So I've bought one and I was amazingly suprised about it. The loco didn't have the connection problems like the one from Sam, but I've got the same problem with the boogie. Curves in the R1/R2 were a little bit problematic, but with the same solution as Sam did, it worked pretty well.
I feel this could be a nice project for someone who wants to practice their skills at upgrading models if you're into that thing (i.e. changing the grills for etched brass or whatever).
HI Sam, First off thank you for covering the newer Train Sets. I used to have the 2005 Mehano "RENFE" Spanish TGV that was known as the AVE S-100 and that pack was much better because it has interiors in the carriages and the power unit had a better motor (mine was a "Mashima" type which was very smooth) and the power unit had a DCC board for 8 pin as well. It was one of the Made in Slovenia sets and it was a smooth runner. The packs from 2005 come in blue boxes and I would recommend trying them if you get one Sam. They are lot better than the train sets in my opinion which to be honest. They look very cheap and nasty compared to the older models. Mehano is now owned by Lemke as I have four of their Blue Tiger models. The newer ones are very nice models and match the quality of the older ones. If the Blue Tiger model should interest you Sam. I have done a review of one of mine that is the older Made in Slovenia model and I will be posting a video of one of my newer "Made in China models that will be the first video to come in August mate. I just thought I would mention those as I now cover European HO scale model trains from various makes. If you decide to get one of the Blue Tiger models Sam, please be careful to not buy the 3 rail AC version because it will short out the 2 rail system. I learned this the hard way recently which tripped out my controller. I am glad to be back as UA-cam thought it was a good idea to unsub me :(. All the best mate and please keep up the great videos. Ash.
I recently got this (along with the cargo train), it's insanely noisy (like a mini lawnmower) compared to this video. Did you alter the audio to quiet it, or should I dive into the loco to take a look? Thanks if you see/reply to this Ps - The crawl seems to be very good compared to the video which is odd
I have just bought one of these sets,the loco is very noisey but ithink it comes from a possibly DRY transmission? i havnt had the top off yet but it sounds like a little lube may be required.
Should be mentioned that Mehano sells several different TGV sets and an ICE 3 set for the same price as this, so if you don't like this livery there are a few other options and one is a more traditional TGV look.
Nice video, this loco would look incredible weathered and with lights, maybe even 3d printed interiors for coaches and cabs! I'm sure I'm not alone saying I would love to you do that filmed as a project.
I love UA-camrs like you who take their time to respond to any comments asking questions
Thanks so much - I do my best! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
@@SamsTrains shinkansen tgv
新幹線 TGV ( シンカリオン )
4:36: in the French instructions, for 2 point the 10 flech is correct
Before cleaning the transformer with a cotton and alcohol, is much be disconnected
Ahh fair enough - how strange!! :O
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Yes, I didn't have time to read it all but "avertissement" means "warning", nothing to do with advertising, but averting danger.
@@SamsTrains It would actually say: Warning
In the French user manual in 2. point, the 10 dash is correct.
Before cleaning the transformer with cotton and alcohol, it must be unplugged.
( I actually understand French so that is as accurate as you can get )
There are some serious logo simularityes
@@lachlancurry8425 Actually yes, for my part I tried to translate it in english but...I'm not a pro 😂
I really enjoyed this review. I actually bought the regular TGV set after seeing your review on the Cargo Train set and I have to say, it seems pretty decent for the money. Mine started fine but it did require a few minutes of break in to get it running smooth without wobbling at higher speeds. I did have some derailing issues with mine too however it's only a problem in one direction so it may be just problems with my track. I may buy another someday in a different paint scheme.
Ahh fantastic - glad to hear you're pleased with yours - yes they do seem to be quite poor out of the box, but they get much better! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I rode this last year, top deck - (essentially the ryanair of railway services in france - but actually comfortable - TGV inOui being the higher end service) and the speed they get up to is incredible.. it felt like we were flying along, and the way it took curves was fantastic!
When i saw “ultra cheap” i was disappointed not to see El chipo 😂
haha I know - he'll be taking videos like this from now on! ;D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
*ouigo*
translate:
yes go.
this raises some questions
here we go
haha! ;D
Ouigo is a French open access rail brand , tickets purchased online only and single class service . Operate some cross country routes on low frequencies yet frequently couple up with the regular SNCF TGV services.
@@keithdoherty8809 yes i understand that but i was making a joke
I have used them to Reims; just okay to be honest . French rails reputation is hyped somewhat . As regular user of the Transilien services they are dirty crowded slow and almost always graffiti encrusted . A pacer might actually be better !
Sam SNCF TGV network is left hand running (same as us) . Right hand in Netherlands and Switzerland on recent journeys
I’ve got their Thalys set plus the additional coaches to make the full length set. All coaches have interiors and runs perfectly.
Ahh fantastic - that sounds much better then!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Paul Coale the set you got was one of the older "hobby line" mehano TGVs. As implied, the Hobby Line's quality and detail is WAAY better. I honestly don't get why Mehano stopped making higher end models like Hornby does.
A guy from Canada who has UA-cam train channel brought the same train had same issues. He took it to the work bench found nothing wrong except lack of oil. After he put some lubricant it ran fine.
This looks good, the livery is amazing and is well applied. The only thing I’d say for the price it is a bit cheap for what you get to be honest, you can probably get a cheap hornby railroad loco for the same price. But this does look appealing to starting modellers.
Another brilliant review from you Sam!
Ned
Thanks a lot Ned - yeah overall I was very impressive - and compared with the likes of Hornby, the price is actually really good! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I remember the Thalys I got as a kid for christmas. Still have it somewhere in a box. The locos are built exactly the same with the metal frame and all-wheel drive, but the coaches are the single level ones. And actually it even has proper LED lights which switch with the direction.
Ooh awesome - that sounds really lovely actually! :O
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
me: mom can you buy me a tgv
mom: we already a tgv at home
tgv at home:
haha!! ;D
Hi Sam!
Mine ran fine out of the box after a 40 minute run in. It does need large radius curves. The prototype doesn't take tight curves in day-to-day operation, so I didn't worry too much.
Sometimes I buy a locomotive and I feel fleeced. I didn't care with this set, the imperfections were nowhere as bad as glue marks on a £200 locomotive.
I just enjoy it.
Great to hear that mate - yes that's very true of all model trains in real life - they should be able to handle 3rd radius though, at least in model form!! ;D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Would definitely be interested in a review of the Eurostar and thanks for yet another great video.
Thanks Jason - I'd love that for sure! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Sam'sTrains definitly make a review on that😁
Sam's Trains Yes, please do a review on the Hornby Eurostar e300 starter set. I was planning to buy it as it is my favourite train. Unfortunately, there are no proper reviews on UA-cam, so I would love to see your opinion when compared to the Ouigo.
Also I have the Renfe Ave S100 by Mehano from 2008 and funnily enough it has lights, an interior on both coaches (sadly still no interior cabs), I never had any derailment or performance issues with the central coaches, and it definitely did not need cleaning. It was 80 euros only the train, but still amazing value. I guess over time the company may have been struggling financially, and had to cut corners. A bit sad, but still looks great!
Anyway, thanks sooo much for you amazing videos. Big fan of your work, and thanks for making the lockdown easier to manage. Take care. 🙂
@@SamsTrains are you still going to review the Eurostar
I bought mine about two years ago and didn't have any problem with it. I was amazed about the value for money. Nice to see you have tested it now and think the same about it. Pity they didn't make more coaches for it. Please more video's with cheap trains (sets). Or coaches/ wagons.
Great to hear yours was okay - yes the value for money is excellent! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
The shade of blue for this TGV locomotive matches the shade of blue on your shirt! :P
haha that's true actually, awesome! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Hi Sam I have bought a intermediate coach pack for the original silver and blue TGV. All wheelsets were tight and I had to remove each one and open out the plastic bearings in the bogies! The entire train now runs smoothly!
Uh oh - sorry you had to do that Nigel, glad you were able to fix it though!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Really love your videos on the cheaper train sets! I got the Hornby Eurostar set last Christmas and I think overall it is better than the TGV. The detail is not amazing but definitely better than the TGV and the performance, mechanism and quality is at the usual Hornby standard. The shared bogie for the passenger cars works really well and looks realistic and it looks really elegant when running. I’d probably give it around an 8/10 but I would love to see what you think. Of course the value might not be quite as good but the track, trackmat and controller are quite useful. If you do decide to do a review of the Eurostar I would love to see in your opinion how it stacks up against the TGV!
Thanks Sam!
Thanks very much for that Harry - glad to hear that, I must try the Hornby Eurostar! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Hello Sam, just got one of these sets off Amazon £38.00 !! thats why i bought it! i have a few brit models (a J52 is on route!) but mainly model North American.
I have given the power unit a quick run but it is very noisy! sounds very dry so we shall see, for the money its worth messing about with,
Getting my first Ho scale Train set in August I'm so excited!!!
Amazing!! Really hope you enjoy it! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I'm from France, thank from the review, i'm buying this one month ago, it's perfect for the price, there's no probleme on my train, it's just a good pleasure for the price ! Thank you
2:57 Boom clap
The sound of the tender
The beat goes on and on and on and
Boom clap
The sound of the coal
Go in the fire go in the fire
That’s what I was thinking of when it said “boom tender” at the end of crane car, LOL! 😂
haha awesome!! :D
4:45 to english is
in the French manual, at the 2 point the 10 dash is correct before cleaning the transformer with cotton and alcohol, it must be unplugged
When I see the bogie detail I'm thinking 'Gummy Bears' :-)
Yeah the material does look strange doesn't it?!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Always a pleasure watching your reviews. Many thanks :-)
My friend just started model trains and i recommend ur beginner vid now he is a daily watcher
That's awesome - thanks so much for recommending me! :D
Mehano also makes a TGV. Also i Need this set! Anyways great video! :D
Northern Virginia Railfan they make the TGV Inoui, just looked at it in the shop yesterday, about 100 euros.
Yes they do - there are a few different versions of these! 100 euros sounds pretty decent! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Hey Sam I have a question? Does the ouigo TGV can go on OO gauge track?
Speed train
Hmm yes the floor here is made out of floor
haha!! ;D
Not sure if you reply to old videos, but try a modern Jouef TGV set. Not the Junior, but try the DC or DCC/Sound set. It is expensive, but you should check out the drivetrain. Fair warning, they are not easy to open up, so open up the motor car, and dummy loco, with care.
I did look at this and a few other sets from the continent, some of the reviews on Amazon put me off and I decided to leave them all. Clearly some people just can’t be pleased and am glad to see you did a review, a proper review. Cheers!
haha thanks Stephen - they're certainly not perfect, but easily worth the asking price! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I hope u review Jouef tgvs (a company hornby owns) as I’m not sure if the value for money is good for their sets.
It's a good model, I saw that it has excellent details in relation to the cost, Sam, you did well to review it. A good start for those who start this passion, but it can be interesting for even the most experienced!
Thanks Jena - yeah I agree, overall really pleased with this one! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Bought the Thalys version years ago for my son. Got a whole layout along with it with paper skyscapers. It ran perfectly straight out of the box. I remember the paintjob to be better than this Ouigo though.
Great to hear that!! You were much luckier than I was!! ;D
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Hi Sam, that connection between the carriages is called a Jacobs Bogie, they're very common with certain manufacturers and a lot of light rail. They have some big advantages but obviously they're only useful if your train is always going to be the same length!
Duly noted - many thanks for the info on this! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I was about to say the same thing- yep Jacobs bogies, the Eurostar has them too!
Hi Sam,
I operate 3 full length (10 parts) tgv trains of Mehano on my club layout. The layout is about 80 meter long. All of them are running over 5 years now without any derailment or fault. However they are made digital, have full interior and have weights in them. They are the professional versions offered be Mehano before they went out of business and restarted more as a toy train company instead of pro series. A shame as the pro versions are fantastic runners.
Keep up de the good work.
Wow! That sounds superb - I didn't know there was a 'pro' version!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I have the eurostar and it is Ok-ish a interior (i think),and i think its decently fast for me. It is still a Nice model. It comes with track pack A With the extended track. Its a 4 coach set with a new controller with plug. the loco is a bit heavy but im no expert.
It has the coach couplings like the TGV, Inside the coach coupling it a area to push the coach into the carriage gangway where it clips in and won’t move unless you pull it out.
Thanks a lot for letting me know - I would be very interested to try it! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
hi sam i bought a mehano tgv both the ouigo and atlantigue they both had no problems but they will stutter sevearly with no runnning in
10:38 the small signs below the 764 (train number) are "Rame grande vitesse entretenue par les technicentres SNCF" --->"High speed train maintained by SNCF technicentres"
10:51 390t weight of the trainset (10 cars)
the symbol above the wheel is the location of the fulcrum to lift the motor with the maintenance equipment (we call this chandelles/candles in French)
11:03: train manufacturer registration number
Many thanks for this - duly noted! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
@@SamsTrains Thks ...it's easy for me..i'm french ^^ and i took TGV duplex (normal not ouigo)last Thursday between Paris and Lyon.
I talked with the driver before departure about symbols on the train.I imagine you already took the real TGV ??
I prefer to take N scale for tgv with Kato .....they sell TGV duplex (two colors) ,tgv lyria ,tgv reseau duplex ,and thalys (2 scheme color)
I just bought a Tri ang M7 in br lined black for 25 pounds! Love the little features of the smoke box door and the lit up fire inside ,thanks for showing me some more bargains! ☺
Ahh fantastic price - yeah I love those models too! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Here in Canada Mehano partnered up with a grocery store chain and they made Canadian train sets every christmas,most of them are steam engines and they are pretty good
Yeah I've heard about that - it's super cool! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I have MEHANO (Yugoslavia/Slovenia) sets from 1980 to current. All work just fine even from 40 years ago (then they had better quality, now they are made in China) :)
The transmission systems I have never greased or opened in any use case, so I can say all are very rigid and problem free...
Very interesting mate - thanks a lot for sharing! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
There is also a Company owned by Hornby called Jouef also makes Tgvs.
This looks like it can be a great set for someone who comes from another dynamic model hobby and so already has the skills to look at eventual faults, but also doesn't want to spend too much to "have a look" at running model trains. Shame for the track, a simple circle is barely enough to have a look at the model running and it being steel track means that you're better off simply making a new layout from scratch rather than upgrade.
All in all, I believe that with a replacement motor and a bit of paint touch up on the bogies, pantographs and corridors it can become a pretty nice model. Some clear smoke acrylic paint on the windows will also help hide the lack of an interior for those who aren't interested into making the interior from scratch, without completely blocking up the windows.
Yes I agree with you there mate - thanks a lot for sharing! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
19:00 Nope France unusually runs them on the left like the UK. Been on a few Ouigos in real life and they aren’t bad, and the real ones have interiors. Would have travelled on one at the end of this month but that’s all been cancelled now.
Ahh okay - at least I know now!!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
It’s weird but I guess it’s more familiar for us. Good review as always
In most of France the trains run on the left. The exception is the Alsace-Moselle region where they run on the right (as they do in Germany). The trains change sides as they enter Alsace-Moselle
They have done all manner of TGV for years now, with some of the more "Premium" ones available with DCC even. In Germany many years ago there was even an offer by ALDI, with various Mehano trainsets, including an AGV and TGV. They weren't amazing, but they are pretty good starting material for when your kid is interested but you want to see what becomes of the product in the hands of them.
Ahh fantastic - I'd love to see some of the more premium ones!! :O
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
@@SamsTrains Well don't expect miracles. The "premium" aspect was just DCC ready and DCC fitted options. They did have things like an American steamer with DCC sound and smoke though. The electronics retailer "Conrad Electronics" in Germany used to offer a lot of Mehano stuff.
The connections between the two cars is actually pretty normal for some hst’s.
I was kind of surprised to see that.
As for the interior it looks like it would make for a good project. That’s just my opinion really. As always , awesome job Sam.
Awesome - I've never had a train with that before!! Absolutely - it would make a great project! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Hey Sam,
I had a Mehano TGV Tricourant which is a single deck version of the Ouigo in a different livery. For me, it ran straight out of the box but slow speed was non existent! I think for the price they are a great set. Thanks for the good review!
Ahh fantastic - yeah I've seen those! Yes sadly the slow speed isn't very good :(
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Sam it would say: Warning
In the French user manual in 2. point, the 10 dash is correct.
Before cleaning the transformer with cotton and alcohol, it must be unplugged.
Thanks a lot for this Lachlan - appreciate it! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Another comment from France . The contents list on the box is for another train set entirely , the one mentioned on the box comes with a diesel loco a recovery crane and a wagon . Love the reviews Sam .
haha that's very interesting - a bit lazy of them not to update the text then! ;D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
@@SamsTrains Probably a translation issue at the manufacturing plant 😄😉
Great and interesting review Sam, at 2:55 it says 'includes diesel loco', but yet the loco is clearly electric as they have pantographs. Really confusing!
haha yeah - I think that was a misprint, lol! ;D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
well, the Ouigo is a cheap-fare train so it makes sense it was turned into an inexpensive model train set!
2:57 that description is from the other Mehano diesel train, which came with a crane car
16:00 I have two worm-drive steam locomotives and they tend to jam up. Although one I was able to fix so that it doesn't jam up anymore
In France, the trains run on the left-hand track like the British, but the roadways are set up to be driven on the right side, so running it like that on the middle line was correct. You should do that more often
Yeah exactly - it makes the perfect budget model!! Yeah you're right - a bit of a cock up wasn't it?! ;D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
At 15:38 you have seen something a bit like this with a worm drive to each axle.
Standard on most Tri-ang designed motor bogies from the first around 1955 to the 1980s change to Ringfield and spur gears. Eg your circa 1958 R.253 Tri-ang Dock shunter. Although Tri-ang had the armature centred on the worm shaft, without extra jointed shafts to a central motor.
Still prefer a good all wheel drive design with a good central motor, but the Tri-ang design gave such good service over the years. Especially those with ball bearings held by a self aligning bronze bearing at each end as in the earlier four wheel designs like the Dock shunter bogie.
Yes actually that's very true John - good point!! Though usually those stopped at 2 worms, this had 4!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Great! This tgv ouigo work on digital or analog? If its analog , can a digital decoder be mounted? You opened it?
Hi Sam. I thought you might like to know that this train set is also sold by the French firm Jouef, which is distributed in the UK by Hornby. The Jouef set has what appears to be a Hornby controller.
At the time of writing, on Amazon the Jouef set is £7 cheaper than the Mehano one, though of course Mehano controllers are superior to Hornby ones! Lol.
Which one would I buy? Probably the Jouef seeing as Hornby distribute them, but power it up with a Mehano controller.
Thoughts? Best, Pete.
I don't know - are you sure it's the same set? I assumed the Jouef one was a different one? Definitely interested to try a Jouef one! :D
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains It's different packaging design on the front and has a Hornby controller. Reviews on Amazon not favourable, mainly due to the controller. Take a look.
Best, Pete.
After 30 years finally bought two new Mehano sets. Than it was a dometic product now it is a neighboring state product made in China. Good quality for money but also had to grind corners on coach to runn smoth on 457mm radius.
That's fantastic - yes good value, but there are issues as you described! Hope you enjoy though,
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Can you review the Bachman
Salty and Diesel? (Theirs 2 Diesels, 1 has a happy face and the other has a grumpy one.)
Great idea - I'd love that!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I find myself very intrigued by the trains in the background when you do the ratings. The one in the top dies not seem to have a loco in there.
Just a point of observation...
Great channel Sam. Keep up the good work mate.
haha yes - just a camera trick I'm afraid! ;D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
When I noticed it's just repeating all the time it drove me insane
lol....Doing my head in....
For those on a budget this set would be ideal, It's a damn sight cheaper than Hornby's APT set, which you wouldn't get much change from £500. This set could be ideal for modders, fitting of lights, interiors etc shouldn't be that difficult, even smoothing out the edges of the printed logo wouldn't be too difficult either. From the money you save by buying this set compared to others you could spend a bit more and have a great looking and performing train. Another good and as always honest review, Sam! :)
Absolutely - even though it'll be no comparison to the APT, no doubt the value for money here will be much better!!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
At 4:36 it says that there is an error in the French language manual, point 2.10 and what it should say about unplugging the transformer before cleaning it with cotton and alcohol.
As long as people stick to the English text, they should be fine.
Ahh thanks for this - duly noted! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Hi Sam. Although I have yet to test it out, I now have the Jouef version of this train. As Jouef is owned and distributed by Hornby, it is basically a Hornby train set under the name of Jouef. I think it will be a superior version to the Mehano set: nickel silver track, red rerailer, power track piece, owners manual and track mat. The controller is the usual bog standard Hornby one and the adapter is 2 pin.
I think only the rear bogies on the power car pick up, unlike the Mehano one, in which both bogies pick up. Maybe get it and review it? I did have to clean the pickup wheels as, like the Mehano ones, they were filthy. By the way, I am running in the power car now. At the time of writing it's still only £70.72 from Amazon. Pete.
Thanks a lot for sharing Pete - do let me know whether or not there are any major differences! I'd be very interested to try one myself! :D
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains Hi again Sam. The major difference is that the power car is far smoother and much less noisy than the Mehano one, as well as all the extras I mentioned earlier. I don't know why, but the Mehano coach needs a big power surge from the controller to get it running and it shakes if turning the wheels using power leads manually, unlike needing just a slow, gentle increase in power from the controller. I would appreciate knowing why this might be and how to disassemble the mechanism and try and see where and what the problem is.
Incidentally, if you were to get a set from a UK retailer, (I bought a similar set from Gaugemaster recently) the power adaptor would have a 3 pin plug. Looking forward to hearing from you, Pete.
The coach articulation using a shared bogie goes back a long way.
Gresley first introduced articulation in passenger stock in 1907 using converted vehicles, but in 1911 he produced some articulated suburban stock for the GNR. These were articulated pairs and were later rebuilt as four-coach ('Quadart') units. From 1921-9 further 'Quadart' compartment stock was built with an eventual total of 97 GNR and LNER sets.
Two 'Quadarts' formed an eight-coach train. Because of their high seating capacity they were popular with the operators and some continued in traffic until April 1966. One set is preserved by the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway Society at the North Norfolk Railway.
Gresley's first major job was on coaching matters. This design means more seats in a given length. Less space wasted between coaches.
Thanks a lot for the info John - very interesting stuff!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I'd really do some work on this one, replace the motor with a proper 5 pole one, paint the moulded plastic details, because the finish on them is terrible, touch up some of the finer detail, perhaps replace pantographs etc.
I have the Mehano Thalys high speed train pack that has directional lights in both loco and dummy car. Detail & quality a little better than the one you just reviewed, mechanically is the same with exception of traction tyres which I know you dislike Sam! I think my model was produced in the early 2000’s & I picked it up off eBay for a reasonable price
Oh wow - I've never seen Mehano with directional lights before, fantastic!!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
The worm drive in the bogie reminds me of the old Gützold models from East Germany. Especially their diesel locos such as the East German class 118. Those models were pretty much indestructable. I have one that I bought second hand. The cast metal lower chassis also looks somewhat similar to your TGV, so maybe there is a common ancestry of some sort there?
Ahh those were the same were they?? Thanks for sharing - I'll have to try one!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Hi Sam, have sent you an email to your Outlook box about a Mehano Thalys train pack I bought the other day. Problems about lack of freewheeling on the coaches. Possible solution could also be the non-powered motor coach being almost as heavy as the powered one (has light fittings). Hope you can help. Best, Pete.
Hornby arnt always going to run perfectly out the box. The hornby granges front bogie can often jump off the rails due to its lack of weight. Any ideas on how to prevent this problem?
Ahh that's a shame - I'm not sure about the Grange, I can't say I've had that problem :/
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Had the normal TGV Duplex from Mehano when I was in childhood. Liked it. Sad that i was not able to find some more coaches to make the train longer, Hope that Mehano will produce them for this one, it will be great to have it on its original length.
Ahh great to hear that - I wish I could find more coaches too, that is a shame :(
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Hello Sam, if you're looking for a good value for your buck train set, try the Piko ICE 3 starter set. I paid around 130 bucks for it, came with some nice Piko nickel silver track as well. You should put it under your radar.
Great idea - thanks very much for the suggestion! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I have the spanish AVE, very similar to this one. runs pretty well, and it has white lights on the front and red ones on the rear as well, which change when you change the direction
Ahh fantastic to hear that - the lights make it even better!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Have become addicted,to your videos.Very informative.Answers lots of questions,I would ask.What is the best scale for 1/50 trucks,cranes, and various types of plant?G scale is too big,OO scale is way too small.I would like to transfer containers,from road,to rail.There are models of machines(excavators)that can travel on rails.
Thank so much! That's a good question - I've never actually owned anything like that, sorry not to be of any help on those :(
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Still a solid train set. I feel these European companies can learn a lot from North American starter sets, some of which (like Athearn, Atlas, and Walthers) tend to have dual flywheels and 5-pole motors. They’re often DCC ready which makes it easier to upgrade it if you go up to DCC and/or want to run it at the club
Thanks mate! Ahh are those decent then? I'll have to check those out! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Sam'sTrains Yes. Bachmann USA engines aren’t too bad either, motor but with no flywheels like that TGV power car, but good slow speed performance
Very modern of you, Sam. Good to have a mix of Engines old and new and a great deal. The name “Ouigo” sounds like the word “Ouija, or Ouiji”. Luckily this set is not cursed.
Otherwise, you might summon the ghosts of the long lost engine classes that were entirely scrapped long ago, seeking revenge on the cutter who possesses the torch.
haha thanks mate - yes I do my best to mix it up!! haha that's true actually - oh ear!! ;D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I really enjoy this cheap train reviews. Thanks one more time, Sam!
Thank you Hector!! :D
Wonder if you could buy additional coaches for it? Think the real train was a 4+2 I think?
I can't see any unfortunately - though it would be great!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I have this exact same set and mine doesn't have any issues, i quese Mehano needs to work on their quality control.
wel its better then the paddington set, but is it as cheap as the RAF one? which were just basic models at a higher price but you do get 2 extra coaches so that is quite good, mind you all depends on how they run,
It's somewhere between the two - it's not quite as detailed as the RAF, but has a better mechanism!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Interesting review Sam . Always fancied a TGV but as I model U.K. I’ve resisted so far . I wonder if they do intermediate coaches . Must have a look at Mehano range
Thanks a lot Russell - they don't seem to offer any extra coaches, which is a great shame - the loco could easily haul them! :(
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I like the TGV Liverly the normal one with white paint with blue stripes.
Me too - it does look really smart! :D
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
And... Heeeeeeeere OUIGO! Very fitting, Sam! You make "Economical" run VERY well! At the high speed, I wondered about that S-Curve home (imagine those living there looking out their window, eeeeeks!), but success is a good thing you have presented.
By the way, with the set being Mehano, would you say this French HST is actually HO 1:87? Hmmm.
John West Canada
haha!! Thanks mate - with a bit of work, it ran incredibly well! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I just noticed towards the end of the video the Loco was vibrating noticeably as it was running. 23:54. The rolling stock was fine.
Yeah that's right - it does have a bit of a wobble!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
I would buy one but im more of a steam engine fan and it would not look good on my layout but for the money i think its worth it because i payed almost 20 pounds more for my Hornby Henry model and it broke 2 weeks later and i had to repair it it works fine now but ill have to get a new valve gear
That's fair enough - certainly not ideal for a steam fan, lol! ;D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Kind of intrigued by duplex coaches (I've probably been on one myself for a couple trips to Chicago); with my G16 and Y10 Thomas OCs, I've been considering the family who owns them reside in a renovated duplex coach (or two) kept with the engines in their shed.
Yeah me too - safe to say I've never seen a real one!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Hi Sam,
Have you seen how the Hornby Beatles’ Yellow Submarine coaches are connected together? Have a closer look. It looks very similar to this SNCF model. There’s more of this on the extra Yellow Submarine coaches too. I have ordered both a train pack and the extra coaches for the Hornby Yellow Submarine, so I am hoping it goes round corners better than the French model!
Jim
I'll have to look into that Jim - I've never seen their Eurostar in the flesh - hope they turn out good!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Sam'sTrains The SNCF-type connectors are visible in photos of the Yellow Submarine train on the websites of Hornby, Hatton’s or Rails of Sheffield.
I honestly wish I could send him a lionel train, one of the higher models that has insane detail, weighs a dumb amount but looks absolutely amazing and runs even better, I feel like he'd be amazed by it
That's very kind of you, but I'll try to get some myself if they're good - they do sound it!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Note: the trains in most parts of France are left-hand running because the first French railways were built by British engineers. In Alsace and Lorraine, however, they're right-hand running because most of the railways in that part of the country were built by the Germans when they administered that region from 1870 to 1918.
Ahh okay, thanks a lot for this info Luke! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
sam i want to get a locomotive with 2 pulman coaches and the track and controller for less than 60 pounds.Where can i find it?
Not an expert and Im not Sam:) but 60 pounds seems to be a really tight budget. Youd have the most luck searching on second hand websites, stores and those things people sell their trains at. Train fairs or something? Perhaps Mehano has something.
Yeah 60 might be pushing it - though you might have some luck on Ebay, if you don't mind going second hand??
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
@@SamsTrains ok thanks.
None of my Bachmann engines like tight curves they all prefer 3rd radius rather than the tighter 1st radius
One of my first Train Sets from Mehano was the TGV Duplex,pretty fimiliar to the Ouigo Set. It was pretty cheap around christmastime available at Aldi. No kidding! What the hell could go wrong for 39€? So I've bought one and I was amazingly suprised about it. The loco didn't have the connection problems like the one from Sam, but I've got the same problem with the boogie. Curves in the R1/R2 were a little bit problematic, but with the same solution as Sam did, it worked pretty well.
Ahh very nice - yes I think I've seen those too - they look awesome!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I feel this could be a nice project for someone who wants to practice their skills at upgrading models if you're into that thing (i.e. changing the grills for etched brass or whatever).
Yes you're absolutely right - for the money, you could totally do that! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Hi,👍 very nice Video, i have one question: where can i find rails that you use in this video, it looks very great
Hi have you ever demonstrated any overhead engines and is there any actual overhead operating train engines to buy 2-day
I've never demonstrated them in overhead mode - I've only ever used track for power!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
The Bachmann Big Haulers sets also come with track clips, but those are g-scale
Ahh interesting - I didn't know that! :O
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Such a beautiful set Sam! Lucky you got it for such a cheap price!
Thanks a lot Ryno - yes it was very lucky! :D
As someone who hasn't driven a model train in years, I wonder if a logarithmic speed controller would preferable for slow-speed / crawl purposes
Yeah maybe it would - good idea!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
HI Sam, First off thank you for covering the newer Train Sets. I used to have the 2005 Mehano "RENFE" Spanish TGV that was known as the AVE S-100 and that pack was much better because it has interiors in the carriages and the power unit had a better motor (mine was a "Mashima" type which was very smooth) and the power unit had a DCC board for 8 pin as well. It was one of the Made in Slovenia sets and it was a smooth runner. The packs from 2005 come in blue boxes and I would recommend trying them if you get one Sam. They are lot better than the train sets in my opinion which to be honest. They look very cheap and nasty compared to the older models. Mehano is now owned by Lemke as I have four of their Blue Tiger models. The newer ones are very nice models and match the quality of the older ones. If the Blue Tiger model should interest you Sam. I have done a review of one of mine that is the older Made in Slovenia model and I will be posting a video of one of my newer "Made in China models that will be the first video to come in August mate. I just thought I would mention those as I now cover European HO scale model trains from various makes. If you decide to get one of the Blue Tiger models Sam, please be careful to not buy the 3 rail AC version because it will short out the 2 rail system. I learned this the hard way recently which tripped out my controller. I am glad to be back as UA-cam thought it was a good idea to unsub me :(.
All the best mate and please keep up the great videos.
Ash.
No problem Ash, glad you liked seeing these! Thanks for sharing this info too - appreciate that!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I recently got this (along with the cargo train), it's insanely noisy (like a mini lawnmower) compared to this video. Did you alter the audio to quiet it, or should I dive into the loco to take a look? Thanks if you see/reply to this
Ps - The crawl seems to be very good compared to the video which is odd
I have just bought one of these sets,the loco is very noisey but ithink it comes from a possibly DRY transmission? i havnt had the top off yet but it sounds like a little lube may be required.
Should be mentioned that Mehano sells several different TGV sets and an ICE 3 set for the same price as this, so if you don't like this livery there are a few other options and one is a more traditional TGV look.
Yes very true - well worth having a look!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Just wondering, with your older era trains, why is British rolling stock shorter than American rolling stock, was it to do with the railway?
I'm not sure about that really! Perhaps our railways were better suited to shorter cars??
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Hi Sam, Sorry meant to also say that the twin worm gear goes all the way back to the old Triang diesels.
Thanks a lot mate! Yes that's very true actually - though this has four, those only had two!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Nice video, this loco would look incredible weathered and with lights, maybe even 3d printed interiors for coaches and cabs! I'm sure I'm not alone saying I would love to you do that filmed as a project.
Worm gears are pretty normal in N Scale locos, it's a reliable way to reduce speed from the motor to the drive wheels :-)
Yeah they're normal in OO too, but not one per axle - there's usually just one per bogie!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)