I feel like one of the best locos of all time is the ubiquitous "Smokey Joe" tank engine- affordable, well known and arguably the engine that many people's layouts started with.
I have one and on my layout ,which I try to keep prototypical, I still run it time to time. Plus I have 5 0,4,0s from Hornby. One is a diesel which I use to shunt the rest just sit and get run time to time.
I do wish they would update this model with a nice motor, I gave mine a tender, and hand rails and some weathering and a painted cab, I love her but that motor is a bugger.
Sam when I said "Get the 80s king class" I'll describe some of its features: Loco chassis: big chunky bearings on driving wheels, Extremely detailed bogie, space to insert an X03/X04 motor on the later ones. Loco Body: Metal Reversing rod, rivets everywhere, separately fitted handrails, metal whistles, metal copper cap chimney, buffers, reversing rod, smokebox door cab windows, metal cab supports. Tender chassis: Traction Tyres, ringfield motor. Tender body: rivets, finely detail coal I bought 6013 King Henry VIII for £30. In the end, she outperformed most of my other big engines, including my Railroad Flying Scotsman, which was £126 more than the King!😀
Dock Authority always has a special place in my heart. The light, the smell of the thing when it ran, the fact that it was basically a single bogie with a plastic shell, which a young me painted and repainted and repainted. Even with a highly detailed, prototypical layout (which i don't have), I'd have one small section of DC near a port for Dock Authority to play.
Agreed, back when DCC was beginning to trend and the Pendelino DCC sets were just released and still in their nostalgic red-on-silver Virgin livery (which I'm very proud to own, that Select is pretty much the backbone of my layout now).
Lovely to see the R253 Dock Shunter. This was the first loco I ever owned in 1957, and was the black version. Years later I also got a yellow one too. I had the silver American style diesel set at the same time. The dock shunted really CAN pull almost any load you put behind it. Stunning, and mine still works 😊 Keep up the good work!
That was really fascinating Sam and well put together. You have a very fine collection there sir. How do you keep them in such lovely condition? Thanks again.
Enjoyed this one quite a bit! I do like my HORNBY stuff, all my locos are Hornby. I recently purchased a 58001 for £25 it's actually once you get it serviced a really smooth runner, just very slow. It's about half the speed of every other loco I have in fact. Still it has BEAUTIFUL crawl capabilities! So perfect for shunting and shorter trains and even double heading!
I feel like all of they are amazing I’ve posted an ngauge video with my new loco and I Recommend it to how ever is starting for ngauge and u can buy a pack with the train but with a different colour and coaches
Very happy to see the 9F take the '70s crown! I just bought one of these for not a lot of £, a Silver Seal Evening Star from I think 1971, in any case an early one with soldered connections between loco and tender. I love it! It ran great out of the box (after some re-soldering), even if the running gear on one side shed a bolt and came apart after a while, but after a bit of work and a little carefully-applied oil - boy does she go. Very fast, more powerful than any of my other (admittedly small collection of) locos, looks boss. My 6yo son going up to his mum and telling her excitedly "Daddy bought the Evening Star" after I smuggled it home was priceless ;)
Hi Sam. Another enjoyable video and for me it's a trip down memory lane. In my opinion the Britannia I had in the late 60s (yes I'm showing my age) was possibly the best hornby loco from that era. Magnetic wheels and smoke generator and was a very fast, powerful and a smooth runner. I also had a red 0-4-0 (polly) extremely quiet and the fastest model loco I've ever seen. Keep well and stay safe. Chris.
I'm a big fan of the dock switcher as well. I bought one cheap at a train show in a custom CN paint scheme and after giving it a bit of oil it turned out to be a great runner. I wish they were still making them as they would be great budget locos for starter sets and models for beginners.
I personally think the 80s was a nice era of Hornby. When I think of Hornby nostalgia, I always think of the 1980s, but I have to be objective and say that the 9F from the 70s is the best of the bunch you picked. It is the perfect combination of playability, and detailed model, at least for the time. I am so pleased that the tooling is still used for the Railroad Range, as it is a model that a kid could play with on their carpet train set, or an adult modeler could pick up and run at an exhibition! I’ve been searching for that Railroad Evening Star for a while, but I’ve yet to find one. My apologies for the lengthy message; I’m very passionate about the 9F!
Yeah no doubt lots have nostalgia for that period - but I wasn't around then, so nostalgia doesn't play a part for me - I just go on the models themselves! Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I can see why you picked the Rocket for the 60's; it's one of the few things where they couldn't recycle and really did have to try a new approach. I also remember reading about the 2800 class in a 1996 Hornby Magazine. Something about the glowing firebox and smoke oil to make steam; I think it was available in BR Black at the time. Apparently in the modelling community the smoke units had a reputation of overheating; potentially damaging the loco. Still a very bold and innovative feature. On another note another thing I remember from the 90's was the Midlander Goods Train set. That set had so much content. In addition to a tank engine (Actually the 101 Holden Tank yet again), 4 trucks and 1 coach. It had a station halt, signal box, signal , trees and a tunnel. That is seriously impressive. It was like owning a mini model railway from the get go. Wish I'd got that back then. Still loved my Intercity 125 set I got for christmas that year; probably why Swallow Livery is my favourite to this day!
I went for the A3. I have Book Law and it is a great loco both in detail and running. Not on your list but I think the railroad Hall class deserves a shout. 3 pole motor but always runs very well and detailed enough but not so much that you are frightened to pick it up or anything falls off. A loco you can always rely on. I would love to have voted for the B12. Looks fantastic but I bought one this week and had to return it as it was a very bad runner. Hopefully I will get another one because I want to do a bit of a North Norfolk railway tribute. All the best, Darren
As a devoted Dublo collector, I take considerable umbrage with the assertion that Rovex plastic is the beginning of "Hornby Proper", as I'd say Rovex and early Triang assuredly signalled the END of Hornby Proper! But I do take your point. "Hornby as we know it today", you might say.
The change to Triang-Hornby saw the demise of the Dublo knuckle coupler in favour of the (both) terrible early Chopper and later Tension lock couplers.Playing with trains on the floor the Triang couplers were a nightmare - no kid had 'uncoupling' ramps to use the Tension lock couplers properly. We used bits of film to create ramps ... but they never worked well!
I loved my Dockyard Shunter back in the seventies. When I got my first train set and started expanding it was the first engine I bought. In fact when I came back to the hobby a couple of years back I managed to find one second hand. I still love it.
My first electric loco was the Dock Authority shunter. My mum gave it away while I wasn't looking. I had practically no track so it was never really tested. Loved the light!
This brought back many happy memories for me Sam, and I must congratulate you on your excellent collection to date...My two first locos were the Triang Green Princess, and the Blue 0-4-0 'Nelli' ...that was way back in the late 1950's...Keep up the great work...Bob
Frank Hornby who has given his name to so many OO gauge models was basically a model engineer whose Meccano company produced very robust designs, but they were too expensive. Tri-ang was a toy manufacturer who realised they could produce models more cheaply and so they won out against Hornby, ultimately taking it over. Obviously having absorbed Hornby, Tri-ang could incorporate Hornby mechanisms into their models and the Hornby models which have this ancestry are the better runners. It is so often the case that when you review a 'Hornby' model that you are dismayed to find a cheap mechanism inside! It is so difficult for manufacturers to find a sensible balance between model engineering and a cheap plastic toy! Thanks for uploading.
Thanks for the comment Allen - you're absolutely right - Tri-ang did things in a much more cost-effective way, and took off big time for sure! :D I agree - at the current prices, there's no good excuse for cheap mechanisms any more! Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I’ve got the tender driven evening star, I went to service it knowing it was a ringfield motor and coming from intercity 125s and it wasn’t to different
Hi Sam real nice video as a child of the 70’s I can say I’ve got something from each decade except the 2010’s though thanks to you and other channels I’m buying more 😅 . You should look out for a Saint class, Saint David was a lovely loco from the mid 80’s .
Cool vid, my vote is the dock shunter. A heap model, bullet proof as far as onstruction, amazing performane and made a great basis for model bashing. I turned mine into a fitiious BR loco with green livery and wasp stripes. I've also seen the turned into tramway locos with side plates, and even adapted to 0:16.5 narrow gauge locos of various types
5:30 I just bought the small blue tank engine you mentioned in the same color. It's very cute. I just got started with Hornby and got a little 0-4-0. Now this one can join it ;) It's very interesting to go trough the time and how the models and thier details changed over all the years. My favourite one is probably the Dock Shunter. It's so cute and looks quite unique. The light adds so much more play value and it runs very well. I wish I have one. Very nice video as always, Sam 👍
I'd say the radial tank is my favourite. It's been my most reliable model, loads of diecast, great motor and quality and the problems are just the occasional wheel-slip but I think that's just an unavoidable issue with the radial tank design rather than it being a fault of the model
You have an incredible collection Sam, and yes I am jealous. I have a number of the old Triang Industrial 0-4-0's, Pollie, Connie & Nellie, almost 60 years old, great play value, easily serviced and almost indestructible. I got most of them as non-runners and have yet to get one that cannot be fixed. Including postage, not one cost more than £10 so the value for money is there too. The wheel flanges are too deep for Code 75 track, but put them on Code 100 and they are fine. Like you pointed out, if the cost can be justified then the price doesn't matter, and everyone will have their own preference for the best model. But that is the beauty of this hobby, there is something for everyone!
I think the best Hornby loco has to be (this is probably the most controversial one) their premium class 08 shunter. The thing can be DCC sound fitted digitally or with TTS, the attention to detail on it is impeccable compared to other models, and despite its size, it's an absolute unit compared to others. Yes it probably doesn't look the most elegant of all of them but if anything it's the loco that manages to stay true to its real life counterpart the most compared to, say, Hornby's lacklustre takes on the class 66 and class 91. Even it's top speed is low like the real deal!
This is a good illustration of how the model railway market has changed. The locos from the 1960s are pure toys because that was the market - children. They're not particularly interested these days so we now have much more expensive models to suit much more critical adults. Having said that, the 1960s stuff was robust; my grandchildren are still playing with a lot of the items that I had when I was their age.
Sam, the 1980s - how could you forget the APT? Surely the best model from the 1980s. Tilting mechnism, lights, shared bogies, space age looks, an inspiration for young budding engineers growing up in the 1980s. A superb machine.
Hi Sam. Great video. It has inspired me for the recap on Sunday to wright down my own favourites from each decade and tell them in the recap. From Ryan 😀
to be honest, mallard is the greatest for me, cause it's so much accurate to the real one, and looks soo detailed. yet that's just my opinion so ye btw keep the great work up!
I am old enough that my first train was a Triang set for Christmas 1956. It was a 3F Jinty 0-6-0, a grey open wagon, 4 wheel tank with BP one side and SHELL on the other, a 4 wheel flat wagon with 2 cable reels and a grey brake van with a cream roof. So for nostalgic reasons, the original 3F Jinty is my favourite but you missed out the wonderfully detailed EM2 electric loco that came out as part of their short-lived CKD (Completely knocked down) assemble it yourself range. It was ahead of its time. (Ihad one of the yellow dock shunters with American style black and white stripes. It was really up there too.
Thanks for sharing John, those must have been the days! You're right about the EM2 - they were fantastic, but sadly I don't own one :( Thanks for watching - Sam :)
My set started with the A1 Flying Scotsman set. I've owned it for 5-6 years and somehow it still works fine, even though its been bashed around by 8 year old me. Very nice loco.
Hi Sam really enjoyed that, I have an original tender driven 9f I bought last year at a show. Great model especially for the age! Best wishes and keep well 😊
I have a good number of the early ones, they are probably not detailed enough for most BUT worth mentioning which of these had things like smoke units (the caledonians, dean single and probably quite a few others) and chuffing sound tenders. The railway children set was wonderful - I have a few :)
I’ve got to say there is something special about the 9F. The wheel configuration, it’s detail, the red and green livery and I guess it being the last steam class produced for British Railways. Hornby definitely got it right with that model at the time and it’s amazing to think how long it’s lasted. Never fails to impress when it’s running. I must say though the Rebuilt Merchant Navy though from the 00’s is definitely one of my favourite models...probably alongside the 9F!
Honestly, this is a tough choice for me. I pretty much like all of Hornby’s locomotives except for some (which I can’t think of), mostly a lot of these Hornby locomotives are pretty good in terms of detail and how the models age through the 1950s all the way to the present day. I can’t really list which Hornby locomotives are my favorites since it’ll take a very long time to think about it, and I got some other stuff to do along the way. But anyways, here are my favorite Hornby locomotives. My favorite Hornby locomotives are the LMS Princess Royal Class, the LMS Streamlined Coronation Class, the LNER P2, the LNER A1 Peppercorn Class/Tornado, the SR Q1, the SR 700 class, the SR Schools Class, the Terrier, the J36, and the 9F. Those were pretty much the Hornby locomotives I can think of that are my favorites. Like I said, I mostly like all of Hornby’s locomotives except for a few, but they still make great models, even to this day! So yeah, that’s my list of one of my favorite Hornby locomotives! 😃
Hi Sam - very interesting video. However do think you missed the Class 50 diesel from the 00's. When this was released it was revolutionary with its center motor driving all wheels, working fan, opening doors, clever illuminations etc. These are very detailed models and brought Hornby right back. Hope you don't mind my comment! Thanks Paul
I enjoyed seeing all those old and new locos as well as hearing your thoughts on those you liked. I think early on in the programme you casually dismiss the Hornby Dublo range in favour of the Triang products circa 50s/60s. I think you should have a closer look at these Hornby Dublo models which stood up well and were in the day more realistic than what Triang had to sell. I would recommend the Standard Class 4MT introduced by Hornby Dublo in 1954, the Castle Class introduced in 1957, the 8F 1958, the Diesel Shunter 08 1960, and the Rebuilt West Country Class 1961. There are others Dublo made but these to me stand out. Not including the true original OO Hornby locos somewhat unbalanced the first two decades of your review. Perhaps at some point you could look at these and put them up against the Triang products of the same time? All the best I do enjoy your reviews.
Thanks very much Clive, really glad you liked this! I didn't dismiss the Dublo range - I just pointed out that modern Hornby locos (that everyone knows) are descendent of the Tri-ang range, not the Hornby Dublo range. I own every Dublo steam locomotive in Wrenn form - but they weren't more realistic than Tri-ang in my opinion! Thanks for watching - Sam :)
As a kid I had the Hornby Dublo two-rail 4MT and I loved it. (All die-cast body, weighed a ton) We always said Hornby made model railways, Triang made toy trains. Triang track was attrocious but once clipped together would stay together even on carpet. I still have some Hornby and Triang track from the 60s/70s and I can still use the Hornby track together with Peco track. The Triang track is unusable. Triang locos often derailed on hornby points as the white metal wheel flanges were thicker and deeper than the gap between running and guide rails. My 4MT had nickeled brass wheels. Shame I no longer have it - my little brothers took it apart after I left home. Instead I have their Triang locos - or the remains of them.
Pleased to see you had the 50's Tri-ang Trans-Continental loco. I got this in the Tri-ang RS 15 boxed set for Christmas around 1957. I can't believe I gave this away 20 years later to a neighbours young son.
As a continental 3'rd rail modeller, I can tell that Märklins greatest model of all times is the Swiss Be 6/8II (crocodile), in all scales! That's easy.
Anyone else think that the Caledonian Pug was the basis for Percy in the Thomas series? All it needs is a small bunker there, a green paint job, and Percy's face in place of the smokebox door, and there you go!
Hi Sam. I'm so blown away by the depth of knowledge you have given the number of locos you own! Interesting that you have chosen only one diesel among all your locos. Your preference for steam? Hornby didn't release a blinder of a diesel?
Bless you Paul, many thanks for that! Yeah unfortunately that's just a limitation with my collection - I collect mostly steam! It would be great to pick up a few more Hornby diesels! Thanks for watching - Sam :)
@@SamsTrains Hi Sam. I wouldn't call a preference for steam a limitation. There is not many a diesel that holds any character for me - a Class 08 or may be the Deltic (and variants).
I would say the hornby industrial 0-4-0 (the southern one) reason - I had just gone through something that most train fans go through: a period of of time when I just wasn´t interested in trains and although I had recently gotten a Santa´s Express set for Christmas I still wasn´t that inspired to start building a layout. What did inspire me was going down to my local model shop and buying one of those industrials in the ´Kelly and sons paper mill´ livery and all of a sudden I was running my trains again. Then I went to a local train exhibition in 2019 and saw a guy selling a grey NCB version for ten pounds, I also picked up an old triang DMU for 20 quid and 4 wagons, 2 with loads and 2 weathered for 2.50 each that all up would of cost 40 pounds but the seller let me have the lot for 35 which then led me to building a layout in my cellar and discovering amazing channels such as intercity82, yourself and Budget model railways which is another reason I like that model as you can take the top of and put it on their 15 pound kits! (please have a look at them and their excellent kits - Google: Budget model railways/ Budget model railways 3D kits) also conspiracy time - what if Emily was originally going to be in the railway series and that hornby model was the locomotive she was going to be based on had she appeared.
With regards to the 2800 Sam, it is also an ex Dapol model- another major contributor as to why other models weren't being produced is that new factories were being built, a huge chunk of money being spent on them.
Great video Sam, Flying Scotsman gets my vote for the steam era. (Inter city 125 for the Diesels) two of my first locos! But flying Scotsman probably just tops it! All the best mate, Paul
You’ll have to do another one of these videos in 2030 and add the 20’s locos! I wonder how Hornby will have changed/improved by then. It will be interesting to find out!
Sam your such an inspiration someday love have a cool layout like yours and have more engines I only have 1 working locomotive but someday I’ll have more when you upload you make me feel really happy your amazing keep it up! =)
That was a very interesting way to look at the history on model trains. Maybe do a wagon/coach version as well? I find it impossible to choose, because the criteria for the early models are different than for the later ones. There's no obvious choice as far as I'm concerned.
My favourite hornby loco to date is duchess of Buccleugh LMS 6230. Just bought it not the latest tooling but an absolute bargain which helps, in great condition. 2nd fave Golden Plover A4’s from 2000 ‘s. Third J 36 722 which will return to no 1 when I get over how good Duchess of Buccleugh is. Also J 15 late crest.
My opinion with picking a favourite of anything is "if I have it, it's because it's my favourite." So aside from engines that I inherited from my grandfather that I HAVE to keep, any current and future engines I own, I picked because I like them. Probably a long and unimportant answer, but it's how I do things 😅
Loco wise, I’d say the sound fitted GWR King is best. The detail is great and the sound, whilst not brilliant, is a nice touch. Don’t have one myself but I’ve seen them at model clubs before and they’re great models. Coach wise, I’d say it’s their new Scot Rail HST coaches. Interior is a bit of a let down compared to my Lima GWT set, but everything else is absolutely perfect. Got three on Tuesday and the final today and I’m absolutely in love with them, but I can’t run them as my OO layout is at my Grandparents’ house.
I know you said you don't have any Dublo, but you completely forgot about their earlier "Meccano" O-Gauge endeavours. The enjoyment from those early clockwork locos is far greater than expectations. I'm just being "that guy".
Yes that's very true Alex - but that range was dropped after the merger of the two companies... it's the Tri-ang models from which all the modern products stem! Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Heya Sam! Great video! I was just wondering if you were planning on going through your wall of fame again? Since it seems to have been updated massively!
Of them, Evening Star without question. Despite being in the railroad range, it still stands up today. There's a reason they haven't re-tooled them, despite how iconic they are. Overall though, if I had to pick one loco, I'd say the best would have to be the Merchant Navy. Incredibly detailed and were the beginning of what can only be considered as a new era of Hornby.
The 3rd loco seen, the Triang Trans Continental, was my first loco (in the 1960's as a Xmas present). And I still have it today. No idea if it still runs though. Not willing to attempt in case it self destructs after all these years.
Hey Sam! Great vid, as per the norm. I was born in 2005, im only 14, so I didn’t know many of these locos existed, if i’m honest with you😂. If you are able to, why not do a best Bachmann train from across the decades. Even if it doesn’t win, i would love to see the 166 featured, was the train I grew up with in real life and in model form. Well done again for the vid , Sam! -J
great video Sam - brings back many happy childhood memories of the 60,s ! and my contribution to the poll would have to be 3 choices - firstly -the APT , then the class 77/81 overhead electric locos ( the working catenary system really was a huge revelation back then !!) and finally the first incarnation of the silverseal class 47 (which i believe used a motor from Fleischmann ??? ) in many respects I much prefer the older models as although they were far cruder and didnt run as smooth ,they were more robust ,less complicated far easier to service and with regular thorough maintenance ,they cold be made to run quite reasonable - and far more importantly - they were reasonably priced -they ,didnt cost a kings ransom ,and suffered NO MAZAK ROT !! -happy days ! lol
@@SamsTrains I dont think we can EVER own enough model railways of what we want Sam !! lol- but I do have to admit to a big personal preference for Diesel and electric and their are still Many I would like !!- keep posting the great footage Sam
Hiya - @ 6:26 - I've also got the Blue Pullman - 1 end has white & the other has yellow!!! It's from 2 different models I have been told!!! Got it last year from C'field market on a Thursday!!!
@ 9:34 - Ah the 1970's also a good decade b/c I was born!!! - @ 10:54 I've also got a GWR Pannier Tank!!! @ 12:31 It is also what Hornby use for thier H. C. C. 'Free' Club Loco for the 3rd time since 2013!!! @ 12:50 I've got the Jinty No. 7414 - Night Mail Set, @ 15:02 also got the Evening Star!!! @ 16:29 _ have the same Pug 4 time but in 4 different Liveries!!! @17:36 My of all the M. C. 1000 have got, @27:23 Also got the Mallard (80th Anniversary), @ 28:27 As you said similar - I've got the Fowler 4P , from 30:57 to 31:10 - have all 3 (green Tornado not blue), @ 32:09 H-Class also,
hi sam. my best loco was the triang dock shunter, as i was brought up with them in the early 60s.i still have 2 of them, who cares if they dont have windows or sprung buffers !
Did the class 50 ever run in BR green? They are right at then very end of that livery scheme when everything in BR was transitioning to the blue. But would be interested to hear if they did?
From a collector's perspectives, the most interesting decades are, in my opinion, the '70s and the '80s, when they were only Hornby and legacy models (Triang, Rovex) in their range, before the buyout of old Dapol and Lima molds. I can describe this as the classical Hornby period. After that, you have another logic, with a low in the '90s as you said. Well, I cannot say what is really my favourite model in this periods, but I would certainly choose the '70s and '80s if I would choose to start a collection of vintage locomotives. It's a good balance between modelling accuracy and reliabillity for play value, pricing and historical interest from a collector's perspective.
24:28 As Jack Sparrow would say, "People aren't cargo, mate." But yeah, as far as the best model is concerned- it has to be the nation's favourite, the A3, at first glance, but the B12 really just is the better model. Die-cast body, relatively good price, and for many people it turned a rather obscure loco into one of their favourites. I'm definitly picking one up as soon as funds allow me!
haha, I had a change of plan, lol! Ahh yes - the A3 is definitely a sound choice, but objectively I'd go with the B12 too! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Hi Sam. Really good video. It is to very interesting to see something different. my Favourite era is 2010. i think it is just because it is from all the models I know. It is good to see all those great models in one place.
I feel like one of the best locos of all time is the ubiquitous "Smokey Joe" tank engine- affordable, well known and arguably the engine that many people's layouts started with.
Ahh yeah those are wonderful too! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I have one and on my layout ,which I try to keep prototypical, I still run it time to time. Plus I have 5 0,4,0s from Hornby. One is a diesel which I use to shunt the rest just sit and get run time to time.
@@sturmtigerking4263 I have never owned one but I do have the Centenary one on pre order
@@StaxRail I think everyone has to have one at some point😆
I do wish they would update this model with a nice motor, I gave mine a tender, and hand rails and some weathering and a painted cab, I love her but that motor is a bugger.
Sam when I said "Get the 80s king class" I'll describe some of its features:
Loco chassis: big chunky bearings on driving wheels, Extremely detailed bogie, space to insert an X03/X04 motor on the later ones.
Loco Body: Metal Reversing rod, rivets everywhere, separately fitted handrails, metal whistles, metal copper cap chimney, buffers, reversing rod, smokebox door cab windows, metal cab supports.
Tender chassis: Traction Tyres, ringfield motor.
Tender body: rivets, finely detail coal
I bought 6013 King Henry VIII for £30. In the end, she outperformed most of my other big engines, including my Railroad Flying Scotsman, which was £126 more than the King!😀
Oh wow - that does sound tempting - thanks for this! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I own that same model, Hornbys King Henry VIII an absolute classic if ever there was one.
@@harold5337 I agree the king is amazing
This video was an excellent idea! It's really interesting to see how Hornby evolved over time as. Thanks for making this
Thank you! Glad you found that interesting too! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Now you should do a running session video of all the best locomotives
Great idea!! :D
Dock Authority always has a special place in my heart. The light, the smell of the thing when it ran, the fact that it was basically a single bogie with a plastic shell, which a young me painted and repainted and repainted. Even with a highly detailed, prototypical layout (which i don't have), I'd have one small section of DC near a port for Dock Authority to play.
Great to hear that - yes I know exactly what you mean - such fun! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
My favourite decade is the 2010s. The best range and some of the best models Hornby ever produced
Agreed, back when DCC was beginning to trend and the Pendelino DCC sets were just released and still in their nostalgic red-on-silver Virgin livery (which I'm very proud to own, that Select is pretty much the backbone of my layout now).
Good choice - the level of detail on recent models has been unprecedented! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Lovely to see the R253 Dock Shunter. This was the first loco I ever owned in 1957, and was the black version. Years later I also got a yellow one too. I had the silver American style diesel set at the same time. The dock shunted really CAN pull almost any load you put behind it. Stunning, and mine still works 😊 Keep up the good work!
Thanks Keith - ahh yes fantastic models - incredibly powerful for sure!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I have a black dock shunter, very nice to see this model featured here :)
I think the Thomas and Friends Emily is the best of all time! Entirely inaccurate, extremely ugly, and generally lazy. What a great model!
haha, I guess those are qualities to be enjoyed! ;D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
nice joke
I’d say the middle about the Hornby Emily
Hey in the tv show she is not ugly
Matthew Roe I meant the Hornby Emily not the TVs Emily
That was really fascinating Sam and well put together. You have a very fine collection there sir. How do you keep them in such lovely condition? Thanks again.
Thanks very much Mike! The maintenance takes many hours per month, but it's worth it! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Enjoyed this one quite a bit! I do like my HORNBY stuff, all my locos are Hornby.
I recently purchased a 58001 for £25 it's actually once you get it serviced a really smooth runner, just very slow. It's about half the speed of every other loco I have in fact.
Still it has BEAUTIFUL crawl capabilities! So perfect for shunting and shorter trains and even double heading!
Thanks very much, lovely to hear that! Ooh wow - that sounds like a great bargain there!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I feel like all of they are amazing I’ve posted an ngauge video with my new loco and I Recommend it to how ever is starting for ngauge and u can buy a pack with the train but with a different colour and coaches
Yeah they are mostly all amazing! Ooh nice - I'll check that out!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Very happy to see the 9F take the '70s crown! I just bought one of these for not a lot of £, a Silver Seal Evening Star from I think 1971, in any case an early one with soldered connections between loco and tender. I love it! It ran great out of the box (after some re-soldering), even if the running gear on one side shed a bolt and came apart after a while, but after a bit of work and a little carefully-applied oil - boy does she go. Very fast, more powerful than any of my other (admittedly small collection of) locos, looks boss. My 6yo son going up to his mum and telling her excitedly "Daddy bought the Evening Star" after I smuggled it home was priceless ;)
Hi Sam. Another enjoyable video and for me it's a trip down memory lane. In my opinion the Britannia I had in the late 60s (yes I'm showing my age) was possibly the best hornby loco from that era. Magnetic wheels and smoke generator and was a very fast, powerful and a smooth runner. I also had a red 0-4-0 (polly) extremely quiet and the fastest model loco I've ever seen. Keep well and stay safe. Chris.
Thanks a lot Chris, great to hear that - yes those were amazing actually, incredible for the time! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Hey Sam you had great competition It was hard to decide great vid :D
Edit: what tender engine and tank engine would you recommend me
Thank you! Yeah it really is hard isn't it?!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I'm a big fan of the dock switcher as well. I bought one cheap at a train show in a custom CN paint scheme and after giving it a bit of oil it turned out to be a great runner. I wish they were still making them as they would be great budget locos for starter sets and models for beginners.
Great to hear that- they're wonderful aren't they?! Ooh nice - I've had one like that before too! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Hogwarts castle isnt a castle! Its a hall... just thought i should mention this
Yes you're absolutely right Ian! Though that model was (wrongly) a castle!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Sam the engine is absolutely a castle, the shape, the people,
Smh
Ian Mulcrone your are indeed correct!!
I personally think the 80s was a nice era of Hornby. When I think of Hornby nostalgia, I always think of the 1980s, but I have to be objective and say that the 9F from the 70s is the best of the bunch you picked. It is the perfect combination of playability, and detailed model, at least for the time. I am so pleased that the tooling is still used for the Railroad Range, as it is a model that a kid could play with on their carpet train set, or an adult modeler could pick up and run at an exhibition! I’ve been searching for that Railroad Evening Star for a while, but I’ve yet to find one. My apologies for the lengthy message; I’m very passionate about the 9F!
Yeah no doubt lots have nostalgia for that period - but I wasn't around then, so nostalgia doesn't play a part for me - I just go on the models themselves!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Its quite obious that Smokey Joe is the best locomotive of all time. Even Mallard or Duchess of Hamilton cant compare to good old Smokey.
I think it's mallard
@@chelseandombele2009 Nah. Mallard is only famous for his speed record. But even Smokey Joe can go faster.
haha yeah those pugs were awesome for sure!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Very informative video Sam..Enjoyed it. Great to see all the oldies too. Brought back many memories.
Thanks a lot Tim, that's great to hear! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I can see why you picked the Rocket for the 60's; it's one of the few things where they couldn't recycle and really did have to try a new approach. I also remember reading about the 2800 class in a 1996 Hornby Magazine. Something about the glowing firebox and smoke oil to make steam; I think it was available in BR Black at the time. Apparently in the modelling community the smoke units had a reputation of overheating; potentially damaging the loco. Still a very bold and innovative feature. On another note another thing I remember from the 90's was the Midlander Goods Train set. That set had so much content. In addition to a tank engine (Actually the 101 Holden Tank yet again), 4 trucks and 1 coach. It had a station halt, signal box, signal , trees and a tunnel. That is seriously impressive. It was like owning a mini model railway from the get go. Wish I'd got that back then. Still loved my Intercity 125 set I got for christmas that year; probably why Swallow Livery is my favourite to this day!
Yes you're right - it forced them to be better didn't it?! Yes, and those smoke units still caused meltdowns, lol! ;D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I went for the A3. I have Book Law and it is a great loco both in detail and running. Not on your list but I think the railroad Hall class deserves a shout. 3 pole motor but always runs very well and detailed enough but not so much that you are frightened to pick it up or anything falls off. A loco you can always rely on. I would love to have voted for the B12. Looks fantastic but I bought one this week and had to return it as it was a very bad runner. Hopefully I will get another one because I want to do a bit of a North Norfolk railway tribute. All the best, Darren
Great choice mate - looks like that one's coming out on top! Yes the Railroad Hall is superb too - you're right!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
As a devoted Dublo collector, I take considerable umbrage with the assertion that Rovex plastic is the beginning of "Hornby Proper", as I'd say Rovex and early Triang assuredly signalled the END of Hornby Proper! But I do take your point. "Hornby as we know it today", you might say.
haha that's very understandable actually - sorry about that!!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
The change to Triang-Hornby saw the demise of the Dublo knuckle coupler in favour of the (both) terrible early Chopper and later Tension lock couplers.Playing with trains on the floor the Triang couplers were a nightmare - no kid had 'uncoupling' ramps to use the Tension lock couplers properly. We used bits of film to create ramps ... but they never worked well!
Just found this 3 years too late - which one won in the end? :)
I loved my Dockyard Shunter back in the seventies. When I got my first train set and started expanding it was the first engine I bought. In fact when I came back to the hobby a couple of years back I managed to find one second hand. I still love it.
Ahh great to hear that - they hold up well, even today! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
My first electric loco was the Dock Authority shunter. My mum gave it away while I wasn't looking. I had practically no track so it was never really tested. Loved the light!
AHh sorry to hear you lost it like that Hugh - maybe you can pick up another one?! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
This brought back many happy memories for me Sam, and I must congratulate you on your excellent collection to date...My two first locos were the Triang Green Princess, and the Blue 0-4-0 'Nelli' ...that was way back in the late 1950's...Keep up the great work...Bob
Lovely to hear that Bob, many many thanks my friend! Ahh must be lovely memories!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Frank Hornby who has given his name to so many OO gauge models was basically a model engineer whose Meccano company produced very robust designs, but they were too expensive. Tri-ang was a toy manufacturer who realised they could produce models more cheaply and so they won out against Hornby, ultimately taking it over. Obviously having absorbed Hornby, Tri-ang could incorporate Hornby mechanisms into their models and the Hornby models which have this ancestry are the better runners. It is so often the case that when you review a 'Hornby' model that you are dismayed to find a cheap mechanism inside! It is so difficult for manufacturers to find a sensible balance between model engineering and a cheap plastic toy! Thanks for uploading.
Thanks for the comment Allen - you're absolutely right - Tri-ang did things in a much more cost-effective way, and took off big time for sure! :D
I agree - at the current prices, there's no good excuse for cheap mechanisms any more!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I know this video is now a few years old..but I found it very useful indeed. Thanks Sam.
Great video Sam looking forward for more. Love the tank engines you have :D😉 AKA dude
Thanks so much mate - glad you liked them!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I’ve got the tender driven evening star, I went to service it knowing it was a ringfield motor and coming from intercity 125s and it wasn’t to different
Yeah they're not too different - they just look it when you first open them up! ;D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Great show - amazing range. My 60s favourite is probably the Electra
Thanks very much Rick - yeah the 60s brought some amazing new models!!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Absolutely beautiful seeing them all lined up like that
Thank you! Really glad you liked that!
Cheers,
Sam :)
Hi Sam real nice video as a child of the 70’s I can say I’ve got something from each decade except the 2010’s though thanks to you and other channels I’m buying more 😅 . You should look out for a Saint class, Saint David was a lovely loco from the mid 80’s .
Thanks a lot Darren - ahh great to hear that! Thanks a lot for the support - a saint would be great to have! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Cool vid, my vote is the dock shunter. A heap model, bullet proof as far as onstruction, amazing performane and made a great basis for model bashing. I turned mine into a fitiious BR loco with green livery and wasp stripes. I've also seen the turned into tramway locos with side plates, and even adapted to 0:16.5 narrow gauge locos of various types
Yeah got to love those Jon - fantastic little locos!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
5:30 I just bought the small blue tank engine you mentioned in the same color. It's very cute. I just got started with Hornby and got a little 0-4-0. Now this one can join it ;) It's very interesting to go trough the time and how the models and thier details changed over all the years. My favourite one is probably the Dock Shunter. It's so cute and looks quite unique. The light adds so much more play value and it runs very well. I wish I have one. Very nice video as always, Sam 👍
Ahh fantastic - is it any good?? Good choice on the Dock shunter anyway! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I'd say the radial tank is my favourite. It's been my most reliable model, loads of diecast, great motor and quality and the problems are just the occasional wheel-slip but I think that's just an unavoidable issue with the radial tank design rather than it being a fault of the model
Ahh good choice - I haven't tried that one yet, but they do look great!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
@@SamsTrains all the best parts of the Oxford model with the motor to boot
I saw that Coronation Class and clicked so fast. I'm reading a book about them right now. Incredible engines!
OOh fantastic - they certainly are! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Glad to see your rocket still works after the incident with the railgun!
haha me too!! xD
You have an incredible collection Sam, and yes I am jealous. I have a number of the old Triang Industrial 0-4-0's, Pollie, Connie & Nellie, almost 60 years old, great play value, easily serviced and almost indestructible. I got most of them as non-runners and have yet to get one that cannot be fixed. Including postage, not one cost more than £10 so the value for money is there too. The wheel flanges are too deep for Code 75 track, but put them on Code 100 and they are fine. Like you pointed out, if the cost can be justified then the price doesn't matter, and everyone will have their own preference for the best model. But that is the beauty of this hobby, there is something for everyone!
Thanks so much mate - ahh they're classics aren't they? Still great runners, once you get them going!!
Merry Christmas - Sam :)
I think the best Hornby loco has to be (this is probably the most controversial one) their premium class 08 shunter. The thing can be DCC sound fitted digitally or with TTS, the attention to detail on it is impeccable compared to other models, and despite its size, it's an absolute unit compared to others.
Yes it probably doesn't look the most elegant of all of them but if anything it's the loco that manages to stay true to its real life counterpart the most compared to, say, Hornby's lacklustre takes on the class 66 and class 91. Even it's top speed is low like the real deal!
Ahh interesting - I really do need to try one of those!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
This is a good illustration of how the model railway market has changed. The locos from the 1960s are pure toys because that was the market - children. They're not particularly interested these days so we now have much more expensive models to suit much more critical adults. Having said that, the 1960s stuff was robust; my grandchildren are still playing with a lot of the items that I had when I was their age.
Thanks Roger, glad you thought so - that's very true - it is interesting to see the evolution!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Sam, the 1980s - how could you forget the APT? Surely the best model from the 1980s. Tilting mechnism, lights, shared bogies, space age looks, an inspiration for young budding engineers growing up in the 1980s. A superb machine.
I didn't forget - I just don't own one :(
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Hi Sam. Great video. It has inspired me for the recap on Sunday to wright down my own favourites from each decade and tell them in the recap. From Ryan 😀
Ooh I like that idea - looking forward to seeing that! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
to be honest, mallard is the greatest for me, cause it's so much accurate to the real one, and looks soo detailed. yet that's just my opinion so ye btw keep the great work up!
Yeah you're right - those are amazing models for sure - it was very close in the 2010s for me!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
The j36 has to be my favorite it looks nice runs nice and was made on the year I was born
Ooh great to hear that Cooper - the J36 is stunning! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I am old enough that my first train was a Triang set for Christmas 1956. It was a 3F Jinty 0-6-0, a grey open wagon, 4 wheel tank with BP one side and SHELL on the other, a 4 wheel flat wagon with 2 cable reels and a grey brake van with a cream roof. So for nostalgic reasons, the original 3F Jinty is my favourite but you missed out the wonderfully detailed EM2 electric loco that came out as part of their short-lived CKD (Completely knocked down) assemble it yourself range. It was ahead of its time. (Ihad one of the yellow dock shunters with American style black and white stripes. It was really up there too.
Thanks for sharing John, those must have been the days! You're right about the EM2 - they were fantastic, but sadly I don't own one :(
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
My set started with the A1 Flying Scotsman set. I've owned it for 5-6 years and somehow it still works fine, even though its been bashed around by 8 year old me. Very nice loco.
Hi Sam really enjoyed that, I have an original tender driven 9f I bought last year at a show. Great model especially for the age! Best wishes and keep well 😊
Thanks a lot JJ - ahh fantastic, they're wonderful historical models to own!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Great video sam! Earlier i was searching for the best model train of all time, and this might as well do!
Ooh nice - hope you like it mate!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
That has to be a Märklin.
I have a good number of the early ones, they are probably not detailed enough for most BUT worth mentioning which of these had things like smoke units (the caledonians, dean single and probably quite a few others) and chuffing sound tenders. The railway children set was wonderful - I have a few :)
I’ve got to say there is something special about the 9F. The wheel configuration, it’s detail, the red and green livery and I guess it being the last steam class produced for British Railways. Hornby definitely got it right with that model at the time and it’s amazing to think how long it’s lasted. Never fails to impress when it’s running. I must say though the Rebuilt Merchant Navy though from the 00’s is definitely one of my favourite models...probably alongside the 9F!
Yeah absolutely - I've always loved the 9Fs too for sure! Yes the Merchants are fab too! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Nice vid Sam keep up the amazing work
Thanks very much Michael! :D
Honestly, this is a tough choice for me. I pretty much like all of Hornby’s locomotives except for some (which I can’t think of), mostly a lot of these Hornby locomotives are pretty good in terms of detail and how the models age through the 1950s all the way to the present day. I can’t really list which Hornby locomotives are my favorites since it’ll take a very long time to think about it, and I got some other stuff to do along the way. But anyways, here are my favorite Hornby locomotives. My favorite Hornby locomotives are the LMS Princess Royal Class, the LMS Streamlined Coronation Class, the LNER P2, the LNER A1 Peppercorn Class/Tornado, the SR Q1, the SR 700 class, the SR Schools Class, the Terrier, the J36, and the 9F. Those were pretty much the Hornby locomotives I can think of that are my favorites. Like I said, I mostly like all of Hornby’s locomotives except for a few, but they still make great models, even to this day! So yeah, that’s my list of one of my favorite Hornby locomotives! 😃
haha yeah it was very tough! Some great ones there - agreed!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Hi Sam - very interesting video. However do think you missed the Class 50 diesel from the 00's. When this was released it was revolutionary with its center motor driving all wheels, working fan, opening doors, clever illuminations etc. These are very detailed models and brought Hornby right back. Hope you don't mind my comment! Thanks Paul
Yes you're right Paul - sadly I could only show the locos I own, and that's not one of them unfortunately :(
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I enjoyed seeing all those old and new locos as well as hearing your thoughts on those you liked. I think early on in the programme you casually dismiss the Hornby Dublo range in favour of the Triang products circa 50s/60s. I think you should have a closer look at these Hornby Dublo models which stood up well and were in the day more realistic than what Triang had to sell. I would recommend the Standard Class 4MT introduced by Hornby Dublo in 1954, the Castle Class introduced in 1957, the 8F 1958, the Diesel Shunter 08 1960, and the Rebuilt West Country Class 1961. There are others Dublo made but these to me stand out. Not including the true original OO Hornby locos somewhat unbalanced the first two decades of your review. Perhaps at some point you could look at these and put them up against the Triang products of the same time? All the best I do enjoy your reviews.
Thanks very much Clive, really glad you liked this! I didn't dismiss the Dublo range - I just pointed out that modern Hornby locos (that everyone knows) are descendent of the Tri-ang range, not the Hornby Dublo range. I own every Dublo steam locomotive in Wrenn form - but they weren't more realistic than Tri-ang in my opinion!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
As a kid I had the Hornby Dublo two-rail 4MT and I loved it. (All die-cast body, weighed a ton) We always said Hornby made model railways, Triang made toy trains. Triang track was attrocious but once clipped together would stay together even on carpet. I still have some Hornby and Triang track from the 60s/70s and I can still use the Hornby track together with Peco track. The Triang track is unusable. Triang locos often derailed on hornby points as the white metal wheel flanges were thicker and deeper than the gap between running and guide rails. My 4MT had nickeled brass wheels. Shame I no longer have it - my little brothers took it apart after I left home. Instead I have their Triang locos - or the remains of them.
Pleased to see you had the 50's Tri-ang Trans-Continental loco. I got this in the Tri-ang RS 15 boxed set for Christmas around 1957. I can't believe I gave this away 20 years later to a neighbours young son.
Ahh fantastic - must have been great memories! Maybe you could replace it some time??
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
The blue tender engine from the 1960s I thought was Edward
haha yeah it looks that way! ;D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
It would work better as Edward than the actual hornby Edward
You’ve got a really impressive Hornby collection, Sam.
Thank you!! :D
As a continental 3'rd rail modeller, I can tell that Märklins greatest model of all times is the Swiss Be 6/8II (crocodile), in all scales! That's easy.
OOh fantastic - I'll have to try that!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Great video Sam I think one of the best models of all time is the princess coronations streamlined and unstreamlined
Yes - those are amazing for sure!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
first comment
Dock Shunter every time. It's the only one I ever owned and was unkillable. 8-)
Great pick Gordon - I just love those dock shunters!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Anyone else think that the Caledonian Pug was the basis for Percy in the Thomas series? All it needs is a small bunker there, a green paint job, and Percy's face in place of the smokebox door, and there you go!
It certainly does look similar! Though Percy was a GWR tank!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I still have my 1960s original Pullman, passed down by my father. I haven't pulled it out of storage in ages, but it sure was reliable in its day.
Ahh great to hear you still have it - they were very reliable indeed! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Hi Sam. I'm so blown away by the depth of knowledge you have given the number of locos you own! Interesting that you have chosen only one diesel among all your locos. Your preference for steam? Hornby didn't release a blinder of a diesel?
Bless you Paul, many thanks for that! Yeah unfortunately that's just a limitation with my collection - I collect mostly steam! It would be great to pick up a few more Hornby diesels!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
@@SamsTrains Hi Sam. I wouldn't call a preference for steam a limitation. There is not many a diesel that holds any character for me - a Class 08 or may be the Deltic (and variants).
I would say the hornby industrial 0-4-0 (the southern one)
reason - I had just gone through something that most train fans go through: a period of of time when I just wasn´t interested in trains and although I had recently gotten a Santa´s Express set for Christmas I still wasn´t that inspired to start building a layout. What did inspire me was going down to my local model shop and buying one of those industrials in the ´Kelly and sons paper mill´ livery and all of a sudden I was running my trains again.
Then I went to a local train exhibition in 2019 and saw a guy selling a grey NCB version for ten pounds, I also picked up an old triang DMU for 20 quid and 4 wagons, 2 with loads and 2 weathered for 2.50 each that all up would of cost 40 pounds but the seller let me have the lot for 35 which then led me to building a layout in my cellar and discovering amazing channels such as intercity82, yourself and Budget model railways which is another reason I like that model as you can take the top of and put it on their 15 pound kits! (please have a look at them and their excellent kits - Google: Budget model railways/ Budget model railways 3D kits)
also conspiracy time - what if Emily was originally going to be in the railway series and that hornby model was the locomotive she was going to be based on had she appeared.
Great choice there Ewan - those are definitely a lot of fun! Thanks for playing along! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
With regards to the 2800 Sam, it is also an ex Dapol model- another major contributor as to why other models weren't being produced is that new factories were being built, a huge chunk of money being spent on them.
Are you sure?! I was sure that was a Hornby original model!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
@@SamsTrains from what i can gather it was produced a couple of months before Dapol sold the toolings
Great video Sam, Flying Scotsman gets my vote for the steam era. (Inter city 125 for the Diesels) two of my first locos! But flying Scotsman probably just tops it! All the best mate, Paul
Great pick there - maybe I should have split steam from diesels?!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Agreed on the HST which was space-age futuristic back in the late seventies when it was new,
and the sound too mate, fantastic especially when powering away!
Oh this is gonna be good and same here your best model railway
collector have ever seen
Awhhh thanks very much!! :D
Pause the video at 4:45 and look to the right. The green diesel on screen is also owned by Leo Kim Video if anyone was curious.
Ooh that's awesome!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
You’ll have to do another one of these videos in 2030 and add the 20’s locos! I wonder how Hornby will have changed/improved by then. It will be interesting to find out!
haha we'll see - if I'm still doing this in 2030, then sure!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Sam your such an inspiration someday love have a cool layout like yours and have more engines I only have 1 working locomotive but someday I’ll have more when you upload you make me feel really happy your amazing keep it up! =)
Thanks so much mate! Take care of your loco - you can do so much with just one!!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
@@SamsTrains thanks my little bagnel (that’s his name it says on his name plate) have a great day
That was a very interesting way to look at the history on model trains. Maybe do a wagon/coach version as well?
I find it impossible to choose, because the criteria for the early models are different than for the later ones. There's no obvious choice as far as I'm concerned.
Great to hear you enjoyed that - yes it was difficult to choose! :O
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Great video love the 2000 would you happen to know when the new Bachman 2020 catalog out cheers mate
Thanks a lot George! I'm not sure about that mate, I don't tend to get the catalogues :(
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I had to keep skipping back because I've had Class 66 after Class 66 after Class 66 running past my house.
You should trainspot them. Just write all there numbers down on a piece of paper everytime it passes by. It passes the time!
@@lukeslocomotives Thanks luke. It's been under half an hour and I've got like six already
Ooh wow - that's pretty awesome - lucky you! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Dockyard shunted in red. Fast loco and mine made a great noise too!
haha you're right - great fun!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
My favourite hornby loco to date is duchess of Buccleugh LMS 6230. Just bought it not the latest tooling but an absolute bargain which helps, in great condition. 2nd fave Golden Plover A4’s from 2000 ‘s. Third J 36 722 which will return to no 1 when I get over how good Duchess of Buccleugh is. Also J 15 late crest.
My opinion with picking a favourite of anything is "if I have it, it's because it's my favourite." So aside from engines that I inherited from my grandfather that I HAVE to keep, any current and future engines I own, I picked because I like them. Probably a long and unimportant answer, but it's how I do things 😅
haha glad to hear that, that's very understandable! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Hi again Sam my favourite was rocket and keep on doing what you do because you are awesome!!!
Great choice mate! Thanks so much for your kind words,
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Love Dock Authority, got it as a child along with Connie, still have them at 63
Me too Trevor - great to hear you had one as a child, still working well?? :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Loco wise, I’d say the sound fitted GWR King is best. The detail is great and the sound, whilst not brilliant, is a nice touch. Don’t have one myself but I’ve seen them at model clubs before and they’re great models.
Coach wise, I’d say it’s their new Scot Rail HST coaches. Interior is a bit of a let down compared to my Lima GWT set, but everything else is absolutely perfect. Got three on Tuesday and the final today and I’m absolutely in love with them, but I can’t run them as my OO layout is at my Grandparents’ house.
Ooh yes those are amazing actually - very true!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I know you said you don't have any Dublo, but you completely forgot about their earlier "Meccano" O-Gauge endeavours. The enjoyment from those early clockwork locos is far greater than expectations.
I'm just being "that guy".
Yes that's very true Alex - but that range was dropped after the merger of the two companies... it's the Tri-ang models from which all the modern products stem!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I find it interesting that three of the seven models you chose are LNER engines (or at least region) no complaints for me however! I love the LNER!
Yeah that's true - I wasn't biased towards the LNER mind you, it just turned out that way! :O
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
id have loved to have seen my first ever train set in there, the APT from 1981, but its quite a rare model these days .
AHh yes - if only I had one of those!! ;D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Heya Sam! Great video! I was just wondering if you were planning on going through your wall of fame again? Since it seems to have been updated massively!
Yes I hope to some time - good idea!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
It was the Black 5 from around 2000 that got me back into the hobby, not sure why you haven't got one! I would vote Q1 as the best of that bunch.
Yes I would love to try one of those - good point!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Of them, Evening Star without question. Despite being in the railroad range, it still stands up today. There's a reason they haven't re-tooled them, despite how iconic they are. Overall though, if I had to pick one loco, I'd say the best would have to be the Merchant Navy. Incredibly detailed and were the beginning of what can only be considered as a new era of Hornby.
You're right Dom - they do stand up still today! Good choice! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I’ve been watching your videos since I was young, your content is excellent! Keep up the good work! :)
Thanks so much Tony, that's great to hear!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Tony The Carrot is your profile pic Titanic?
Harry Potter, indeed it is lol
Thought so
The 3rd loco seen, the Triang Trans Continental, was my first loco (in the 1960's as a Xmas present). And I still have it today. No idea if it still runs though. Not willing to attempt in case it self destructs after all these years.
Ahh that's fantastic - great to hear you still have it - maybe give it a service and a test?! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Hey Sam! Great vid, as per the norm. I was born in 2005, im only 14, so I didn’t know many of these locos existed, if i’m honest with you😂. If you are able to, why not do a best Bachmann train from across the decades. Even if it doesn’t win, i would love to see the 166 featured, was the train I grew up with in real life and in model form. Well done again for the vid , Sam! -J
Ooh very cool James - glad you enjoyed learning about this! Yeah that'd be fun with Bachmann too!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
great video Sam - brings back many happy childhood memories of the 60,s ! and my contribution to the poll would have to be 3 choices - firstly -the APT , then the class 77/81 overhead electric locos ( the working catenary system really was a huge revelation back then !!) and finally the first incarnation of the silverseal class 47 (which i believe used a motor from Fleischmann ??? ) in many respects I much prefer the older models as although they were far cruder and didnt run as smooth ,they were more robust ,less complicated far easier to service and with regular thorough maintenance ,they cold be made to run quite reasonable - and far more importantly - they were reasonably priced -they ,didnt cost a kings ransom ,and suffered NO MAZAK ROT !! -happy days ! lol
Thanks so much Tony - and great additions too - I wish I owned some of those! Thanks for sharing! :D
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains I dont think we can EVER own enough model railways of what we want Sam !! lol- but I do have to admit to a big personal preference for Diesel and electric and their are still Many I would like !!- keep posting the great footage Sam
I haven’t got the Britannia you have but I have the Trix 3 rail Britannia. I got it running by holding the pickups on my track!
Ooh awesome - I didn't know Trix made one?!? :O
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Hiya - @ 6:26 - I've also got the Blue Pullman - 1 end has white & the other has yellow!!! It's from 2 different models I have been told!!! Got it last year from C'field market on a Thursday!!!
@ 9:34 - Ah the 1970's also a good decade b/c I was born!!! - @ 10:54 I've also got a GWR Pannier Tank!!! @ 12:31 It is also what Hornby use for thier H. C. C. 'Free' Club Loco for the 3rd time since 2013!!! @ 12:50 I've got the Jinty No. 7414 - Night Mail Set, @ 15:02 also got the Evening Star!!! @ 16:29 _ have the same Pug 4 time but in 4 different Liveries!!! @17:36 My of all the M. C. 1000 have got, @27:23 Also got the Mallard (80th Anniversary), @ 28:27 As you said similar - I've got the Fowler 4P , from 30:57 to 31:10 - have all 3 (green Tornado not blue), @ 32:09 H-Class also,
Very nice mate - those are real classic models! And great to hear that - good choice on the 70s then!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Wow Sam love the video and as always keep it up!
Thanks mate, I'll do my best!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
hi sam. my best loco was the triang dock shunter, as i was brought up with them in the early 60s.i still have 2 of them, who cares if they dont have windows or sprung buffers !
Lovely to hear that Peter - you're right - can't beat the charm of those!!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
My dream Hornby loco is the Class 50 in BR green. Did you know Sam, Hornby used to make Australian trains as sets?
Oh that sounds amazing! No I didn't know that! :O
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Did the class 50 ever run in BR green? They are right at then very end of that livery scheme when everything in BR was transitioning to the blue. But would be interested to hear if they did?
From a collector's perspectives, the most interesting decades are, in my opinion, the '70s and the '80s, when they were only Hornby and legacy models (Triang, Rovex) in their range, before the buyout of old Dapol and Lima molds. I can describe this as the classical Hornby period. After that, you have another logic, with a low in the '90s as you said.
Well, I cannot say what is really my favourite model in this periods, but I would certainly choose the '70s and '80s if I would choose to start a collection of vintage locomotives. It's a good balance between modelling accuracy and reliabillity for play value, pricing and historical interest from a collector's perspective.
Yes that was a very interesting time Oliver, you're right!!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I currently awaiting delivery of a Hornby King class and I can’t wait especially because the other 2 locos I have are railroad
Fantastic - hope you enjoy the King - they're superb!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
24:28
As Jack Sparrow would say, "People aren't cargo, mate."
But yeah, as far as the best model is concerned- it has to be the nation's favourite, the A3, at first glance, but the B12 really just is the better model.
Die-cast body, relatively good price, and for many people it turned a rather obscure loco into one of their favourites. I'm definitly picking one up as soon as funds allow me!
haha, I had a change of plan, lol! Ahh yes - the A3 is definitely a sound choice, but objectively I'd go with the B12 too! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I love the look of all the ones from the 2000s they look so beautiful
I know it - truly a golden era! :D
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Hi Sam. Really good video. It is to very interesting to see something different. my Favourite era is 2010. i think it is just because it is from all the models I know. It is good to see all those great models in one place.
Thanks a lot Liam - glad you liked seeing it!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)