Cheap London Underground Electric Train Set | Unboxing & Review 

Sam, the reason you’d never seen anything from the company before is because this is, I believe their first ‘non soft-toy’ toy. They used to be known as High resolution Designs, but rebranded in, I think, 2020. They mostly do stuff based on British stuff, like Harry Potter, the London Underground, and buses, but they used to sell soft toys of the thunderbird vehicles from the (actually pretty great) 2015 reboot. They also do JCB, and a couple of British WW2 planes

My God! This took me back to the late 1940s when I received my first ever train set - one of the Ever-Ready London Underground train sets representing a 3-car Bakerloo Line set. It came with a large circle of 3-rail track and a satisfyingly chunky battery box/speed controller that housed a whopping great 6-volt (?) lantern battery. Sadly it succumbed as toys often do to my then cavalier relationship with toys, hey ho! It was put aside when I received the Hornby Dublo Duchess of Atholl set that was to lead me into a lifetime of model railway happiness! Great days! Oh, and yes, of course it Is Counted as electric if it's battery operated! It sure as hell isn't steam or clockwork

The coupler is actually from a real coupler. It is called CBC (Center Buffer Coupling) and is a very famous and good coupler here in India.

I was smiling all through the video...but the "Probably not to scale" had me in stitches.!))

This reminds me of a Tomy train set that I had back in the '90's, looks to be a decent set for the price that's being asked for and a fun way to get kids started in the hobby.

This is basically a British version of a plarail set and I kind of love it for that. Given that if Plarail did make this the plastic would be better and the doors and windows would be sculpted instead of stickers, but I got to give them props for copying the homework of one of the best toy trains around.

I’ve recognized the designs of these locomotives along with the track from a brand called Power Trains. I remember having one of these similar sets when I was a kid. There’s a variety to choose from whether it’d be steam locomotives, diesel locomotives, bullet trains, rolling stock, and more! Also, I’ve seen that particular train before in the Train Sim app for mobile devices, it looks great!

As a serious railway modeller this toy train set doesn't appeal to me at all but, the child in me (I'm 62) is really excited and I would love one of these sets just to play with. I think that everyone should hold on to a little bit of childhood and go off the rails sometimes!

Haha allow a Londoner to provide some insight: Those posters on the back wall are real TFL posters! I see them every day on my way to work!! They’ve clearly licensendd them, very cool! The speaker sounds are recordings from real metropolitan line tube trains. The “horn” is the door opening noise! Very recognisable.

This is a great way to gauge interest in young kids before you go out and spend a couple of hundred quid on a proper train set they never use. So kinda cool. The train itself is naff but with the points, the tunnel, the station, the sound... plenty to grab a young child's interest I reckon. So not bad! Plus mostly indestructible!

Hi Sam! I never get tired of watching the trains run on the tracks. It's just so much fun! Warm regards from the US

A pretty good little train set for someone who might be interested in the hobby. I remember your review of Hornby's battery operated Paddington train set. I think you said it didn't do anything for Hornby in relation to their actual electric train sets and models and couldn't see the point of marketing such an article. That really can't be said of this set though. It would be a nice Christmas present for any girl or boy who might be interested in trains. Thanks. Best, Pete.

Imagine the transformation with only a few LED lamps shining in the station and the rest of your attic in darkness. I think it would really fire the imagination!

Delightful little set and, cheaply made some of it may be, at least it worked and went round and round with minimal fuss. I can’t help but love the noise going through the tunnel. This day and age the price tag is fair enough, some kids (and parents let’s be honest) would be all over this Christmas morning 😊

Hi Sam, well for a start set for someone who may live and journey on the underground system it may be right up their street.. or someone who has an interest in the underground and wishes to be an underground train driver one day. Its a toy and if accepted as such does look fun. It has all the bits you really need. Few hours / days of fun then time to upgrade… a good video review. Enjoyable as always. Cheers Marc

That's really not a bad train set. I love the station, it's a shame the train itself didn't have a little more care with the stickers but other than that, it's not bad!

As a fan of the London underground, I found this video brilliant. I have been deciding whether or not to get this train set and your detailed explanation has given me all the answers I need to decide. Thank you so much.

Wow, didn't take you long to produce that fully-detailed "layout" you promised us! Mind the Gap!

Yeah, Sam it does looks like what you would expect from a Bachmann Silver Series Production!!! We thank you for your honest reviews which we digest when making our Loco purchases and please do not change your format as we do like you home layout and slippers! 😎

Very enjoyable video Sam. Nice to know that you can still buy a toy train set. I thought the 'sound machine' was very realistic too, just like the the real thing!

Reminded me a bit of my old Tri-ang Big Big Train set. Had the "Blue Flyer" set - aka a Hymek in a sort of BR-Blueish colour along with a set of wagons and some very bright red track. Got the thing boxed somewhere...

An interesting set which looks lots of fun for kids to play with. It might also be targeted at tourists where a battery is a better type of power and keeps it all self contained. Although just plastic and cardboard its ideal for young train fans and it would feel great when opening such a large Christmas present.

With the Bachmann S-stock model from the London Transport Museum retailing at a scorching £595, I don't think you went far wrong with this purchase! The Bachmann offering looks just as cheap as this thing. No interior lights and an insane price tag! I hope you and Chloe start a family soon and that there is a little one to play with this set and carry on the family tradition! Thanks for uploading.

For what it is, I think that this is pretty good value and whilst, as you pointed out, the quality is not great, it is a fun set and I would put it above the £20 ones in terms of value for money.

Have one of these and agree it's alot of fun for both me and the kids. I am actually planning to include it under an OO gauge model railway at least as a short term underground railway so will see how well it Integrates.

It looks quite nice actually. The track look like something I own. Actually it looks exactly like Powertrains track I believe it was called. I got a set of a diesel locomotive with a car transporter where you stop the train, drive the forklift into the wagon and lift the entire car carrier from the wagon onto the road and open the gates so the vehicles can get out and in again. I remember having huge fun with that. This set looks good as well for the price not too bad. I like these small toy train sets it's something I like to see around christmas time its a load of fun.

It looks compatible with Mattel Thomas and Friends. Some of the features like station wall and tunnel have decent play value too. Great for getting little ones into trains. Cheers for sharing!

hi sam. yes indeed my eyes popped out with the title and the box of this set. when you mentioned batteries i said no problem can fit a motor and pickups . this all came crashing down when you showed the wheels and bogies... but for 40 odd quid would make an excellent present.

For a small child, I think this would be loads of fun. Especially if you could combine a couple of sets together. Plus the extra coaches. Though, I think that the engine might have a problem pulling all of them from the add-on set.

Wonderful production values; thank you Sam. I think the only thing you didn't quite "get" about this product is that it is a toy based on "LONDON ELECTRIC" which is why the word electric appears on the box; the description relates to the way that The Underground is powered by electricity.....NOT the toy train-set. (Don't include my comment in the "being mean" category of comments; I'm just clarifying what the suppliers intended when they used the word "Electric". Keep warm and well. Looking forward to your uploads for the rest of 2022. John x

I actually had a similar London undergound set by powertrain which I think is what you have but not branded by them, I had fun with them back when I younger and still, have some of the track

I had fun watching you having fun. So yes , it was fun. Much Love

I love watching it go through the tunnel…..anyone else notice the nice “electric”under glow from the engine!?

Its a train whats not to like. Not a bad price for a first set for someone. In my advanced old age I would buy one for the grin factor. Also to annoy the clubs rivet counters.

Great review…..all sorts out there..I like that you try and cover them all…another enjoyable video!

My bus. partners grand kids, both girls, love the toy train she sets out for them when they visit. Just a simple wind up train set goes around in circles. But adds to the magic of trains, they just visited the Severn Valley xmas special and really enjoyed it.

All the extras including the points and slow down piece add great playability to the set

Years ago, I bought a Walt Disney World Monorail set. It came with the piers and glide rails. Again battery power. But worked out to be HO scale additional track was available and certain "Landmark" buildings at Disney World were available in scale, The Contemporary Hotel, Spaceship Earth at Epcot, and Main Street Station at Disney World. They still produce one for Disneyland and Disney World they are close in size but just a tad more toy like, roofs open and they have character figures. Too bad you don't have Main Street Station to go with your Bachmann theme park cars. They are very close the Disney's "Nantasket Cars" the major difference being they are one bench shorter and Standard gauge Disney World's trains are 3 ft. Gauge.

Sam, I picked up the Hornby Playtrains set for about the same price off amazon recently, and to be honest, I am seriously amazed by the value, I recommend that you get the flash train set and check it out. We were so impressed we bought the entire playtrains range.

Glad it's not the underground Ernie set. Incomprehensible announcements are authentic. Looks like it's good fun. Cheers Paul.

It looks like it's a rebranded powertrains set, There atleast was a whole line of them you could buy at target here in the states. There was a bullet train, 2 different american freight diesels and a steam engine, and they have several themes like military, construction, farming, i think there's one with a boat, and one with race cars. and they've probably come out with more since then. They come in sets, in locomotive+ cabooose packs or in like 4 or two piece rolling stock sets. Track packs, etc. It's an interesting product line.

Oh my god, I had so many trains of this brand. I’d get a new one every time I went to target. Powertrains was such a fun brand.

A very nice set IMO, and I'd consider it for around the christmas tree, where 00 would need stuff under it to stop fluff damaging it (the carpets in my flat aren't as compact as yours). I instantly recognised it as the Siemens S stock, however I wonder how well it'd do as a full length S7 (for circle/district/hammersmith & city lines) or S8 (for metropolitan line) given it has 1 driven axle. Also all the adverts on the station are TfL posters, which I have seen all around the underground network recently.

I bought this set for my granddaughter. I had the same problem as in your video. Couldn't get the train to stop at the station. The simple fix for this is to put a few layers of electrician's tape on the underside of the power car. This makes up the gap between the 'stop rail' and the power car and lifts the wheels to stop the train when required. It's trial and error to get the right amount of tape layers. I think we needed about six. Any kind of tape will do. Just use whatever you've got.

The packaging's graphics is very attractive, and from a distance, this toy train set looks appealing as well. To my eyes the stickers give a tinplate/litho look to the cars. As I write, this is $60.76 on the U.S. Amazon site. I would not pay that price, but if I saw it at a discount shop, it does look like a bit of a fun toy. I wonder it you could add grip tape or otherwise build up the station stopper-track piece to work more reliably.

You can also buy it from the London Transport Museum shop, came out last year I think.

I've been on the Tube and the audio quality on the soundbox is pretty spot-on.

I liked the music that you played at the beginning when you were introducing the train set.quite catchy I thought . But well done.

i remember these. They made some awsome sets.

I think you sun it up well, Sam. It’s FUN 🤩 for a young child Christmas Day it’s going to give hours of fun and perhaps spark an interest in model railways in later years. If not, what has the parent lost?

it could be fun for a train around the Christmas tree! Great review of something unusual. As a conversion, it could be turned into one of those modern transit systems?

I saw these sets in Robert Dyas (Canary Wharf) at the weekend......and they were priced at £39.99 .......so maybe worth trying at any of their branches......if you'd like one....

This is not the first Underground set, I had an oval 3 rail track and red tin plate train in about 1950 - 53, also battery powered, but using a large lantern battery. Can't remember the make. Hours of fun. Good to see that the tec has changed so little in 70 ish years!

The track reminds me of the old tomy track system, great review!

You should get the Lionel ready to play Polar Express set. It’s battery operated, but comes with a remote control and has sounds. Even I’ve been looking at that myself.

The sounds were relatively clear, the "horn" sound is the warning sound the doors make when they open on the S stock

I had those kind of trains, in Romania they were known as "Power Trains" or something like that. The train you have there is exactly like the original company made, but it is in a different color.

In some ways,Sam,that's a reversion to the 1600's plate ways! Wheels in grooves,and wagon type wheels! The Paris Metro,probably has similar train sets,I know New York does! Anyway,any elementary student would get a kick out of it,and would be good,say up to the age of 10? After that,an elementary electric set,with a switching layout,for solving puzzles! Thanks for the rather different test,and comments! Thank you 😇 😊!!

Its actualy quite good that it comes with a set of points!

In my country there's also those things, except here they called it MRT (which is an underground railway in Indonesia) and had mostly MRT looking details. Quite decent for a cheap toy, though I wouldn't recomend it. But maybe the building here is a nice addition to your layout?

Yes, it does look quite fun. One thing I thought they might have included was opening doors - but no! - a bit of a shame, as this seems to be one frontier that even Bachmann and Hornby have not tried. Many years ago I built a O-gauge carriage with opening doors - not wonderful - but they did work. Is that a project you might try with the 3-D printer?

I kinda like the diorama bits for a cheap price. I'm not a fan of cardboard terrain generally, but that seems the most useful piece of the entire set.

Good evening! Thanks for the great video, are you going to buy and review the TT:120 stuff?

I'm so glad you didn't review it as a 'scale model' as you would Hornby or Bachmann. It looks to be great fun. Brilliant review!!! Thanks.

I think an adult getting that as a joke Christmas pressie could have quite a lot of fun with that. Whilst the actual train isn't great the station looks quite good and the tunnel, points and station stop feature and quite a lot to it. Probably disappointed it isn't a "real" train set but still fun.

Ther is a set of 4 additional coaches for £12. Also with a small radio receiver full control is possible and the kids can't get enough of it!

Great fun vid. For kiddies we have to remember that the train set is NOT the only 'playtime' feature.. throw in their dolls, toy figures, toy cars, landscape features, farm set with animals and and ?!👀

For budding train buffs first train it would great to open on Christmas morning..

Interesting for young Londoners who should recognise most of the contents from real life. The posters on the station backdrop are common around the network as safety advice for passengers. The announcer system is quite realistic to anyone attempting to listen on a platform. I presume it's an official licensed toy.

Nice touch with them using the official TfL station safety posters on the advertisement boards

Nice touch with them using the official TfL platform safety posters on the advertisement boards

Very nice Sam I was hoping you would look at some London Underground stock :) and I think there’s an even better one made by Bachmann and I think it’s got DCC sound and maybe you could review that one if you wanted :)

Also the description of the set is correct in that it’s a model of the London Underground which is electric. Clever wording to make it sound like an electric train set of course, but it’s a model of the London Underground electric trains.

Hey Sam, would the station work with OO track and clearances (and the tube tunnel as well)? If so, you could add it to your layout as extra scenery.

Hi Sam Great looking train reminds me of my first Train which was clockwork , i would buy one , Thanks for sharing .

I reckon I saw this set in the gift shop at the London Transport Museum Depot three weeks ago, but not sure how much they were selling it for. I did buy a single coach of an S Stock boxed as ‘London Underground Toy Train’ from The London Toy Companywhich I expected to be diecast, similar to a toy I used to have made by FEVA. However, it turned out to be completely plastic and made by Teamsterz (who I absolutely detest!). Nevertheless, it’s a very detailed toy inside and out, despite only have four real wheels and just bogey details moulded on the sides. Very impressed with the soundbox, I can confirm tje beeping sounds are the doors opening and closing respectively. Also interesting they chose an announcement for Baker Street, because I believe S Stock run on the Bakerloo line.

Okay, yeah, it's branded as a toy and not a model. As a kid, I'd have loved this, because it's one of those things you never saw in train sets. The soundbox itself isn't too bad, but I think it's more you have to know the Tube to really know what the announcement is saying, as it sounds like the Bakerloo line with "This is a Bakerloo line service to . . ." But for a toy, it's neither more or less expensive than most sets out there, especially with things like buildings etc. Definitely just think of it as a toy, but not a bad toy for a young child 😊

Hey Sam, great video! I have a video idea, what if you tried to 3d print some 00 gauge track, and see how it compares to other manufacturers designs. I understand you wouldn't be able to make it functional but it's just a thought.

that set appears to use the same (or strikingly similar) system to the Trackmaster thomas and friends models, which, in their current iteration, also require 2 AAA batteries

I think that set has a few things going for it. With the tunnel, station and points it has more play value than a simple circle or oval of track. For children who live anywhere with tube trains, it gives them a chance to own a toy version of the trains they see every day. I'm not a parent but I understand (and can, just about, remember from my own experience) that children like toys that reflect the world around them. Downsides, I think the unreliable means of stopping the train in the station could cause frustration. Parents may tire of the distorted "Mind the gap" announcements. I also think it's a bit of a shame that there's no practical way to have passengers who can get on and off the train. If I were setting up the track, I'd have the two loops opposite the station, so that your choice is either running the train in the open or through a tunnel but always going through the station; rather than the choice of running through the tunnel or station. It's nice that you can extend the train with extra carriages but would the limited options for different track layouts result in eventual boredom? It would be fun to combine two of these sets, so you have two trains, two stations (even if they're both Baker St) and two loops/tunnels. Managing the trains so they don't crash could prove interesting.

There’s a downloadable model of the tube station from Eastenders that would go so well with this!

Fun to watch, Sam! Thanks.

Now that’s a train I’ve definitely been on. On my birthday, I might add.

08:01 It says "An all station Metropolitan Line train to Baker Street" This is an announcement recorded from the actual train. The Metropolitan Line has express and all station services.

Hi Sam. I'm wondering if, with a little work and imagination, you could convert it to remote control thus assimilating the DCC system on OO Gauge. And why not as we have remote controlled cars, aeroplanes and boats etc. for children, so why not toy trains. It would certainly beat the old Hornby Dublo clockwork system. Paul. 😀

I love that Set!

If it is not clear then quite an accurate announcement 😎 Quite neat really, never seen a model tube train before.

Hi Sam great video and a great review 😀

Thank god! An underground train that isn't a green, slug-like, eldritch abomination. I still get nasty flashbacks of that one, Sam. How about 3-D printing some London Underground trains? That might be a fun project.

I think this uses the same track as trackmaster revolution and may be compatible with trackmaster 2.

The shuttle to the economy parking at Tampa airport runs on a track/road like this and even the points are somewhat similar lol

My 5 year old grandson had a similar toy train set like that when he was 3. This wouldn't be entertraining enough for him now.

If I find one of these then I'll try detailing it to a high standard (It won't be easy though lol) Cheers Jasper & Willow

The special rail at the station with the orange levers. Its the same system old c lockwork-tin-toy trains had 100 yars ago...

It could be run along side a traditional kids OO trainset, I'm sure many would enjoy that !

This set has made me smile - what fun.

Could be great fun to buy two, or more, of these sets, if they're discounted any time. Have a few trains running, with a few stations.

It reminds me of Power Trains they used a similar mechanism to this I used to get them for 10USD for an engine and a couple of cars :)

Hey Sam thanks for another great video I was wondering if your able to do some videos with the new Hornby Railroad Locomotives like the 47s and 67s that'll be great as it'll help me out as I'm starting out modelling thanks again 😊

i had a toy like this as a kid although it wasn't tube themed it was a generic american loco and two box cars that i think your set shares the same frame for the loco and coaches