Incredible New Oxford Rail WW1 Boche Buster Train Pack Unboxing & Review 

I love how this costs less than the 1361, and this includes a bigger locomotive and a massive railgun.

The shell track that you swapped round will block any elevation of the gun if it runs right up to the breech, so I think the original position was correct. Newsreel footage and photos appear to bear this out.

I don't even own a railway set and I'm drawn to this channel like a moth to a flame. Absolutely brilliant, thank you!

Interesting history. This gun, was built buy EOC (Armstrong) as one of a pair for the Japanese Battleship Yamashiro, but they were rejected in favour of similar guns from Vickers. Due to being designed to fit inside a battleship turret, whilst the breech on Boche Buster opened to the right, the gun on Scene Shifter opened to the left which was a rarity for British Artillery. And yes, the carriage that the gun was placed on, was reused in WWII for an 18 inch artillery piece left over from the cancelled N3 battleships, also carried the name Boche Buster.

🇬🇧 Launches a 14-inch, 2,500-pound TEA BAG☕. And the target is: BERLIN

I’d like to see a Gustav cannon model from WWII

I like how the code contains the word "BOOM." Also, imagine if an engine like that was on Sodor and told stories of the railgun.

Some really impressive models! I saw the Dean Goods not too long ago, and it amazed me how good the model's cab is, it felt like being at Swindon again! The livery and the howitzer's camouflage is very well applied and I could see these fitting in well on a WWI railhead layout. Edit: I believe the ammunition sled was actually mounted the right way around; The sled stops short of the gun breach so the cranes can be used to feed in the shells at different heights - Otherwise the gun would need to be perfectly aligned every time it fired and it might damage the tray with the weapon's hydraulic recoiling. Still, though, excellent review, and I applaud doing loading gauge tests like that on rolling stock!

17.45 I believe the metal frames, as well as the 'handrails' along the top, were to support camouflage netting. 17.55 The big handwheel was, as you say, part of the fine aiming mechanism -- the gun could be adjusted two degrees left/right by using that handwheel to slew the top carriage across the muzzle-end span bolster. It would of course have to be re-centred for proper balance before the gun was attached to a train for movement, given that the barrel alone weighed 86 tonnes. And yes, it was a gun, not a howitzer. In a naval mount -- with full power-assisted loading and pointing -- it could fire 2 rounds a minute, but with manual loading and aiming that would be more like 1 round every two or more minutes. But it could upset people calmly eating lunch more than 20 miles away, which is a pretty mean thing to do. Excellent review of a fascinating model, as usual.

“It’s a long way to Tipperary, it’s a long way, to go~”

This is the best thing to ever come out of Oxford Rail! The Karki Dean Goods was beautiful, and that Rail Gun was flawless in every way! Great review Sam! Can’t wait for more!

As soon as I saw “incredible” as the first word in the title, I knew you were gonna be excited. Spectacular train set, your reviews are ALWAYS top notch! 👍

The amount of detail on it is just incredible! (And a little overwhelming). Quite a short running board the loco has, it looks a bit unusual that way. The livery is really cool though. Great job!

A wonderful train-pack and great review Sam. Many thanks. Oxford certainly seem to be setting the standard don't they!

Hiya Sam, very nice to see, I really want a WW2 one, but don't know, they were moved around by a Maunsell diesel shunter looking very like an 08. But I agree, its stunning. Oxford Rail are indeed leading the way and I am yet to have a bad experience with them. Very glad to see you using a Gauagemaster controller, you can now enjoy the 'real life' feel of driving locos up and down hill and adding or reducing speed just like the real thing and have nice smooth safe operation, good call. Great video.

Hi Sam, I bought the plain painted WWII Gladiator as mine is a WWII layout. Your review is spot-on. The field gun is the most fantastic bit of kit. Everyone comments on the field gun and wants to see it running. It has its own siding alongside the Ambulance Train. A great section of my layout. Thanks Sam, brilliant review. J.T.

What a train pack! Big fan with how Oxford Rail are producing models especially the price for the quality. That recoil is phenomenal in real life. The overhang and clearance of that gun is hilarious but awesome at the same time. Great review as always am. Clint at Leila Central.

Sam this is such an amazing set, thanks for sharing it!

WOW! I can't say in writing how impressive that is to me, I really want one of those! Absolutely wonderful. Oxford rail are turning out to me my favourite model railway producer! I really did enjoy that. No way that video was 40 minutes that went quick! Big well done to Oxford rail. Great video Sam 👍

Holy moly! This has got to be one of the best train packs you ever looked at on this channel! :O I wasn't expecting both the Dean Goods and the Huge rail gun to be so cheap in terms of price and yet they are super detailed and have this beautiful livery. Especially the railgun I love the camo livery on it. :)

Great video sam why not run it with a Q1 or a WD 2-8-0 Many thanks Harry

This is so astonishing and satisfying seeing that gun go across the tight points

That is an amazing rail gun! Watching it bend itself through those points forward and backward just made my day!

Great review 👍 I just picked up a lightly used Gladiator rail gun from Rails for £49.50 and I love it to death. Can’t wait to run it at my local club layout

That railgun is gigantic! Let's hope Oxford rail does a garratt with this level of quality. It would be a dream for me.

A 14-inch railgun?! Wow! The King George V class battleships for the Royal Navy of WW2 used 10 14-inch guns as their main armament! Now that’s firepower! The shells literally weigh 1 ton!

Upon seeing this I immediately bought a model of the 'Gladiator' railway gun for myself. Also the thing you swapped round was in the right position as ammo would be placed on that from a munitions carriage behind the gun.

WHOOOOOOAAA!!! Awesome video Sam! That has to be the most epic train set ever created! There are no words to describe how incredible that railgun is, oh wait, yes there are: blown away!

you know how you have made a Blitz video? Make a WW1 Video! because these are WW1 Stock! just a Idea! Sam :D

I love me some WW1 rolling stock! Its such a tempting train pack to buy!

I am so glad that new motors are in these. I am tempted to get one now!

Awesome review of a great model. I saw one in my local shop yesterday, it is just as impressive as you say.

Thinking about it, I think the reason they manage to make their models so cheap is their priorities. They don't remove the seams, they put the metal where it's the most useful but need the least detail, so the castings can be cheap, they add all the extra details that they can do cheaply, and they commit to decent quality mechanisms. I bet sanding off those seams before painting would be several man hours by a minimum wage intern, which would hike up the prices, so they decide to just leave it and make up for it by adding other features. What do you think? Does this seem like a decent explanation as to why they can afford to sell them cheap?

How about as a animation project with the railgun firing on some pesky Heljan engines? (O4 Tango I'm looking at you!)

The double bogie on a primary bogie would help the railgun negotiate bends and points really well. Great stuff thanks I didn't know about this rail gun at all so will have to research it further. Can imagine it would have some munition wagons and another engine at the rear

Good Evening Sam, long time no see. I really enjoyed watching your review of the Oxford Rail WW1 Rail Gun Train Pack. Love both the GWR Dean Goods Locomotive in ROD Khaki Livery & the Rail Gun, Boche Buster, it's awesome. For over £50 for the Oxford Rail Gun, unbelievable. Oxford Rail had really improved the Dean Goods especially the motor, a very smooth, quiet and quite responsive after a run in. I'm considering in getting it one day, the DCC Ready version. I would suggest you do a WW1 Themed Running Session with Locomotives that ran during the WW1 including the Dean Goods hauling the Rail Gun, Boche Buster in the future, that would be awesome. A wonderful review mate. Keep up the good work. 5 Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 10/10 😉

You shuold rewiew Lego trains just for fun and compare them with hornby trains😂

One little GWR 0-6-0 tender engine can't pulled one biggest heaver railgun to get the top Gordon hill that is impossible said James the red engine!😂

I’m a new subscriber and after watching this I ordered it and it came today. It looks even better in person, the detail is amazing and can’t believe the price.

Oh my goodness, I am so getting this!!!! For Christmas I've already planned to get this and the hatton's p class, fingers crossed there still gonna be in stock!

well u never fail to make me smile

Ohh Golly Goodness! look out where you aim that Sam! :0 Dont wanna Hit New Zealand!! :0 XD What a Superb Model! :D Loved the Video! Sam

There's a show called the great model railway challenge. One team had a rail gun that succesfully fired smoke!!! i was blown away! :0

What a stunning model. I was in the Australian Defence force and my father was in the RAF so 8 do have an interest in this Thanks Sam. Good job.

dam you youtube recommendations, i already throw all my money at 40k, i can't afford a new hobby... ... maybe just the boche buster... yes just *one*

Wow I Thought the engine wont work cause of the Original dean goods But Wow! :D

Rail guns are just in general fascinating. The size of the guns mounded on the large rail frames was no easy task. It's nice to see that the makers of this rail gun took the time and figured out the articulation on the sets of wheels to handle curves on a layout.

You mentioned the cannon recoils in its mounts, so I would assume there has to be some clearance between the breech and the loading rail to allow it to move freely.

Hi sam Wow nearly 50k wow I miss my Oxford rail Dean goods It had too many issues for me at time Swapped it for a 72xx The gun could feature in a story for Nov 11 or ttte stories you use to do. Only an idea Keep safe arp

Him: Classic ww1 train pack Me: hell yeah war on the rails

Top class piece of kit. Oxford rail have knocked it out the park with this and it's going to be extremely hard to beat. I think Oxford rail are the best £/quality and performance manufacturer by a long way ATM. The big companies seriously need to up there game in both quality and price.

Ooh very nice, these look good. I managed to get a hornby bulleid pacific for 80 quid! They were selling unrebuilt Square ones for £57! Great value. She runs great and looks superb.

3:07 wow 😯👍👍👍👍😁😁

They had a license to print money with this model set and decided to hand it out at bargain prices. Hats off to them!

They were built (it and its Sister Gun', 'Scene shifter' ) during ww1 and were found by 'accident' refubished and put to use, two land based guns Winnie and Pooh were also found somwhere, they were all Naval guns.

Amazing video once again! Love it like always! It would have been fun if it had a little '' Bullet '' you could put in the railway gun and then fire away using springs or something like that. Keep these videos going! - A random Swedish fan!

Sam i cant ser your videos and lives between september and june

Hey Sam! It's been a while! This video really made me smile as I'm going through a rough time right now... My girlfriend said she was never my friend, I was sad, watched this video and it really made me laugh and smile! Love your vids! Keep up the good work Sam! -Tyler

I bought one of these a few years ago in anticipation of finally setting up a new layout and in the last few weeks have finally gotten around to it - and oh dear! The initial layout is just a 6x4 on a hardwood table with cork track bed. I set the loco to run in and it was fine - quiet and pretty quick. A good smooth runner- until I hooked up the rail gun. It performed another couple of circuits and then stopped dead. Investigation time - the engine is humming and vibrating but to all intents and purposes as dead as a dodo. As it’s out of warranty I decided to be a bit less than gentle and got it running again, back to the same standard as before. However, it has derailed a couple of time and, each time it does, the loco jams up again. The only conclusion I can have is that there’s something a bit off on the tolerances of the gears that causes a jam if the loco gets into a situation it doesn’t like. So I’m really not that impressed, even with this ‘new and improved’ Dean Goods.

Hi sam great video as alway and such and amazing value for money pack. Tbh i believe the ammunition sled is the correct way when you unboxed it as the first crane would lift the shell from the ground to the sled where it overhangs it would be rolled to the other end and the second crane would lift it into the cannons breach. Also the way you have it means the breach wouldn't be able to open fully

Sounds like there may be a motor transplant in your GWR Green Dean Goods' future! And I just bought a Boche Buster railway gun as I was watching this review, cannot wait for it to arrive!

Hi Sam great videos. Gun carriage was correct at the rear as received. Shells were loaded onto carriage by cranes, then moved forward to the breach. Cheers, Col.

hiya Sam, great reveiw as always and I am ordering one of these as we speak as a result of this review, from Oxford Rail. The sled was, in fact, reversible on the original gun and this was to allow for ammo to be loaded on AND off the gun as there were concerns about the ammo exploding while the train was in motion. secondly the seam you mention on the barrell, is, in fact, an accurate feature. This occurred because the two sides of the barrel were cast separately and then welded together after the casting and skimming. I hope this helps. Please excuse my absence of recent times ....I have got married!!!!

I’ve always had an interest in war trains and royal trains. They’re very interesting, especially the royal trains, such as the Imperial Russian trains from Tsarist Russia. Sam! Will you be doing another Christmas special this year? I love your Christmas specials!

A great pack and I am tempted !!! With regards to the sled, now you have spun it around you have I believe blocked the door from "opening"

Really is a superb set and can't wait for the sound fitted version! So happy with my solo loco and gun so far ;) It's a different number to the one in the set too! As for the D is it's an initial of the French/Belgium shed on where it was based. Only some locos carried this from what I understand. The sled is the the right was around, as it used to be served by a Armored Stores Car, which was used to store the shells (I've just created one using a Lima Freezer car). So you'll have to give it another half a star ;)

That Boche Buster railgun with the GWR Dean Goods locomotive from Oxford Rail looks pretty badass Sam. Plus, it is also money well spent.

I was expecting the price to be much higher, and I'm quite pleasantly surprised. I must save up for one of these now, because my word, it looks amazing. I love military trains, and this certainly fits that bill. Interesting fact, Lionel, the famous American O Gauge manufacturer, has recently started producing HO scale stock, including a lot of USATC/US Military rolling stock. No USATC locos yet, though, but I feel like it's something they might do in the future, considering how much military rolling stock they have. I strongly suggest taking a look at their collection, it's quite impressive. Wishing you well, ~Mike

Hi Sam great video and a very nice loco. I commented on your controller comparison video and recommended the superior gaugemasters. I'm glad that you got one (I saw it on another one of your videos) and I hope that like me you are really happy with it. All the best and keep up the good work. Chris.

I went into my local model train store which sold hornby for a couple of years now, and it also had some Oxford Rail warwell wagons with steamroller loads for $64 each (which is more expensive than the price on Hatton's, and is more than this railgun's RRP) In America, there was a large railgun produced by various manufactuers from the 70s or so until about 2014, and it resembles this Oxford railgun a lot (but not as detailed, has only 8 axles. and is shorter than my IHC passenger cars)

Ive stood next to the barrel(only the barrel) of an 18 inch railway gun. It was big enough to crawl through but imagine what you would need to pull its original carriage and all the associated wagons. You'd need a 9F i think. Anyway great vid Sam keep up the good work.

Great train pack Sam! You mentioned a siding? Perhaps it would look cool to have shell shattered war-gaming walls as a background with OO scale infantry milling about! Also it would be fun to see an articulated loco- Big Boy maybe- hauling that big gun through that point complex! 👍😃👍

Good deal, Sam. Great cab detail, the gun is a great bit of WW1 engineering, the livery is mind-blowing. Great attention to detail, you right on the loading mech, it may blow up Gordan Hill!

I am so getting this pack and I might also get another Boche Buster as well that I could use with my GWR 2-8-0 that I have because I am going to do a special model train running session for the next Armed Forces Day as I think its a great way of doing a military train themed model train running session as a way of showing respect to those in the forces :). Thanks for the video Sam and if you can get hold of one. Could you do a review of the Revolution Trains TEA bogie tank wagon in OO gauge please? I would be delighted to hear your views on modern freight wagons as well as the Steam era :). All the best Ash.

Awesome review, the dean goods looks nice, Thanks for uploading on my birthday :)

Another great video Sam, jus a random story about the rail guns. Theres an abandoned tunnel near where I live In Kent where one of these cannons was stored during and after the war. It was briefly shunted out to fire towards the coast and France (the range was great). But they never used any breaking power at all, due to the blow back of the gun it would burn out and break that tried to stop it. So instead the crews and rail workers had to run after it and stop it bare handed, theres som footage of it somewhere. All the best- oskar

I do like that. Many years ago I built a 1/72 scale kit of the K5 Leopold railway gun and I converted it to run on 00 track. Then 20 years ago I built a Marklin gauge 1 set in my garden. Remembering the gun from years ago, I built one from scratch using plywood for the body and a snooker cue for the barrel, mounted on adapted Marklin flatbeds, all finished and sprayed up in German western front camouflage. Bought some Britain's Germans as crew and we were away. My young son and I had had many a happy hour playing with that beast. It presently sits in a display case waiting for someone to play with it. Any offers, 040 Luzie tank Locomotive included? Breech not door old chap, and they are ammunition hoists (or crane or union purchase)! Nice review and a lovely model. By the way, what I did with my railway gun (rail gun is something quite different ) is make a tunnel and kept it in there, guarded by some WW1 soldiers, ready to pop out and fire. It appeared from nowhere and disappeared as quickly, very impressive.

I got this in the mail yesterday and oh my gosh Sam the gun is massive and the locomotive is great

that is a wonderful train pack would love that ! great vid sam : )

Amazing model Sam , looking forward for the next video !

Sam as far as excuses go a war series would be a good one plus you can get more use of the ambulance train.

To me, it doesn't matter what flaws it has. This loco is beautiful and looks like it's worth more than it costs! There is so much intricate detail on these models for the price, it's what I call, a steal. :)

if we take in consideration how the shell rail is painted it goes in the other way, the camo need to match the camo on the main body, also i think will obstruct the movement of the canon, by hithing the bridge

Man, how awesome is that! If I can find a set without DCC fitted, I'm probably going to save and, hopefully, buy one. It wouldn't look quite right on my layout but that won't stop me. Really awesome models!

Great video, you made a comment (32.56) looking for a reason to run the Boche Buster. Well I noticed you have Tardis on you layout, well just get inside and go back in time to 1918 and enjoy. I to have a Tardis on my layout era 1950-1969 so if I want to run modern locomotives I go inside and transport into the future, works for me.

I completely agree, the Boche Buster is an absolutely amazing model for its price. To me it's not even the detail that makes its price so amazing, but the fact that it's a niche product even among model railway enthusiasts - which normally fetch an even higher price.

Superb video Sam. And what a train pack!

I am impressed that you were able to make a usable attic space out of a house with a truss roof. Its rather unique looking. In the US the spacing is 24 inches on center and the space barely usable.

Great review for a great looking product. Well done Sam....you need try and get your hands on the new double tender Bittern when it’s out....

Railway guns are very interesting part of railway history and war history as well. Germany was very fond of railway artillery. During WWII they had the Krupp K5 railway gun which was one of the most effective of railway guns not too dissimilar to this one. The guns were huge and the Germans would often build special tunnel bunkers that were hidden to push the gun, an engine and some ammo trucks in. The allies had difficulty finding them because the gun and crew would pop out of the bunkers, shoot about 8 shells, and then quickly scoot back in out of the view of allied air and recon. They also would put out dummy guns in the nearby rail yards for display and simulate muzzle flash in order to trick and decoy allied fighters and recon. There's actually allied footage of an attack on a decoy gun. Just an incredible set you have there, and yeah. Do get a dedicated siding for it. You can use it as a museum piece as there is one of the K5 guns here in the U.S. on display.

Very well done review Sam.

Hi Sam, another good video, thank you! Have you ever reviewed any old Rivarossi locos? Are they even made any more? I worked as a Saturday boy in Bakers Model Shop, Canterbury St, Gillingham Kent many years ago and the excitement that the Rivarossi locos generated amongst customers and staff (and me) alike was fantastic, but boy they were a lot of money, can't remember exactly how much the big Union Pacific locos were but my paper round and Saturday job money wouldn't buy one for sure.

For war-train fans, I recommend the Lima HO German Army WW2 Leopold train pack. I got mine new back in the 80’s. You can get them on eBay for £150-200. It contains a double diesel loco, coach, van, wagon and Leopold Railgun (as seen in “The Guns of Navarone”). It’s all super-detailed, and looks similar to the Nazi train in the new Indiana Jones movie.

Nice review! My layout is set in the Great War - Home Front... This gun is perfect for me.

On the rail where you thought they stored the ammo, it isn’t used to put the shells in. It is in fact used to take them out. As a bullet leaves a gun, there is a cartridge thing that gets left behind and that will have to be taken out.

The part that you flipped round was correct the way oxford put it on. I had a look at reference photos and plans of the real thing and there is a distinct gap between that and the gun breech and it overlaps over the edge of the mounting.

To give you an idea of the size of the gun, 14-inch guns were normally used on battleships. This looks amazing. I might have to pick one up myself!

Just a quick note Sam, the ammunition rail on top of the railway gun was the right way round originally. The crane would be used to hoist the shells from the ammo wagons onto the small truck and the other crane would hoist the shell into the gun breech. If the small truck fed the shells into the gun directly, the gun would be unable to elevate. Other than that it's all good.

From the tiny bit of research I decided to do and the very slight bit of Naval knowledge I have, The BL 14 inch (356mm) naval gun was a decently popular (I think) naval gun for some Dreadnoughts. (New York class and New Mexico class are the only dreadnoughts I know with them.) They were also used post WW1 on the King George the V class in a 2x4 and 2x2 configuration. The 14inch guns were the BL 14 inch Mk VII. The 13.5 (Other gun from the same website) were also pretty common. They were mounted on the Orion class and Iron Duke class of Dreadnoughts. That's about all I know. There are some surviving examples of the BL 14 inch guns (Not the railway guns) today. For me, most notably is the 14 inch guns mounted on the USS Texas.

Earmarked this a first buy from Hattons. Even with exchange rate and postage it is still 3 times cheaper than what I can buy one off the shelf in Australia! Great reviews Sam. Champion!