On behalf of all of us, we’re really proud of what you’ve accomplished! Starting out as super basic but usable rolling stock, and now a BEAUTIFUL scale model of a locomotive that’s obnoxious to make? We’re proud of you Sam, and hope you can continue to make more of these beautiful projects in the future haha
Took one look at the thumbnail, and i knew we were in for a treat - great to see it fully decorated and running - very smart livery. Once again you amaze us again! Great video sam
Beautiful little loco. I can’t believe how you’ve learned to make top-quality models in such a short space of time. You really should start your own company. For your next project, I think it could be something from the North Staffordshire Railway since nobody’s ever made a model of a NSR loco before.
You really hit it out of the park with this, Sam. This is an excellent piece of work considering it's a one-man job, and the researching and testing makes it even better. Years of working with existing models clearly left a good impression on this. Regards, Samuel Farris.
I don't know how to express my happiness and amazement, the locomotive turned out majestic. You really are one of the best youtubers dedicated to this.
Transfers can best be applied on a gloss surface; after which you can still varnish them with satin/matt or gloss. Whichever you prefer! Microsol/microset can help on rough surfaces to soften and set the decals in place. Lovely build!
These design and build series are rapidly becoming my favourites of your videos. I really love the increase in fidelity with each model you produce. can't wait to see what's next
Something that you can be really proud of. A magnificent piece of work and well worth the effort. If I owned a large commercial company on the look out for an opportunity I would be knocking on your door! Thank you for sharing the process with us all, it really has been enjoyable watching it all come together.
Let's not also forget that wheel assembly jig that Sam 3D printed for himself. It's one thing to make the model (done very well), but it's even more amazing to make the tools that make the model as well.
Very impressive indeed Sam, you should be proud of that. Couple of things I have found out when doing decals / painting: 1) Decals need either an unpainted shiny plastic or a high gloss surface to properly sit on. Get yourself a good quality gloss varnish to go over the decal area first. 2) You mention using a sharpie for the nameplate (good outcome that), also have a look at paint pens. I have used Posca with success (available with very fine nibs). Best
This loco looks absolutely beautiful. Well done Sam. Your idea with the sharpie is what I use to add colour to older models which don’t have the cab details painted. So much easier than using a paint brush.
Months of work, and this must have been so rewarding in the end Sam. You're selling yourself a bit short perhaps. She just looks stunning. On camera little niggles might show but she just looks fabulous. She really does. And what a leap up here. Especially the sheen is actually spot on as well; accidental perhaps, but just exactly right. I use cotton swaps to roll out air traps from transfers (don't push!) but specially bigger ones usually are a real annoyance and quite often do require more than one attempt. Yeah very annoying but that's how it often is. To remedy gaps, just use modelling putty Sam. Also remember that in physics, pulling requires less effort than pushing in similar circumstances. The latter adds to overcoming more friction. It's just how it works in physics and often explains some differences in performance at reversing. The single big wheel simply adds to the problem I suppose, lol. From both of us; well deserved compliments 👍 👍 👍 Cheerio.
It’s incredible to see how much you’ve improved in terms of 3D printed models, from your first open wagons, that ugly 4-4-0 you made and now this, it is a beautiful model you made Sam, and you should be very proud of it and I’m interested to see your next project, maybe a bigger engine with actual bogeys? Great vid as always
One thing I recommend for the decals having bubbles beneath them (also known as "silvering" in scale modeling terms) is to use decal solutions like Micro Set/Sol and Humbrol Decalfix, what they do is softening the decals so it conforms better to more bumpy surfaces.
Transfers, do a coating of gloss varnish under them, this gives a smooth surface for the Transfer to stick to. Thus reducing the chance of air bubbles getting under the Transfer, preventing silvering. You can then spray your preferred varnish finish over the top, helping to seal the lot in. But mainly, what a great job, I wish I could have one!
I rarely comment on videos but am totally impressed with what you have accomplished! What would make it better? Sprung buffers! I jest, but only because you make a point of testing them all the time. I’ve seen lots of comments on the decals and how to improve on that, all very supportive. Thanks for including us in this journey.
Gotta give yourself more credit. This looks amazing and you’ll definitely get better over time. Your custom locomotives and rolling stock need their own Sam’s Trains custom packaging
This is really impressive. Yes it's not a professional model but I believe that most of your viewers, myself included, would be more than satisfied if we were able to produce a model this good. The vents on the splashers particularly stand out for me. Other modellers tips all say to apply a gloss or semi gloss finish before applying decals, a matt or satin varnish can then be used to dull down the gloss to the level you require. A little more time and effort but helps eliminate silvering and air bubbles.
Outstanding, I am in awe. Well done. With a single large driverloco a 24v motor works fine. I replaced a Triang single with a modern 24v motor and the running became more closer to prototype and smooth and powerful. You did a spectacular job on this Sam.
Christmas was just around the corner. Up and down the country, people were getting into the Christmas spirit. It was no exception in this cozy house in Derbyshire, where our dear Sam lives. ‘Sam, I’m back from Christmas shopping!’ yelled a middle-aged woman from the doorstep, it was Sam’s loving mother. On her arms were bags full of colourful Christmas goodies. ‘Wow, is it December already? Time really does fly.’ Sam said as he climbed down the loft ladders. He could barely contain his excitement! It only seemed like yesterday when he was ramming the Heljan Hymek into a sea of polystyrene balls. Had it nearly been a year? This year had been amazing for both him and his channel. Getting to handle Awdry’s original Thomas model, what could’ve been better than that? That was only one of the many great things he’d done this year. ‘Mother, is that what I think it is?’ Sam pointed at a giant red box buried underneath some decorative candles. He could make out some golden letters on the box. ‘Ugh, I was hoping to give this to you as a surprise! Nevermind,’ chuckled his mother, ‘You’re just like those eagle-eyed viewers who could tell what model boxes you have from a mile away, but with food!’ Sam couldn’t help but laugh. It was a frightfully accurate comparison. Sam’s mouth began to water as he admired the red box. On it with shiny golden letters read ‘Lindt Advent Calendar 2023’. Sam had always enjoyed chocolate, with Lindt being his absolute favourite brand. ‘Ding dong’, came the sound of the doorbell. Sam rushed to open the front door, a blonde girl wrapped her arms around him. ‘Sam, are you ready for us to spend our third Christmas together?*Apologies if this is inaccurate.*’ she whispered into the ear of her handsome boyfriend. ‘I should get back to filming,’ Sam told Chloe softly, ‘Want to get that Coca-cola tram review out this year!’ Chloe squeezed Sam’s hands tightly, she wanted to spend more time with Sam, but she understood that Sam’s job is important. He mustn’t disappoint his audience! Sam’s mother yawned lazily on the armchair, ‘All that Christmas shopping has tired me,’ she mumbled. ‘I’ll go upstairs for a nap.’ Chloe was now left all alone. Her eyes darted around the living room. What was something interesting to do? She giggled when she saw the medieval soldier costume folded neatly in a cupboard. Somehow, she had not spotted it there before. A 22-year-old Sam had once been in that outfit for a Halloween video. Earlier this year, she watched that video with him to celebrate the 10th year anniversary of his main channel. That was a fun video to film. Making videos with Sam is fast becoming one of their favourite activities together. Chloe’s tummy made an awful growl. She hadn’t eaten anything all afternoon! She went instinctively into the kitchen, hoping to make something to eat. What caught her attention, however, was the box of Lindt chocolate on the pantry. She was sure that Sam would not mind her taking a few. The naughty girl carefully slid the box open... ‘Hey, fancy seeing you here,’ came a voice from the kitchen door. Chloe’s hands flew behind her back to hide the box of chocolates. It was Carrot, one of Sam’s sisters. ‘I’m just checking what food we have left,’ Chloe stammered. Carrot took a spoon of yogurt from the fridge and left. She didn’t doubt Chloe one bit! After all, Chloe is such a wonderful chef. Carrot and Sam both secretly hoped Chloe could come and cook for their family every day. Even Sam’s signature dish, the Modelrailwayman’s Broth, isn’t a patch compared to what Chloe can make. With Carrot gone, Chloe quickly popped a few pieces of chocolate into her mouth. Yum, they were delicious! She could replace them afterwards. Sam would be completely oblivious. A few days later, it was time for Sam to open the first window of the advent calendar. Oh no, the silly girl had forgotten to put the chocolates back! Whatever would her boyfriend say? Chloe crossed her fingers, dreading Sam’s reaction. In the nick of time, she remembered the knight costume she’d seen, ‘Hey Sam, would you look at that?’ said Chloe, pointing at the costume. Sam let go of the box of chocolates. He was amazed to see that awful outfit again. He thought his mother had thrown it away ages ago! ‘Sam, would you mind putting this on?’ pleaded Chloe. Sam gave his girlfriend a funny look, what a weird request! Being the kind man he is, he would simply do anything for the love of his life, so he grabbed the costume and retreated to the bathroom. ‘Chocolates, chocolates, where can I find chocolates?’ Chloe thought furiously. She slipped her hands into her pockets mindlessly. Golly! There were some of her homemade chocolates! She quickly slid open the box, popping her sweets into the empty slots. Sam marched into the room in his Halloween outfit. ‘H...h...how do I look?’ he whispered humorously. Chloe handed him the advent calendar. Without a second glance, Sam ripped into the first partition. Chloe watched in silence as Sam munched joyfully on her homemade piece. ‘Hmm, did Lindt change their formula?’ Sam murmured. Chloe’s face fell, he had noticed after all. Would Sam be mad with her for stealing his food? Would he decide to break up with her? ‘This taste even better than last year! The workers at Lindt deserve a pay rise!’ Sam went on, giving Chloe a wink. Chloe let out a huge sigh of relief. She looked thoughtfully at the mistletoe hang high up above the door, as Sam planted a nice warm kiss on her cheeks. Has she successfully fooled Sam? We will leave that to the reader to decide.
Seeing three different locos you made yourself running along the line really is heartwarming. You're a right little Awdry now, aren't ya? I think all you need to give a try at now is kitbashing.
On a operating track in public, it is grade 'A'. Close up and in hand, grade 'C'. Mechanically with a small consist, as would be its normal operating condition, grade 'A'. Back in it's normal operating condition of 2 to 5 double axial cars it works fine. I don't know why most modern operators try to build up trains with loads of trains of 60 years later which still stall out. A very pleasant prototype.
I had no idea these engines were painted green! I always assumed they were always in lined black like most other LNWR engines I've seen pictures of. This model looks like something I would see in a museum! Such an amazing scratchbuild. I would suggest using crushed coal instead of a 3D printed coal load for your next steam loco build. I want to see you make a diesel or electric locomotive/railcar in the near future.
Sam, your projects are amazing and you do yourself a disservice every time you compare your loco decoration to what a factory can produce. Genuinely in awe of this amazing project. If I could design in CAD to even 10% of what you can do, I'd be pleased with myself. Good idea on re-visiting Copper knob in resin. The 552 would be superb in resin too. Well done again.
You did a great job paining the locomotive Sam, don’t be so hard on yourself; I think you did great. Keep up the great content, and the great work you do for the model railroad community.
This is mental! You're becoming better and better with Model making! if I could give you a idea, perhaps a diesel? like not expres but just a small little box diesel shunter, it would be a simple body so you could add more details along the body?
Sam, you have been an inspiration in designing and building this model. I think you have been too hard on yourself with “Sam’s your model review”. What an a achievement! You not only the talk with your always consistent and considered model reviews, you clearly “walk the walk” in your understanding of what makes a great model locomotive that is also value for money.
Wow!! That’s amazing! I would never have been able to pull something like that off!! I thought the unpainted version was good but this is off the scale good!! If I had to pick one of your trains from your collection to be mine then I’m picking that in a heartbeat. Watch out Hornby there’s a new legend in town!!
Fantastic job. Democratising production like this is really good for the hobby because it’s long been at the mercy of corporations who see their customers as a sponge to extract all the money they can from, just because the key demographic is thought to have masses of disposable income. Admittedly, it’s not for everyone, and the initial outlay for equipment and materials is quite steep, but I’d loved to see more people in this hobby attempt their own rolling stock and even engines. Please carry on with this sideline on this channel!
The only very minor but important thing I can note is the fact that when you look through the driving wheel, you can see the opposite driving wheel through the non-existent boiler. A bit ironic really because most commercial locos some years ago were criticised for an inability to see daylight UNDER the boiler! Nonetheless, a brilliant model, Sam. At 81, my modelling days are coming to a close. Yours are burgeoning wonderfully!
If you still want to add things to that list of projects, how about trying to make print in place rolling stock? Something like a flat wagon that you take from the build plate, remove any supports, give the wheels a turn to check that they rotate freely and put it straight on the tracks. Bonus points if it can be printed in multiple colours.
I deal with transfers too, the first transfers i made had some of those issues you had aswell, the flat matt probably made it worse, but what I do to avoid bubbles is let it dry for the night before putting on any varnish. Also the tiny layers of the printer are visible, but they are so minuscule that you can hide them in the priming stage. I give my 3D printed trains a few thin layers of primer till those layers are completely gone before painting it the colors. It hides any trace of the production process. All in all you can be very proud of your work! Keep it up! Also the wheel slip is not a bug that is a feature, I would be surprised if the real thing with this layout did not have wheel slip.
I have seen some toy restoration videos where the raised details were "stamped" with fine foam dipped in paint. Possibly dabbing with the the side of a small foam brush might work. An area for experimentation with paint thickness etc.
Apologies for the lots of separate comments, dodging kids means I have to watch these in stages! Tips for painting… When painting coaches I use a fully gloss varnish (nice and shiny) for 2 layers, then apply the transfers and a final layer of satin varnish (I used windsor and Newton Acrylic Varnish) gives a nice shiny, satin finish but not too shiny As for embossed lettering, I use citadel black, wipe the paint off on the side of the pot and use the side of the brush perfectly flat across the top, it will paint the top of detail and leave the background uncoloured Hope this helps, great job on this, love the lining on the tender especially
I have to say, the 3D locos you make are absolutely marvelous. They go to the length of realism. Given you started out small with the manning wardle, and those freelance designs, you have certainly grown up in that sense. Well, we've focused on Old Copernob, Gladstone, GER 552, and Problem. Guess we need a fifth loco to join the team...
Regarding the bubbles under the decals/tampos (sp?): spray a semigloss clearcoat over the model. It will provide a good surface for it to adhere to. Apple and coat the decal with Micro-sol (or the equivalent) to get a painted on look.Then spray another layer of clearcoat over the model to protect the decals.
Lovely yet again sam you should be very proud of your self watching these three locos you built yourself running around is a joy and from a distance you can't tell the difference 👍
Brilliant Sam ,well done. Nice to see GER loco and Coppernob out on the line again too.If I may make a suggestion for the next one, how about a Scotland for inspiration? I know HR 103 is in the pipeline, but no RTR manufacturers have ever touched the Great North of Scotland, or the Glasgow and South Western. Both had a good selection of attractive engines. Take a look, you'll find something you like I'm sure.
Outstanding Sam, loved watching this series. What is impressive to me is the engineering to get a large wheel running at the same speed as the smaller ones. Each model you've built has certainly pushed the boat out a little further. Think Copper Knob still my favourite. What's telling is you went from nothing to design, to prototype to build in 3 month, so why does it take so long for the big companies (2 years plus plus) to get their products out. If time is money I'm sure that adds to the end cost. Thanks from Aotearoa.
Gorgeous model. Resin printing has greatly improved the detail and resolution and now it looks like you're really getting close to professional models in terms of detail and finesse. I've been watching this project with an engineer's eye and I actually have a few ideas on how to improve things even further: - You've probably already thought about it but I think it would be a good idea to use metal threads whenever possible, especially for frequently removed parts like the base keeper plate. Just create an opening with a nut cross-section from the other side (the requirement is that the other side must be accessible of course) and fit a nut into it using a semi-tight fit so that it doesn't fall out too easily. Square nuts are perfect for this if you don't mind looking for them specifically - When I watched you fit pickups to this loco I had an idea. I remembered those spring loaded contacts that Dapol (I think it was Dapol?) used on one of their models. These are also called pogo pins and they're actually meant to be used as pcb connectors but clearly they also work as locomotive pickups. Some of them are around 3-4 mm of total height so with a little bit of imagination they should fit in a loco chassis as long as the driving mechanism is not in the way. They might be a little bit tricky to solder cause most of them are made for pcb surface mount (they don't have any soldering terminals) but I think some do have a short pin on the other end that would make the soldering easier. If you managed to get your hands on some of those that are small enough to fit inside the loco chassis I think it would greatly improve pick up reliability and spare you some wire bending. Not sure what the added cost would be cause that probably depends greatly on where you buy - Sprung buffers? Lemme guess you're already working on those aren't you?
It’s a good effort and performs fairly well, it’ll be interesting to see how the resin lasts for the moving parts. To take things further you could use some of the many available detail parts such as hand rails, valves and whistles etc, yes they will cost a bit more but still be less than a RTR loco. The metal parts will add a bit if finesse to the finished model.
Fantastic result. +1 for the Sharpie! Use then quite regularly around here - even on commercial kits. I'd love to see an update to "Old Copper Knob" on the Resin printer.
Sam, for the decals, you should use waterslide transfers on a gloss finish. That way, the transfers stick better. The matte varnish has to be done after all thats done. I will try this myself as well, since I heard about this before. I hope this helps!
9:20 a way to do embossed lettering that I've seen before is to print the piece the colour you want the lettering to be, then spray paint it, then sand the paint off
"I doubt I'll ever produce a perfect model." he says. I say boulderdash! That Problem Class looks and runs amazing for a model you've designed and built in the attic. Come on mate, give yourself some more credit, if this is what you can do now I want to see what you'll do next. Look out Hornby/Bachman/Dapol, modelers like Sam are about to give you a run for your money.
It looks pretty damn good for being home made, so congratulations are in order! If you're looking for a good satin varnish though, I can strongly recommend the VMS stuff, sprays well with or without thinner but I would add some thinner for sure if your air brush needle/nozzle is smaller than 0.5mm. normal hairy brush application still works a treat though!
Honestly, compared to some commercial models, yours is simply awesome. I won"t drop brand names this time... I think most of the price of the commercial models is taken by conception, manufacture and amortization of the molds. An injection mold costs between GBP 50K and GBP 150K depending on the complexity, as far as I know. I invite anyone with a knowledge of plasturgy to complete my intervention, because I don't have the knowledge to say more.
That's absolutely beautiful, Sam. I was racking my brain to see if I could think of what it reminded me of. Then it came to me: Lord Belborough's engine that he drives in the classic stop-motion children's show, 'Chigley'. It's also where the catchy, and oft parodied Song 'Time Flies By, When You're The Driver Of A Train' comes from. Sorry.
To apply decals without bubbles, Sam, I'd recommend the use of some decal setting solution. I've used 'Micro Set, and Micro Sol' (#notspon) for Possibly 30+ years now. If you do use them, please read the instructions, and obey them to the letter. You'll have no problems if you do. If I still had hair, I'd have pulled it all out in frustration, at the number of modellers on RU-vid who use them incorrectly. Decals work best on a gloss surface, and when they are set, can be given a light spray of matt or satin clear coat to fix them permanently, and allow you to weather over the top of them, if you wish.
Outstanding work. You've come a long way with your resin printing, and frankly most of the things you point out in the video as being "issues" is pretty much just inherint side effects of resin printing. I'd say there just isn't much more you can do re: layer lines/ warping at this stage with where the tech is at, and imo its only noticable with a macro lens for most people's eyes, anyway. In terms of the flat finish, there's a bit of a trick some scale modellers use which I recently discovered. Starting out with 1 or 2 layers of gloss varnish makes a great smooth surface for working with decals, plus it tends to offer better protection for the paint. Once you've done this and sorted out your decals, you can then at a mat varnish to bring it back to the finish you want with gentle thin layers (just make sure you do a deep clean of your airbrush before applying several clear coats. Any fleck of dry paint sittin gin the nozzle with spoil the effect).
That is so much more than just "okay". It is absolutely GORGEOUS, even larger-than-life-size on my monitor. I appreciate your honesty in scoring this as you would any commercial product, but the score seems low to me. Jason Shron, owner of Rapido Trains, had a modest start (but high standards, and a delightful and righteous madness) - and look what he has achieved today. There is nothing holding you back from greatness.
3D modelling like this takes ages in terms of design and development, and you can tell you’ve put a lot of thought in to the design to see it come together and operate so well. I think the review was fair, and you have identified some areas for improvement. Good job 🎉
Congratulations Sam! The loco looks great and you should be very proud. A single application of satin varnish over flat paint won't do much to kill the flatness. I'd use two coats of gloss prior to application of the decals, then apply whatever final finish you want. Also, a decal softening solution in addition to the usual setting solution might help. For larger bubbles underneath a decal I've used a very sharp pin to get the air out, followed by more setting solution. You just have to be careful to make only the tiniest of holes and not tear the decal. My main problem with decals has always been messing about with them too much after they are on the surface. So getting them positioned well when sliding them off the backing is a key skill (with which I still struggle!). Again, you should be very proud of your accomplishment with this Problem Class. Cheers from Wisconsin! PS: I know you aren't a big fan of weathering on rolling stock, but weathering is an excellent way to cover up (or at least distract from) minor construction and decoration problems. 🙂
Regarding painting the nameplate, first paint the black, allover if you wish and leave to dry. Then add the fill colour. Whilst still wet, use a bit of solvent dampened cardboard wiped over the surface in one movement to remove excess fill paint, revealing the black high points again.
I thought it might look good in the well-known LNWR Blackberry Black, but the Green looks even better! Well done - and I'm sure we're all looking forward to your next project...
I pretty much agree with your rating. Here’s my take: Detail: 4 Performance: Power: 6 (pre-grouping)/2 (late post-grouping) coaches Mechanism: 3-1/2 Quality: 4 (I’d give it 5 if it had a DCC decoder in the tender) Value: 5 I’d say, “Fantastic job, Sam!”
The matte finish is down to the way it was painted. Basically, you can tell that you didn't use much of, if any base coat prior to painting. So you pick up the slight 'rough' texture that resin printing causes. To keep that from happening in future, you'll want to base coat the model, then sand it with fine grit sandpaper. Do this a couple times and when you put your paint on, it'll be brighter and less matte.
Fabulous Job, it looks really good and a very well built chassis and mechanism too. We've gone on for years about having details like daylight under the boiler, but daylight through the boiler? You're leading the industry Sam!🤣😂🤣
Great job! Your skills are really developing and the move to resin is paying off big time - this is your best loco yet, and a fantastic prototype to boot! You can be justifiably proud of this model. More pre-grouping please!
