I hadn't even bought my first modeltrain when I realised, if you're in to steam locomotives, you really can't do without British oo scale... and you have the best videos on them!
@@SamsTrains Hello Sam, a bit late I suppose, definitely worth the wait. It would have been nice to have had a Princess Royal in the running, but hey it ticked all the boxes. An excellent video, thanks very much, regards Mike.
I also bought the GG1 from Trainworld. Excellent value. Something worth noting is that in DC mode it has as some features not usually found in DC mode. 1. Auto take off sounds. 2 horn blasts and then bell sounds before moving off. 2. Auto acceleration. A second after the starting sounds, it takes off and auto accelerates to whatever max speed you have set on your DC controller. 3. Once it is moving, the bell with stop automatically. 4. Every so often(3 to 5 mins?) the horn will sound. ALL in DC mode! Of course directional lights and usual electric engine sound according to speed. Note: Slowly bring up your DC controller until you get used to how that affects the auto extras. I also have some remote controlled DCC which work on DC and DCC. They come with the remote for DC operation. Eg Lionel North Pole Express in HO. Wonderful fun with the kids at Xmas time!
Amazing list of all of the best locomotives you reviewed this year! Now this is what I call top quality models when it comes to detail, performance, and possibly the mechanism too! I love the Midland 1P, the gigantic GG1, the E4, and the J27! My favorite locomotive in my opinion that’s on this list is the Merchant Navy Class! I always love the BR Blue locomotives and this one looks amazing! 😃👍
@@steffenrosmus9177 Different expectations for sure in the British OO scene. Seems very much more price driven, highly motivated to get as much and as many as you can for the buck. Very different for European mainland. We tend to be much more willing to save up and pay the price because we know what to expect. Perhaps considering it much more as a present rather than a commodity, Failure rate of OO is very high though as a result; too much ‘not thinking further than one’s nose’. An interview with Hornby directors have revealed this to me. They’re always short on capital / lack of investment, because only one thing counts. They stated: “every investment must see a return, we are thinking very tight on that”. How much different is the owner of PIKO stating: “I want to see € 60 models in our collection and I will take the losses for that, so that everyone can be engaged”, and stating: “problems with sea freight are solved by air freight so the logistic chain keeps undisturbed”. Very different mentality.
@@lindaoffenbach yep, the toy train industry on the UK is a microcosmos reflecting all the problems of british capitalism. But contientalcompanies are also always short of money, but they still built/design better products. Dapol f.e. uss the cheapest Chinese manufactirers snd it took them years to get the Chinese to deliver decent models. You still have to rework them a lot to get them running smooth and decoders are mediocre but here it is all the price. Today you can buy a Terrier in O scale for uner 80 € in Germany which is roughly 70 £. The next in price line is an Lenz T 3 for 995€. Much more sturdy an app 4 times better in detail and performance.
@@SamsTrains You need to get your hands on some of the Broadway Limited stuff, in the US Bachmann is generally viewed as bottom of the barrel. The old tooling on their GG1's was superb so I would feel comfortable saying that their new version with the new tooling should blow the Bachmann out of the water. Broadway's Brass Hybrid stuff is excellent as well, honestly as good detailwise as high end brass in the 80's and 90's
@@leightonmoreland There is a review with a Broadway Limited C44-9W vs Kato C44-9W. Though the Broadway model is more detailed, it requires extremely clean solid connection of the lines, Kato's model is more rugged with not as detailed as the Broadway version, but, Kato is better in performance without chances of damaging any detailed parts which Broadway models needs more attention to not break it. Kato even have the Motors in the trucks of the models (HO).
Sam ... my replacement Hornby W1 Hush Hush has only just made it to the # 1 spot of my Best loco purchases of 2021 . After the problems i had with the first one i could not believe how good this one performed straight out of the box with no broken bits or motor problems . Only 20% on the juice of my Gaugemaster TS power control unit and it crawls like a dream with no cogging . All that before even running in . See Hornby can do it properly when they like . At this moment in time Hornby have been vindicated . The curse has been banished and my faith restored . MERRY CHRISTMAS !
Personal favorite model this year is Kato's N scale ES44AC. They've run 40 different models by now (nearly all the Class 1s with a variety of running numbers). Things run like a Swiss watch right out of the case. Never worry about "will this work?" with Kato's new items. I've picked up a few used items this year with a local connection that I was happy to find as well. Entertaining the idea of building a OO layout with the 4x8 I have left in my train building. Just gotta decide where I want to start in terms of era/rolling stock and whatnot.
I would have preferred to have seen a top ten video and a bottom ten, video instead of the top and bottom five models, (perhaps each split into two parts, equating to four videos all up); but, whenever your videos are concerned, I can never complain as they're always a pleasure to watch. I think that it is very impressive that you've managed to review a total of 51 models this year -- one per week up till this point without fail! You are to be commended for providing an invaluable service to the model rail community. Thank you for yet another wonderful year's-worth of content, and I hope that you and your family enjoy a lovely Christmas day this Saturday. Cheers, and all the best.
Such beautiful engines! My favorite has gotta be the GG1. It felt like an honor as a fellow Pennsylvanian 😂 what if you did the most unique engines in your collection? In terms of features and stuff that is rarely seen on model train. Happy holidays to you and everyone who is reading this!
I asked for the Merchant Navy for my birthday this year and I don't regret a second of it. It is hands down the best Locomotive I have, and potentially will have, I absolutely love it, and I wouldn't have come across it if it wasn't for Sam, so thank you my friend and a Merry Christmas
I've done my train theme this Christmas an all freight train Christmas, I can't wait to see you Christmas video this Saturday since this Saturday is Christmas
My favorite locomotive you reviewed this year was the Pennsylvania Railroad GG1. In fact the GG1 is my favorite locomotive of all time. It's a shame there are no longer operational. But I have seen one up close before. Looking forward to some awesome locomotives in 2022. And of course the occasional stinker every now and then.
Those GG1's could sneak up on you as they were quiet. Great pullers and very reliable. The Pennsylvania Railroad would let them run high speed and they could move a string of freight cars with little effort. The Brunswick green version looked more attractive. I did read of one failure they did have, the Northeast had a blizzard where the snow flakes were so fine they got into the motors and blew them out. A couple of units got sidelined that day.
@@AQuietNight one GG1 broke down out side paradise Pennsylvania in the early 70’s the unit was sent to strasburg over night and was brought back to Penn central the next day
In the Netherlands i also seen a lot of good locomotives disappear. Among them the very American looking class 1200 electric locomotive build by Werkspoor. The problem is metal fatigue. After 40 years of daily use most of them get small, hardly visible, cracks in the frame which can, and after 10 more years, will lead to accidents. This make replacing them cheaper then updating them.
I agree with the Johnson 1P as being the best locomotive. I manage to have 3, one with a belpaire fire box in BR, one in black with round top firebox, yet to be re-numbered, and one in S & D blue livery. I do like the midland red version and I know my father would have liked one, whose father and brother worked for the Midland railway.
Personally my favourite is the elegant Hornby Merchant Navy Class. I recieved one for Christmas and it is a fantastic performing and detailed loco. It doesn't judder or stop on point work and has a great crawl. Keep up the good work Sam another great video. Happy New Year everyone! 😁
Great video Sam some very good models there, one of my best ones of 2021 would be my bachmann class 70, it was bought from a small shop and was in great condition and was less than £100
Honestly, with Bachmann rounding-out the top 3 of this year, it's safe to say that they definitely have quite the potential. Shame said potential ain't always realized.
Oh yeah - they make some of the best looking locos on the market... and their latest releases have been mechanically sound too... they just need to fix their existing range now! Merry Christmas - Sam :)
Try Kato next, they are putting the can motors in the Locomotive/power car's trucks(HO only). Kato don't have separate detailed which makes it more rugged which you have reduced worry of damaging detailed parts. Kato is also a good performer, I remember someone actually ran a Kato Dash-9 over poorly cleaned rail lines.
I highly recommend doing a review of a Broadway Limited Imports locomotive in some form or fashion. I’ve owned a handful of American Bachmann spectrum, and even a Hornby Merchant Navy and I was blown away by the quality of a BLI locomotive. The price reflects naturally and can be worth a pretty penny but if you can even nab a used one I’d highly recommend doing so. I love the content sir and I’m very excited for yet another year of fantastic reviews. Keep up the good work Sam and the views and likes will follow suit. Happy Holidays.
I agree with your choice for number one, as I also bought the (DCC-ready) Johnson 1P. I recently got it sound fitted as I only switched to DCC mid-2021. What you did not mention is that the DCC-ready version has pre-fitted speakers, so another plus for Bachmann and this loco.
Here we go again...😁 5th: Hornby Merchant Navy 4th: Oxford J27 3rd: Bachmann E4 2nd: Bachmann GG1 1st: Bachmann Johnson 1P Awesome video Sam. I'm interested in what next year looks like for the hobby. 🖒
Always do that GG1 was great. Be an American myself I've always had a soft spot for the American locomotives and I'm glad to see this one performed very well great year on model trains
I have a Hornby Merchant Navy and a Bachmann E4 and agree they are both really good. The Oxford J27 and Bachmann 1P are top of my list for next year so I'm pleased they got you vote too!
ps; Cant even begin to tell you, how much I have learned from your videos! I have bought a ("Coastal Freight" set; Southern region) This is because I am not so much into the model railway scene; I just wanted a small layout, for fun, more than anything else and being a Model Maker, was more interested in modelling my layout for a Battle of Britain scene, complete with a Hurricane, chasing a (smoking!) Me109, over a "kent" scene, with a few features, such as cheering civilians on the ground and the likes of a small village church, Duck pond and so on! It will amuse me, watching the "Little Engine that could", chugging below and around my Battle of Britain layout! ;-) Happy days. Take care.
I like the pensy gg1 and the livery is so beautiful. 1. The pensy gg1 It is so hard to compare the gg1 loco whithe the other one because they in my list the second place witch is shared between Bachmann and oxford. A nice and a comprensive list as always witch is perfect. Keep up the good work . 👍👍👍👍🇸🇪✨✨✨✨
Good list Sam. Absolutely love my blue Spamcan, althought I've renumbered it to 35005 Canadian Pacific to save on confusion in the house as my father owns one as well! Merry Christmas dude :)
Finally I've been waiting for this video for a while, now.A video suggestion I have is, I would like to see every Sam's trains loco's running in 1 video. LOL!
My favourite locomotives are as follows: 1) EFE Adams Radial 2) EFE Beattie Well Tank. Although I can understand where you’re coming from when you sleight the Exclusive First Edition models for their lack of weight and tractive effort, I’m running a micro layout that needs Southern locomotives.
A very good list, Sam! I recently saw a picture of an actual GG1 in the lead doubleheading (under wire, of course) with the Royal Scotsman which visited Canada and the US between 1969 and 1972. Now that's something to try yourself, eh? Cheers from Wisconsin.
As an American modeler it's astounding to see anyone speaking in favor of Bachmann's quality. Also crazy how $165 is considered to be expensive for you, as many high end models in the US tend to go for well over $200
Top 5 my most favourite Sam's train's model train 1. Bachmann Southern pacific GS 4 daylight 4449 2. Bachmann Pere Marquette 1218 3. Flying Scotsman 4. Hornby gordon 5. Bachmann edward
Hey Sam 3 questions. 1. How often you you clean your rolling stocks wheels 2. how often you you clean your locomotives 3. And how often do you clean your locomotives wheels ? Merry Christmas- Jasper & Willow
Hi Sam, was watching Hornby A Model World yesterday and guess who appeared? Great section of the programme! Thank you for your very enjoyable and informative videos! A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year when it comes to you and those you hold dear.
I whole heartedly agree with the 1P topping the list, and if you really are going to miss it being in the list then you know what to do! There is a pretty lined black BR one, with a different firebox and condensing equipment fitted, so technically its a different model and needs its own review. 😉
TrainWorld still has quite a few Bachmann locomotives with DCC sound for about $100 each (GP30, PCC trolley, FB2), so that's something to look at in 2022. didn't you rank a Hornby DCC sound king class as a perfect 10 a few years ago? I would like you to look at that again under your new ranking system
Hi again Sam. another great video! I agree with your reviews; with that said; I am torn between the GG1 and the J1P! Both fantastic, but the GG1 is very sexy! Keep up the good work, regards, James.
Hi Sam, thanks for your reviews over the year. I trust yours rather than a certain modelling mag that I read where they appear to either miss or gloss over faults that you find. It would be nice to see the full list of the 51 reviews somewhere. Anyway, have a Happy Christmas.
Hi Sam how are you? My personal favourite is no. 5 the Merchant Navy. I bought one after seeing your review. It's my only BR blue loco and a good reason to buy a "Spam can". Thanks for all of your reviews and a very happy Christmas to you and yours, regards Terry.
Great choices! I am the proud owner of number 5 and number 1 and totally agree with the review. I have just acquired the new Bachmann Class 47 which I am very impressed with too!
Stunning locos! The GG1 looks great, I got an electric bargain this year myself, a DB Schenker class 92 with DCC fitted for £50, and it RUNS AMAZINGLY!
Then after that I really want an early British Railways locomotive. I love the lettering on the tender wagons especially in that off white colour. For some reason it's really evocative for me. I can just imagine it in real life.
Great to see the Merchant Navy loco in the top 5, but very surprised to see Bachmann taking top spot. Maybe they are doing something right! Happy Christmas to you Sam. Pete.
You should review a bachmann DCC sound trainset, they come with a DCC system, A Santa Fe F7a diesel or a southern railway (U S) 2-6-0 as well as cars and a loop of E-Z track, they cost around 200$ (149 pounds) and are great value for money
It’s hard to beat the nice pantographs on the Pennsy GG1s - and the lovely striping on the side! For that price (in the USA, anyway) it’s hard to beat. I’d like to have seen how many coaches it would pull on your layout, though, the couplers might present a problem. 😢
Interesting choice to have a Bachmann model towards the top. There are many other higher end American options that I think are worth looking at such as offerings from Athearn, Atlas, Bowser, Intermountain, Scaletrains, etc.
Like many others (obviously) I really appreciate your detailed and consistent reviews. I also really appreciate your detailed videos on servicing, and would love to see more of those, where appropriate. I bought your number 1, the Johnson 1P, but haven't run it yet. The rest of the items on this list are not things I would buy, based on my own focus and limitations, but nevertheless it's always interesting to see what you have to say about them. Keep up the good work. Happy new year. And I hope your health has sorted itself out.
Great line-up Sam. For us, no. 1 would be the GG1, 2nd the Murphy Class 121. However, if there was to be a British loco on our lay out it was going to be the Merchant Navy, stipulated that it is to arrive in one piece and faultless of course, lol. Such a gorgeous piece. We’re still staggered seeing £ 120 / € 140 as being deemed expensive as they are pretty much normal average prices from European mainland perspective. But there you are. Hopefully you get to mainland brands also instead of constraining yourself to mostly British with exceptions. Happy Holidays.
140 €, it is for a diesel like the Piko V160. My last buy of a german steam engine was the BR 85 by Roco, and I have not paid yet the fourth and final term of the credit I had to take to buy her (over 400 €). Pricetag for a continental steam DC ranges from 250 to 500 € usually.
@@OlivierGabin Oh yes, indeed correct, it’s true that German H0 steamers have always been significantly higher in price generally. Just checked Piko’s site and you’re correct. There is loads to be had under € 100 and around € 140 for diesels and even electrics though (basic, no DCC); can go up high though as well, over 500. Roco is of course quite the different story; not exactly average but truly premium. It’s great to see that Piko even offers for € 35 for a decent looking thing for the sheer novice or for otherwise happy with what as it is. But yes, especially concerning German steamers they average between what you said. Diesels and electrics can go between 35 and over 500 for expert plus models. Something for everyone for sure.
This was a coo show at what kind of models you have reviewed throughout this year. The Johnson 1P I was very surprised stayed in 1st the entire time, so that must be a good model. Thanks for all your effort throughout the year and hope next year turns just as well for you.
