“Pure contempt for customers “ spot on . Says it all about Hornby these days . Contempt for retailers, contempt for modellers , contempt for licensing rules . Badly managed company .
I feel like that is the current state of a LOT of companies these days.. The "shut up and buy our product" approach never works. They need to start learning to treat their customers better.
At the moment I am fed up with hornby and their ridiculous price ranges there supposed to bring new modellers in not drive them away. I will continue to buy the pre owned and the older model but sorry hornby until you drop the prices I will not be buying from you
If I may add something, the older Hornby models are definitely good. The GWR Castles, SR Bulleid Q1s, LMS Patriots, and LNER J50s are definitely fantastic models that are high performance pieces. I've had my Q1 for nearly two decades and it still excels at any task I give it. If you are going to buy any Hornby models, I recommend Ebay. There's a lot of pre-dystopian Hornby and I think you'd be pleasantly surprised if you got your hands on them.
Hornby, the company responsible for fabricated some of the greatest model locomotives in the history of railway modelling, the practical 'Kings', or 'Queens' perhaps of the profession, and yet they have followed the Heljan route, of overpriced mediocrity or inadequacy with this model. Such as shame as well, they also have adopted the Heljan characteristic, a especially unfortunate one, of fabricating these fascinating, and especially some of my favorite steam locomotives of the United Kingdom, and just manufacture absolutely detestable or at the very least displeasing models of them. At least this model was a ostensible refinement of the previous model, albeit overpriced and unexceptional for that price. Be thankful we have Rails of Sheffield, or Hattons, offering these at perhaps a more reasonable price.
Rails of Sheffield haven't stocked any new Hornby items for a few years now! They had a falling out over something or other and now they are no longer a Hornby agent/stockist.
@@SamsTrains I'm not sure why you moan about this product to be honest, mine is in perfect working order and the box was so well packaged it had about 3 layers to get through to get to the loco itself! Not all are great I can admit, but mine sure runs so smoothly and well - I guess that's because mine runs on a layout and not carpet so you can't really judge a locomotive that hasn't even been run in and on carpet. You're far too picky with picking out all the smallest little details when it's not needed.
@@jordanorriss4784 Did you receive your Hornby apologetics bonus yet? First, this is the second hush hush Sam ordered and it wasn't packaged and shipped by hornby themselves. The first one was and it's packaging was a disgrace. Second, the carpet hasn't got anything to do with it since all other models are tested on the exact same carpet layout and the way any loco runs is compared to those. Not your loco's on your layout. Third, Picky? Smallest details?? How is a warped cheap plastic running plate, glue marks and wheels not even touching the rails picky on a £254.49 model loco!? It's all about value for money and Hornby is simply not delivering in that department with the hush hush.
I can't understand why Hornby themselves would put no effort into a model's packaging (referring to that original Hush Hush), given that retailers like Clark Railworks and Hattons actually bother to do a proper job. As for this newer model, it's exactly the same variant that I bought recently. Surprisingly it wasn't an import from England, but I got it from my local model shop instead. While the locomotive cost me an arm and a leg ($499 NZD), she is sturdy and runs very well.
Yes it doesn't make sense - they outsourced the distribution I believe, but that's no excuse... they're responsible for the condition in which their products are sent out! Thanks for watching - Sam :)
@@SamsTrains It actually does Sam. It's the same strategy that video game companies use when they release an unfinished game to get people to buy it based on hype only to patch all the problems with later batches. It's essentially using their consumer base as guinea pigs to work out the kinks in their model and to save money on paying testers. It's a sleazy, despicable business tactic to be sure...
Great to see the follow up and glad you got one you are happy with. Looks great to my eyes though I do have a couple of points. Firstly the lamps are for the royal train. I’m not much of a rivet counter but the express configuration (one each side and the bottom) would be much better for most. Secondly the box art is a lot darker than the original despite the actual colour being the same. This has been consistent throughout the images on Hornby too. I don’t understand 😂😭
the fact that there are so many videos like this showing how deep down the drain hornby has gone down, and yet they only seem to be getting worse. prime example for me is when they recently announced the new railroad "class 57", which is actually just a bog standard lima class *47* with a network rail livery on it. no changes to the bodywork, no modifications, nothing. it wouldn't even be worth it for someone new to railway modelling, as it's £90. at this point i'm just waiting for anything even remotely positive to come out of hornby, but judging by the things happening my grandkids'll have their own grandkids before hornby do something good for a change.
Your bit at the beginning that "there's nothing to celebrate about it being in one piece" reminds me of Chris Rock's standup routine ("You're supposed to not commit crimes! You're supposed to take care of your kids!").
The prototype was actually a 4-6-2-2 as the rear pony truck was articulated. For the price I would've expected that to have been reproduced as a moving pony truck. Also during testing the prototype had the covers taken off the smokebox to aid servicing and maintenance that's the version you have showing the inner smokebox door.
Very surprised you gave it another chance Sam. I would’ve waited until a decent manufacturer made the same model. What an outrageous price, 250 notes, for floating bogies, a warped running plate and flimsy parts. Hornby will have to improve things … I can see them going out of business at this rate. Thank you and others for allowing me to enjoy the hobby vicariously.
Thanks Nigel - I do like the Hush Hush and wanted a good running one... got what I wanted in the end, but not greatly impressed. They certainly will have to improve, urgently! Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I met the guys from Accurascale today at a railway show in Milton Keynes, they are very humble down to earth people, i asked them about the hush hush and a class 52, class 08 and a class 43 HST, i hope to god they produce the HST first, the railway model world is crying out for a accurate 00 gauge class 43, like their Deltic's and class 37's and their wagons which are out of this world in my humble opinion.
I am gutted that such a great loco has recieved such a shoddy representation. Hush Hush is one of my favourite prototypes, right up there with The Great Bear, Decapod and even the Leader. It should have the best model treatment possible.
Just wanted to make a slight correction when you said “original condition”. It may be using the original boiler set up, but technically there are differences between this one and the original. First, this one has a double chimney, the other had a single. Also, the smokebox door is showing in this one (giving it an almost Japanese look to the front), while the other had a cover to it.
Recieved my Hush Hust 2 weeks ago, on its acceptance run the train performed as expected, well. However upon placing the model on the track to day one of the cab window deflector literally fell off. A minor fault and repairable, however at over £200 should this be happening. 😔 😟 So sad.
Thanks for sharing mate, Must agree that for such a expensive model Hornby should have certainly added those small details that could’ve really brighten up the model however as you may now this is not a first for Hornby, I’m Australian and I only have one Hornby train ( A Eurostar class E3000) I mainly by my Models off A company called Auscision which make really detailed Australian trains and if I compare the two it seems really unsatisfying to see what Hornby have done with that very nice looking model, Anyways thanks mate love your videos keep it up
So, the question is : Salvage or Scrap ?😁😁😁😁😁 The prototype is a superb Hudson, a one-off in British railways history, and a botched model is unacceptable. First of all, Derails people are professionals. Excellent packaging. For the rest... Same as previous episode, except decent running qualities. Manufacturing qualities of a botched Railroad model for the price of a top tier model, unacceptable ! Hornby was an hallmark of quality in UK trains modelling, it is over now. Even Bachmann does better, Hornby is battling for the last place in the polls with Heljan. In short : poor and overpriced model, don't buy.
Hornby have produced some brilliant looking models recently, the new A1 being a particular favourite but everything has just got for too expensive, I remember when I could get an A4 for £90 now I’d struggle to get a good tank engine for that, Hornby are good but until they lower they’re prices I’ll be sticking to older releases that are more affordable
I bought one of these on release luckily mine ran perfectly and was intact when received. But I have to totally agree with you for the cost we should be getting much better quality products. I have stopped buying Hornby locos and will not spend the extortionate price until they up their game. Worse still we buy these products and if something goes wrong getting spares is a joke.
Some people have thrown away broken models instead of using them for spares. When I moved to N gauge, I sold off everything, even the old failed or damaged ones for spares. Unfortunately a lot of old and damaged ones get thrown away. But the 2nd hand market and toy fairs are always a great idea for getting spares. EBay is too expensive now for picking up individual spare parts. But it’s still possible to get that elusive but.
I have been wanting Sam to add this engine to my must get list but based on the quality control and your general revue including price I will wait until I can get one worth my effort and money. Thanks.
This LNER Hush Hush Locomotive Is Also Used On Famous Trains Such As The Flying Scotsman From King's Cross In London In England To Edinburgh In Scotland. Thanks Mate. X
I’d actually have liked a rebuilt W4, was initially made aware of it seeing a kit built version running on a layout a few years back. The thing is, that one didn’t feature the magically levitating hover wheels as this loco. More than anything, that really kills any likelihood I’d want any variant of this loco from Hornby. 4-6-4 may be rare on these parts, but American and European manufacturers seem to be able to make this work. Mind you, £240 seems quite fair for a Star Wars speeder that genuinely floats about the ground…
I had 2 of these on order and another 2 of the A4 body type Loco. I cancelled all the orders after the issues started and the prices started going up. I was also not impressed that local shops thought they were getting a certain amount and then Hornby sold more online on pre orders so they cut the allocation for their customers!. Hornby never cease to amaze me nowadays with now appalling they are.
Decent review there Sam, I’m still hoping to get a hush hush one day, will most probably be the rebuilt version in garter blue as that is a personal favourite of mine, it’s a shame your not on Instagram anymore because recently a user showed a fix that can get the rear wheels to touch the track although youtuber class47peter has made a video on how to do the modification and when done it looks much better.
The rear cab wheels are very easy to get down to track level. Unscrew the axle keeper plate and add small rectangular layers of copier paper acting like shim washers (with a small clean hole for each screw thread) until each axle's wheels just (& I mean just) touch the track
@@Evilminiature but not of the Hush Hush there isn't. That's just cutting off one's nose to spite one's face. My Rebuilt W1 Hush Hush is a fine model with just the rear wheels needing attention. No big deal, but agree they maybe could have come up with some floating axle design which uses wheel flanges. Note, Bachmann's very very expensive new V2 also uses a rigid rear end with flangless wheels
I don't have one and doubt I'll get one. I'm kind of hung up on the smaller locos 0-6-0, 4-4-2. These little guys can work some very harsh geography and carry some boring stock, but they work their hearts out to no real acclaim. Long live Stepney and Boxhill 😂
Odd one out is the Peppercorn Pacific, it’s nor a Gresley design (though the J39 isn’t a 4-6-2, neither is Hush Hush). Unfortunate about the Baltic, if it had a straight running board and valve gear casing I’d be able to look past the other problems.
Hi Sam, I have just received a this version of the W1 from the latest batch direct from Hornby. Packaging was superb. The actual model box came in an outer plastic sleeve within a close fitting box, all within an exterior box further packed with bubblewrap. As a Hornby club member I paid a discounted price of £207.89. Performance from the box was very good. Smooth and capable, pulling seven 60ft teak coaches easily and this actually improved after running in. As I run entirely DCC, a decoder was fitted and the model continues to be a good performer. Straight running plates checked with a steel rule! Rear truck wheels still don't touch though! A good buy? Marginally with cost being the only real issue. Keep up. the good work!!
A fair review Sam, glad this one was an improvement on the previous one. I did think it was slowing on the curves before Gordon's hill, however still a lot better than the last one. I personally will not be purchasing one for two main reasons, firstly the price is excessive for what you get along with the risk of getting a 🍋 for that kind of money is too high. Secondly , I am currently working on an LMS layout. Keep up the great reviews along with your other shows.
I will say, the thing that blows me away the most about the model is the floating rear wheels. I get that large assemblies that aren’t just trucks to hold wheels might be more difficult in OO scale instead of O or even Gauge 1, but I find the floating wheels extremely unattractive, regardless whether they’re blind or have the flanges on them. The price is still more unattractive, but those floating wheels just look so bad
It's especially funny to myself as an American as several of our manufacturers have made various HO 4-6-4 Hudson locomotives recently and not one has floating wheels like this. Hell, even my 1970's Rivarossi NYC J-3A doesn't have this issue! It's completely unacceptable.
Nice comparison to the original you got. I want a hush hush, but the quality issues and hefty price are really putting me off (and also from getting a turbomotive too...) Last night I ran in my 2 unrebuilt Merchant Navies, 35024 East Asiatic Company and 35029 Ellerman Lines. 24 was 2nd hand but as new, bought several months ago but arrived last week. 29 was new from TMC as they had a sale on. Cost me around £150 each, which isn't bad, and they run very well (aside from squealing tender pickups). I do now need more light pacifics though, because 2 unrebuilt and 2 rebuilt MNs is too many to balance a single unrebuilt West Country with stanier tender...
haha that would be awesome - reckon they could probably match Hornby on price too with some effort... sadly Hornby might have saturated the market with their rubbish model, so they'd struggle to justify it most likely :( Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I saw one of these offered at a discount and decided to take my chances. Should have bought a lottery ticket. Mine runs quite weirdly on my test circuit which is a collection of Hornby set track. It is not consistent in its placement on the track as I left it to be run in. On some circuits it hits the Hornby power rail connection attachment. On other circuits, at the same speed in the same direction it does not. It does not matter if it is going clockwise or anticlockwise. Same thing. The inaccuracy is even worse in reverse. Sometimes it just bangs the rail face of the connector, on others it hits the side of it bringing the loco to a halt. Having to make allowances for such an erratic clearance gauge is going to be interesting. I may have to remodel the station. I also am not happy that Hornby out-shopped the thing with “Royal Train with Monarch” head lamps in situ. As they are non working, surely “Express Passenger” would have been better suited for most modellers. Add two more lamps in the details pack should a modeller want to run such a rare diagram.
Just ordered one from Model Railways direct for £229.05,it's a ridiculous price but I guess I'm in a lucky position,the two reasons I got it where the uniqueness and the fact I would regret it if I missed out,I do agree that Hornby are treating there customers with contempt especially when you look at Dapols and Accurascale's latest offerings
I got the rebuilt version of the A4 Hudson from Hornby Sam. I was planning to get the original version of Hush but after seeing your video from last year. I did not want to buy the original version of Hornby W1 Hudson and send it back for a refund. After seeing this version of W1 Hudson which has a double chimney and no smoke box door cover, I would consider buying it but not from Hornby directly. From retailers only because like you said Sam, they care about getting any products to their customers in 1 piece properly. Plus, if Hornby keeps their bullshit excuses by jacking up their prices and not listening to their customers properly. Hornby will be going bankrupt pretty soon as I possibly know. By the way, I called Hush a Hudson because of its 4-6-4 wheel arrangement. The Hudsons were created in 1925 when Lima Locomotive works in Ohio had designed a super locomotive which is actually increasing the size of the firebox which will increase the locomotive's speed and power output Sam. With that particular result having great success, the pacific locomotives were converted into Hudson locomotives.
And you HAVEN'T seen that tender before - it's the unique all-welded Gresley example built specifically for the locomotive. Interestingly it did survive into preservation behind No9...
Sam great review as usual. I am really sorry to see the way Hornby is going. I have enjoyed their products in the past over all other manufacturers. Yes we should be grateful for the job the retailers are doing. But I am afraid if Hornby stays this course they are on we will lose them for good. All we can hope for is they wake up and listen to the people of this hobby who like your self who do reviews on TH-cam.
Easy answer Sam, Don’t buy Hornby, Clearly Hornby are just taking the new know what, clearly they are yet again ignoring and there so called customer relationship’s department, assuming they have one to start how can they get this so wrong
If they are like other companies then their customer relationship departments are busy telling them their customers want more ethnically diverse models that embrace a wide spectrum of identities and that they aren't appealing to women enough rather than relaying customer wishes.
I was very excited to have this model in my collection when it first was announced. I pre-ordered the first edition at the time, but being a Belgian who collects British trains, my first order was canceled by Hornby due to unclarities with Brexit and custom declaration at the time. I was very sad and disappointed about it how Hornby handled the whole situation at the time. But now being the first edition such a flop I'm so glad that the order didn't go through. However I still want this model in my collection and I'm glad that at least it's running condition now work as they should be, so it will be back on my ordering list… I also fully agree with you Sam, that the pointed out issues, it still has, are a bit disappointing, especially the floating wheels🥺WHY??? But it's not only Hornby that messes up, recently got the special Bachman national railway LNWR Improved Precedent Class 2-4-0 No.790 'Hardwicke'. Left it originally as it was, with the anti-slip tires, just put in an original Bachman 21 pin DCC decoder, and it preforms like one of the worst loco's I've ever bought. Exchanged the decoder, one never knows that can be folty, but still the same mess. So I do hope that one day you do a video about that, and see what you make of it…
I bought one of the precedents and I had the same issues. I wanted one so much that I rebuilt and rewired it, negating the warranty but at least it runs VERY nicely now! The traction tyres need to go, the tender connection needs to be made permanent and the pickups need to be carefully tweaked. Also, there are some models where the coupling rods foul the underside of the footplate. I filed away a bit of rough casting on mine and no issues at all now.
Its good to hear of others enjoying our trains! A real shame- both Hornby and Bachman are both unreliable and this is why these reviews are important. I recommend avoiding the hype trains and wait for reviews that are not access media (free early access, free models etc)
@@farric1 I fully agree with you on the No.790 'Hardwicke', I did about the same work as you did. The first problem was the setting of the decoder, luckily I bought the decoder at "The Signal Box" in Anstey near Leicester. When I got back to Belgium and after I'd build in the decoder, at the moment you only got to one on your power increase, it flew off like a rocket. Never ever got that problem before. So I phoned the shop up with the idea that they sold me a bad decoder, but it seems they encountered more of these problems, so they walked me through the settings, and the problems was solved, top guys there at "The signal Box"👍. Next problem was that it falter when it started to run, so the shop gave me the advice to run it in, but the problem was stil there after running it in. This was not the shops fault, but pure a clumsy factory mistake at Bachman. Opening it up, there was so much grease used, that the electric contacts couldn't conduct properly. After degreasing everything and putting much more tention on the contacts it run 10 times better. The only thing I still have to do are replacing the rubber wheels, and then it should be hopefully ok. But it's a real shame that a fresh out of the box and expensive model shows so much problems.🤨
I'm from Canada. I bought a couple Hornby locos about 16 years ago. I wasn't impressed then. The new stuff is junk. I wouldn't waste my money on Hornby. Bachmann even with their shortfalls is a much better product. Dapol is still the top of the top in my opinion. Heljan is grossly over priced for what it is. Hornby is only interested in profits. The industry needs to sit down look at itself. Sales are down. So they increase prices to make up for the low sales. They will price themselves out of business if the quality keeps dropping.
Ahh sorry to hear that Robin. Agreed, Bachmann are too expensive, but at least they deliver a quality product these days (for the most part). Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Hello Sam. From an O gauger's perspective £245 doesn't seem that much. If you add up the cost of developement, tooling, manufacturing, importing, final shipping (including all taxes import duties) no-one is making much money on a £245 RRP. I always thought that OO locos are very cheap. Surprising though that so many of them run so badly.
No way on earth...let's not kid ourselves... This is a few mass produced components slung into a plastic case with a bit of detailing ... Made in China and no doubt fully automated...if hobbyists continue to buy them at such high prices they will never bring prices down, they are high as they are well aware that in 20 years they will not have folks left with cash to spend on this hobby. "Make as much now, whilst we can" - Hornbys new slogan? Lol 🤣 just look at the price of new track and you can work out from that the type of margin they work to.
I noticed you rarely bought Hornby models after your first video on this. There is a photo of the loco with the Flying Scotsman headboard, Sir Nigel Gresley, and the W1 crew.
Still not convinced that it is a model for the people. The buffers show moulding lines, it looks more like a cheap Chinese knock-off than a genuine Hornby locomotive. But then again it still has that price tag which definitely needs a better quality model. I would be sending it back as there is not anything worth that price I can see in the model.
Sorry you were disappointed again. Hush Hush Redemption is like Shawshank Redemption without the poetic justice at the end of the movie. Since you now have two Hush Hushes (not sure about the plural), why not take a Dremel to the model and fabricate a moving rear truck? You are certainly capable of it. Thank you for sharing, I eagerly await your next videos!
Here we don't have hornby in the states we have bachmann which end up in some cases some locos are near $500 and the bachmann quality is just.... Yikes overall.
Sam just to help your reviews....a flywheel doesn't reduce slow speed torque. (I have a physics degree) it doesn't work like that. Good review, although I guess with that large trailing bogie and overall chassis there would have to be some kind of compromise to allow it to corner. Perhaps a hidden sub- bogie like hornby used to do with their 8 wheel tenders?
Hmmm…definitely a partial redemption 🤔 I actually ended up getting a rebuilt version in late BR livery and have to admit, I had no issues re performance and quality control as there were no glue marks I could discern nor were there any wonky or cheap looking bits (though I do agree about the lack of certain things that I think perhaps should be standard on a top notch model like lights! 🙄). But yeah, my one is fine, pulls 8 plus happily (albeit I’ve not got an in line so that might change!) and looks fantastic with a nice mixed rake of maroon BR and ex LNER carriages 😎 Cheers mate 👍🍀🍻
Its ridiculous how expensive they have got, some of the best looking models on the market cost less, and that's ignoring how poor it runs. I've also ran into the issue that they just don't make spares, meaning that my hst, a model that is now
Hello Sam - I have the R3841 LNER Class W1 'Hush Hush' 4-6-4 'British Enterprise' No. 10000 - yes the out box is very Similar - I'm checking it as your showing it!!! Mine has no glue marks bus has the 'Floating wheels' on the back!!! But am happy with it🤔🚂🚂🚂
I think Hornby have improved their packaging to be fair to them, recent things I have had delivered have come with better packaging than my Hush Hush did, (arrived smashed up) and they are also using DPD now which are much more reliable.
wow kind of relatable, happend to me with the r315 8F, it was in terrible condition,but i drove up to one of their stores and gave me a new model which actually worked but great vid sam :) keep up
I think its great that you've given the W1 Hush Hush a second chance, and I was going to buy one. But I realised they're extremely expensive, and far too expensive to justify not great running ( in your case at least ) Another Fab video Sam! P.s I would recommend a castle class Hornby 'Wellington' in my opinion, it is great
Hi Sam, great idea for a video! That Hush-Hush was so peculiar that it really did seem strange it was sent out to customers. My guess for the odd loco on your layout is what I believe is a J37 at 27:30
You should review a NYC Hudson and then compare the two. Also the odd ones out is the goods train being pulled by what I am guessing is an A3, the light A4, and the 0-6-0 in the spur/siding for the factory
Broadway Limited or Bachmanns upcoming NYC Hudson? BLI had not done the NYC hudson in a while although they are coming out with the Commodore Vanderbilt Hudson in early 2023.
small correction from your history, "the only standard guage 4-6-4 locomotive ever to run on a british railway at the time" this is incorrect the W1 was the only 4-6-4 Tender engine in the uk, several pre grouping (pre 1923) companies had 4-6-4 Tank engine designs, the most known of these classes is the LB&SCR L-class tank engine
Did I hear you say Hornby are in financial difficulty? Oh dear! Just a shame I am not upon replacement motors these days. It was great in the late 70s when a 5 pole Airfix motor solved the problem and saved the day after ripping out the 3 pole Hornby!
You always review under DC control, have you thought about doing a DC test alongside a DCC test as I'm sure you will see a difference in slow speed running.? I can make a Bachmann Class 90 literally microscopically inch it's way forward in DCC and I think it would be great to compare slow speed running in both formats. Just saying...
Another First Class video Sam. When I viewed your first W1 video R3840 as start of this year I thought I want one of those looks far better than in online photo's . But seeing all prolems you where having with it I then went off the idea. But just seen your second W1 video redemption R3979 i have just now gone and order the W1 R3979 from the same place you mention in the video. But the problems you had with the first one R3840 you bought is just utterly disusting .
The hush hush has always fascinated me. It’s a large engine with a high pressure boiler. Too bad the OO model is so much for so little. Otherwise I would buy it. I always imagined it would have a PRR j1 whistle. If you want a powerful loco with a good build quality and decent availability however, a Bachmann USRA mikado is the perfect engine for the job. The hush hush pales in comparison to the USRA mikado.
Looks like they can’t even place the rear porthole window on the tender the correct way round! Surely the shoulder of the plastic glazing should be on the inside? What happened to quality control?
It’s probably fortunate that the rear wheels DON’T make contact with the track, but I consider this a result of a design flaw in the prototype; leading/trailing bogies are supposed to pivot and be able to ride up & down with slight bumps in the trackage. But the model (and prototype) seems to be a solid metal piece on the trailing bogie that’s part of the locomotive body, with no ability to swivel at all. I suspect that Hornby tried to make this work, but just couldn’t, so they made the rear wheels lifted above the track so it wouldn’t constantly derail (even with flange-less wheels.) I admit this theory may be WAY off base, though.
The question of those rear wheels. Are they infact Turbo wheels that only come down on straight track at precisely 88 MPH and then engage the Flux Capacitor? Now there's a train i want, that loco from that film.
I think Hornby changed the chassis slightly between the first Hush Hush and the rebuilt one and carried the change through to your new one. Hornby when I asked them said it was the same original chassis but I am not so sure they not telling porkys. There is a difference in height on the front bogie between the original and the newer ones. I have not had the courage to take both apart to measure it, but I am sure that there is a slight difference. The rear wheels not touching the track is a good thing, I found when going over points my Duchess which has the fixed wheel that does touch the track, but because it is flat it shorts across the blade and rail of my electrofrog points. Wouldn't be an issue if I wasn't using it to drive a relay to switch the frog polarity (you can do this on DCC). No it is not worth £200 plus, but that is Hornby now, 1970s mindset.
@@SamsTrains I first noticed it on the rebuilt one I bought, it didn't catch on the same set of points. I suspect they removed about 1 mm from the mounting. As I said, Hornby said it was the same chassis, they could have updated the design of the chassis when they realised they had an issue but only implemented the fix after they made the first batch. As you know with CAD it is so easy to do. Anyway good video, I like watching your videos they are funny but very factual and informative, thanks.
Sorry Sam if a loco has wheels they need to be on the track! Great video but typical Hornby Quality would other manufactures let that go out in that condition for that price. I think not.
I think the problem for producers are that models will become quit a bit more expencive if the standard is raised significantly. It would mean twice the price. And who would be willing to pay that, and what would it mean for the hobby? This must be very difficult considerations, especially for a british manufacturer paying their employees normal salaries.
My Dublo Cardiff Castle is OO 4mm to the foot. How did you get yours in HO? But you’re right about the metal on it. I think all the Triang competition were plastic e.g. their Britannia. My 2-6-4 standard tank 80054 also has a metal body but my little Southern 0-6-0 tank 31337 is plastic.
I cannot understand Hornby's business practices! Nice review, but I do have a question - how easy would it be to adjust the rear bogie so that the wheels were in contact with the rails?
When I was kid in the 80’s nothing excited more than the site of a Bright Red Hornby box……….. back into the Hobby now in my early 40’s. It’s sad to see most of there stuff hasn’t really moved on from when I was 7 yet they want hundreds of pounds!! The few ‘current’ Hornby locos I had bought in the last few years, and have been sold on as they were so poor. Bachmann, Accurascale and the likes blow them out of the water. Sad to see really!!
Cab interior is wrong because it still shows the levers for steam powered reversers instead of one or two cranks for the threaded reversers which the double blast pipe version had.
Lionel in the U.S. is starting to have the same issue? Lionel’s O scale is stalling out, Lionel ho is a joke and there’s not even a Lionel N scale to speak off. I wonder if there’s a coincidence that these two companies (both former kings in their respective countries) are now shells of their former selfs.
I laugh so hard when people blame you for the original hush hush not working because you “fiddled with the bearings”, as people blamed you about basically the same thing for the Bachmann 9F, and that didn’t have proper bearings (which is actually why the Bachmann 9F is so weak…).
Another great video. I must say that the moment that you pulled the model from the box I could tell that the running plate was warped. I wasn't impressed by the moulding lines on the buffer housings, either. I couldn't believe that wonky bracket on the side, though. That was ridiculous. One wonders why Hornby can't get the trailing wheels to sit on the track. Even if it was a manufacturing issue (in China, obviously) doesn't anybody at Hornby randomly check them? And seeing that just about every other manufacturer has their models made in China, we *know* that they can make fantastic models there. I just can't see any excuse.
As an engineer/designer that has had parts, assemblies and complete products made in China for years i can say with confidence that China CAN and DOES produce fantastic quality items. Really top notch. The issue is 100% Hornby not taking care and attention to their products. The Chinese will chuck these out as thats that they are told to do. Ask them to fix the issues and they will...but cost will increase a little.
Yea the irony is there with the P2 as the "not a railway" model. Not to mention I bet Hornby simply used parts from locos like the A4. Also more attentive viewers knows at least witch city u live.
@@SeatedViper Not that at all. Its from other train youtubers, if u watched their channel, u can catch things (they sometimes mention details if they know each other)!
“Pure contempt for customers “ spot on . Says it all about Hornby these days . Contempt for retailers, contempt for modellers , contempt for licensing rules . Badly managed company .
haha thanks Russell, sadly true by the looks of things :(
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Badly managed ! You think they have qualified managers ? More like Muppets !
I feel like that is the current state of a LOT of companies these days.. The "shut up and buy our product" approach never works. They need to start learning to treat their customers better.
If Hornby continue like this Dapol are going to make a fortune!
Which is amazing given that they used to be the ones making trash
the 68s are fantastic
And thus Bachmann Branchline will grab all their tooling as they control sales in Australia, New Zealand, America and Britain
Provided that Dapol delivers at the quality of the GWR Mogul and Manor, not the Terrier or SECR D Class
Hornby owns Dapol
You have definitely made me rethink ever in buying Hornby models.
haha I don't blame you - plenty of other manufacturers to go at, most of them offer more for your money!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Acurascale seem to be doing a lot more
At the moment I am fed up with hornby and their ridiculous price ranges there supposed to bring new modellers in not drive them away. I will continue to buy the pre owned and the older model but sorry hornby until you drop the prices I will not be buying from you
If I may add something, the older Hornby models are definitely good. The GWR Castles, SR Bulleid Q1s, LMS Patriots, and LNER J50s are definitely fantastic models that are high performance pieces. I've had my Q1 for nearly two decades and it still excels at any task I give it.
If you are going to buy any Hornby models, I recommend Ebay. There's a lot of pre-dystopian Hornby and I think you'd be pleasantly surprised if you got your hands on them.
@@danielannett1019 yeah same
Hornby, the company responsible for fabricated some of the greatest model locomotives in the history of railway modelling, the practical 'Kings', or 'Queens' perhaps of the profession, and yet they have followed the Heljan route, of overpriced mediocrity or inadequacy with this model. Such as shame as well, they also have adopted the Heljan characteristic, a especially unfortunate one, of fabricating these fascinating, and especially some of my favorite steam locomotives of the United Kingdom, and just manufacture absolutely detestable or at the very least displeasing models of them. At least this model was a ostensible refinement of the previous model, albeit overpriced and unexceptional for that price. Be thankful we have Rails of Sheffield, or Hattons, offering these at perhaps a more reasonable price.
Yeah absolutely - they have a history of some amazing models, hopefully that isn't all in the past!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Rails of Sheffield haven't stocked any new Hornby items for a few years now! They had a falling out over something or other and now they are no longer a Hornby agent/stockist.
@@SamsTrains I'm not sure why you moan about this product to be honest, mine is in perfect working order and the box was so well packaged it had about 3 layers to get through to get to the loco itself! Not all are great I can admit, but mine sure runs so smoothly and well - I guess that's because mine runs on a layout and not carpet so you can't really judge a locomotive that hasn't even been run in and on carpet. You're far too picky with picking out all the smallest little details when it's not needed.
@@jordanorriss4784 "mine was fine therefore everyone else is wrong"
@@jordanorriss4784 Did you receive your Hornby apologetics bonus yet?
First, this is the second hush hush Sam ordered and it wasn't packaged and shipped by hornby themselves. The first one was and it's packaging was a disgrace.
Second, the carpet hasn't got anything to do with it since all other models are tested on the exact same carpet layout and the way any loco runs is compared to those. Not your loco's on your layout.
Third, Picky? Smallest details?? How is a warped cheap plastic running plate, glue marks and wheels not even touching the rails picky on a £254.49 model loco!?
It's all about value for money and Hornby is simply not delivering in that department with the hush hush.
I can't understand why Hornby themselves would put no effort into a model's packaging (referring to that original Hush Hush), given that retailers like Clark Railworks and Hattons actually bother to do a proper job.
As for this newer model, it's exactly the same variant that I bought recently. Surprisingly it wasn't an import from England, but I got it from my local model shop instead. While the locomotive cost me an arm and a leg ($499 NZD), she is sturdy and runs very well.
Yes it doesn't make sense - they outsourced the distribution I believe, but that's no excuse... they're responsible for the condition in which their products are sent out!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
@@SamsTrains It actually does Sam. It's the same strategy that video game companies use when they release an unfinished game to get people to buy it based on hype only to patch all the problems with later batches. It's essentially using their consumer base as guinea pigs to work out the kinks in their model and to save money on paying testers.
It's a sleazy, despicable business tactic to be sure...
Great to see the follow up and glad you got one you are happy with. Looks great to my eyes though I do have a couple of points. Firstly the lamps are for the royal train. I’m not much of a rivet counter but the express configuration (one each side and the bottom) would be much better for most. Secondly the box art is a lot darker than the original despite the actual colour being the same. This has been consistent throughout the images on Hornby too. I don’t understand 😂😭
Thank you! And those are good points - particularly on the box art!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
the fact that there are so many videos like this showing how deep down the drain hornby has gone down, and yet they only seem to be getting worse. prime example for me is when they recently announced the new railroad "class 57", which is actually just a bog standard lima class *47* with a network rail livery on it. no changes to the bodywork, no modifications, nothing. it wouldn't even be worth it for someone new to railway modelling, as it's £90.
at this point i'm just waiting for anything even remotely positive to come out of hornby, but judging by the things happening my grandkids'll have their own grandkids before hornby do something good for a change.
Your bit at the beginning that "there's nothing to celebrate about it being in one piece" reminds me of Chris Rock's standup routine ("You're supposed to not commit crimes! You're supposed to take care of your kids!").
The prototype was actually a 4-6-2-2 as the rear pony truck was articulated. For the price I would've expected that to have been reproduced as a moving pony truck. Also during testing the prototype had the covers taken off the smokebox to aid servicing and maintenance that's the version you have showing the inner smokebox door.
Very surprised you gave it another chance Sam. I would’ve waited until a decent manufacturer made the same model. What an outrageous price, 250 notes, for floating bogies, a warped running plate and flimsy parts. Hornby will have to improve things … I can see them going out of business at this rate. Thank you and others for allowing me to enjoy the hobby vicariously.
Thanks Nigel - I do like the Hush Hush and wanted a good running one... got what I wanted in the end, but not greatly impressed. They certainly will have to improve, urgently!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I met the guys from Accurascale today at a railway show in Milton Keynes, they are very humble down to earth people, i asked them about the hush hush and a class 52, class 08 and a class 43 HST, i hope to god they produce the HST first, the railway model world is crying out for a accurate 00 gauge class 43, like their Deltic's and class 37's and their wagons which are out of this world in my humble opinion.
I am gutted that such a great loco has recieved such a shoddy representation. Hush Hush is one of my favourite prototypes, right up there with The Great Bear, Decapod and even the Leader. It should have the best model treatment possible.
I practically cheered when I saw yours performing the way that mine does. Very happy for you there
haha me too - it's about time!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Just wanted to make a slight correction when you said “original condition”. It may be using the original boiler set up, but technically there are differences between this one and the original. First, this one has a double chimney, the other had a single. Also, the smokebox door is showing in this one (giving it an almost Japanese look to the front), while the other had a cover to it.
OOh that's a good point - thanks so much for the info, duly noted!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
In her short life prior to rebuild in 1937, the W1's front end altered so much that it's a more complex history than even Bulleid's tenders...
Recieved my Hush Hust 2 weeks ago, on its acceptance run the train performed as expected, well. However upon placing the model on the track to day one of the cab window deflector literally fell off. A minor fault and repairable, however at over £200 should this be happening. 😔 😟 So sad.
Glad it's running okay for you Paul, but the breakage certainly isn't great :(
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
At least Hornby supply them, unlike Bachmann who seem to be stuck in the stone age regarding this feature.
Thanks for sharing mate, Must agree that for such a expensive model Hornby should have certainly added those small details that could’ve really brighten up the model however as you may now this is not a first for Hornby, I’m Australian and I only have one Hornby train ( A Eurostar class E3000) I mainly by my Models off A company called Auscision which make really detailed Australian trains and if I compare the two it seems really unsatisfying to see what Hornby have done with that very nice looking model, Anyways thanks mate love your videos keep it up
So, the question is : Salvage or Scrap ?😁😁😁😁😁
The prototype is a superb Hudson, a one-off in British railways history, and a botched model is unacceptable.
First of all, Derails people are professionals. Excellent packaging.
For the rest... Same as previous episode, except decent running qualities. Manufacturing qualities of a botched Railroad model for the price of a top tier model, unacceptable !
Hornby was an hallmark of quality in UK trains modelling, it is over now. Even Bachmann does better, Hornby is battling for the last place in the polls with Heljan.
In short : poor and overpriced model, don't buy.
haha probably salvage, but it's not clear cut. Derails sure are professionals - rarely a problem with them!!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
NOT a Hudson: she's a 4-6-2-2 (the two trailing axles are in separate frames...
When hornby announced this loco as I wrote a book about the W1 I knew I had to have it. And the loco is amazing.
Hornby have produced some brilliant looking models recently, the new A1 being a particular favourite but everything has just got for too expensive, I remember when I could get an A4 for £90 now I’d struggle to get a good tank engine for that, Hornby are good but until they lower they’re prices I’ll be sticking to older releases that are more affordable
I bought one of these on release luckily mine ran perfectly and was intact when received. But I have to totally agree with you for the cost we should be getting much better quality products. I have stopped buying Hornby locos and will not spend the extortionate price until they up their game. Worse still we buy these products and if something goes wrong getting spares is a joke.
Very glad to hear that Rob - but yeah, should have done better for what they've charged, as usual!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Some people have thrown away broken models instead of using them for spares. When I moved to N gauge, I sold off everything, even the old failed or damaged ones for spares. Unfortunately a lot of old and damaged ones get thrown away. But the 2nd hand market and toy fairs are always a great idea for getting spares. EBay is too expensive now for picking up individual spare parts. But it’s still possible to get that elusive but.
I have been wanting Sam to add this engine to my must get list but based on the quality control and your general revue including price I will wait until I can get one worth my effort and money. Thanks.
This LNER Hush Hush Locomotive Is Also Used On Famous Trains Such As The Flying Scotsman From King's Cross In London In England To Edinburgh In Scotland. Thanks Mate. X
I’d actually have liked a rebuilt W4, was initially made aware of it seeing a kit built version running on a layout a few years back. The thing is, that one didn’t feature the magically levitating hover wheels as this loco. More than anything, that really kills any likelihood I’d want any variant of this loco from Hornby. 4-6-4 may be rare on these parts, but American and European manufacturers seem to be able to make this work. Mind you, £240 seems quite fair for a Star Wars speeder that genuinely floats about the ground…
The j39 in the siding is the odd one out. Also gray review Sam, hopefully Hornby can make new models with higher quality next time.
there are now (at least)3840 three product codes for this loco
R3840, R3979 and R30126 (the first 2 are DCC8 and the last one is DCC21)
The intro is very new....very cinematic of the disasters with the hornby hush hush. I like it. Cheers mate and have a good one!
haha thanks very much, you have a good one too! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I had 2 of these on order and another 2 of the A4 body type Loco. I cancelled all the orders after the issues started and the prices started going up. I was also not impressed that local shops thought they were getting a certain amount and then Hornby sold more online on pre orders so they cut the allocation for their customers!. Hornby never cease to amaze me nowadays with now appalling they are.
I don't blame you at all - these really aren't worth the money in my opinion! And me too... quite amazing xD
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Decent review there Sam, I’m still hoping to get a hush hush one day, will most probably be the rebuilt version in garter blue as that is a personal favourite of mine, it’s a shame your not on Instagram anymore because recently a user showed a fix that can get the rear wheels to touch the track although youtuber class47peter has made a video on how to do the modification and when done it looks much better.
Thanks a lot David - and I will have to take a look at that, thanks!! :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
The rear cab wheels are very easy to get down to track level. Unscrew the axle keeper plate and add small rectangular layers of copier paper acting like shim washers (with a small clean hole for each screw thread) until each axle's wheels just (& I mean just) touch the track
@@andrewdking for the price you should not have to. Send them back so Horby loses money because they are not worth it. Much better producers out there
@@Evilminiature but not of the Hush Hush there isn't. That's just cutting off one's nose to spite one's face.
My Rebuilt W1 Hush Hush is a fine model with just the rear wheels needing attention. No big deal, but agree they maybe could have come up with some floating axle design which uses wheel flanges. Note, Bachmann's very very expensive new V2 also uses a rigid rear end with flangless wheels
I don't have one and doubt I'll get one. I'm kind of hung up on the smaller locos 0-6-0, 4-4-2. These little guys can work some very harsh geography and carry some boring stock, but they work their hearts out to no real acclaim. Long live Stepney and Boxhill 😂
Odd one out is the Peppercorn Pacific, it’s nor a Gresley design (though the J39 isn’t a 4-6-2, neither is Hush Hush). Unfortunate about the Baltic, if it had a straight running board and valve gear casing I’d be able to look past the other problems.
Hi Sam, I have just received a this version of the W1 from the latest batch direct from Hornby. Packaging was superb. The actual model box came in an outer plastic sleeve within a close fitting box, all within an exterior box further packed with bubblewrap. As a Hornby club member I paid a discounted price of £207.89. Performance from the box was very good. Smooth and capable, pulling seven 60ft teak coaches easily and this actually improved after running in. As I run entirely DCC, a decoder was fitted and the model continues to be a good performer. Straight running plates checked with a steel rule! Rear truck wheels still don't touch though! A good buy? Marginally with cost being the only real issue. Keep up. the good work!!
That’s very good news Mike - just as it should be! Glad you’ve had such a good experience,
Cheers,
Sam :)
A fair review Sam, glad this one was an improvement on the previous one. I did think it was slowing on the curves before Gordon's hill, however still a lot better than the last one. I personally will not be purchasing one for two main reasons, firstly the price is excessive for what you get along with the risk of getting a 🍋 for that kind of money is too high. Secondly , I am currently working on an LMS layout. Keep up the great reviews along with your other shows.
Thanks a lot Jim - yeah maybe a little bit, but certainly acceptable! Price totally ridiculous though of course,
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I will say, the thing that blows me away the most about the model is the floating rear wheels. I get that large assemblies that aren’t just trucks to hold wheels might be more difficult in OO scale instead of O or even Gauge 1, but I find the floating wheels extremely unattractive, regardless whether they’re blind or have the flanges on them. The price is still more unattractive, but those floating wheels just look so bad
It's especially funny to myself as an American as several of our manufacturers have made various HO 4-6-4 Hudson locomotives recently and not one has floating wheels like this. Hell, even my 1970's Rivarossi NYC J-3A doesn't have this issue! It's completely unacceptable.
Throw it out the loft! I would pay superchat to see that. What a shocker!
Nice comparison to the original you got. I want a hush hush, but the quality issues and hefty price are really putting me off (and also from getting a turbomotive too...)
Last night I ran in my 2 unrebuilt Merchant Navies, 35024 East Asiatic Company and 35029 Ellerman Lines. 24 was 2nd hand but as new, bought several months ago but arrived last week. 29 was new from TMC as they had a sale on. Cost me around £150 each, which isn't bad, and they run very well (aside from squealing tender pickups). I do now need more light pacifics though, because 2 unrebuilt and 2 rebuilt MNs is too many to balance a single unrebuilt West Country with stanier tender...
Petition to get Dapol or Rapido to remake this model with actual effort put into it and a much lower price tag.
Rapido or Accurascale may be a shout tbh.
haha that would be awesome - reckon they could probably match Hornby on price too with some effort... sadly Hornby might have saturated the market with their rubbish model, so they'd struggle to justify it most likely :(
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I wish KATO would make this in N scale. Id love to see some streamline steamers in N scale.
That'd be amazing - I've heard Kato is quality!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Oh yes. I'd buy that even though I'm not a British person!
I am glad that you at last have an acceptable one.
I saw one of these offered at a discount and decided to take my chances.
Should have bought a lottery ticket.
Mine runs quite weirdly on my test circuit which is a collection of Hornby set track.
It is not consistent in its placement on the track as I left it to be run in. On some circuits it hits the Hornby power rail connection attachment. On other circuits, at the same speed in the same direction it does not. It does not matter if it is going clockwise or anticlockwise. Same thing.
The inaccuracy is even worse in reverse. Sometimes it just bangs the rail face of the connector, on others it hits the side of it bringing the loco to a halt.
Having to make allowances for such an erratic clearance gauge is going to be interesting. I may have to remodel the station.
I also am not happy that Hornby out-shopped the thing with “Royal Train with Monarch” head lamps in situ. As they are non working, surely “Express Passenger” would have been better suited for most modellers. Add two more lamps in the details pack should a modeller want to run such a rare diagram.
Just ordered one from Model Railways direct for £229.05,it's a ridiculous price but I guess I'm in a lucky position,the two reasons I got it where the uniqueness and the fact I would regret it if I missed out,I do agree that Hornby are treating there customers with contempt especially when you look at Dapols and Accurascale's latest offerings
I love the intro!
And I really like the W1 Hush Hush
haha thank you!!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
@@SamsTrains thanks for making great content! -Albert =]
Hornby repaired one of my N15s twice(damage to rear bogie and plug , caused by me) no charge and FREE return. BtW my sons W1 is perfect - at old price
Hi Sam, Nice review looks a better engine, glad it's a keeper, All the best Brian 😃
Thanks Brian - at last a keeper!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I got the rebuilt version of the A4 Hudson from Hornby Sam. I was planning to get the original version of Hush but after seeing your video from last year. I did not want to buy the original version of Hornby W1 Hudson and send it back for a refund. After seeing this version of W1 Hudson which has a double chimney and no smoke box door cover, I would consider buying it but not from Hornby directly. From retailers only because like you said Sam, they care about getting any products to their customers in 1 piece properly. Plus, if Hornby keeps their bullshit excuses by jacking up their prices and not listening to their customers properly. Hornby will be going bankrupt pretty soon as I possibly know. By the way, I called Hush a Hudson because of its 4-6-4 wheel arrangement. The Hudsons were created in 1925 when Lima Locomotive works in Ohio had designed a super locomotive which is actually increasing the size of the firebox which will increase the locomotive's speed and power output Sam. With that particular result having great success, the pacific locomotives were converted into Hudson locomotives.
And you HAVEN'T seen that tender before - it's the unique all-welded Gresley example built specifically for the locomotive. Interestingly it did survive into preservation behind No9...
Sam great review as usual. I am really sorry to see the way Hornby is going. I have enjoyed their products in the past over all other manufacturers. Yes we should be grateful for the job the retailers are doing. But I am afraid if Hornby stays this course they are on we will lose them for good. All we can hope for is they wake up and listen to the people of this hobby who like your self who do reviews on TH-cam.
I'm really sorry to see that too - they do make some great locos, but they seem to get lost in the overpriced stuff :(
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
@@SamsTrains Get lost, that is what they say to the customers they priced out with those prices...
Easy answer Sam, Don’t buy Hornby, Clearly Hornby are just taking the new know what, clearly they are yet again ignoring and there so called customer relationship’s department, assuming they have one to start how can they get this so wrong
If they are like other companies then their customer relationship departments are busy telling them their customers want more ethnically diverse models that embrace a wide spectrum of identities and that they aren't appealing to women enough rather than relaying customer wishes.
I’ve just got past the opening and I’m on the edge of my seat.
I was very excited to have this model in my collection when it first was announced.
I pre-ordered the first edition at the time, but being a Belgian who collects British trains, my first order was canceled by Hornby due to unclarities with Brexit and custom declaration at the time.
I was very sad and disappointed about it how Hornby handled the whole situation at the time.
But now being the first edition such a flop I'm so glad that the order didn't go through.
However I still want this model in my collection and I'm glad that at least it's running condition now work as they should be, so it will be back on my ordering list…
I also fully agree with you Sam, that the pointed out issues, it still has, are a bit disappointing, especially the floating wheels🥺WHY???
But it's not only Hornby that messes up, recently got the special Bachman national railway LNWR Improved Precedent Class 2-4-0 No.790 'Hardwicke'.
Left it originally as it was, with the anti-slip tires, just put in an original Bachman 21 pin DCC decoder, and it preforms like one of the worst loco's I've ever bought.
Exchanged the decoder, one never knows that can be folty, but still the same mess.
So I do hope that one day you do a video about that, and see what you make of it…
I bought one of the precedents and I had the same issues. I wanted one so much that I rebuilt and rewired it, negating the warranty but at least it runs VERY nicely now! The traction tyres need to go, the tender connection needs to be made permanent and the pickups need to be carefully tweaked. Also, there are some models where the coupling rods foul the underside of the footplate. I filed away a bit of rough casting on mine and no issues at all now.
Its good to hear of others enjoying our trains! A real shame- both Hornby and Bachman are both unreliable and this is why these reviews are important. I recommend avoiding the hype trains and wait for reviews that are not access media (free early access, free models etc)
@@farric1 I fully agree with you on the No.790 'Hardwicke', I did about the same work as you did.
The first problem was the setting of the decoder, luckily I bought the decoder at "The Signal Box" in Anstey near Leicester.
When I got back to Belgium and after I'd build in the decoder, at the moment you only got to one on your power increase, it flew off like a rocket. Never ever got that problem before.
So I phoned the shop up with the idea that they sold me a bad decoder, but it seems they encountered more of these problems, so they walked me through the settings, and the problems was solved, top guys there at "The signal Box"👍.
Next problem was that it falter when it started to run, so the shop gave me the advice to run it in, but the problem was stil there after running it in.
This was not the shops fault, but pure a clumsy factory mistake at Bachman.
Opening it up, there was so much grease used, that the electric contacts couldn't conduct properly.
After degreasing everything and putting much more tention on the contacts it run 10 times better.
The only thing I still have to do are replacing the rubber wheels, and then it should be hopefully ok.
But it's a real shame that a fresh out of the box and expensive model shows so much problems.🤨
@@dannyvanstraelen3273 mind you, I'm on DC only atm. But if it's rough on DC it's gonna be worse on DCC.
I'm from Canada. I bought a couple Hornby locos about 16 years ago. I wasn't impressed then. The new stuff is junk. I wouldn't waste my money on Hornby.
Bachmann even with their shortfalls is a much better product. Dapol is still the top of the top in my opinion. Heljan is grossly over priced for what it is.
Hornby is only interested in profits.
The industry needs to sit down look at itself.
Sales are down. So they increase prices to make up for the low sales.
They will price themselves out of business if the quality keeps dropping.
Ahh sorry to hear that Robin. Agreed, Bachmann are too expensive, but at least they deliver a quality product these days (for the most part).
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
27:49, Mallard + Tornado. Probably wouldn't have spotted Mallard if it wasn't for the rebuilt Hush Hush!
Hello Sam. From an O gauger's perspective £245 doesn't seem that much. If you add up the cost of developement, tooling, manufacturing, importing, final shipping (including all taxes import duties) no-one is making much money on a £245 RRP. I always thought that OO locos are very cheap. Surprising though that so many of them run so badly.
No way on earth...let's not kid ourselves... This is a few mass produced components slung into a plastic case with a bit of detailing ... Made in China and no doubt fully automated...if hobbyists continue to buy them at such high prices they will never bring prices down, they are high as they are well aware that in 20 years they will not have folks left with cash to spend on this hobby. "Make as much now, whilst we can" - Hornbys new slogan? Lol 🤣 just look at the price of new track and you can work out from that the type of margin they work to.
I noticed you rarely bought Hornby models after your first video on this. There is a photo of the loco with the Flying Scotsman headboard, Sir Nigel Gresley, and the W1 crew.
Still not convinced that it is a model for the people. The buffers show moulding lines, it looks more like a cheap Chinese knock-off than a genuine Hornby locomotive. But then again it still has that price tag which definitely needs a better quality model. I would be sending it back as there is not anything worth that price I can see in the model.
Sorry you were disappointed again. Hush Hush Redemption is like Shawshank Redemption without the poetic justice at the end of the movie. Since you now have two Hush Hushes (not sure about the plural), why not take a Dremel to the model and fabricate a moving rear truck? You are certainly capable of it. Thank you for sharing, I eagerly await your next videos!
Here we don't have hornby in the states we have bachmann which end up in some cases some locos are near $500 and the bachmann quality is just.... Yikes overall.
Our prices are after tax always (20% VAT) to bear that in mind while comparing.
Sam just to help your reviews....a flywheel doesn't reduce slow speed torque. (I have a physics degree) it doesn't work like that. Good review, although I guess with that large trailing bogie and overall chassis there would have to be some kind of compromise to allow it to corner. Perhaps a hidden sub- bogie like hornby used to do with their 8 wheel tenders?
Hmmm…definitely a partial redemption 🤔 I actually ended up getting a rebuilt version in late BR livery and have to admit, I had no issues re performance and quality control as there were no glue marks I could discern nor were there any wonky or cheap looking bits (though I do agree about the lack of certain things that I think perhaps should be standard on a top notch model like lights! 🙄).
But yeah, my one is fine, pulls 8 plus happily (albeit I’ve not got an in line so that might change!) and looks fantastic with a nice mixed rake of maroon BR and ex LNER carriages 😎
Cheers mate 👍🍀🍻
Its ridiculous how expensive they have got, some of the best looking models on the market cost less, and that's ignoring how poor it runs. I've also ran into the issue that they just don't make spares, meaning that my hst, a model that is now
Hello Sam - I have the R3841 LNER Class W1 'Hush Hush' 4-6-4 'British Enterprise' No. 10000 - yes the out box is very Similar - I'm checking it as your showing it!!! Mine has no glue marks bus has the 'Floating wheels' on the back!!! But am happy with it🤔🚂🚂🚂
I think Hornby have improved their packaging to be fair to them, recent things I have had delivered have come with better packaging than my Hush Hush did, (arrived smashed up) and they are also using DPD now which are much more reliable.
I hope so too - the last thing I had delivered from them wasn't much better if I remember!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Here while watching you on the Hornby TV show 😂
wow kind of relatable, happend to me with the r315 8F, it was in terrible condition,but i drove up to one of their stores and gave me a new model which actually worked
but great vid sam :) keep up
I think its great that you've given the W1 Hush Hush a second chance, and I was going to buy one. But I realised they're extremely expensive, and far too expensive to justify not great running ( in your case at least )
Another Fab video Sam!
P.s I would recommend a castle class Hornby 'Wellington' in my opinion, it is great
haha yeah that's still true, but at least this one is a runner!!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
@@SamsTrains At least ut is!
Hi Sam, great idea for a video! That Hush-Hush was so peculiar that it really did seem strange it was sent out to customers. My guess for the odd loco on your layout is what I believe is a J37 at 27:30
The Hush Hush is such a cool engine it's a shame that it's not a little better.
It is very cool isn't it?? very true!!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Good video Sam it’s a shame that the quality is not up to standard it’s a poor model in my opinion thank you for sharing sam
Fair review -- it doesn't go well, the finish is messy, and the price is . . .
up?
For shame, Hornby. This should be the pride of the fleet.
You should review a NYC Hudson and then compare the two. Also the odd ones out is the goods train being pulled by what I am guessing is an A3, the light A4, and the 0-6-0 in the spur/siding for the factory
Broadway Limited or Bachmanns upcoming NYC Hudson? BLI had not done the NYC hudson in a while although they are coming out with the Commodore Vanderbilt Hudson in early 2023.
@@gilbertporter4992 never said it had to be bli
Hey Sam
the loco which is the odd one out is the Bachmann A2 because its a peppercorn design with the others being Gresley
Cheers Harry
small correction from your history, "the only standard guage 4-6-4 locomotive ever to run on a british railway at the time"
this is incorrect the W1 was the only 4-6-4 Tender engine in the uk, several pre grouping (pre 1923) companies had 4-6-4 Tank engine designs,
the most known of these classes is the LB&SCR L-class tank engine
Did I hear you say Hornby are in financial difficulty? Oh dear! Just a shame I am not upon replacement motors these days. It was great in the late 70s when a 5 pole Airfix motor solved the problem and saved the day after ripping out the 3 pole Hornby!
You always review under DC control, have you thought about doing a DC test alongside a DCC test as I'm sure you will see a difference in slow speed running.? I can make a Bachmann Class 90 literally microscopically inch it's way forward in DCC and I think it would be great to compare slow speed running in both formats. Just saying...
The founders of Hornby would be horrified with how it's going now
i've got the bachmann domino of canada a4 on the way and i'm so excited cuz i'm going to see the real thing tomorrow
Awesome video Sam's trains
Another First Class video Sam. When I viewed your first W1 video R3840 as start of this year I thought I want one of those looks far better than in online photo's . But seeing all prolems you where having with it I then went off the idea. But just seen your second W1 video redemption R3979 i have just now gone and order the W1 R3979 from the same place you mention in the video. But the problems you had with the first one R3840 you bought is just utterly disusting .
The hush hush has always fascinated me. It’s a large engine with a high pressure boiler. Too bad the OO model is so much for so little. Otherwise I would buy it. I always imagined it would have a PRR j1 whistle. If you want a powerful loco with a good build quality and decent availability however, a Bachmann USRA mikado is the perfect engine for the job. The hush hush pales in comparison to the USRA mikado.
Hornby will probably knock up a purple hush hush and sell it for £400!!!!!!
@@StormmyStormmy that would be awful, just plain disgraceful, disgusting, and despicable!
Looks like they can’t even place the rear porthole window on the tender the correct way round! Surely the shoulder of the plastic glazing should be on the inside? What happened to quality control?
I often think that too, but they're always assembled this way on all of the Hornby tenders... strange!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
It’s probably fortunate that the rear wheels DON’T make contact with the track, but I consider this a result of a design flaw in the prototype; leading/trailing bogies are supposed to pivot and be able to ride up & down with slight bumps in the trackage. But the model (and prototype) seems to be a solid metal piece on the trailing bogie that’s part of the locomotive body, with no ability to swivel at all. I suspect that Hornby tried to make this work, but just couldn’t, so they made the rear wheels lifted above the track so it wouldn’t constantly derail (even with flange-less wheels.) I admit this theory may be WAY off base, though.
The question of those rear wheels. Are they infact Turbo wheels that only come down on straight track at precisely 88 MPH and then engage the Flux Capacitor? Now there's a train i want, that loco from that film.
I think Hornby changed the chassis slightly between the first Hush Hush and the rebuilt one and carried the change through to your new one. Hornby when I asked them said it was the same original chassis but I am not so sure they not telling porkys. There is a difference in height on the front bogie between the original and the newer ones. I have not had the courage to take both apart to measure it, but I am sure that there is a slight difference. The rear wheels not touching the track is a good thing, I found when going over points my Duchess which has the fixed wheel that does touch the track, but because it is flat it shorts across the blade and rail of my electrofrog points. Wouldn't be an issue if I wasn't using it to drive a relay to switch the frog polarity (you can do this on DCC). No it is not worth £200 plus, but that is Hornby now, 1970s mindset.
This so very interesting - I wonder if they have modified the chassis? The front bogie certainly didn’t cause problems on this new example for me!!
@@SamsTrains I first noticed it on the rebuilt one I bought, it didn't catch on the same set of points. I suspect they removed about 1 mm from the mounting. As I said, Hornby said it was the same chassis, they could have updated the design of the chassis when they realised they had an issue but only implemented the fix after they made the first batch. As you know with CAD it is so easy to do. Anyway good video, I like watching your videos they are funny but very factual and informative, thanks.
Sorry Sam if a loco has wheels they need to be on the track! Great video but typical Hornby Quality would other manufactures let that go out in that condition for that price. I think not.
I think the problem for producers are that models will become quit a bit more expencive if the standard is raised significantly. It would mean twice the price. And who would be willing to pay that, and what would it mean for the hobby? This must be very difficult considerations, especially for a british manufacturer paying their employees normal salaries.
Something I'm sure you just forgot to say was that hush hush wasn't the only standard gauge 4-6-4, but the others where tank engines.
Ahh interesting - duly noted!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Mine didn’t even work , admittedly it’s the first time I attempted to , so here to hoping I can get it fixed
I still have three Hornby Dublo HO engines (one "Cardiff Castle") that inherit from my father; he bought them in the '50.
All in metall.
My Dublo Cardiff Castle is OO 4mm to the foot. How did you get yours in HO? But you’re right about the metal on it. I think all the Triang competition were plastic e.g. their Britannia. My 2-6-4 standard tank 80054 also has a metal body but my little Southern 0-6-0 tank 31337 is plastic.
@@gordonhardwick5151 maybe I'm wrong about scale, AFAIK Is HO with 16,5 mm of track between rails.
Or Is a 00...?
@@gordonhardwick5151 I'm pretty sure is a edition for export.
Is an H0, not so popular in Britain.
You know Sam if you want a quality Hush Hush there is one thing you can do
Make your own one
haha exactly... will hop onto sketchup and run one off ;)
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I cannot understand Hornby's business practices! Nice review, but I do have a question - how easy would it be to adjust the rear bogie so that the wheels were in contact with the rails?
When I was kid in the 80’s nothing excited more than the site of a Bright Red Hornby box……….. back into the Hobby now in my early 40’s. It’s sad to see most of there stuff hasn’t really moved on from when I was 7 yet they want hundreds of pounds!! The few ‘current’ Hornby locos I had bought in the last few years, and have been sold on as they were so poor. Bachmann, Accurascale and the likes blow them out of the water. Sad to see really!!
Sam you forgot to ring the bell 🔔 before take off😜
Cab interior is wrong because it still shows the levers for steam powered reversers instead of one or two cranks for the threaded reversers which the double blast pipe version had.
Lionel in the U.S. is starting to have the same issue?
Lionel’s O scale is stalling out, Lionel ho is a joke and there’s not even a Lionel N scale to speak off.
I wonder if there’s a coincidence that these two companies (both former kings in their respective countries) are now shells of their former selfs.
Beginning to think most of the 'famous name' manufacturers are owned by a holding company or something and are all actually from the same factory.
hi sam i have just relised youre redemtion hush hush is a smoke lifting cowle variant i can tell from the boiler front
I think it might be the black one at Gordon's hill. I couldn't read the numbers, but it didn't look an express type like the others.
I laugh so hard when people blame you for the original hush hush not working because you “fiddled with the bearings”, as people blamed you about basically the same thing for the Bachmann 9F, and that didn’t have proper bearings (which is actually why the Bachmann 9F is so weak…).
A good runner but the DEVIL is in the Detail! A very fair review Sam.
Sam, forget Hornby and do some Rapido / Accurascale stuff. Hornby really have lost their way.
Another great video. I must say that the moment that you pulled the model from the box I could tell that the running plate was warped. I wasn't impressed by the moulding lines on the buffer housings, either. I couldn't believe that wonky bracket on the side, though. That was ridiculous. One wonders why Hornby can't get the trailing wheels to sit on the track. Even if it was a manufacturing issue (in China, obviously) doesn't anybody at Hornby randomly check them? And seeing that just about every other manufacturer has their models made in China, we *know* that they can make fantastic models there. I just can't see any excuse.
As an engineer/designer that has had parts, assemblies and complete products made in China for years i can say with confidence that China CAN and DOES produce fantastic quality items. Really top notch. The issue is 100% Hornby not taking care and attention to their products. The Chinese will chuck these out as thats that they are told to do. Ask them to fix the issues and they will...but cost will increase a little.
Yea the irony is there with the P2 as the "not a railway" model. Not to mention I bet Hornby simply used parts from locos like the A4.
Also more attentive viewers knows at least witch city u live.
Interesting thoughts about Sam's location, Tom. I'm a Londoner (by birth) but I have a Lancashire accent (grew up there). You just can't tell . . .
@@SeatedViper Not that at all. Its from other train youtubers, if u watched their channel, u can catch things (they sometimes mention details if they know each other)!