I managed to pick one of these up from a local shop a few days ago, and I've got to say I think yours is an unfortunate case of a "Friday evening" job. Mine's really well assembled and the painting is exactly how it should be. There's one glue mark on top of the boiler but it's hidden by the detail that's holding it on unless you hold it at a very specific angle and know where to look for it. The details on the model are phenomenal, and it absolutely outclasses practically every other loco I own on that front As for the wobbly running, it's actually somewhat realistic. 1501 in real life is a poorly balanced loco by it's inherent design and does throw itself about quite violently as it runs, though I will say that by model standards the rocking is a little excessive. It does make it more interesting to watch running past though, especially on less than perfect trackwork
I will check my two models for those potential problems when I would have them on hand? i know now where to look, hoping to have not such assembly mishaps. At best, the glue marks had been seen by other TH-camrs on their own models, but the chimney and the stripped paint are a first here, as far as I know. And even if my models will turn fine, that does not excuse such a variation in quality along the production batch.
No doubt this is worse than others yeah, but unfortunately this is a theme with the 15xx, as there are multiple reports of poor quality examples, and I've seen photos of far worse glue than mine. You did very well to get a good example though, I'm glad you did! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Considering that these are made in China in what are probably 18 hour shifts, 7 days a week, I would say its more of a case of an "exhausted and malnourished" job. At these prices, they could afford UK labor rates and not put a significant dent in their margins.
@@htomerif Firstly fact both wages and conditions in China are nowhere near as poor as you portray! Yes 25 years ago maybe, but the simple fact is that as the country industrialised and embraced high technology industries, the expectations of it citizens has increased - and the ruling Communist party know that if peoples expectations regrading better wages / working conditions are not met then the resultant anger could eventually boil over into to dissatisfaction with the party itself and threaten the Communists very grip on power! Effectively the deal is this - the Communist party say " you don't question our authority and we will in turn give you the cash to live a comfortable 'western' style life" and its a deal the population are very happy to go along with. Secondly even though Chinese wages / costs have gone up significantly over the past decade (around 20-30% IIRC) , because they were starting from a very low base they are still massive cheaper than in the UK (even if UK costs have only gone up by 10% in the same period). You forget that because modellers demand huge amounts of separately fitted detail and fine printing assembling the parts is a SKILLED job much akin to watchmaking or Jewellery making in technique and certainly something which will command way more than the minimum wage.
@@OlivierGabin And Rapido are not trying to excuse them! Rapido know that the sort of quality issues people have been highlighting to them are not acceptable and I have no doubt strong words will be had with their partners in China as to why this state of affairs was allowed to arise. If you have a time machine handy I'm sure Rapido would love to borrow it....
You were unlucky with your model of the Rapido 15xx. I received mine earlier today and have just finished running it in. It had none of the problems you mentioned - no glue marks, a correctly fitted funnel, no bent steps or other fittings and no rocking or hunting even at scale speeds of over 60 mph. I am well pleased with my model.
Thank you for the review, Sam. I'm sorry your locomotive had problems with build quality. I cannot fault this on my recently purchased locomotive. It's a real beauty! Other than making sure that it runs forwards and backwards, I have not had it running on the track, as yet but I am extremely pleased with what I have seen so far, particularly as I purchased it by accident!
The one loco I decided I needed. Mine did not have any of the build quality issues that yours has. It does state in the instructions that you should run it in for 1 hour in each direction. All in all a very good model. I enjoy your reviews, you give an honest opinion of the model you have bought. Regards, Alan.
You're more forgiving than I would have been. Considering all the defects on your model I would have returned it for a new one. A grade of B was very generous in my opinion. I ordered the 1505 last Friday and it should arrive in the next 2 days. Hope the quality isn't as bad as your experience was.
I was conflicted regarding this model. Being a GWR fan, I wanted it, even though it's an ugly duckling. But I've already spent my loco buying budget for 2023 so was hesitating. Your review has helped me to stay within my budget! Keep up the good work.
There's nothing wrong with mine, a sister to your sample. Runs beautifully, slowly and smoothly straight out of the box. 'Wobble'? Well short wheelbase switchers or shunters have a funny habit of doing that in reality. Lovely engine, bought on Saturday and am very pleased with it.
I have purchased two of these. Both models are of good build quality, without the faults yours has. I am delighted with them and they are both excellent runners, straight from the box.
Hi Sam - the wiggle is prototypical - a function of the short wheelbase, they were designed for the tight curves of docks and industrial sidings. The performance is also realistic curves and gradients slowed down the real thing quite noticeably - just look at some of the videos on the web. But a good review generally.
most steam engines have a degree of wiggle due to the power being put through the connecting rods onto the wheels, when the rod is not exactly in line with the centre line of the cylinder the force will give a vertical force. of course the bigger the loco and longer the rods are the less this effect is visible. Locos with short con rods like the 43xx and 45xx classes have a very visible wiggle especially when starting. The prototype 1501 is actually quite stable even when running at relatively high speeds. When she first started running at the SVR the Pway were expecting a sharp rise in track defects but this wasn't the case.
Sam - you tell it as it is, I suspect some other 'reviewers' don't.... enough said. Hopefully this was a one off - please post a follow up if / when you gain a replacement. Thank you for your honest and trustworthy reviews
I am guessing that the sideways wobble is due to inconsistent back-to-back gauging. It was a usual problem with the early Hornby liner Pacifics and triang locos. I think your gadwall and maybe some of your triang locos are wobblers. I think the gearing is far too fast on the 15xx which doesn’t help as that affects the crawl. Try running the loco upside down and look for the wheels wandering about. Then, you can press them at the wide spot. It usually helps crawling, tracking, and overall smoothness a lot!
Hi sam. Just to help you in your reviewing process..and from an engineer with 35 years of experience... you sometimes struggle for words and use the word "quality" in different ways. In engineering's terms, high quality means meeting the spec every time. A basic model could, therefore, be high quality if every one is perfect. The magic word i think you are looking for is "specification." If you try to use the terms as they are meant, it makes it easier to describe what you mean. So, for instance, this model is high specification, but lower quality. Hope this helps. Kind regards as always 🙂
Yup, considering his following his presentation isn't great and he has low knowledge of mechanisms etc. and little knowledge of the actual machines. He also uses 10 words when two will do and it gets repetitive and quite boring after a while. He needs to really test a replacement too for a decent final decision. I see loads on here saying, ooooof not for me because he's got a duff example. Not all are duff in any way including mine. He's so adored that if he says something those adoring fans just accept it! You are very kind to be so thoughtful. I've assessed Students and this one wouldn't be getting a decent grade for this particular episode.
2 details missing are the tiny foot grip plates on the tops of the buffer stocks and the tank lifting rings do have triangular plates with 3 rivets holding them on underneath. An easy fix for some, as is turning a new chimney and turning some new whistles out on the Unimat at the full speed of 4000 revs.
@@SamsTrainsI seriously do specifically wonderfully actually have the officially well-knowingly obviously obvious urge to happily agree with you on that officially well-knowingly obviously obvious statement for sure!🤞 NO COMPLETE DOUBT WHATSOEVER 'BOUT IT IN MY OWN OFFICIAL THOUGHTFULNESS OPINION!
Spot on review Sam. I got the same one yesterday and have to agree with you about quality. Mine is great but let down with a tiny portion of the lining missing (I will have to get a lining decal) and glue blooms on the front and rear buffer beam steps. A spot of paint will cure that. I’ve run it in on the rolling road so far. It does wiggle a bit though. The cab detail is exceptional. Did you see the warning info stencilled on the inside surfaces of the sliding doors in the cab? Absolutely amazing!
Hi Sam, i think the model you have was dropped on its front at some point during manufacture looking at it. my1501 model has just turned up and its not showing any damage whatsoever. its yet to be run in or tested on the track so can't comment on how good/bad it performs yet.
I must say I think you have been done there Sam, I got mine yesterday and I am very impressed, I'm confused to there decision to put plastic on some parts of the running gear but apart from that my 1501 is perfect. All the detail is there no visible glue marks everything is as it should be. As far as performance goes your right on straight and level it's great, as soon as you get to a slight incline or sharp curve this is where it faulters. But I would say all in all it's great. I'm sorry yours isn't 😢
For a moment I thought that was an American built H.K. Porter, Alco, or Vulcan Iron 0-6-0 side tank from looking at the valve gear because they look very similar, and due to the short wheel base they waddle just like this model. Despite the sloppy quality of the assembly, it's a really neat looking model, and is very unique for a Pannier Tank Engine.
I have a bit of a trivia. The USATC S100, which the GWR used many of in South Wales during the Second World War, served as a partial inspiration for the design of the 1500. More specifically the use of outside cylinders and short wheelbase.
haha I know - now that the review is done I might try to get it off and fix the problem... not recommended though of course! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Great vlog as always, Remember some proper locos stalled on the Lickey I think it's more realistic to slow. I use to work on BR and the amount of time we stuck trying to get out front Colliery yards.
Well said - remember that Sam seems to know next to nothing about prototype operations, and yet feels fit to comment on and review models of the things.
If it hadn't been for some parts being wonky this Loco would've been pure gold. I'll give this Loco between B and B+. I saw a LBSC Terrier on a siding.
Never buy a first issue/version of anything. Usually they're still working the kinks out, literally and figuratively. Another thing to consider (and I suggest this without knowing uk commerce law ) is there a chance the retailer you bought it through buys and sells blemished items without marking them as blemished? I suggest that because I don't think it would've left the factory with something so glaringly obvious as that stack alignment unless it was marketed as a factory blemished as well as I've seen other reviews of models you've had major issues with that there isn't anything similar to what you experienced. Unless you're just unlucky and keep getting lemons I think something else is afoot
Well it's tricky - there's rarely a guarantee of a future batch, and as a reviewer it's important that I review models soon after they're released. And no, Derails models doesn't sell blemished models without disclosing it.... this is a brand new release anyway, there was no time for this to have been a return, Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Sorry Sam...1504 came to me in perfect condition, has zero faults and is amazing in all respects. After full running in on DC (Decoder to be fitted later), I stuck 12 newish Bachman Coaches on it and it didn't even slip on starting, both in forward and reverse. Hauled and propelled easily. Superb Loco... yours isn't the only slightly wonky ones BUT the percentage of faulty ones is small according to popular MR Forums. MIne came from Widnes in the new style Delivery Packaging in case of athletic bashing from the Courier. This was the only GWR/BRWR Pannier design with this Valve Gear. Their main work was at Paddington as you say but several worked in Wales and a couple went to the NCB. FINALLY. You can only base a conclusion such as this (or a positive one for that matter) IF YOU TEST A BATCH TO COMPARE like for like. On a single test your conclusions are just nor credible and that is totally misleading to any prospective purchasers.
Hi Sam. You said that the quality of the assembly is unacceptable and I would agree. That said, I would return it to the retailer, but would accept a replacement on the proviso that the retailer ensures the replacement is assembled properly. I didn't notice that the firebox glow flickered; did it? One thing that I find inexcusable is that the valve gear, etc., wasn't fully made of metal; if one feature should never be made of plastic, then this is it.
Due to being plastic, as I've stated a couple of times above, the return crank actually has the four bolts modelled that hold it to the wheel. This is the first time I've ever seen it in 00 - even in hand-built one-off models.
Hi Sam , My red one arrived in Australia safely. It looks superb , it runs great and it is heavy , very heavy , love it! The cabin glow is one of the best. No quality issues at all. Yes it is pretty perfect so I ordered another one , GWR green. Warm regards from Western Australia , jack
We went to OXRAIL on Sunday and I got to hold one in its clam pack. THE WEIGHT and the wait has been worth it. Ours is currently sat in our Trunk at Hattons awaiting the arrival of another train THE TITFIELD THUNDERBOLT!!! Drawing one out in 5" gauge and constructing from my many photos and encounters with 1501 shows the totally real locomotive in miniature. Sat in the First carriage, 1501 and total bounce powerful beast.
*had to cancel my preorder hours before it went through due to needing money to fix car problems* *sees thumbnail* "Oh, cool. Now I don't feel as bad about it. Thanks!"
The one issue though is the price. The price is just too high to justify the issues. The glue is tolerable, the giant half inserted handrail knobs and wonky chimney are just plain defective though. I do agree that people should be more willing and excited to modify their models though. Allows you to buy cheaper models and make them better than expensive ones.
@@1471SirFrederickBanbury I don't know if it would go around a 1st radius curve - but it might! If it does, then it is a loco worth considering for those with small layouts. Apart from the cosmetic issues Sam mentions, it looks a sound loco mechanically and electrically that does not stall.
@@AllensTrains I think that’s fair. I would still always recommend fixing up an cheaper and/or older loco, but if you want it, then it’s totally your choice!
@@1471SirFrederickBanbury One of the difficulties of Railway Modelling is to get the loco for your scenario. At least Rapido has stepped in with a loco nobody else had thought to produce with all the other Pannier Tanks being pre-war examples.
Hello Sam I was fortunate enough to get a decent model without the issues you had. Mine was the dcc sound version of 1501 thou. Might be worth taking the model back with all those problems.
Another good review, thanks. I had ordered the NCR Maron No. 1509 which arrived last week (while I was away in India). I've gone for the DCC Sound Fitted and I am just about to start testing it. In general the model I have seems to be reasonably put together though the chimney fell off when I opened the packaging. No obvious signs of glue and on initial running seems to run well.
Minor complain here. I think I should see your Bachmann USA Dock tank model on the track because the 1500 itself was inspired by that tank. Also, it just looks like it.
I bought the green GWR one and as far as I can see no real detail issues. Mine has sound, ran it round my layout really nice loco. Obviously Rapido needs to sort out their quality control.
317 grams? Now that’s how it should be! Following up from Saturday, I couldn’t find the 700 gram mystery loco I was thinking of, but the Wrenn duchess is 686 grams and if you go kit building, or add weight to rtr, you can easily get over a pound and a half!
I've just received my one of these. Really wanted one with it being a SVR loco. Got to say mine appears to be much better assembled than this one. The chimney did fall off but I've been able to reattach it better than the one featured here. Why do manufacturers do this. Let a brilliant model down over easy small details.
Decent review here Sam, GWR locomotives do look really good in black in my opinion, pity about the quality issues but I’m sure it you take it up with Rapido they will help you out.
They actually do don't they? Particularly with the lining! Yes I'm sure they would - Rapido are pretty good at sorting out their issues, as we've seen quite a few! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Accurascale said 62% of Manor sales are DCC sound. Add those who put in their own non-sound decoders and I would imagine 75% run DCC. Sam needs to add DCC to his test methodology IMHO!
Such a shame, It looks amazing on the pictures and I remember Rapido showing the video where the sample pulled a ridiculously long freight train, but this ain't it for me. If the quality would be as Rapido's usual standard, I can forgive the wobbly running. But the glue marks, poor fitting and the chimney look quite bad I must say. Pulling power is a bit questioning, as this locomotive is so heavy, I would expect a mechanism that would be able to handle such a weighty model. For the moment I skip it, as I have a P Class and a Buckjumper pre-ordered which will have me covered on modern tank engines for a while as I primarily bought Tri-ang stuff till then. Great review, even though it's a bit disappointing to see they could have done better. I think you should return it and try again in the hope of a better example. If I buy one, I'll make sure to see it in store to spot any faults before purchase.
This loco makes me think, " Market trader selling Canaries, "What said a buyer, it's only got one leg!" "What do yo want", said the trader......."do you want a singer or a dancer" ? This loco makes me think the same ........
A very small but beautiful train. It looks very nice . But do u have any good recommendations for trains. I need an expert to say what to get. Anyway ur the best my friend. Keep being awesome. Sam is a legend. Trainsforlive. Raise ur hand if u like sam
It certainly is an impressive model! And sure, feel free to check my review playlist - I have reviews of most british locos on there. If there's anything you've got your eye on, I'm happy to answer any questions you have about it! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)
The price and not much better than an old Hornby or Lima in a lot of ways. Nice looker though. Thanks for the unbiased review Sam. If I got home and put that on the track I would be extremely disappointed. Everything is so right and so wrong at the same time.
haha think it is a step up from old Hornby/Lima, but certainly not up to the same standard as other manufacturers in terms of quality! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Mine arrived with only a small shiny blemish on one side that can be varnished over, but what I feel let me down more was the plastic bits on the valve gear. It makes it look cheaper and I doubt you can disassemble it for any servicing/repairs.
The plastic return crank enables, for the first ever time in 00 to my knowledge, the classic four bolt fixing to the driving wheel to be modelled. A phenomenal bit of detail in my view.
Hi Sam, I've got he GWR green version, pleased to say mine has very nearly none of your issues, Nice straight chimney, taps all square and correct on cylinders, smokebox door detail all good. It does have a little glue showing on the very thin steps at the rear, and also on a pipe running along the tank top. However nothing that you can see normally without reading (magnifying) glasses. I'd like to see any other manufacturer attempt such complex details on a loco without leaving a few glue traces..? Bet there's not many that could match this model. For me your example has tipped over what is acceptable and needs to be replaced under warrenty... Otherwise the manufacturers won't learn from their mistakes... Keep up the great work..ace reviews Sam many thanks
Thanks for sharing Mark, that's great news - hope you can enjoy your model in that case! That's very true - it's certainly a very complex loco, and the odd bit of glue is acceptable, but this was certainly more than normal! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Totally on a tangent - the open wagon train was a most useful reference to this modeler in the US who is going to De-thomas an open wagon bought at discount, repaint and letter it for one of his own freelance roadnames and send it to a friend in England. That some wagons represent an unpainted interior answers a question. Where the wagon number is placed answers a question. How the owner names are painted and located answers a question. Much appreciated.
Curious - I have held and looked at up closely, including mine, three 15xx's (two 1501 qnd my 1506). No problems whatsoever. All look and run perfectly (no wonky parts on any of them) on modern DC and DCC. Certainly no quality problems I could see, Looking very carefully. You do seem to have a bad one. I'd say it's the best pannier i own, including the Bachmann 94xx. I ran mine in on friday night and it even hunts like the real thing at high speed. Yours is a duff one, it seems.
Oooh, very curious to hear your opinions on this one! I see you noted that despite the patchy performance, the crawling is really good - given my prospective layout will be a relatively small branch line terminus type layout, where most locos will only be moving at fairly slow speeds as they trundle up and down or shunt in and out of sidings etc, do you reckon this model would suit a layout like that? One which doesn't nessecerily require high speed running or hauling loads of stock at a time? :)
Yeah absolutely - utterly superb crawl, which only got better with running in! Yes I'd say this model would be great in that application - particularly when running with lighter loads! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
For the first time ever in a 00 model, I believe Rapido have given us a representation of the four bolts holding the return crank in place (LNER excluded - they were fixed differently). Suddenly EVERY other model with Walschaert's valve gear looks toy-like. Do you run the engines on scale length trains? Remember the longest passenger train ever hauled in Britain was 26 carriages only.
I do like the white lining. I am less keen on the wobble, the badly fitted chimney and the wonky fittings. I do REALLY hope all that metal does not lead to mazak degradation in the future.
The Real 1501 lives at the Severn Valley Railway. I’ve ridden behind her a couple of times. The last time I saw her in service was at Bewdley station (on the SVR) on 20th December 2022.
That's awesome Adam - I don't know that I've ever seen this one in real life, so that's awesome that you've been able to ride behind it! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Suggestion Review the Bachmann HO 0-6-0 switcher steam locomotive because - It’s the smallest tender engine with Walschaert’s valve gear - Recently Bachmann has updated the locomotive gear mechanism for better performance . E.g. Better gears, no plastic axles and more smoother in performance - Some are DCC fitted
Hi Sam those sprung loaded pickups are not a new design,Airfix class 14xxx were fitted with the same principal all those years ago. Keep the videos coming Michael
This is a question I might have asked but I can't remember whether you answered or not. This isn't the first model to have torque issues and it won't be the last, is the torque on a model's motor alterable? It's still noexcuse for manufacturers to ship out poorly torqued models but in a scenario where one would like to alter the torque, is it possible?
I bought mine from TMC, it doesn't show any of the issues that your's exhibited. I don't know if TMC check models before they send them out. I do wonder if some of these issues only show up under magnification? Perhaps I am missing something by just using my regular vision!
7:13 Sam feels the weight and says the quality is immediately obvious. Spends the rest of the video accurately highlighting quality issues. Weight doesn't equal quality!
Rapido would be disappointed to know some of their low-quality checked products are being let go for shipping. It's disappointing to see so many faults in a rather great model. Far as I know, the Pannier was a worker and lackluster locomotive. Lipstick on a pig would mirror the image... preserved or not. I've watched a few other reviews of this same locomotive... they all looked great close up. I don't believe they got the biscuits you recieved. 15:35 and 16:06 Did you read the backside of the cab sliders?
Yeah I agree - they definitely need to take another look at quality control don't they? And yes! The text on the sliders just shows how amazing the attention to detail is!! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
This is disappointing. Your very honest review made me go and get my Bachmann 94xx out. What a great model it is! After your new review it looks like I will not bother with this Rapido model.
Mines crap quality too - horrible faded matte finish and doesn’t have the cream inner stripe on the grey lining for some reason and came with dust on the model along with various bits broken off and missing and glue everywhere. I wonder if mine was a preproduction sample that escaped? Would explain the awful finish and pants lining.
I would say the title of this review is a bit unfair, its a high quality model, no doubt. Some parts pn your model have been applied not very well under close inspection. My model the same as yours does have a few paint and glue issues but unless you have it in your hands ypu do not notive it. You should return damaged models it even states this in the booklet and given rapidos track record in product recall and honesty with this deserves more recognition. Also performance its not a main line hauler its a shunter, big trains in a yatd not long hauls, with that size of train the real thing would slow down on curves as thats what trains do. I think we do need to realise these companies who have not been around as long as hornby and bachmann are making really go new never before seen models at competitive prices. Look at hornby yet more retooled models mostly from related classes, thst cost over 200 quid that still contain lots of plastic and according to your reviews have had more serious issues this this model has had. This is a sell put model and i incourage your biews to get one, its the only one we are going to get.
@@philraminski2759 That's ridiculous - is Sam supposed to say it's great even when its funnel's bent and all the bits are covered in glue? That would make the whole review completely pointless - just say all models are great or people won't buy them haha. Woof!
A review should be made using several examples. He's one minute saying ist great and the next saying its poor. If he has a poor example he should be saying he will reviews the replacement that he should ask for. He is far too verbose and hoes on for far too long and he's not that knowledgeable about things, and you also by the sound of it. Ships have Funnels. Loco's have Chimneys. UP yours pal.@@tobythehairlessdog8876
@@tobythehairlessdog8876 Good point, but he also shows his own ignorance of the prototype. He only needs to go to the Severn Valley to see 1501 happily waddling around...
I think you must have had a bit of bad luck with the detailing on your one Sam. I've got three (1500 in GWR Green & 1501/1505 in Early BR) and all three are largely fine. There's a couple of details that are slightly bent, presumably through mishandling, but all the details seems to be there, and the chimneys are all fine. Sounds like the factory that assembled these didn't do a very good job, both with the actual assemble and with quality control afterwards. Probably too many fine details to be fitted in too short a time by staff who were rushing in order to meet their quotas.
It's a bit disappointing from Rapido to see such poor construction. This is not up to Rapido's usual standards, but it is still a beautiful little loco. I hope yours is the exception and others are better, but I do feel you are right and this is a factory quality issue. I am not big into the steam era, but I really do love this little guy. Funny thing about DCC users saying it is better. To get the best out of DCC, you actually need the DC performance to be good. Decoders compensate for bad performance, but if you really want to have GOOD performance, you need good performance on DC first.
Hi Sam, that's deeply disappointing 😮 I've heard others say the wheels need to be moved on the axles. That chimney is bloody awful. Going to have to consider my E1 orders.
Ever since this was announced, I've been really looking forward to it. It's one of my favourite locos (due to it being a unique mash-up of Victorian pannier tank and American switcher) - and, even the undecorated samples looked stunning. And indeed, there's so much that this locomotive does right. The detail is spectacular; the mechanism is innovative; and the weight is second to none for a locomotive of this size. It's just a shame it has those defects in performance and assembly quality that let it down. Will I still get one? I'm still seriously considering it. But I might wait until the second batch (if indeed there is one).
If you're talking Gresley A1, Hornby originally worked miracles. Even the valve-gear of the early condition A1 was subtly different from the A3, reflecting the former's short-travel valves: few, few people would even notice it - or would think of the differences as lax quality control(!). And the late BR A3 even has the authentically incorrect '6' on the smokebox-door numberplate: a batch of numberplates were ordered which were delivered with incorrect 'curly' sixes and nines, and these were attached to the relevant locos. It would have been so easy for Hornby to have overlooked this prototype error, and use the correct-spec BR '6' on Galtee More's front numberplate...
It's basically a toy train set - I'd rather see tests on a layout such as Little Bytham: scale curves etc, hauling authentic trains. Sam seems to forget that 14-on was about the normal maximum number of carriages on Britain's expresses (26 being the record, hauled by a V2). He seems to require totally out of scale power from his locomotives. And, of course, ALL steam suffered up gradients, hence the use of bankers...
Did yours not come with a derails tested before dispatch card? Was waiting to see it when you 'first' opened the box.... Poor chap was fed up with testing them as he'd done so many 😂 derails is just down road from me. Brilliant shop and staff.
As far as I know Derails will test all models, though I've asked them not to do this with mine - this means I get to experience the model exactly as it came from the factory, and any faults/damage can be attributed to the factory/transit, rather than handling at Derails! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains ah OK.... Fair enough and a fair review as not all sellers test and actually my wife wasn't happy that it wasn't straight from factory too. Have to wonder if that's the one you would have received from derails if they had....
I have a personal grudge against the prototype: years ago, on the SVR, it gave me the worst smut I've ever received in an eye - so much so that it needed medical attention...
with mine in gwr green i have only found 2 pieces of wonky detail 1 glue mark and so far mine seems to be a flawless runner so i genuinely you might have a bit of a odd example with yours
I wonder how issues like this are worked out between the model company and their manufacturers. I can't imagine how upset and angry I'd be to design a brilliant model, only for the factory to send out this mess.
Yeah it’s interesting,though Rapido control their own factories as I understand it, so you’d think they’d have a closer relationship than say Hornby does with their factories, Cheers, Sam :)
I’ve got a great idea for a video, what about making a 6 pole motor by joining 2 three pole motors toghether?, by offsetting the 3 poles in the way there’s always a pole turning? That gotta be the smoothest ride you wil ever see Or making a 10 pole motor by joining two five pole motors?
Ahh that could be very interesting - I see what you mean there - I wonder whether that would be smoother or not? Fascinating! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
I think Rapido need to learn a few tricks of the trade from Dapol, when it comes to model steamies. Rapido are on a learning curve at this moment in time, so give them a second chance. In any case.... Once, a man named Sam's Trains Was afraid of running a new model engine. He asked his girlfriend Chloe, who had good brains, And learned to have fun playing trains all day. I know you love poetry.
@@SamsTrains dapol has a long history and have certainty learnt a few lessons from the past. They had excellent detailed locos inherited from airfix and even chucked mainline locos into their dapol packaging. They fell out of the market and slowly climbing back up. Praise is worthy but there are still some very poor dapol models out there.
The QC seems a lot to be desired with some of these new kids on the block with 'lessons' learnt excuses. I have the GNR single and APT-E which were faultless, so did complacency set it with the factory. Lots of poorly fitted detail parts is across the board with lamp irons at various angles for one.
They aught to make a kit version of these very expensive and complex locos, that way you can do the assembly (for a lower price of course) and take your time if you're so inclined.
Are there companies that sell locos as a kit? I.E. not assembled and not painted. As an 'experienced' scale model builder it would be a great experience and the finished product would be as good as my skills make it.
I managed to pick one of these up from a local shop a few days ago, and I've got to say I think yours is an unfortunate case of a "Friday evening" job. Mine's really well assembled and the painting is exactly how it should be. There's one glue mark on top of the boiler but it's hidden by the detail that's holding it on unless you hold it at a very specific angle and know where to look for it. The details on the model are phenomenal, and it absolutely outclasses practically every other loco I own on that front
As for the wobbly running, it's actually somewhat realistic. 1501 in real life is a poorly balanced loco by it's inherent design and does throw itself about quite violently as it runs, though I will say that by model standards the rocking is a little excessive. It does make it more interesting to watch running past though, especially on less than perfect trackwork
I will check my two models for those potential problems when I would have them on hand? i know now where to look, hoping to have not such assembly mishaps. At best, the glue marks had been seen by other TH-camrs on their own models, but the chimney and the stripped paint are a first here, as far as I know. And even if my models will turn fine, that does not excuse such a variation in quality along the production batch.
No doubt this is worse than others yeah, but unfortunately this is a theme with the 15xx, as there are multiple reports of poor quality examples, and I've seen photos of far worse glue than mine. You did very well to get a good example though, I'm glad you did! :D
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Considering that these are made in China in what are probably 18 hour shifts, 7 days a week, I would say its more of a case of an "exhausted and malnourished" job.
At these prices, they could afford UK labor rates and not put a significant dent in their margins.
@@htomerif
Firstly fact both wages and conditions in China are nowhere near as poor as you portray! Yes 25 years ago maybe, but the simple fact is that as the country industrialised and embraced high technology industries, the expectations of it citizens has increased - and the ruling Communist party know that if peoples expectations regrading better wages / working conditions are not met then the resultant anger could eventually boil over into to dissatisfaction with the party itself and threaten the Communists very grip on power!
Effectively the deal is this - the Communist party say " you don't question our authority and we will in turn give you the cash to live a comfortable 'western' style life" and its a deal the population are very happy to go along with.
Secondly even though Chinese wages / costs have gone up significantly over the past decade (around 20-30% IIRC) , because they were starting from a very low base they are still massive cheaper than in the UK (even if UK costs have only gone up by 10% in the same period). You forget that because modellers demand huge amounts of separately fitted detail and fine printing assembling the parts is a SKILLED job much akin to watchmaking or Jewellery making in technique and certainly something which will command way more than the minimum wage.
@@OlivierGabin And Rapido are not trying to excuse them!
Rapido know that the sort of quality issues people have been highlighting to them are not acceptable and I have no doubt strong words will be had with their partners in China as to why this state of affairs was allowed to arise.
If you have a time machine handy I'm sure Rapido would love to borrow it....
the limp it does is honestly pretty realistic considering the fact that 0-6-0 locomotives tend to do a little dance down the track
You were unlucky with your model of the Rapido 15xx. I received mine earlier today and have just finished running it in. It had none of the problems you mentioned - no glue marks, a correctly fitted funnel, no bent steps or other fittings and no rocking or hunting even at scale speeds of over 60 mph. I am well pleased with my model.
Thank you for the review, Sam. I'm sorry your locomotive had problems with build quality. I cannot fault this on my recently purchased locomotive. It's a real beauty! Other than making sure that it runs forwards and backwards, I have not had it running on the track, as yet but I am extremely pleased with what I have seen so far, particularly as I purchased it by accident!
The one loco I decided I needed. Mine did not have any of the build quality issues that yours has. It does state in the instructions that you should run it in for 1 hour in each direction. All in all a very good model. I enjoy your reviews, you give an honest opinion of the model you have bought. Regards, Alan.
Won't cure a wobble
You're more forgiving than I would have been. Considering all the defects on your model I would have returned it for a new one. A grade of B was very generous in my opinion. I ordered the 1505 last Friday and it should arrive in the next 2 days. Hope the quality isn't as bad as your experience was.
Yes I would have returned it, either for exchange or a refund.
How did you get on with your model ?
I was conflicted regarding this model. Being a GWR fan, I wanted it, even though it's an ugly duckling. But I've already spent my loco buying budget for 2023 so was hesitating. Your review has helped me to stay within my budget!
Keep up the good work.
There's nothing wrong with mine, a sister to your sample. Runs beautifully, slowly and smoothly straight out of the box. 'Wobble'? Well short wheelbase switchers or shunters have a funny habit of doing that in reality. Lovely engine, bought on Saturday and am very pleased with it.
I’d like to say I’m glad the criticism is rightly aimed at the people who assembled the model itself, not Rapido.
I have purchased two of these. Both models are of good build quality, without the faults yours has. I am delighted with them and they are both excellent runners, straight from the box.
Hi Sam - the wiggle is prototypical - a function of the short wheelbase, they were designed for the tight curves of docks and industrial sidings. The performance is also realistic curves and gradients slowed down the real thing quite noticeably - just look at some of the videos on the web. But a good review generally.
most steam engines have a degree of wiggle due to the power being put through the connecting rods onto the wheels, when the rod is not exactly in line with the centre line of the cylinder the force will give a vertical force. of course the bigger the loco and longer the rods are the less this effect is visible. Locos with short con rods like the 43xx and 45xx classes have a very visible wiggle especially when starting.
The prototype 1501 is actually quite stable even when running at relatively high speeds. When she first started running at the SVR the Pway were expecting a sharp rise in track defects but this wasn't the case.
Ffs not like that it's not. jhc.
Great review, I believe that the full size beasts had quite a bit of oscillation, a combination of outside cylinders and short wheelbase.
Sam - you tell it as it is, I suspect some other 'reviewers' don't.... enough said. Hopefully this was a one off - please post a follow up if / when you gain a replacement. Thank you for your honest and trustworthy reviews
I am guessing that the sideways wobble is due to inconsistent back-to-back gauging. It was a usual problem with the early Hornby liner Pacifics and triang locos. I think your gadwall and maybe some of your triang locos are wobblers. I think the gearing is far too fast on the 15xx which doesn’t help as that affects the crawl. Try running the loco upside down and look for the wheels wandering about. Then, you can press them at the wide spot. It usually helps crawling, tracking, and overall smoothness a lot!
Happy to report that my 15xx from Hattons exhibits none of the quality failures you observed. An excellent model.
Hi sam. Just to help you in your reviewing process..and from an engineer with 35 years of experience... you sometimes struggle for words and use the word "quality" in different ways. In engineering's terms, high quality means meeting the spec every time. A basic model could, therefore, be high quality if every one is perfect. The magic word i think you are looking for is "specification."
If you try to use the terms as they are meant, it makes it easier to describe what you mean.
So, for instance, this model is high specification, but lower quality.
Hope this helps. Kind regards as always 🙂
Yup, considering his following his presentation isn't great and he has low knowledge of mechanisms etc. and little knowledge of the actual machines. He also uses 10 words when two will do and it gets repetitive and quite boring after a while. He needs to really test a replacement too for a decent final decision. I see loads on here saying, ooooof not for me because he's got a duff example. Not all are duff in any way including mine. He's so adored that if he says something those adoring fans just accept it!
You are very kind to be so thoughtful. I've assessed Students and this one wouldn't be getting a decent grade for this particular episode.
@@philraminski2759 Agreed - his knowledge of he prototypes is next to zero, and yet he has the gaul to review them! Madness.
This was the first steam locomotive I ever went into the cab of, I may need to get me one of these! Great review Sam!
2 details missing are the tiny foot grip plates on the tops of the buffer stocks and the tank lifting rings do have triangular plates with 3 rivets holding them on underneath. An easy fix for some, as is turning a new chimney and turning some new whistles out on the Unimat at the full speed of 4000 revs.
This better not be the start of the downfall of Rapido
I'm sure not - hopefully it'll be the start of some quality control at Rapido in stead ;D
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrainsI seriously do specifically wonderfully actually have the officially well-knowingly obviously obvious urge to happily agree with you on that officially well-knowingly obviously obvious statement for sure!🤞 NO COMPLETE DOUBT WHATSOEVER 'BOUT IT IN MY OWN OFFICIAL THOUGHTFULNESS OPINION!
@@SamsTrainsBut, nonetheless, great work with this official video review as always!
WELL DONE!
@@SamsTrainsBRILLIANT! BRILLIANT! BRILLIANT!
Spot on review Sam. I got the same one yesterday and have to agree with you about quality. Mine is great but let down with a tiny portion of the lining missing (I will have to get a lining decal) and glue blooms on the front and rear buffer beam steps. A spot of paint will cure that. I’ve run it in on the rolling road so far. It does wiggle a bit though. The cab detail is exceptional. Did you see the warning info stencilled on the inside surfaces of the sliding doors in the cab? Absolutely amazing!
Hi Sam, i think the model you have was dropped on its front at some point during manufacture looking at it. my1501 model has just turned up and its not showing any damage whatsoever. its yet to be run in or tested on the track so can't comment on how good/bad it performs yet.
I must say I think you have been done there Sam, I got mine yesterday and I am very impressed, I'm confused to there decision to put plastic on some parts of the running gear but apart from that my 1501 is perfect. All the detail is there no visible glue marks everything is as it should be.
As far as performance goes your right on straight and level it's great, as soon as you get to a slight incline or sharp curve this is where it faulters. But I would say all in all it's great. I'm sorry yours isn't 😢
For a moment I thought that was an American built H.K. Porter, Alco, or Vulcan Iron 0-6-0 side tank from looking at the valve gear because they look very similar, and due to the short wheel base they waddle just like this model. Despite the sloppy quality of the assembly, it's a really neat looking model, and is very unique for a Pannier Tank Engine.
I have a bit of a trivia. The USATC S100, which the GWR used many of in South Wales during the Second World War, served as a partial inspiration for the design of the 1500. More specifically the use of outside cylinders and short wheelbase.
Very interesting stuff, thank you for sharing!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
It was an ugly duckling but nonetheless magnificent.
That chimney is a shocker.i cant unsee it now.send it back!
haha I know - now that the review is done I might try to get it off and fix the problem... not recommended though of course!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Great vlog as always, Remember some proper locos stalled on the Lickey I think it's more realistic to slow. I use to work on BR and the amount of time we stuck trying to get out front Colliery yards.
Well said - remember that Sam seems to know next to nothing about prototype operations, and yet feels fit to comment on and review models of the things.
If it hadn't been for some parts being wonky this Loco would've been pure gold.
I'll give this Loco between B and B+.
I saw a LBSC Terrier on a siding.
Yeah I agree - fantastic model, but the quality issues in the assembly were very distracting,
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Never buy a first issue/version of anything. Usually they're still working the kinks out, literally and figuratively.
Another thing to consider (and I suggest this without knowing uk commerce law ) is there a chance the retailer you bought it through buys and sells blemished items without marking them as blemished? I suggest that because I don't think it would've left the factory with something so glaringly obvious as that stack alignment unless it was marketed as a factory blemished as well as I've seen other reviews of models you've had major issues with that there isn't anything similar to what you experienced. Unless you're just unlucky and keep getting lemons I think something else is afoot
Good point. You makes me think there would be a second issue of the Hornby 9F, I might take my chance with her, the first one having a poor motor.
Well it's tricky - there's rarely a guarantee of a future batch, and as a reviewer it's important that I review models soon after they're released. And no, Derails models doesn't sell blemished models without disclosing it.... this is a brand new release anyway, there was no time for this to have been a return,
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Sorry Sam...1504 came to me in perfect condition, has zero faults and is amazing in all respects.
After full running in on DC (Decoder to be fitted later), I stuck 12 newish Bachman Coaches on it and it didn't even slip on starting, both in forward and reverse. Hauled and propelled easily.
Superb Loco... yours isn't the only slightly wonky ones BUT the percentage of faulty ones is small according to popular MR Forums.
MIne came from Widnes in the new style Delivery Packaging in case of athletic bashing from the Courier.
This was the only GWR/BRWR Pannier design with this Valve Gear.
Their main work was at Paddington as you say but several worked in Wales and a couple went to the NCB.
FINALLY. You can only base a conclusion such as this (or a positive one for that matter) IF YOU TEST A BATCH TO COMPARE like for like.
On a single test your conclusions are just nor credible and that is totally misleading to any prospective purchasers.
Hello Jason.😂 He did the review on what he got. Simple. If he got a perfect one that would of been reflected in the review.
The censored MR forums.
Yes, he should review more than one or at least review the replacement. This report has put off people even trying one out! @@Georgeconna32
I got the GWR liveried # 1500, I'm happy don't have any issues at all with mine.
That's great news - very glad you're happy!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Hi Sam. You said that the quality of the assembly is unacceptable and I would agree. That said, I would return it to the retailer, but would accept a replacement on the proviso that the retailer ensures the replacement is assembled properly. I didn't notice that the firebox glow flickered; did it? One thing that I find inexcusable is that the valve gear, etc., wasn't fully made of metal; if one feature should never be made of plastic, then this is it.
Due to being plastic, as I've stated a couple of times above, the return crank actually has the four bolts modelled that hold it to the wheel. This is the first time I've ever seen it in 00 - even in hand-built one-off models.
Hi Sam , My red one arrived in Australia safely.
It looks superb , it runs great and it is heavy , very heavy , love it!
The cabin glow is one of the best.
No quality issues at all.
Yes it is pretty perfect so I ordered another one , GWR green.
Warm regards from Western Australia , jack
We went to OXRAIL on Sunday and I got to hold one in its clam pack. THE WEIGHT and the wait has been worth it.
Ours is currently sat in our Trunk at Hattons awaiting the arrival of another train THE TITFIELD THUNDERBOLT!!! Drawing one out in 5" gauge and constructing from my many photos and encounters with 1501 shows the totally real locomotive in miniature. Sat in the First carriage, 1501 and total bounce powerful beast.
*had to cancel my preorder hours before it went through due to needing money to fix car problems*
*sees thumbnail*
"Oh, cool. Now I don't feel as bad about it. Thanks!"
A loco like this is a useful item for those with small layouts. Dirty it up a bit and you wouldn't notice the glue!
Absolutely - I think weathering would be essential to cover up the issues, but no good if you want your model pristine!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
The one issue though is the price. The price is just too high to justify the issues. The glue is tolerable, the giant half inserted handrail knobs and wonky chimney are just plain defective though. I do agree that people should be more willing and excited to modify their models though. Allows you to buy cheaper models and make them better than expensive ones.
@@1471SirFrederickBanbury I don't know if it would go around a 1st radius curve - but it might! If it does, then it is a loco worth considering for those with small layouts. Apart from the cosmetic issues Sam mentions, it looks a sound loco mechanically and electrically that does not stall.
@@AllensTrains I think that’s fair. I would still always recommend fixing up an cheaper and/or older loco, but if you want it, then it’s totally your choice!
@@1471SirFrederickBanbury One of the difficulties of Railway Modelling is to get the loco for your scenario. At least Rapido has stepped in with a loco nobody else had thought to produce with all the other Pannier Tanks being pre-war examples.
Hello Sam
I was fortunate enough to get a decent model without the issues you had. Mine was the dcc sound version of 1501 thou. Might be worth taking the model back with all those problems.
Another good review, thanks. I had ordered the NCR Maron No. 1509 which arrived last week (while I was away in India). I've gone for the DCC Sound Fitted and I am just about to start testing it. In general the model I have seems to be reasonably put together though the chimney fell off when I opened the packaging. No obvious signs of glue and on initial running seems to run well.
Minor complain here. I think I should see your Bachmann USA Dock tank model on the track because the 1500 itself was inspired by that tank. Also, it just looks like it.
Although the US loco didn't have the classic GW taper boiler and associated fittings ;-)
I bought the green GWR one and as far as I can see no real detail issues. Mine has sound, ran it round my layout really nice loco. Obviously Rapido needs to sort out their quality control.
317 grams? Now that’s how it should be! Following up from Saturday, I couldn’t find the 700 gram mystery loco I was thinking of, but the Wrenn duchess is 686 grams and if you go kit building, or add weight to rtr, you can easily get over a pound and a half!
My first thoughts is that the lining is outstanding in the sense that it is very obvious unless it's a result of your lighting?
10:10 I hereby give this model (the most heaviest pannier tank) award. Lol
Cheers Jasper & Willow
haha and well deserved too!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
11:43 it looks like the glue monster is back Sam. Lol
Cheers Jasper & Willow
haha it very much is!!
I've just received my one of these. Really wanted one with it being a SVR loco. Got to say mine appears to be much better assembled than this one. The chimney did fall off but I've been able to reattach it better than the one featured here.
Why do manufacturers do this. Let a brilliant model down over easy small details.
Decent review here Sam, GWR locomotives do look really good in black in my opinion, pity about the quality issues but I’m sure it you take it up with Rapido they will help you out.
They actually do don't they? Particularly with the lining! Yes I'm sure they would - Rapido are pretty good at sorting out their issues, as we've seen quite a few!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
i’ll pick one up to see if yours is as some say, as there are mixed signals (no pun intended) so i’ll update you when i get it.
Accurascale said 62% of Manor sales are DCC sound. Add those who put in their own non-sound decoders and I would imagine 75% run DCC. Sam needs to add DCC to his test methodology IMHO!
Congrats on 140k btw
Meant to say the same, just noticed that the other day! Congrats! Well deserved!!
Я тоже.
Oh thank you so much, haha!! :D
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Such a shame, It looks amazing on the pictures and I remember Rapido showing the video where the sample pulled a ridiculously long freight train, but this ain't it for me. If the quality would be as Rapido's usual standard, I can forgive the wobbly running. But the glue marks, poor fitting and the chimney look quite bad I must say. Pulling power is a bit questioning, as this locomotive is so heavy, I would expect a mechanism that would be able to handle such a weighty model. For the moment I skip it, as I have a P Class and a Buckjumper pre-ordered which will have me covered on modern tank engines for a while as I primarily bought Tri-ang stuff till then. Great review, even though it's a bit disappointing to see they could have done better. I think you should return it and try again in the hope of a better example. If I buy one, I'll make sure to see it in store to spot any faults before purchase.
This loco makes me think, " Market trader selling Canaries, "What said a buyer, it's only got one leg!" "What do yo want", said the trader......."do you want a singer or a dancer" ? This loco makes me think the same ........
hahaha very interesting!!
That’s another Severn Valley Railway Steam loco in your collection. The other you’ve got is 7812 Erlestoke Manor.
Ahh excellent - I might have to do a SVR running session some time!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Yes please that’s a great idea.
A very small but beautiful train. It looks very nice . But do u have any good recommendations for trains. I need an expert to say what to get. Anyway ur the best my friend. Keep being awesome. Sam is a legend. Trainsforlive. Raise ur hand if u like sam
It certainly is an impressive model! And sure, feel free to check my review playlist - I have reviews of most british locos on there. If there's anything you've got your eye on, I'm happy to answer any questions you have about it! :D
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
I hope you're sending that back Sam. I certainly would with all of those issues - especially that wonky chimney.
I know that loco based at the svr, ridden behind it many times, failed to reach bewdley from kiddiminster but still one of the reliables at the sve
That's very interesting - I'd love to go and see her there! :D
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrainsAnd head on, she waddles quite noticeably!
The price and not much better than an old Hornby or Lima in a lot of ways. Nice looker though. Thanks for the unbiased review Sam. If I got home and put that on the track I would be extremely disappointed. Everything is so right and so wrong at the same time.
haha think it is a step up from old Hornby/Lima, but certainly not up to the same standard as other manufacturers in terms of quality!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Mine arrived with only a small shiny blemish on one side that can be varnished over, but what I feel let me down more was the plastic bits on the valve gear. It makes it look cheaper and I doubt you can disassemble it for any servicing/repairs.
The plastic return crank enables, for the first ever time in 00 to my knowledge, the classic four bolt fixing to the driving wheel to be modelled. A phenomenal bit of detail in my view.
Hi Sam, I've got he GWR green version, pleased to say mine has very nearly none of your issues, Nice straight chimney, taps all square and correct on cylinders, smokebox door detail all good. It does have a little glue showing on the very thin steps at the rear, and also on a pipe running along the tank top. However nothing that you can see normally without reading (magnifying) glasses. I'd like to see any other manufacturer attempt such complex details on a loco without leaving a few glue traces..? Bet there's not many that could match this model. For me your example has tipped over what is acceptable and needs to be replaced under warrenty... Otherwise the manufacturers won't learn from their mistakes... Keep up the great work..ace reviews Sam many thanks
Thanks for sharing Mark, that's great news - hope you can enjoy your model in that case! That's very true - it's certainly a very complex loco, and the odd bit of glue is acceptable, but this was certainly more than normal!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Hi Sam. I had to giggle when I read on the box Rapido trains Suk..😂😂😂
Vote for Sam as the best TH-camr in the 2023 Hornby Magazine Model Railway Awards. The man they cannot gag.
hahaha many thanks my friend!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
More like the man they cannot please....
Totally on a tangent - the open wagon train was a most useful reference to this modeler in the US who is going to De-thomas an open wagon bought at discount, repaint and letter it for one of his own freelance roadnames and send it to a friend in England. That some wagons represent an unpainted interior answers a question. Where the wagon number is placed answers a question. How the owner names are painted and located answers a question. Much appreciated.
Love the real loco - the poor torque lets this down for me. Did see one the other day IRL and it looked superb!
Ahh fantastic - it's a good likeness to the real thing then? :D
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Curious - I have held and looked at up closely, including mine, three 15xx's (two 1501 qnd my 1506). No problems whatsoever. All look and run perfectly (no wonky parts on any of them) on modern DC and DCC. Certainly no quality problems I could see, Looking very carefully. You do seem to have a bad one. I'd say it's the best pannier i own, including the Bachmann 94xx. I ran mine in on friday night and it even hunts like the real thing at high speed. Yours is a duff one, it seems.
Had 2 Hunslet tanks from them - both sent back after decoder failures . Friend had his fail and sent back too.
Awesome video Sam's trains
Thank you Brian! :D
@@SamsTrains you're welcome 😊 buddy
Oooh, very curious to hear your opinions on this one! I see you noted that despite the patchy performance, the crawling is really good - given my prospective layout will be a relatively small branch line terminus type layout, where most locos will only be moving at fairly slow speeds as they trundle up and down or shunt in and out of sidings etc, do you reckon this model would suit a layout like that? One which doesn't nessecerily require high speed running or hauling loads of stock at a time? :)
Yeah absolutely - utterly superb crawl, which only got better with running in! Yes I'd say this model would be great in that application - particularly when running with lighter loads!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains The 15xx locos had a tractive effort of 22,000lb - two-thirds that of an A4...
For the first time ever in a 00 model, I believe Rapido have given us a representation of the four bolts holding the return crank in place (LNER excluded - they were fixed differently). Suddenly EVERY other model with Walschaert's valve gear looks toy-like. Do you run the engines on scale length trains? Remember the longest passenger train ever hauled in Britain was 26 carriages only.
I do like the white lining.
I am less keen on the wobble, the badly fitted chimney and the wonky fittings.
I do REALLY hope all that metal does not lead to mazak degradation in the future.
The Real 1501 lives at the Severn Valley Railway. I’ve ridden behind her a couple of times. The last time I saw her in service was at Bewdley station (on the SVR) on 20th December 2022.
That's awesome Adam - I don't know that I've ever seen this one in real life, so that's awesome that you've been able to ride behind it!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Suggestion
Review the Bachmann HO 0-6-0 switcher steam locomotive because
- It’s the smallest tender engine with Walschaert’s valve gear
- Recently Bachmann has updated the locomotive gear mechanism for better performance . E.g. Better gears, no plastic axles and more smoother in performance
- Some are DCC fitted
Always a good day when you post a vid Sam :)
Bless you, thank you so much! :D
Hi Sam those sprung loaded pickups are not a new design,Airfix class 14xxx were fitted with the same principal all those years ago.
Keep the videos coming
Michael
This is a question I might have asked but I can't remember whether you answered or not. This isn't the first model to have torque issues and it won't be the last, is the torque on a model's motor alterable? It's still noexcuse for manufacturers to ship out poorly torqued models but in a scenario where one would like to alter the torque, is it possible?
Interesting that they chose to model the 15xx's lively running!
I bought mine from TMC, it doesn't show any of the issues that your's exhibited. I don't know if TMC check models before they send them out. I do wonder if some of these issues only show up under magnification? Perhaps I am missing something by just using my regular vision!
YOuirs is like 80% of the comments I've seen all over the MR forums.
7:13 Sam feels the weight and says the quality is immediately obvious. Spends the rest of the video accurately highlighting quality issues. Weight doesn't equal quality!
Rapido would be disappointed to know some of their low-quality checked products are being let go for shipping. It's disappointing to see so many faults in a rather great model. Far as I know, the Pannier was a worker and lackluster locomotive. Lipstick on a pig would mirror the image... preserved or not. I've watched a few other reviews of this same locomotive... they all looked great close up. I don't believe they got the biscuits you recieved. 15:35 and 16:06 Did you read the backside of the cab sliders?
Yeah I agree - they definitely need to take another look at quality control don't they? And yes! The text on the sliders just shows how amazing the attention to detail is!!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
High Sam ,my 1500 runs with a slight wobble ,is getting better with running .😊
This is disappointing. Your very honest review made me go and get my Bachmann 94xx out. What a great model it is! After your new review it looks like I will not bother with this Rapido model.
Mines crap quality too - horrible faded matte finish and doesn’t have the cream inner stripe on the grey lining for some reason and came with dust on the model along with various bits broken off and missing and glue everywhere. I wonder if mine was a preproduction sample that escaped? Would explain the awful finish and pants lining.
I would say the title of this review is a bit unfair, its a high quality model, no doubt. Some parts pn your model have been applied not very well under close inspection. My model the same as yours does have a few paint and glue issues but unless you have it in your hands ypu do not notive it. You should return damaged models it even states this in the booklet and given rapidos track record in product recall and honesty with this deserves more recognition. Also performance its not a main line hauler its a shunter, big trains in a yatd not long hauls, with that size of train the real thing would slow down on curves as thats what trains do. I think we do need to realise these companies who have not been around as long as hornby and bachmann are making really go new never before seen models at competitive prices. Look at hornby yet more retooled models mostly from related classes, thst cost over 200 quid that still contain lots of plastic and according to your reviews have had more serious issues this this model has had. This is a sell put model and i incourage your biews to get one, its the only one we are going to get.
Well challenged. Too many on here won't even get and try their own now because of this. Shocking.
@@philraminski2759 That's ridiculous - is Sam supposed to say it's great even when its funnel's bent and all the bits are covered in glue? That would make the whole review completely pointless - just say all models are great or people won't buy them haha. Woof!
A review should be made using several examples. He's one minute saying ist great and the next saying its poor. If he has a poor example he should be saying he will reviews the replacement that he should ask for. He is far too verbose and hoes on for far too long and he's not that knowledgeable about things, and you also by the sound of it. Ships have Funnels. Loco's have Chimneys. UP yours pal.@@tobythehairlessdog8876
Lmao you seem pretty butthurt buddy. Tell your bosses at Rapido to do better. @@philraminski2759
@@tobythehairlessdog8876 Good point, but he also shows his own ignorance of the prototype. He only needs to go to the Severn Valley to see 1501 happily waddling around...
I think you must have had a bit of bad luck with the detailing on your one Sam. I've got three (1500 in GWR Green & 1501/1505 in Early BR) and all three are largely fine. There's a couple of details that are slightly bent, presumably through mishandling, but all the details seems to be there, and the chimneys are all fine.
Sounds like the factory that assembled these didn't do a very good job, both with the actual assemble and with quality control afterwards. Probably too many fine details to be fitted in too short a time by staff who were rushing in order to meet their quotas.
It's a bit disappointing from Rapido to see such poor construction. This is not up to Rapido's usual standards, but it is still a beautiful little loco. I hope yours is the exception and others are better, but I do feel you are right and this is a factory quality issue. I am not big into the steam era, but I really do love this little guy.
Funny thing about DCC users saying it is better. To get the best out of DCC, you actually need the DC performance to be good. Decoders compensate for bad performance, but if you really want to have GOOD performance, you need good performance on DC first.
Hi Sam, that's deeply disappointing 😮 I've heard others say the wheels need to be moved on the axles. That chimney is bloody awful. Going to have to consider my E1 orders.
Nice review again Sam!
Sad to see your model is so wonky for that price. And i guess since it's wobbly you can now nickname it duck😂.
Ever since this was announced, I've been really looking forward to it. It's one of my favourite locos (due to it being a unique mash-up of Victorian pannier tank and American switcher) - and, even the undecorated samples looked stunning.
And indeed, there's so much that this locomotive does right. The detail is spectacular; the mechanism is innovative; and the weight is second to none for a locomotive of this size. It's just a shame it has those defects in performance and assembly quality that let it down.
Will I still get one? I'm still seriously considering it. But I might wait until the second batch (if indeed there is one).
Sam you should make a comparison video between the hornby a1/a3
That could be interesting - thanks for the suggestion!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
If you're talking Gresley A1, Hornby originally worked miracles. Even the valve-gear of the early condition A1 was subtly different from the A3, reflecting the former's short-travel valves: few, few people would even notice it - or would think of the differences as lax quality control(!). And the late BR A3 even has the authentically incorrect '6' on the smokebox-door numberplate: a batch of numberplates were ordered which were delivered with incorrect 'curly' sixes and nines, and these were attached to the relevant locos. It would have been so easy for Hornby to have overlooked this prototype error, and use the correct-spec BR '6' on Galtee More's front numberplate...
Have you thought of using a backdrop to hide the distracting electric heater and conduit behind the track when you do the performance test ?
It's basically a toy train set - I'd rather see tests on a layout such as Little Bytham: scale curves etc, hauling authentic trains. Sam seems to forget that 14-on was about the normal maximum number of carriages on Britain's expresses (26 being the record, hauled by a V2). He seems to require totally out of scale power from his locomotives. And, of course, ALL steam suffered up gradients, hence the use of bankers...
I don't think I've seen pickups like that since the Airfix 14xx which was released with such a fanfare back in 1981!
Did yours not come with a derails tested before dispatch card? Was waiting to see it when you 'first' opened the box.... Poor chap was fed up with testing them as he'd done so many 😂 derails is just down road from me. Brilliant shop and staff.
As far as I know Derails will test all models, though I've asked them not to do this with mine - this means I get to experience the model exactly as it came from the factory, and any faults/damage can be attributed to the factory/transit, rather than handling at Derails!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains ah OK.... Fair enough and a fair review as not all sellers test and actually my wife wasn't happy that it wasn't straight from factory too. Have to wonder if that's the one you would have received from derails if they had....
I have a personal grudge against the prototype: years ago, on the SVR, it gave me the worst smut I've ever received in an eye - so much so that it needed medical attention...
Just to add all these loco's were built under BR none ever carried GWR markings
with mine in gwr green i have only found 2 pieces of wonky detail 1 glue mark and so far mine seems to be a flawless runner so i genuinely you might have a bit of a odd example with yours
That's definitely much better than this one of mine then... sounds like one to hold on to!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
I wonder how issues like this are worked out between the model company and their manufacturers. I can't imagine how upset and angry I'd be to design a brilliant model, only for the factory to send out this mess.
Yeah it’s interesting,though Rapido control their own factories as I understand it, so you’d think they’d have a closer relationship than say Hornby does with their factories,
Cheers,
Sam :)
I’ve got a great idea for a video, what about making a 6 pole motor by joining 2 three pole motors toghether?, by offsetting the 3 poles in the way there’s always a pole turning?
That gotta be the smoothest ride you wil ever see
Or making a 10 pole motor by joining two five pole motors?
Ahh that could be very interesting - I see what you mean there - I wonder whether that would be smoother or not? Fascinating!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
I think Rapido need to learn a few tricks of the trade from Dapol, when it comes to model steamies. Rapido are on a learning curve at this moment in time, so give them a second chance. In any case....
Once, a man named Sam's Trains
Was afraid of running a new model engine.
He asked his girlfriend Chloe, who had good brains,
And learned to have fun playing trains all day.
I know you love poetry.
Well that's a fair point - Dapol's models do tend to be pretty well assembled on the whole!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains dapol has a long history and have certainty learnt a few lessons from the past. They had excellent detailed locos inherited from airfix and even chucked mainline locos into their dapol packaging. They fell out of the market and slowly climbing back up. Praise is worthy but there are still some very poor dapol models out there.
The QC seems a lot to be desired with some of these new kids on the block with 'lessons' learnt excuses. I have the GNR single and APT-E which were faultless, so did complacency set it with the factory. Lots of poorly fitted detail parts is across the board with lamp irons at various angles for one.
Rapidsohave captured the wiggle while running the real thing has! Amazing feature! 😂
They aught to make a kit version of these very expensive and complex locos, that way you can do the assembly (for a lower price of course) and take your time if you're so inclined.
Are there companies that sell locos as a kit? I.E. not assembled and not painted. As an 'experienced' scale model builder it would be a great experience and the finished product would be as good as my skills make it.
None of the ready to run manufacturers sell their models as kits.
14:32 Is it just me Sam, or does it seem to be a chunk missing off the slide bars.
Cheers Jasper & Willow
Yes you're right - I didn't notice it in person admittedly, but the close up reveals there's something going on there!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Yeah your right, I wonder if that’s why it fluctuates in speed a little, hmmm 🤔