I have had one of these since 2019. I'm pleased to report my example does stay on the track, and there are no visible glue marks, but the side rods keep falling off and the loco to tender wires had broken away two times, now the tender wheels are doing all the picking up. I vow never to get a Dapol N gauge tender steamie ever again. ☹ It's still my favourite N gauge loco, I'm too much of a Gresley simp. 😆
I'm in Canada, I currently model Ontario Northland in N and for a new layout I wanted to build a GWR-themed one. I bought 4 N-gauge British steamers, 3 of them are Dapol (28xx and 2 Panniers) and all 3 of them run very poorly. At this point I've given up on British N-gauge steamers and I'll probably switch to OO for a layout. Unfortunate as I really like N-gauge but with that failure rate the cost just isn't worth it.
Good to see another N gauge review Sam, but these are very old now and have been bettered quite dramatically. You will find that each and every Dapol tender loco uses the same mechanism. Farish tender locos are completely different, but some are still tender drive such as the Black 5. I would recommend a Castle, Duchess, C Class, N Class, Merchant Navy Etc from Farish - all loco drive. I have had lots of these A4s over the years and there are one or two issues to look out for and improvements that can be made.
Good luck finding a Farish C class! They look amazing but wow are they hard to get ahold of. I do agree though - my first Grafar loco was one of the new-style 4Fs and it it phenomenal. Tender drive locos are banned from my layout XD
Thank you for doing some more n scale models! I model in n scale, and I also live in the USA. I like to watch these reviews so that way I know I don't waste my money and time.
Sam, your British OO modeling biases keep showing in these N scale reviews. It would be nice to see you approach these models from a more N-scaler perspective. A few pointers: - Plastic vs. metal: at this scale, plastic allows for better and finer detailing than metal. - Weight: light weight is a non-issue for modern mechanisms and shouldn't be part of a review. Most Japanese N scale MU motor wagons weight between 60 and 80 gr and can easily move a 12-car train. Tractive power in N mostly depends of the number of powered axles. - Traction tires: they are a standard on worldwide N scale since decades. There is nothing wrong with them. Stop complaining about them ;) - Details: N scale can pack an incredible amount of details. Chinese N scale locomotives often feels like miniature H0 models due to the amount and finesse of their details with metal handrails and incredibly legible prints.
The round etches are for the speed record plaques. A fun A4 fact is they only have sand pipes for the forwards direction. Therefore on a railway like the NYMR they can struggle a fair bit in reverse if the railhead is wet/greasy.
Hi Sam. When you were running across the points, there was a distinct bump over them. I suggest looking at the frog area. It needs fettling. Great review.
Ah, a good old a4 - even at the smaller scale the loco looks amazing! I personally think the 00 gauge ones look much better, but considering the size, this is quite impressive! Those little etched details are record breaking commemorative plates that go on the sides of the loco, in case you were wondering! Easily my favourite class of loco, especially the garter blue mallard - just got a NRM exclusive glossy mallard, and it's incredible! Great video as always sam, and im always a sucker for the good old a4!
Thanks Jack I think so too! Yes I'd say I prefer the OO ones as they're much more substantial - but I think this is pretty much as good as you could hope for in N scale! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains: It might be "Pretty much as good as you could hope for in N scale! (sic)", but in N GAUGE, from the likes of Arnold, Fleischmann, Kato, Minitrix and Roco, I have NEVER suffered any such issues.😀
1:05: Trust me, I’m from the US where these model scale trains are popular and I have seen some model trains that cost over $800 (over £630), so I feel that you got it for an incredible price. Btw amazing vids 😁😁😁
I have one of these A4’s. Fantastic looking loco and I’ve made a few improvements. Firstly a coreless motor, a Hornby tts sound decoder and speaker which all fits in the tender. The finish I improved by spraying with a gloss lacquer which has dried to a lovely sheen bringing out the colour and fine details which now ‘pop’. Runs beautifully.
Sam you have to stop thinking N Gauge is Cheaper because it’s smaller. The prices tend to match OO equivalent. This is especially true of Graham Farish / Bachmann. Whether it should be, is a different question. One other thing. Try a 1980s made Minitrix. There terrible for accuracy and mechanisms are really complicated. But they just work so well, and tend to have working lights. They put most modern N Gauge to shame on reliability
I can see locomotives being a similar price, smaller and more intricate stuff afterall. rolling stock however agree on Minitrix, I used to have a "class 27 (ish)" locomotive, easily the most reliable I had
i ordered a Kato D51 for just under 60€ somedays ago for a steam engine its a pretty good price. You can get really good Kato and Tomix Diesel and Electric ones for 35-45€ too
Only the UK manufacturers seem to be able to command the same price as HO/OO. I find US and Japanese manufacturers tend to be 1/2 to 3/4 the price of their HO counterparts
I have one of these, it’s excellent. I had an issue early on where I’d accidentally misaligned the front wheels. Check that you’ve got them attached and aligned correctly and you’ll have a very reliable loco. Great that it runs on R1 curves too, I can easily run mine through a big snake of points with no issues.
I have 5 A4s and 3 A3/A1's and 3 B1's. All have had minor quibble issues over the years, but all easily fixed and when these are upgraded with a Tramfabriek Coreless Motors and Zimo MS Sound Decoders, completely different locomotive. All My Dapol Tender Locos get a motor replacement, Tender Wires Replacement, Zimo MS Series Sound Fitment and the front bogies screws get adjusted to ensure they track as some are too loose or too tight from the factory, which is what your britannia is suffering. The Dapol 5 Pole Super Creep Motor is the worst part of these locos, too loud and not powerful enough. The whole upgrade process takes me 30 mins from start to finish and I have a model then that runs flawlessly, sounds great and provides enjoyment Maybe do a video on upgrading these locos to 2024 Standard (Coreless Motor, DCC Sound, etc) and then compare to an unmodified loco vs a modified loco
I think I said under the Britannia review, but to my knowledge all Dapol tender locos have the same basic drive mechanism. When they started to do this many people questioned it, and the trade off to achieve more detail on this A4 over, say, the old Graham Farish design, seems a bit steep to me. Just a note; the couplings in the first accessory bag are a pair of Dapol’s own “Easy Shunt” magnetic opening couplings. They can be made to work very well for remote uncoupling and it’s a shame that most Dapol models no longer come with them. I would urge you to try some of Dapol’s Diesels (I have class 27, 56, 58 and 121) as they are good models. Oh and the HST as well. For comparison, Graham Farish do many steam locos, with none of their tender locos using a drive shaft (it’s a mixed bag of tender and loco drives). Great to see you continuing with N gauge.
The pivot points on the pony and bogie trucks are that way so the unit can follow the curvature of the track as the locomotive rotates around it's 6 driving wheels. Simply pivoting in the middle would not be sufficient. The sideplay in the axles completes the functionality though.
Thanks - It's good to see some N scale reviews! Would love to see a review of the dapol M7 you bought. In my experience I've found that those Peco settrack points in that configuration will upset almost anything that isn't an 0-6-0 or a diesel, so it's impressive the A4 handled them so well. If you want a recommendation for a really good locomotive in N - try and get hold of a Farish SECR N or SECR C class, they are excellent models and the cab detail is on another level, especially on the C. I'm really hoping that we'll get another round of the Farish C class produced in future.
Good review Sam, this is a pretty nice model, ignoring the tender driveshaft mechanism causing some problems... I don't model N Scale but having something like this would be really special on a N Scale layout, you can't go wrong with an a4! - The Monster of Monsters
Hi Sam! Great to see you doing more N gauge! I don't think anyone in N gauge likes these tender driven locos, as they're notoriously unreliable! I'm also surprised it went over the S curve in the setrack points crossover, as that's a particularly tricky maneuver for a such a long loco with those large fixed wheels! I've got one of Dapol's new A4's on pre-order, but I'm not sure what tooling it uses - hopefully something significantly newer than from 2012! Keep the N gauge stuff coming! It's always interesting to get a perspective from someone who's predominantly modelled in OO! All the best, Ian.
I've just repaired a Dapol 57XX for a club member as it ran very badly. The problem is the electrical pickups being the wheel shoulders in the bearings getting covered in oil on the loco. Some Isopropynol and jobs a good 'un, I've used a little silicon grease on the gears and it runs beautifuly. Careful of too much oil.
My NINE have had very few problems over the six years I've had them. They ran over a mile a day on the exhibition layout "Croft Spa", running at scale express speeds with trains of up to 10 coaches or 30 vans for the fish train. Most of them have getting on for 30 miles under their wheels and still run well. The tender to loco drive was better at the time than the corresponding tender-only drive on the Farish Pacifics, which had a tendency to lock up the valve gear. Upgrading? Dapol is a small company and the engine-drive Bullied pacific is still in development- they have already said an upgrade to the A4 and A3 won't happen until they are happy with the Bullied mechanism. Best way of replacing a drive shaft is a pair of small curved pliers. Finally- your reverse running seems to show a bump in your track at the toe of the point, where you said "a bit of shaking".
I went on Dapol's site and found no repair department or repair suggestions. You are stuck with that lemon my friend, but it is encouraging to see you next acquisition was a runner. Great review as always, Jersey Bill
Hi Sam, nice to see another N gauge review. I was impressed with how the A4 coped with those set track points, did it state the minimum radius on the packaging or instructions? My biggest beef with Dapol tender locomotives is the lack of consistency. My first was either a Manor, sold under the Ixon brand, or a B1. Both were "bargain bin" locos, I don't think they were more than £40 each and they were (and still are) great runners. Off the back of those, I bought two more B1s and some Dapol-branded Manors. One B1 died with a puff of smoke (repaired under warranty, but still not a great runner and since sold) and no Manor could match the running of the first one until I bought another Ixon Manor a couple of years ago. I also have an A3 Flying Scotsman that can't keep its valve gear attached and runs like a bag of bolts. I also have a "sold as seen" A1 from Dapol's factory seconds that looks and runs perfectly. It seems like the less you pay, the better Dapol steam locos get. I also have a couple of Halls, again the one I bought new doesn't like left (or is it right) hand curves because the tender drive tries to lift the wheels off the track. The GWR 28xx runs very well, but sounds like it is crushing rocks, even through 1st radius points; which I think is impressive for an 8-coupled locomotive. As I've said before, the loco-drive Dapol Westcountry will be an interesting and significant model. I've also got a Dapol 14xx, 45xx and had a Southern 0-4-4T, which could give Hornby's "Smokey Joe" a run for it's money in being the fastest thing on rails. None of them would run slowly and the 14xx could be used to test the sheer strength of rice pudding skin. In all fairness the 0-4-4T was a rescue project, bought cheap as a non-runner and I was pleased to get it working at all. I've not had a problem with any of my Dapol pannier tanks (I've got four or five) but I know my experience is not shared by everyone. In fairness, I've had a Graham Farish LMS Black 5, that also dropped a screw and had to go back to the factory for a repair. It also needed careful lubrication otherwise the wheels would lock up and get pushed along by the tender-drive. I also had a GF 3MT tank that I returned because it had a wonky wheel and limped down the track. I rejected another 3MT before buying it because it only ran backwards. I did get lucky on my third example, which seems very nice. If you can find them; I'd recommend the Graham Farish 5MT; Coronation; or GWR Castle (the modern ones, not the old Poole-type). I'd also recommend the GF Thompson, Hawksworth and Mk1 coaches, but they aren't cheap.
As usual, an excellent and very informative review. The standout abomination is the appalling fore and aft orientation of the trailing pony truck! Once seen, you simply cannot unsee it. Also unignorable is the rather poor coupling rod representation and then that seriously misbehaving rear coupler to the coaches. It might have been interesting to pull off the loco body to evaluate the feasibility of inserting the heaviest weight that might be persuaded to fit inside it. This could transform the smooth running, electrical pick-up AND drawbar pulling power, which is why this crude but SO effective improvementis so often utilized in Continental models which generally perform very well indeed.
Sam, best solution is all wheel drive. Drive rods have no bearings. When you have single wheel drive, you can see drive wheel move then when slack of drive rods taken up, other wheels catch up. I have seen some locos with drive rods not horizontal. Dapols latest design with all shafts quarter and driven best solution.
Artist books will tell you that something further away looks flatter. Thus smaller N gauge locos (more distant) will look duller than bigger OO Logos (closer). It might be worth placing a OO & N loco at a distance where they appear to be the same size & comparing their look. It would be even better if you can include a photo of the real thing.
I have seen a conversion done to Dapol locos using a piece of wire and drilled beads at either end, with bars through them. The ones I saw had a shortened drawbar too (closer coupled and the new drive shaft can hardly be seen!!!
I have one of these, Golden Eagle in the LNER lined apple green. I have to say that mine is a great runner! It is a little noisy perhaps but it sure footed and reliable. I actually like that all the driving axles are geared, it takes the strain off the coupling rods, which considering how small they are in N GAUGE (NOT scale Sam!) I think is a good thing. The carden shaft is a solution to a problem of its time which if not ideal does work. I have a Farish Castle which the motor in the loco, which is smoother and quieter but which has poor traction due to lack of weight.... I own 7 Dapol locos with the carden design of drive and they all pull stock much better than the Castle with only one needed tweaking to run acceptably. This was the socket on the motor which needed some molding flash removing and being pushed onto the shaft by about another 1mm or so. It wasn't a new loco to me so I can't say if it was always like that or whether the previous owner had been at it before! One thing I do accept is that because of its size that N gauge can be a little more tempremental than larger scales. As an engineering myself I recognise many of the practial compromises that have had to be made to get such finely detailed locos that are frankly so tiny...... My O Gauge locos are certainly more reliable than my N gauge stable!
The Loco performed well over those points which are the worst for any loco other than an 060 over med or long radius these locos perform great. The real fun starts when you need to change a traction tyre which will eventually be required. In terms of pulling power mine pulled 9 coaches up a Helix with no issue. Nice review.
Received my P2 with the steam generator and overall it’s fantastic, haven’t had the opportunity to try out the steam generator yet though, also recently fitted my bachmann class 90 with sound as well, it also gives me the servo operated pantograph which is a cool feature Decent overall review here Sam, my dad has 2 N gauge A4s, one is Sir Nigel Gresley and a minitrix one which is Mallard plus on that one while it’s N gauge it actually has forward lights, A4s have already been interesting in N gauge, they have always had the valences removed until dapol produced a valanced one but unfortunately with that one dapol had to leave off a piece of the valve gear.
Interesting! Boy has N gauge improved 😮 To anyone of my generation - my mates had Grafar, Minitrix and Lima N - this os outstanding. I’d even say you were a bit harsh. Try a 1970’s Grafar Hall or 94XX (they were barely use able) and then come back to your Dapol models. There really is no comparison !
For God sake don't mention Lima N; awful stuff. All scale dimensions wrong, ran like a bag of bolts, if you could get them running it was usually about 200mph. Utter crap!!!
I find it incredibly sad that the Britania and this A4 have live trailing trucks (in N-scale) but Hornby ones are often static with unflanged wheels on OO scale. Great review, thanks Sam! I do know that Hornby goes for looks with the static truck, but it still drives me crazy.
Hey Sam, you should check out one of the Rivarossi 3-truck Heisler locos. They are very unique-looking and cool American logging railroad engines with an interesting drivetrain that looks really good while running.
We were discussing this a few weeks ago at Swindon Model Railway Club, amongst the N gauge modellers. We all agreed that we preferred the older steam locos, and the Union Mills locos. They may lack the fine detailing of the new locos, but they are heavier and pull a decent rake of coaches or trucks behind them!
I had a big n gauge layout when I was a kid, most of the locos were Minitrix including two Britannias. I have the fondest memories of them and Minitrix, they just kept going.
Great video, I dont model steam myself, but I find these reviews interesting. I would recommend you look at the Kato class 800, it's better than Hornbys 00 model! I would also recommend Dapol's HST and the Farish class 158.
You might make a video comparing this with the TT:120 example for the benefit of those who have not decided which scale to go for. What are the pros and cons of N compared to TT? T,hanks for all your efforts making these videos.
Hi Sam, yes a good looking model. I had a few Dapol models a while ago, and they were ok, a bit noisy, like Graham Farish. I had a Q1 but cannot remember which manufacturer. That was a good model and not noisy. N gauge are not cheap, and they tend to justify the price by saying that they have improved the detail, but of course they haven’t. I like the A4’s but they don’t seem to run well in N gauge for long. Quite a few tend to end up as static models. Try GF , the newer models are more stable, but expensive.
Hi mukka, Hope this finds you and Claire both well. Thanks for the interesting review. Can I suggest when you start filming you go over the rolling stock to remove hairs and dust. Some of the fluff on that loco looks like rope at that scale! 😂 That tender drive is horrendous. I cannot unsee the kicking and screaming which occurs between the loco and tender on bends due ro the chunky, clunky and awkward design. Not my cup of tea chum. Thanks anyway. Regards from Oz. Gaz
Hello Sam, would like to see you take a look in Kato's n scale JNR D51 released back in 2016, I owned two of these (D51-200 & D51-498) and I'm pleased to say they're decent performer around the track
Good review! I haven’t been too impressed by Dapol’s N Stuff going off you and others reviews, maybe try more Graham Farish (aka Bachmann)? Sonic Models just released a N Gauge Large Prairie as well!!
When you show the website with the silver livery version (Silver King) you comment that you believe it's the exact same model. It is, mostly, but there are two differences. Silver King has side valences (you probably noticed that) and it does not have valve gear modelled - not even the eccentric crank/rod. It just has the coupling/connecting rods. I assume it's because there isn't enough clearance with the valences.
Sam, I've searched your channel but I could not find any other trains than UK models. Did you ever tested a Fleischmann, Piko or a Minitrix loco (N-scale 1:160) I wonder how these brands would stand the tests you do.
I find Dapol locomotives are a bit of a lottery as to if or not you get a really good one. I have a Brit which is no problem. Dapol advertise their drive mechanism as Super Creep. You appear to have a good one in that respect so fit the Eezy Shunt couplings, the ones with the springs, to the tender and the first coach and with a decent rake of coaches you should be able to stop just short of the train and then ease up and couple without the coaches moving. Very prototypical and impressive. The wires between loco and tender are a weak point . A spare pair is supplied. The Bulleid light pacifics when they finally arrive wil lhave the motor in the loco. Hopefully they will be a success and Dapol will consider re-tooling previous tender locos: The spring on the coupling sometimes comes off. A spare is supplied but it is useful to know a watchmaker to put it on for you!
Great vid Sam! Quite a nice loco I will admit though I do think the tender driven design is a bit naff for such an expensive loco - especially when smaller locos like the pannier have a motor in them too!!
As far as I’m concerned, swiveling and sliding trailing trucks is fairly common, especially when you’re talking about long o gauge locomotives trying to navigate o27 diameter curves. Almost every o27 locomotive I have with a trailing truck, it swivels and slides, and it really does help them tackle tight curves that no locomotives of their size should realistically be rolling around, although I guess blind center drivers is another helpful factor.
The metal Names and World Speep record details are a nice touch, but yah come on Dapol, even in 2012 they could have had the motor in the loco, it can't be that hard to do!
Hello Sam , similar issues with the School's class, especially the tender to loco cables. Suggest the new Sonic prairie. Mine runs well and has good reviews on the N Gauge forum
i really would love to see you review one of the awfully expensive new n-gauge fleischmann BR01 locomotives. but i think theyre a bit out of your usual price range. but it would be interesting to see them compared to these "cheaper" n-gauge locos.
There's just 1 thing I question Why is it tender drive? Bachmann in the 1980s were making loco powered 0-4-0s in N Scale, And remember the n scale Pannier tank?
Hey Sam if you want to get a really good n gauge loco the Graham farish b17 and the n class are both great models the latter of the two has fully painted cab detail
@@mattchandler2380 That is a really good loco but since generally moving away from tender drive the running has improved. Very recent Farish has much better slow speed control.
Not a bad model I suppose. For those people who like to fiddle and tweak to get the best performance I suppose these could provide some entertainment. I have an ancient Graham Farish oo scale Black Five that was made in the fifties. It's a great loco and is all diecast and looks a lot like the Hornby Dublo 8f. It has the motor in the tender driving the engine with a shaft just like this Mallard. However the locomotive (without tender) weighs 480g and has traction tyres! Thanks for the video Sam. Greetings from Canada.
Thanks a lot for sharing - yeah there is scope for some tweaking if there are issues! Blimey, I don't think I've ever tried a Grarfar OO loco - might need to seek one out! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains Their OO items are all very old - we’re talking 1950s,60s. Graham Farish made a 94xx pannier, the Black 5, an as-built Merchant Navy pacific, a GWR King, and a GWR prairie. Their tender locos indeed used a tender drive connected to the loco via a shaft. Fun fact, I believe their early Black 5 (might have been the whole run but I’m not sure) had a two-pole motor. Many owners eventually swapped them for Triang X04s; there’s a clip of a Graham Farish Black 5 running on an X04 on TH-cam. They of course don’t compare to modern running standards, but, they have a charm absent from many contemporary models. It would undoubtedly be a project to find a GF OO loco in good enough shape to examine, but it would be awesome to see you take a look at one. Vintage locos are always fascinating.
Apparently the Dapol N gauge terrier and pannier are very good models, but I don’t have either, so take that with a pinch of coal!! Good review as always Sam!
I have really wanted one of these for years, but being a Dapol steam engine I’ve got my doubts about it so I’ll be watching this Boeing beaded eyes before making my mind up on a silver version of this steam engine.
Highly recommend trying out graham farish’s merchant navy A lovely loco with a decent weight no traction tires Most importantly A very smooth and quiet runner You definitely will love that engine
I think I've found the issue with your britannia, the traction tyres actually make it harder to turn, meaning instead of turning, it acts like a tractor and climbs the rails, my new A3 had traction tyres that were thicker than the wheel flanges and needed replaced, mine was 2nd hand however Also if it helps, dapol will be upgrading these to coreless motors, so I'd look out for them
A cute A4 in this scale Sam, but to be fair, there seem to be constant functional niggles and hick-ups which would drive us insane quickly really. Perhaps all of those could be cleared somehow but this one just troubles us in terms of convincing tbh. Cheerio.
Thank for a nice N scale review. It's actually interesting that British N scale is not thaaaaat much smaller than TT scale ... Actually about some technical details, I would rather disagree: I do think N scale models need traction tires ... it really helps a lot if you want to manage grades! I also think it's better to have gears driving more than one axle ... it really increases the longevity of the whole thing. N scale coupling rods are tiny and tolerances are never as tight as they should be in a perfect world ...
I had the silver king. I fitted a decoder to it and it burnt out the decoder. (Model was brand new) I got it the model replaced under warranty with a new decoder but that was the last straw for n gauge with me.
I don't know how many are reading the comments two months later, but does the chassis have electrical pickup capacity on the third driver...swapping it out with a non traction axel to improve electric pickup?
Do Graham Farish still exist? They used to be big (if you see what I mean) in the N scale world. The Makers' plate is the other etched brass part. Just glue it on the gold oval on the cab side.
Hello Sam. I’m a model railway beginner and have loved the hobby with my grandad since I was four ( I am now thirteen). Please could you recommend any starter sets for me and where to get them. Auctions giveaways etc Thanks and loving the vids keep it up🚂🚈🚅🚄🚝
Excellent HONEST Review unlike the UK Modelling Magazines! I have a few DAPOL Diesels in N gauge but would NEVER buy a Loco with a shaft going through the Cab. This is 2024 not 1964!
I want to switch TT:120 so bad by Hornby barely keeps up with it. If we can get Bachmann to join the range and possibly Dapol we can have some other and better engines
My small N Gauge collection isn't Dapol, it's Graham Farish, so I wouldn't know. Basically, my Graham Farish collection consists of a GWR Large Prairie Tank Engine and King Richard 2nd, two open wagons and closed vans (thanks to Alfie for sending them to me), a GWR Toad Van, three Chocolate & Cream Mk. 1 coaches, a Pullman carriage and a Union Pacific Railroad Caboose. They won't be tested till November, as you know, and I'm nervous about the first test run. Any advice?
As someone who has a lot of N gauge I straight up avoid dapol N gauge steam locomotives due to using a non UK standard design for N gauge tender drives
I have had one of these since 2019. I'm pleased to report my example does stay on the track, and there are no visible glue marks, but the side rods keep falling off and the loco to tender wires had broken away two times, now the tender wheels are doing all the picking up. I vow never to get a Dapol N gauge tender steamie ever again. ☹
It's still my favourite N gauge loco, I'm too much of a Gresley simp. 😆
Me too😅😅 I really love the a4s and generally the lner and gresley locos!
Good stuff - yes this one stays on true! Ahh annoying about those issues though - not good!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
I had one too, my main issue was the driveshaft did fall out and was a pain to reposition. It's a cute loco, but a little frustrating.
I'm in Canada, I currently model Ontario Northland in N and for a new layout I wanted to build a GWR-themed one. I bought 4 N-gauge British steamers, 3 of them are Dapol (28xx and 2 Panniers) and all 3 of them run very poorly. At this point I've given up on British N-gauge steamers and I'll probably switch to OO for a layout. Unfortunate as I really like N-gauge but with that failure rate the cost just isn't worth it.
How about myself with them small 0-4-0 gwr tank engines
The holdon 101 tank
Good to see another N gauge review Sam, but these are very old now and have been bettered quite dramatically. You will find that each and every Dapol tender loco uses the same mechanism. Farish tender locos are completely different, but some are still tender drive such as the Black 5. I would recommend a Castle, Duchess, C Class, N Class, Merchant Navy Etc from Farish - all loco drive. I have had lots of these A4s over the years and there are one or two issues to look out for and improvements that can be made.
Good luck finding a Farish C class! They look amazing but wow are they hard to get ahold of. I do agree though - my first Grafar loco was one of the new-style 4Fs and it it phenomenal. Tender drive locos are banned from my layout XD
Thank you for doing some more n scale models! I model in n scale, and I also live in the USA. I like to watch these reviews so that way I know I don't waste my money and time.
It's a pleasure - this one was much more enjoyable! Glad you liked the video,
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Sam, your British OO modeling biases keep showing in these N scale reviews. It would be nice to see you approach these models from a more N-scaler perspective.
A few pointers:
- Plastic vs. metal: at this scale, plastic allows for better and finer detailing than metal.
- Weight: light weight is a non-issue for modern mechanisms and shouldn't be part of a review. Most Japanese N scale MU motor wagons weight between 60 and 80 gr and can easily move a 12-car train. Tractive power in N mostly depends of the number of powered axles.
- Traction tires: they are a standard on worldwide N scale since decades. There is nothing wrong with them. Stop complaining about them ;)
- Details: N scale can pack an incredible amount of details. Chinese N scale locomotives often feels like miniature H0 models due to the amount and finesse of their details with metal handrails and incredibly legible prints.
Spot on 👍👍
The round etches are for the speed record plaques.
A fun A4 fact is they only have sand pipes for the forwards direction. Therefore on a railway like the NYMR they can struggle a fair bit in reverse if the railhead is wet/greasy.
Hi Sam.
When you were running across the points, there was a distinct bump over them. I suggest looking at the frog area. It needs fettling.
Great review.
Thanks Mike - I will look into that!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Ah, a good old a4 - even at the smaller scale the loco looks amazing! I personally think the 00 gauge ones look much better, but considering the size, this is quite impressive! Those little etched details are record breaking commemorative plates that go on the sides of the loco, in case you were wondering! Easily my favourite class of loco, especially the garter blue mallard - just got a NRM exclusive glossy mallard, and it's incredible! Great video as always sam, and im always a sucker for the good old a4!
Thanks Jack I think so too! Yes I'd say I prefer the OO ones as they're much more substantial - but I think this is pretty much as good as you could hope for in N scale!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains: It might be "Pretty much as good as you could hope for in N scale! (sic)",
but in N GAUGE, from the likes of Arnold, Fleischmann, Kato, Minitrix and Roco, I have NEVER suffered any such issues.😀
Brilliant that you are now doing reviews of N scale locos. Thank you. This Dapol A4 is one I’ve been letching over for a while.
1:05: Trust me, I’m from the US where these model scale trains are popular and I have seen some model trains that cost over $800 (over £630), so I feel that you got it for an incredible price. Btw amazing vids 😁😁😁
True - some of the prices over there are indeed crazy!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Thanks!
I have one of these A4’s. Fantastic looking loco and I’ve made a few improvements. Firstly a coreless motor, a Hornby tts sound decoder and speaker which all fits in the tender. The finish I improved by spraying with a gloss lacquer which has dried to a lovely sheen bringing out the colour and fine details which now ‘pop’. Runs beautifully.
Im actually getting into n scale ^^ id love to see more.
Currently im secretly building a train setup with kato track in my work locker
Sam you have to stop thinking N Gauge is Cheaper because it’s smaller. The prices tend to match OO equivalent. This is especially true of Graham Farish / Bachmann.
Whether it should be, is a different question.
One other thing. Try a 1980s made Minitrix. There terrible for accuracy and mechanisms are really complicated. But they just work so well, and tend to have working lights. They put most modern N Gauge to shame on reliability
I can see locomotives being a similar price, smaller and more intricate stuff afterall. rolling stock however
agree on Minitrix, I used to have a "class 27 (ish)" locomotive, easily the most reliable I had
i ordered a Kato D51 for just under 60€ somedays ago for a steam engine its a pretty good price. You can get really good Kato and Tomix Diesel and Electric ones for 35-45€ too
Only the UK manufacturers seem to be able to command the same price as HO/OO. I find US and Japanese manufacturers tend to be 1/2 to 3/4 the price of their HO counterparts
I love the detail in the thumbnail of having just 2 fingers reaching for the model instead of a whole hand
hey sam you are my favorite model train youtuber ever ive watched your videos since i was 6 you are absolutly amazing keep ut the good work
I have one of these, it’s excellent.
I had an issue early on where I’d accidentally misaligned the front wheels. Check that you’ve got them attached and aligned correctly and you’ll have a very reliable loco.
Great that it runs on R1 curves too, I can easily run mine through a big snake of points with no issues.
I have 5 A4s and 3 A3/A1's and 3 B1's. All have had minor quibble issues over the years, but all easily fixed and when these are upgraded with a Tramfabriek Coreless Motors and Zimo MS Sound Decoders, completely different locomotive. All My Dapol Tender Locos get a motor replacement, Tender Wires Replacement, Zimo MS Series Sound Fitment and the front bogies screws get adjusted to ensure they track as some are too loose or too tight from the factory, which is what your britannia is suffering. The Dapol 5 Pole Super Creep Motor is the worst part of these locos, too loud and not powerful enough. The whole upgrade process takes me 30 mins from start to finish and I have a model then that runs flawlessly, sounds great and provides enjoyment
Maybe do a video on upgrading these locos to 2024 Standard (Coreless Motor, DCC Sound, etc) and then compare to an unmodified loco vs a modified loco
I think I said under the Britannia review, but to my knowledge all Dapol tender locos have the same basic drive mechanism. When they started to do this many people questioned it, and the trade off to achieve more detail on this A4 over, say, the old Graham Farish design, seems a bit steep to me.
Just a note; the couplings in the first accessory bag are a pair of Dapol’s own “Easy Shunt” magnetic opening couplings.
They can be made to work very well for remote uncoupling and it’s a shame that most Dapol models no longer come with them.
I would urge you to try some of Dapol’s Diesels (I have class 27, 56, 58 and 121) as they are good models. Oh and the HST as well.
For comparison, Graham Farish do many steam locos, with none of their tender locos using a drive shaft (it’s a mixed bag of tender and loco drives).
Great to see you continuing with N gauge.
The pivot points on the pony and bogie trucks are that way so the unit can follow the curvature of the track as the locomotive rotates around it's 6 driving wheels. Simply pivoting in the middle would not be sufficient. The sideplay in the axles completes the functionality though.
Thanks - It's good to see some N scale reviews! Would love to see a review of the dapol M7 you bought. In my experience I've found that those Peco settrack points in that configuration will upset almost anything that isn't an 0-6-0 or a diesel, so it's impressive the A4 handled them so well. If you want a recommendation for a really good locomotive in N - try and get hold of a Farish SECR N or SECR C class, they are excellent models and the cab detail is on another level, especially on the C. I'm really hoping that we'll get another round of the Farish C class produced in future.
Great review sam! I’m impressed by its performance on the setrack points considering they are minimum 2nd radius locos and setrack points are 1st.
Good review Sam, this is a pretty nice model, ignoring the tender driveshaft mechanism causing some problems... I don't model N Scale but having something like this would be really special on a N Scale layout, you can't go wrong with an a4! - The Monster of Monsters
Hi Sam! Great to see you doing more N gauge! I don't think anyone in N gauge likes these tender driven locos, as they're notoriously unreliable! I'm also surprised it went over the S curve in the setrack points crossover, as that's a particularly tricky maneuver for a such a long loco with those large fixed wheels! I've got one of Dapol's new A4's on pre-order, but I'm not sure what tooling it uses - hopefully something significantly newer than from 2012! Keep the N gauge stuff coming! It's always interesting to get a perspective from someone who's predominantly modelled in OO! All the best, Ian.
Pretty good rating Sam and nicely done with the review I'm impressed 32:01
Thanks Dennis - yeah it deserved a good score!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains That's nice and you're welcome Sam
N Gauge! Yes, Sam!! You are finally coming round. :)
I've just repaired a Dapol 57XX for a club member as it ran very badly. The problem is the electrical pickups being the wheel shoulders in the bearings getting covered in oil on the loco. Some Isopropynol and jobs a good 'un, I've used a little silicon grease on the gears and it runs beautifuly. Careful of too much oil.
My NINE have had very few problems over the six years I've had them. They ran over a mile a day on the exhibition layout "Croft Spa", running at scale express speeds with trains of up to 10 coaches or 30 vans for the fish train. Most of them have getting on for 30 miles under their wheels and still run well. The tender to loco drive was better at the time than the corresponding tender-only drive on the Farish Pacifics, which had a tendency to lock up the valve gear. Upgrading? Dapol is a small company and the engine-drive Bullied pacific is still in development- they have already said an upgrade to the A4 and A3 won't happen until they are happy with the Bullied mechanism. Best way of replacing a drive shaft is a pair of small curved pliers. Finally- your reverse running seems to show a bump in your track at the toe of the point, where you said "a bit of shaking".
I went on Dapol's site and found no repair department or repair suggestions. You are stuck with that lemon my friend, but it is encouraging to see you next acquisition was a runner. Great review as always, Jersey Bill
They do have a no quibble warranty, so any lemons can be returned for repairs, or most likely a replacement!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Hi Sam, nice to see another N gauge review. I was impressed with how the A4 coped with those set track points, did it state the minimum radius on the packaging or instructions?
My biggest beef with Dapol tender locomotives is the lack of consistency. My first was either a Manor, sold under the Ixon brand, or a B1. Both were "bargain bin" locos, I don't think they were more than £40 each and they were (and still are) great runners. Off the back of those, I bought two more B1s and some Dapol-branded Manors. One B1 died with a puff of smoke (repaired under warranty, but still not a great runner and since sold) and no Manor could match the running of the first one until I bought another Ixon Manor a couple of years ago. I also have an A3 Flying Scotsman that can't keep its valve gear attached and runs like a bag of bolts. I also have a "sold as seen" A1 from Dapol's factory seconds that looks and runs perfectly. It seems like the less you pay, the better Dapol steam locos get. I also have a couple of Halls, again the one I bought new doesn't like left (or is it right) hand curves because the tender drive tries to lift the wheels off the track. The GWR 28xx runs very well, but sounds like it is crushing rocks, even through 1st radius points; which I think is impressive for an 8-coupled locomotive. As I've said before, the loco-drive Dapol Westcountry will be an interesting and significant model.
I've also got a Dapol 14xx, 45xx and had a Southern 0-4-4T, which could give Hornby's "Smokey Joe" a run for it's money in being the fastest thing on rails. None of them would run slowly and the 14xx could be used to test the sheer strength of rice pudding skin. In all fairness the 0-4-4T was a rescue project, bought cheap as a non-runner and I was pleased to get it working at all.
I've not had a problem with any of my Dapol pannier tanks (I've got four or five) but I know my experience is not shared by everyone.
In fairness, I've had a Graham Farish LMS Black 5, that also dropped a screw and had to go back to the factory for a repair. It also needed careful lubrication otherwise the wheels would lock up and get pushed along by the tender-drive. I also had a GF 3MT tank that I returned because it had a wonky wheel and limped down the track. I rejected another 3MT before buying it because it only ran backwards. I did get lucky on my third example, which seems very nice.
If you can find them; I'd recommend the Graham Farish 5MT; Coronation; or GWR Castle (the modern ones, not the old Poole-type). I'd also recommend the GF Thompson, Hawksworth and Mk1 coaches, but they aren't cheap.
As usual, an excellent and very informative review.
The standout abomination is the appalling fore and aft orientation of the trailing pony truck!
Once seen, you simply cannot unsee it.
Also unignorable is the rather poor coupling rod representation and then that seriously misbehaving rear coupler to the coaches.
It might have been interesting to pull off the loco body to evaluate the feasibility of inserting the heaviest weight that might be persuaded to fit inside it. This could transform the smooth running, electrical pick-up AND drawbar pulling power, which is why this crude but SO effective improvementis so often utilized in Continental models which generally perform very well indeed.
Sam, best solution is all wheel drive. Drive rods have no bearings. When you have single wheel drive, you can see drive wheel move then when slack of drive rods taken up, other wheels catch up. I have seen some locos with drive rods not horizontal. Dapols latest design with all shafts quarter and driven best solution.
You should try doing a review on bachmann 8f in N scale, I have one and it's such a wonderful model.
Cheers Jasper & Willow
Artist books will tell you that something further away looks flatter. Thus smaller N gauge locos (more distant) will look duller than bigger OO Logos (closer). It might be worth placing a OO & N loco at a distance where they appear to be the same size & comparing their look. It would be even better if you can include a photo of the real thing.
I have seen a conversion done to Dapol locos using a piece of wire and drilled beads at either end, with bars through them.
The ones I saw had a shortened drawbar too (closer coupled and the new drive shaft can hardly be seen!!!
That sounds interesting - I'd like to see that done!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
I have one of these, Golden Eagle in the LNER lined apple green. I have to say that mine is a great runner! It is a little noisy perhaps but it sure footed and reliable.
I actually like that all the driving axles are geared, it takes the strain off the coupling rods, which considering how small they are in N GAUGE (NOT scale Sam!) I think is a good thing.
The carden shaft is a solution to a problem of its time which if not ideal does work. I have a Farish Castle which the motor in the loco, which is smoother and quieter but which has poor traction due to lack of weight.... I own 7 Dapol locos with the carden design of drive and they all pull stock much better than the Castle with only one needed tweaking to run acceptably. This was the socket on the motor which needed some molding flash removing and being pushed onto the shaft by about another 1mm or so. It wasn't a new loco to me so I can't say if it was always like that or whether the previous owner had been at it before!
One thing I do accept is that because of its size that N gauge can be a little more tempremental than larger scales. As an engineering myself I recognise many of the practial compromises that have had to be made to get such finely detailed locos that are frankly so tiny...... My O Gauge locos are certainly more reliable than my N gauge stable!
The Loco performed well over those points which are the worst for any loco other than an 060 over med or long radius these locos perform great. The real fun starts when you need to change a traction tyre which will eventually be required. In terms of pulling power mine pulled 9 coaches up a Helix with no issue. Nice review.
Please please please review another graham farish steam engine! They all run fantastically, I recommend the 2mt!
Awesome video today Sam I got to come home today from hospital and your wagons are amazing
Sorry to hear you've been at hospital - but so glad you like the wagons!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
I would suggest trying the hunt magnetic couplings. They fit NEM pockets. The coupling is much easier at low speed
Received my P2 with the steam generator and overall it’s fantastic, haven’t had the opportunity to try out the steam generator yet though, also recently fitted my bachmann class 90 with sound as well, it also gives me the servo operated pantograph which is a cool feature
Decent overall review here Sam, my dad has 2 N gauge A4s, one is Sir Nigel Gresley and a minitrix one which is Mallard plus on that one while it’s N gauge it actually has forward lights, A4s have already been interesting in N gauge, they have always had the valences removed until dapol produced a valanced one but unfortunately with that one dapol had to leave off a piece of the valve gear.
Ahh fantastic - I've heard good things about them! These N gauge A4s are very impressive actually :D
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Interesting! Boy has N gauge improved 😮
To anyone of my generation - my mates had Grafar, Minitrix and Lima N - this os outstanding. I’d even say you were a bit harsh. Try a 1970’s Grafar Hall or 94XX (they were barely use able) and then come back to your Dapol models. There really is no comparison !
For God sake don't mention Lima N; awful stuff. All scale dimensions wrong, ran like a bag of bolts, if you could get them running it was usually about 200mph. Utter crap!!!
Mini trix ran like Swiss watches, and built like tanks!!!
I find it incredibly sad that the Britania and this A4 have live trailing trucks (in N-scale) but Hornby ones are often static with unflanged wheels on OO scale.
Great review, thanks Sam!
I do know that Hornby goes for looks with the static truck, but it still drives me crazy.
Hey Sam, you should check out one of the Rivarossi 3-truck Heisler locos. They are very unique-looking and cool American logging railroad engines with an interesting drivetrain that looks really good while running.
lovely video excited to watch
We were discussing this a few weeks ago at Swindon Model Railway Club, amongst the N gauge modellers. We all agreed that we preferred the older steam locos, and the Union Mills locos. They may lack the fine detailing of the new locos, but they are heavier and pull a decent rake of coaches or trucks behind them!
I had a big n gauge layout when I was a kid, most of the locos were Minitrix including two Britannias. I have the fondest memories of them and Minitrix, they just kept going.
@itsconnorstime I have a Minitrix A4 Sir Nigel Gresley, and it pulls an 8 coach rake round the club show layout for as long as we want!
What a little gem of a loco! More N-scale, please.
Great video, I dont model steam myself, but I find these reviews interesting. I would recommend you look at the Kato class 800, it's better than Hornbys 00 model! I would also recommend Dapol's HST and the Farish class 158.
Thanks a lot Will - and appreciate the suggestion, I'll have to look into that!!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
You might make a video comparing this with the TT:120 example for the benefit of those who have not decided which scale to go for. What are the pros and cons of N compared to TT? T,hanks for all your efforts making these videos.
Hi Sam, yes a good looking model. I had a few Dapol models a while ago, and they were ok, a bit noisy, like Graham Farish. I had a Q1 but cannot remember which manufacturer. That was a good model and not noisy.
N gauge are not cheap, and they tend to justify the price by saying that they have improved the detail, but of course they haven’t. I like the A4’s but they don’t seem to run well in N gauge for long. Quite a few tend to end up as static models.
Try GF , the newer models are more stable, but expensive.
Hi mukka,
Hope this finds you and Claire both well.
Thanks for the interesting review.
Can I suggest when you start filming you go over the rolling stock to remove hairs and dust. Some of the fluff on that loco looks like rope at that scale! 😂
That tender drive is horrendous. I cannot unsee the kicking and screaming which occurs between the loco and tender on bends due ro the chunky, clunky and awkward design.
Not my cup of tea chum.
Thanks anyway.
Regards from Oz.
Gaz
Fair comment there geez.!
I like it when you review something other than OO, Sam. I've got nothing against OO but it's not my personal scale of choice.
Hello Sam, would like to see you take a look in Kato's n scale JNR D51 released back in 2016, I owned two of these (D51-200 & D51-498) and I'm pleased to say they're decent performer around the track
That sounds very interesting - I'll have to see if I can find one!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
This review’s kinda special for me because the first video of yours that I ever watched was your review of Hornby’s BR Mallard
Ahh fantastic - yeah I remember that one well... that's a long long time ago!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Thanks for another N review Sam. Suggest reviewing Sonic Models GWR prairie tank next, different maker and type of loco. Regards Terry.
Good review! I haven’t been too impressed by Dapol’s N Stuff going off you and others reviews, maybe try more Graham Farish (aka Bachmann)? Sonic Models just released a N Gauge Large Prairie as well!!
When you show the website with the silver livery version (Silver King) you comment that you believe it's the exact same model. It is, mostly, but there are two differences.
Silver King has side valences (you probably noticed that) and it does not have valve gear modelled - not even the eccentric crank/rod. It just has the coupling/connecting rods. I assume it's because there isn't enough clearance with the valences.
Thanks for review ,Sam! I think,15 degree points don't fit for N-scale long locos. Use 7,5 degree one for the best performance!
Sam, I've searched your channel but I could not find any other trains than UK models. Did you ever tested a Fleischmann, Piko or a Minitrix loco (N-scale 1:160) I wonder how these brands would stand the tests you do.
Awesome video Sam's trains 😊
Thank you Brian!
@@SamsTrains you're welcome Sam's trains 🚆 😊
My thoughts are I don't model N... Although I do like the large scale layouts people make as you can fit so much more in the same space as OO or O
Yeah absolutely - some of the N scale layouts out there are utterly amazing!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
I find Dapol locomotives are a bit of a lottery as to if or not you get a really good one. I have a Brit which is no problem. Dapol advertise their drive mechanism as Super Creep. You appear to have a good one in that respect so fit the Eezy Shunt couplings, the ones with the springs, to the tender and the first coach and with a decent rake of coaches you should be able to stop just short of the train and then ease up and couple without the coaches moving. Very prototypical and impressive. The wires between loco and tender are a weak point . A spare pair is supplied. The Bulleid light pacifics when they finally arrive wil lhave the motor in the loco. Hopefully they will be a success and Dapol will consider re-tooling previous tender locos: The spring on the coupling sometimes comes off. A spare is supplied but it is useful to know a watchmaker to put it on for you!
Great vid Sam! Quite a nice loco I will admit though I do think the tender driven design is a bit naff for such an expensive loco - especially when smaller locos like the pannier have a motor in them too!!
Yes, it would be very interesting to have a tender-driven 0-6-0PT!
you might try a graham farish N scale model to see if they have a better quality and mechanism.
As far as I’m concerned, swiveling and sliding trailing trucks is fairly common, especially when you’re talking about long o gauge locomotives trying to navigate o27 diameter curves. Almost every o27 locomotive I have with a trailing truck, it swivels and slides, and it really does help them tackle tight curves that no locomotives of their size should realistically be rolling around, although I guess blind center drivers is another helpful factor.
My thoughts first tiny train and nice amount of detail In my opinion and it runs decently
You might make a video comparing this to the TT:120 example for the benefit of those
The metal Names and World Speep record details are a nice touch, but yah come on Dapol, even in 2012 they could have had the motor in the loco, it can't be that hard to do!
Hello Sam , similar issues with the School's class, especially the tender to loco cables. Suggest the new Sonic prairie. Mine runs well and has good reviews on the N Gauge forum
The coupling is similar to the real flying Scotsmen a few months back 😊
i really would love to see you review one of the awfully expensive new n-gauge fleischmann BR01 locomotives. but i think theyre a bit out of your usual price range. but it would be interesting to see them compared to these "cheaper" n-gauge locos.
There's just 1 thing I question Why is it tender drive? Bachmann in the 1980s were making loco powered 0-4-0s in N Scale, And remember the n scale Pannier tank?
Hey Sam if you want to get a really good n gauge loco the Graham farish b17 and the n class are both great models the latter of the two has fully painted cab detail
Do you mean the B1?
@@Elvinley yes I do
@@mattchandler2380 That is a really good loco but since generally moving away from tender drive the running has improved. Very recent Farish has much better slow speed control.
Not a bad model I suppose. For those people who like to fiddle and tweak to get the best performance I suppose these could provide some entertainment.
I have an ancient Graham Farish oo scale Black Five that was made in the fifties. It's a great loco and is all diecast and looks a lot like the Hornby Dublo 8f. It has the motor in the tender driving the engine with a shaft just like this Mallard. However the locomotive (without tender) weighs 480g and has traction tyres!
Thanks for the video Sam. Greetings from Canada.
Thanks a lot for sharing - yeah there is scope for some tweaking if there are issues! Blimey, I don't think I've ever tried a Grarfar OO loco - might need to seek one out!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains Their OO items are all very old - we’re talking 1950s,60s. Graham Farish made a 94xx pannier, the Black 5, an as-built Merchant Navy pacific, a GWR King, and a GWR prairie.
Their tender locos indeed used a tender drive connected to the loco via a shaft. Fun fact, I believe their early Black 5 (might have been the whole run but I’m not sure) had a two-pole motor. Many owners eventually swapped them for Triang X04s; there’s a clip of a Graham Farish Black 5 running on an X04 on TH-cam. They of course don’t compare to modern running standards, but, they have a charm absent from many contemporary models.
It would undoubtedly be a project to find a GF OO loco in good enough shape to examine, but it would be awesome to see you take a look at one. Vintage locos are always fascinating.
Apparently the Dapol N gauge terrier and pannier are very good models, but I don’t have either, so take that with a pinch of coal!!
Good review as always Sam!
It’s great to see you branching out to TT and N, but are any O gauge reviews in the pipeline?
I have really wanted one of these for years, but being a Dapol steam engine I’ve got my doubts about it so I’ll be watching this Boeing beaded eyes before making my mind up on a silver version of this steam engine.
Highly recommend trying out graham farish’s merchant navy
A lovely loco with a decent weight
no traction tires
Most importantly
A very smooth and quiet runner
You definitely will love that engine
Oh that does sound amazing - I will have to look that one up!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
So amazing loco sam
Thanks Justin! :D
I think I've found the issue with your britannia, the traction tyres actually make it harder to turn, meaning instead of turning, it acts like a tractor and climbs the rails, my new A3 had traction tyres that were thicker than the wheel flanges and needed replaced, mine was 2nd hand however
Also if it helps, dapol will be upgrading these to coreless motors, so I'd look out for them
A cute A4 in this scale Sam, but to be fair, there seem to be constant functional niggles and hick-ups which would drive us insane quickly really. Perhaps all of those could be cleared somehow but this one just troubles us in terms of convincing tbh. Cheerio.
How about a comparison of the A4 in OO, TT and N?
Hi Sam,
can you also please review dapol‘s n scale great western pannier?
Could you please review one of the new Hornby railroad class 40s cause I’m thinking of purchasing one and would love to know your thoughts
Thank for a nice N scale review. It's actually interesting that British N scale is not thaaaaat much smaller than TT scale ...
Actually about some technical details, I would rather disagree: I do think N scale models need traction tires ... it really helps a lot if you want to manage grades! I also think it's better to have gears driving more than one axle ... it really increases the longevity of the whole thing. N scale coupling rods are tiny and tolerances are never as tight as they should be in a perfect world ...
I had the silver king. I fitted a decoder to it and it burnt out the decoder. (Model was brand new) I got it the model replaced under warranty with a new decoder but that was the last straw for n gauge with me.
Video review of the mallard coming out on the 3rd july, I see what you did there Sam
hi Sam can you do a kato n scale big boy they are amazing i have one and it runs very well
Fantastic A4 n scale engine 😊😊
Please can do a industrial running session
It reminds me of Spencer the private engine from T&F
I don't know how many are reading the comments two months later, but does the chassis have electrical pickup capacity on the third driver...swapping it out with a non traction axel to improve electric pickup?
Do Graham Farish still exist? They used to be big (if you see what I mean) in the N scale world.
The Makers' plate is the other etched brass part. Just glue it on the gold oval on the cab side.
It exists as a Bachmann range.
Hello Sam. I’m a model railway beginner and have loved the hobby with my grandad since I was four ( I am now thirteen). Please could you recommend any starter sets for me and where to get them. Auctions giveaways etc
Thanks and loving the vids keep it up🚂🚈🚅🚄🚝
Excellent HONEST Review unlike the UK Modelling Magazines! I have a few DAPOL Diesels in N gauge but would NEVER buy a Loco with a shaft going through the Cab. This is 2024 not 1964!
21:37 - It's N-gauged ;) ?
Quick question, can Dapol trains run on minitrix track?
I want to switch TT:120 so bad by Hornby barely keeps up with it. If we can get Bachmann to join the range and possibly Dapol we can have some other and better engines
Actually you should try Fleischmann 714575, but I am afraid the price scares the hell out of you. It is DCC, tender driven on 4 axles.
My small N Gauge collection isn't Dapol, it's Graham Farish, so I wouldn't know. Basically, my Graham Farish collection consists of a GWR Large Prairie Tank Engine and King Richard 2nd, two open wagons and closed vans (thanks to Alfie for sending them to me), a GWR Toad Van, three Chocolate & Cream Mk. 1 coaches, a Pullman carriage and a Union Pacific Railroad Caboose. They won't be tested till November, as you know, and I'm nervous about the first test run. Any advice?
As someone who has a lot of N gauge I straight up avoid dapol N gauge steam locomotives due to using a non UK standard design for N gauge tender drives
Sam if it only had 1 set of driving wheels it weight even less. I agree with you 100% motor should be in the Engine and not the Tender