Better Than Heljan's? | DJM 1361 Class | Unboxing & Review

[@theretrocrowe]

The weathered versions look great. Well, this isn't going to have much of a problem to beat the Heljan version, but never say never!

[@SamsTrains]

Ooh I can definitely imagine that - they do look very clean like this! Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@tozboz1018]

Never

[@theretrocrowe]

@@tozboz1018 *slow clap intensifies*

[@ayeshafenner7180]

@@theretrocrowe oh no, a ghost

[@aliminator1310]

I absolutely LOVE the brighter colors! It feels much more fresh and unique, compared to the boring dark greens and blacks we are usually given! Almost like something you'd see on Thomas!

[@SamsTrains]

Yeah I think that too - they look great don't they?! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@awesomealbertt1150]

Thomas is blue!

[@awesomealbertt1150]

Not white

[@awesomealbertt1150]

Or has black lining

[@aliminator1310]

@@awesomealbertt1150 I meant the show, not the character.

[@lukeslocomotives]

Sam on the title I saw "heljan" and "1361" and thought he's either breaking it up for spares or he's doing an experiment with it (probably model train vs lava pool) and then realised it was djm

[@donaldduckith6792]

it would probably be good for his soul to do that experiment with the tango lol

[@lukeslocomotives]

@@donaldduckith6792 he did! Last August he ran it underwater in a paddling pool. It's called "Train Set vs. Swimming pool"

[@donaldduckith6792]

@@lukeslocomotives Yes, but sadly it survived.

[@slaughterround643]

*spares

[@SamsTrains]

haha sadly not - maybe an experiment would be fun?! :O Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@kellyashfordtrains2642]

Every year, on the date of her disappearance into the tunnel, she runs again as a warning to others. Her shrill whistle rings out in the dead of night, scaring Sam out of his wits. "Kelly, what are you talking about?" asked Sam perplexed. "The Ghost Saddle Tank Engine, of course," laughed Kelly, although she was shaking like a leaf. "Haven't you bought enough ghost steamies already?" Sam apologised and Kelly felt better. But not before the Ghost Saddle Tank Engine whistled loudly and made Scaredy-cat Sam jump a mile, that is. Aside from your chilling Ghost Steam Engine purchases, I'm batting my eyelashes at you. Come on, Sam. I'm still waaiiting for City of Truro to appear. Excuse my acting like Sonic the Hedgehog here, but I'm going to keep on saying it until you let City of Truro out of her box. It's not right to keep a lady locked up for this long. So let my beloved daughter out of her box, or you'll never hear the end of it. Get the picture?

[@Deuce_and_a_half]

Great Thomas reference! I thought about that episode too after seeing the engine.

[@jotarokujo4787]

I was waiting for Sam to review the C62 from Kato

[@lukeslocomotives]

REVIEW 3440/3717

[@SamsTrains]

Oh blimey Kelly, what a spooky tale!! Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@truckrobo147]

This is making me shake in boots

[@dozer0565]

I am tired because I just woke up but I like to start my day with watching something about model trains.

[@SamsTrains]

Ahh hope you had a good day! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@erickyan3190]

Legit I just see my phone and see the video pop up, keep up the good work Sam!

[@SamsTrains]

haha awesome - thanks for coming along! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@2112pk]

I had heard these were some of DJM's best work (i've heard the beatie well tanks stand up very well too, but all mixed feedback on the rest of their output) but this is a comeback i wasn't expecting, a shame they'll be disappearing from the market soon. it must be the photographic grey, between this and the garratt it's plain to see that a grey loco inherently makes it run better.

[@SamsTrains]

Yes this is much better than the DJM locos I've owned in the past! Yes it is a shame, but overall I can't say I'll miss those mechanisms! Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@kkobayashi1]

I love your videos. On these tank engine reviews, I'd love to see some footage of the engine pulling a train backwards as well. My understanding is that tank engines can run in either direction equally well, and did so regularly. I think it just looks nice and realistic to see them run "backwards".

[@SamsTrains]

Sure Ken, I can look at doing that! You're right, they can do! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@oskarpayne9547]

I like how this version added the little rings that you'd use to lift the tank of during maintenance (the little bit of detail behind the chimney at around 13:50) add to the feel of the real thing

[@SamsTrains]

Yeah I noticed a few little things like that - great attention to detail! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@ShortCycle.]

I'm very, very tempted by one of these, at this price. Thanks for the review Sam.

[@ShortCycle.]

So tempted I've just bought the BR weathered version (£4 extra). For £69 at Kernow I'd say it's good value and will hopefully run better still once chipped.

[@SamsTrains]

Awesome Steve - for the money, you can't go wrong really! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@ShortCycle.]

@@SamsTrains Happy to watch. I would never have been aware the price had dropped to a sensible level if not for your review.

[@jasonstevens7957]

I hope you've bought one, there gorgeous! A great piece of westcountry history!

[@simonmoggeridge6856]

Hi Sam, just bought one of these, runs like a dream, so pleased with it. And looks great.😁

[@theretrocrowe]

I was on TSW 2020 when I got the notification, clicked as soon as I saw it!

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks so much for the support mate - hope you enjoy it! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@thegreatwesterner9481]

I have tsw also

[@dylanlivingston5024]

I think I need this one for my growing collection. Great video!

[@SamsTrains]

Awesome! For £69, I can actually recommend this! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@dylanlivingston5024]

Sam'sTrains since I first talked to you about starting my own collection I’ve spent over £1000 on new engines, I think you can tell I’m bored sitting inside from this virus 😂😂. It’s hard to get models over here in the U.S but so far I’ve been able to manage

[@Chris9017]

WOW!!!! That is SO MUCH more beautiful than the Heljan. I also love the working cross-head feed water pump on the right hand side of the locomotive. Also the color and details of the engine is beyond amazing. It's a shame DJM never really had a fair chance because this engine shows that they could have sold good locomotives. However it doesn't make any sense how DJM is out of business, and Heljan is still going. However, Heljan's saving grace from the looks of it is the Byer Garrat engine.

[@SamsTrains]

I agree Chris - the difference is massive isn't it?! Me too - some of the details were superb! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@phoebec7901]

Great review asm I thought that little tank engine was cute 👍 also give this video a thumbs up and my comment thx Sam for the review see you next video

[@felixfelix9062]

ASM

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks a lot Claire, glad you liked it! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@thegamingperio4115]

You are awesome You are one of the only KZbinrs that read and respond to the followers You inspired me but the only thing i don have trains I hope You never stop making videos

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks so much mate, I do my best! You might not need trains - see if you can find something you're passionate, and talk about it?? :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@thegamingperio4115]

@@SamsTrains thanks you

[@jaredt1356]

great review again i have good news i just bought a train lot with a bachmann spectrum ge 70 ton And a gp 38-2 engines with lots of track!

[@SamsTrains]

Ooh that sounds like so much fun!! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@jaredt1356]

Sam'sTrains the gp38 smelt like burning mechanics

[@tainuns4525]

Bought the Hornby Mallard pullman today because my great grandfather use to drive Mallard and thought family hertage would look nice on the layout. Thanks for the review 😊

[@SamsTrains]

Oh wow that's fantastic Tai - how is it?? :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@mikedolan5435]

Great video Sam. I also just watched your 2020 Guide To Modelrailwaymanship and absolutely died laughing :)!!! I love the part when you tasted the Modelrailwayman's broth!! How many outtakes were there when you made that video?

[@SamsTrains]

haha glad to hear that Mike, lol! There were quite a lot, lol! ;D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@mikedolan5435]

@@SamsTrains Thanks again Sam!!

[@mikedolan5435]

Thanks again Sam!!

[@christopherstokes9393]

I just got one of these for the nice price of £69. I didn't dare get a Heljan one, but I thought this was worth a shot. And, I'm quite pleased with it: it's a cute little model with loads of character, that runs reasonably well. Not worth the RRP or anything close to it, of course - but, at that price, I can definitely recommend them!

[@_LLevi_]

Really great Loco. It is much better than the other version. I think the price is very reasonable as well.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks very much - yes I thought so too! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@vodka2432]

I can’t stop looking at this engine. It’s beautiful! It’s small shape and it’s wheel set and the pistons and the color and everything about it!

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks mate - yeah you're right, I'm a big fan of this too! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@benvsgames1294]

if youre still planning in doing any more of those “team thomas vs team real life” videos you should do bill and ben vs hornby pug saddle tanks

[@SamsTrains]

That'd be awesome Ben - great suggestion there mate! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@lukehughes6094]

An amazing videos Sam thank you for showing every one the different locomotives on offer from different suppliers. An amazing locomotive. Can not wait to see more videos like this. Hope you enjoy your new locomotive. Really enjoyed hearing the history on the magnificent model. Nice to hear that the loco has no flaw and about the amazing details on the locomotive. Take care of yourself

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks very much Lukes - I'm really enjoying this too!! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@knick-knack4916]

69£? Nice.

[@Deuce_and_a_half]

Ahhh I see you're a man of culture as well

[@SamsTrains]

haha! xD

[@robbyboy03]

Great little loco but I believe that added weight would definitely improve slow running. Love your work Sam. Great having people like you keeping the model rail manufacturers accountable. Always did wonder how a coreless motor actually works. Could you clue in a novice like me? I was also wondering did the Railway Children set come with the gentleman's coach? Cheers mate.

[@SamsTrains]

Yes that could be true Robert - sadly there's not that much room inside for any considerable amount of weight to be added! Many thanks for your kind words, here's an article on the motors: www.robotpark.com/Coreless-Motors Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@europeandiecastracing2128]

Sam you are taking a very simple approach to how things are retailed. Most companies buy products for somewhere between 50% and 66% of the RRP, most manufactures have a stocking plan, and if you agree to take all the items or by a certain amount you can qualify for a great discount. All businesses also need to keep a constant cash flow running through the business in order to survive and so any items which sit on the shelf and don't sell actually start to cost you money, via there being no return on your cashflow, so it's best to get shot of them, even if it is at a loss, you need to build those margins into your profits on other items. A couple of other things to keep in mind is the crippling cost of business rates and staff, plus the fact that the vast majority of promotions and discounts come via a rebate from the manufacture or supplier. When you go into your local supermarket and see branded orange juice reduced by 50p it is not the supermarket who is doing the promotion and reducing the price it is the manufacture / supplier, and those tend to work on a four weekly rota, but I'm drifting off thread...(lol). My point is that retail is far more complicated than to make the presumption that the person selling the item is making a profit, or that they could have sold it to you last week for the same price.

[@SamsTrains]

Many thanks for the informative comment - much appreciated! Don't forget that this model is produced by/exclusive to Kernow though - they ARE the manufacturer!

[@mariselojeda0810]

This little engine reminded me of an original engine character i made, i made him a saddle tank, a 0-4-0 combination, ocean blue livery, black chasis, intead of having a wall leading to the bunker, has two supports for the cab roof with a huge back window, and the name Alex, (saved from scrap)

[@SamsTrains]

Ooh that sounds awesome - I'd love to see that! :D

[@SammyBFilms]

Love it! Much better then the Heljan one. Though I would change the couplings to the black ones, as I think the same colour ones stand out like that.

[@SamsTrains]

I agree Sammy - yes not sure where I stand on those couplings, lol! ;D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@terrycharleslewis7565]

What a lovely loco Sam, looking at the Heljan and DJH together reminds me of looking at your review of the Hornby princesses, the DJH being the most modern tooling and the Heljan, one from the 1980's! Take care, Terry.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks a lot Terry - haha you're absolutely right actually - you'd never guess they were made at the same time! xD Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@lukasruediger2910]

haha good to see this video, told you it was better! I don't actually believe Kernow are making a profit on this; in fact they say on their website that the reason why it's currently so cheap is because the price is a reaction to Heljan selling their model to retailers at a much lower price than RRP; Kernow felt they had to do the same to keep their model on the market.

[@SamsTrains]

haha you certainly weren't wrong! Yeah you could be right - again though, I don't feel they'd go so far as to sell them at a loss! Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@modelrailfan37]

Much better than Heljan’s model, and it kinda makes me wish DJM we’re still around. I also really like the white-grey paint job, as it looks super unusual. Great review Sam.

[@johnbirkett-smith7658]

Nice review and lovely loco. In scratch built 2mm finescale, we invariably use split frames and, usually, coreless motors , with great effect.

[@Dallas-Nyberg]

Ever wondered why some were locomotives were painted Photographic Grey? : *Photographic grey, also known as works grey, was a paint scheme commonly applied to steam locomotives during the period before colour photography became commonplace. It was applied to allow sharper, more detailed images of the locomotive to be recorded.*

[@paulcaswell2813]

Most locos only had one side painted in photographic grey - the other would have either been in primer or standard livery! PS You really need the Oxford Publications 'A Pictorial History of Great Western Enginss' (two vols) in your library. Photographs of every GW design in various conditions, scale drawings too. An absolute essential for any GW modeller. As for valve gears, Lake & Reidinger's 'Valves and Valve Gears for Steam Locomotives' is essential reading.

[@GraveyBones]

Just by the thumbnail alone I can tell this is a better model than the Heljan loco.

[@SamsTrains]

haha exactly - and it was too, even as a DJM loco! Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@theretrocrowe]

The hornby GWR Railcar is similar when it comes to cutting out. Fine in one direction, struggled in the other. That might be caused by the fact that the GWR Railcar has only 1 driven bogey

[@SamsTrains]

Ahh sorry to hear that - that's not very good :( Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@jacobhampshire1181]

I love these comparison videos when you have a not so good loco and a better one. My heljan western has drooping couplings too and they are fitted in the most bazaar way.

[@SamsTrains]

Glad you liked that Jacob! Yes their couplings are useless aren't they?! Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@ADMIRALSCORNER]

I loved the appearance of this loco the first time I saw it. Thank you for your review. I have just ordered one from Kernow.

[@SamsTrains]

No problem my friend, hope you really enjoy that! :) Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@Jenks465]

I bought my dad a DJM 14xx for his birthday 2 years ago and it was a brilliant little model. Was really surprised that the J94 disappointed you so much.

[@SamsTrains]

Glad to hear you were happy with the 14xx! The J94 wasn't my cup of tea at all! Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@arizonaranger5807]

Sam is so good at replying to comments

[@SamsTrains]

haha thank you! :D

[@brycehill6678]

Lol, I still like that LNER J50 of yours in the background.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks Bryce - glad you liked that! :D Cheers, Sam :)

[@lewisporto]

Bought this a month ago in the same colour! Agree with the comments you’ve made, it moves what I need it to, runs smoothly and looks gorgeous. Great little loco, what more could you want :)

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks a lot Lewis - yeah for the money they're fantastic! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@eisenbau]

Fully agree with coreless motors. And you need to pay over the odds for a DCC decoder that works with them!

[@axelrajr]

opinions of its mechanism aside, i think this engine is the most visually impressive i have seen on your channel.

[@SamsTrains]

Yeah definitely - the level of detail is immense! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@kevinhale9400]

HI Sam. As far as the handrail on the side of the saddle tank being lower on the Heljan model is concerned, I think it is because the Heljan rail is bent, making it appear to be lower than the DJM version., which is perfectly straight. If you match up the Heljan version against the DJM version, you will note that the short handrail coming off the smokebox matches the height of the long handrail along the side of the saddle tank. Therefore, in my opinion, it is the Heljan version that is at fault here. I don't know what model everybody was looking at.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks for sharing Kevin, haha you could be right there actually, very good point! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@davidbugler4597]

Just to add - Allan straight-link valve gear seems to have been chosen for the 1361 and 1366 classes mainly because it took up less space than the usual Stephenson's gear. Of course there wasn't much room in these little locos between the axles and the valves, so in the space available Allan gear could be made with larger and stronger components. Churchward had already used the more modern Walschaerts gear in other designs, but this needs even more space, so on these babies it would have been an exercise in watchmaking - acceptable on a model, but not on the real thing when it has to stand up to actual work.

[@MysticDragonForce]

Lovely little loco. Very tempted by the 65 tag. I've never bought from Kernow before, is their site safe to use? I only ask because there's no security cert appearing on it for me. I know they're a reputable dealer, just being extra cautious! I am so buying the J70 (Toby) from your earlier video. It is exquisite.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks mate - yeah for the price, I can overall recommend it! I'm not sure about that mate - I've never had an issue, but that doesn't necessarily make it secure! Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@ayeshafenner7180]

Djm GWR 1361 class: exist. Sam's trains & Sir Topham Hatt: *you're a really useful engine.*

[@SamsTrains]

haha!! ;D

[@c5173]

IIRC Kernow had to take over the project from DJM and completed it themselves with the factory - They could confirm. also IIRC when they put out that special original they indicated it was at a loss but due to hejan price needed to move models

[@SamsTrains]

Yeah I've been reading about that - sounds like a real hassle for them! Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@farric1]

Great video! The question has to be why was all wheel drive specified. Did anyone ever achieve better results with this configuration? I doubt it. The coupling rods make it all wheel drive without this complication which is costlier, less effective, way more noisy and probably more problematic. I'm beginning to understand why this company went bust.

[@SamsTrains]

You're right Craig - I've certainly never seen better results, at least not on a steamer! Always seemed like a deliberate and unnecessary complication :/ Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@freebrickproductions]

The sound of it reminds me of the old Bachmann model I have of an SCL Bicentennial Dash-7.

[@SamsTrains]

haha awesome!! :D

[@dakshanbalaramesh]

Imagine how discussions between this and the Heljan 1361 would be XD DJM 1361: I'm ashamed to be related to you. Heljan 1361: Duh, me go burn spin box

[@iceeblueburst03]

I believe this is your 2nd locomotive in the photographic gray livery. I think your first locomotive you took a look at on this channel that has the photographic gray livery is the Heljan Beyer Garratt. The photographic gray livery for locomotives looks pretty attractive! :P

[@SamsTrains]

You might be right, though I do have a few other grey locos - not sure if they're considered photographic grey though! Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@LIMowersAndMore]

This locomotive looks like it would be wearing a suit and tie! Splendid!

[@SamsTrains]

haha I agree!! ;D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@Tombola1993]

I am glad you got a much better 1361 class saddle tank model. The off grey colour makes it more distinctive than the generic GWR dark green colours. Although, I do like GWR colours. Let's pretend that the Heljan 1361 has had a bit of an accident and that its pistons are overly lubricated with oil.

[@SamsTrains]

I'm glad too Tomas, thank you! Yes I guess it's hard to beat the GWR colours! Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@rydermike33]

Other than the mechanism, yup, liked that one Sam. You picked a really interesting livery as well. Great review, thank you.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks mate - yeah me too overall! Cheers mate, Sam :)

[@terryflynn8830]

Sam, there is nothing wrong with split frame and using bearings for pick up if will designed. At least the bearings will last longer (if lubricated) than wiper pickups which can wear out much quicker. I agree with your view about the gears to each wheel. It does not improve low speed running and is just an extra cost to make. You can always remove the unnecessary gears. Core less motors are great if you use filtered DC. They don't like pulse controllers, hence the poor jerky low speed crawl on your set up. Some of the more expensive DCC decoders are capable of running core less motors smoothly at low speeds.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks Terry - yes that's true, though a design like this introduces other issues, such as lack of accessibility and serviceability. Of course regular lubricants won't work either (as they insulate), so a conductive one is required; inconvenient. The plastic spacer between axles is always a point of weakness - even on modern Dapol examples, the I often find the back to back going astray over time! Removing the gears is a great idea, though I wouldn't dare do it with these; the coupling rods are very thin and flimsy, not designed for transmission unfortunately :( Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@terryflynn8830]

@@SamsTrains Most of my models are H0 and use bearings for pickups (old brass steam outline and typical diesel mechanisms following old Athern style bearing pickup construction) Even though in theory oil is an insulator, in practice light oils like transmission oil or Inox actually improves electrical conductivity. I use Inox for general lubrication and keeping wheels and track conductive. See this Aussie rant @ kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z6OVfWuEiN2CpLM If wheels are going out of gauge on Dapol split frame models, then these models will fail and should be avoided, I believe you agree, as loose axles will be prone to also go out of quarter causing all sorts of failures. Loose axles are often a sign of a split collar and gear. It's why most manufacturers avoid split frame construction for steam locomotives. Cheers.

[@bartoszkrawczyk3946]

It looks really nice. The level of detail compensates a bit for a mechanism, I would buy it.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks mate - yeah for £69 it is a worthy purchase! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@slaughterround643]

you know, after years of having model trains as a lad, I never realised you could just push the bottom (vertical) parts of the couplings together to uncouple...

[@SamsTrains]

haha yeah absolutely!! I prefer to just lift and twist though - even less fiddly! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@IAN62C]

I must try that as I hate trying to rerail coaches especially on curves after twisting the coahes to uncouple them when the track is on the floor. What was wrong with the Hornby Dublo couplings?

[@codydombrowski3347]

Awesome Review There Sam, Love The Engine, What Really Caught My Attention Was The Number, 1361, In America 1361 Is The Pennsylvania State Steam Engine, A 4-6-2 Pacific Type, Also My Favorite Engine, And As Of Now Is Undergoing Restoration

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks a lot mate! Ahh I didn't know that - very cool!! :O Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@TestECull]

It's rather fascinating to see the differences in perspective vis-a-vis a good steam loco mechanism in OO and N. It might boil down to how delicate the parts are on an N steamer, but generally, you *want* it to be all wheel gear driven, you want it to use a split frame chassis rather than seperate pickups that inevitably get bent and stop working. Coreless motors...take 'em or leave 'em in N, though I will say they're prone to burning out down there. I have a Bachmann N USRA 4-6-0 that's burnt out two coreless motors because they can't handle the stress and overheat easily.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks very much mate! Yes I suppose N is a very different kettle of fish - split chassis sounds more reasonable at that scale! Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@ShikiKiryu]

Such a cute lil engine! Difference between this and the Heljan one is night and day, heh. And white/grey is such an interesting and weird but cool look, it suits it better imo like the Beyer Garrat one you reviewed a while ago. Great vid c:

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks very much! Yeah I agree - I think it's cool too! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@gwyneddboom2579]

Allan valve gear is basically Stephensons, but modified by the Allan machine factory from Rotterdam. You can see the system clearly on the NS 7742 Bello and the 6513 of the Museumstoomtram Hoorn-Medemblik. Allan is better known for the Rotterdam trams, the post-war DE1 and DE2 (Blauwe Engel), and the pre-war DE3.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks very much for the info Sander! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@gwyneddboom2579]

Sam'sTrains if you can for a good price, you should really try to get some old NS multiple units, they are really pretty (I think). They are: Mat ‘35, Mat ‘36, Mat ‘40, Mat ‘46, omBC 2901-2908, DE1 and DE2 (Blauwe Engel), and DE3 (vooroorlogs). Please do take a look at them, and see if you like them.

[@creativesoul3]

Best of the saddle tank engines ever I love it❤❤❤😂

[@essenceofsteam4822]

Great video yet again. Personally I have learnt that unless Hornby Bachman or graham farish I do not buy the products. I do still but from Hatton and rails of Sheffield but dapol are a joke. 2 of my 8 freight wagons came broken include the packaging which had a massive hole in it😡

[@SamsTrains]

Oh yeah - I've had terrible experiences with Dapol wagons too (at least in OO!) Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@24th1879]

Thanks Sam for another great impartial review of what i think is a quite a nice little model.. With regard to the price reduction whilst watching your review I went onto Kernows website and the answer is there. It seems they are now indeed making a loss on each one sold but the decision was taken as another manufacturer had heavily discounted the competition.. Out of the discounted price they still also give a £5.00 donation to the 1361 restoration group. You can check it out on the Kernow GWR 1361 info page.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks Chris! Yes I read that too - it does say that the reduction has caused them to "lose money" (naturally), but it didn't say that they were selling at a loss, and there is a difference! They may well be selling them at a loss, but that isn't what the post said. I do applaud them in reducing the price though - it's allowed a lovely model to find its way into the hands of those unable to spend well over £100 on something like this! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@Sideways101100]

I really enjoyed the review of this loco. It's not a great loco my no means but I have said before that any loco better than the Helijan one is an instant winner for me, I even said that the Helijan Tango holds a candle over the Helijan 1361. So the way I see it, I genuinely wouldn't mind getting this loco, sure it has flaws and a questionable price (not good or bad, just questionable), but it leaps over the Helijan model tenfold. It's not a great loco, but it's a win for me. Thanks for another great review Sam, really enjoyed this one. P.S. Now, if we had a triple header with this, Percy and either Smokey Joe or Miles, then that would be great

[@SamsTrains]

Yeah I'm surprised too - I'm genuinely a fan of this model now, and I never expected to me!! haha awesome!! xD Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@lewishughes8541]

Good looking loco out preforms the heljin one by a mile my 5 pound tank engine turned up today and it works

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks a lot Lewis - yeah I agree mate! Ooh fantastic - that's awesome! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@westernrails3126]

Nice to see Sam flying the Cornish flag. The 1361's are cute locos and its good to see model companies have taken to the helm to make one. Keep it up Sam!!

[@SamsTrains]

haha thank you! Yes indeed - I agree! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@97wolffang]

Sam, it's great value for money. Even though DJM is no longer in business owing to it going bankrupt. But you're not seeing the absolute zenith of DJ model's capability. You need to give the Adams 02 tank a chance. I bought mine from the IOW Steam railway. And I've loved it ever since. You can get one on Kernow's website for just under £100 or for just under £130 you can get one with a nicely detailed Water column. It's worth a look. :)

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks a lot David, I thought so too! I would love to try those O2 models! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@YTBCONE]

Enjoyed the video, the high RRP could be because of the companies problems but on the retailers price I would say it's worth it

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks mate, yes that could be true - but at the discounted price, no complaints! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@iceeblueburst03]

10:52 I find it funny that the running number is the same as the class name for this locomotive! XD BTW, that 6 almost looks like a slanted 8 due to how the top edge of the 6 is touching the round part of the 6, it looks like a slanted 8 when it looks like that.

[@SamsTrains]

Yeah! It's pretty cool isn't it?! :D

[@mattseymour8637]

I have just bought this model in the green from Kernow models and although runs fairly well i noticed that the motor was a bit more noisy than I had expected but the one in the video seems to run without any noise. Why is this?

[@SouRwy4501Productions]

There’s actually a 1361 over in the United States, but it’s a PRR k4 pacific.

[@jimross623]

Hi Sam, The value, @ £69, is pretty good, certainly better than 2.5 stars. What can you buy for £69 that’s better value? Not many locos... maybe a Hornby Class 66? A bit sad you finally get a good model from a manufacturer and they have just gone out of business. I bought some fantastic Vitrains Class 37’s and they are no longer around either! They were about £70 from eBay, and they are great value/quality. Thanks for your continuing videos. They brighten our days. Regards, Jim

[@SamsTrains]

I took the RRP into account too, since other retailers don't have the luxury of reducing the price as Kernow did! yes that's true about Vi-trains - i wonder what happened to them?! Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@theretrocrowe]

16:35 Sam getting attacked by a wild 1361 class! It is trying to get revenge from the constant jokes! Well too bad, it practically is a joke thanks to Heljan!

[@LHoriginal]

Lol

[@SamsTrains]

haha I guess so, lol! ;D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@kevinhale9400]

Hi Sam. Another great video. Although the chassis has a lot of plastic in it, is there any room to fit extra weights underneath to make it a bit heavier?

[@SamsTrains]

Hey Kevin - there is a small amount of room, but not enough to make much of an appreciable difference (I don't think). Worth a try though! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@ecpcharles]

actually, bearing pickup and coreless motors are a far superior to their wipers/5 pole counterparts, if made properly. I find it interesting in your belief that they are inferior. (although I can see how your past experiences with improper coreless motors and bearings have failed you so terribly) For example, a high quality swiss made coreless motor(go for around $60, or £50) are powerful, run smooth silent, and are designed to last a lifetime(unlike can motors where the brushes have to be replaced every so often).

[@ecpcharles]

Pickups are easier to mantain, but good polished copper bearings shouldnt require any maintenance at all. Atleast in the US, nearly all high end engines have (sprung) bearings for pickup.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks very much for the insights! No doubt some implementations of coreless motors are excellent - but all of the ones I've experienced have been inferior to skew wound 5 pole motors. Same with pickups through the axles - any non-permanent contact will always tarnish over time, and therefore easy maintenance is a must! Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@brickleyyard4966]

I don't get some why you don't switch to Peco track as as it is far more reliable as well as the electrofrog points will work on DC out of the Pack as I've been using them for N gauge in either case with its pico or any other brand best thing to do is to always wire up power to the fog based on the direction of travel that you're willing to go or get a polarity switch you can get manual or digital which will prevent cutting out on the Frog entirely

[@SamsTrains]

Unfortunately Peco track is no good if you like to run older/vintage locos - particularly their points! Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@djdaz72]

Had to buy one at that price , nice review Sam 👍🏻

[@SamsTrains]

haha can't blame you there Darren - fantastic price! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@haroldalexis4200]

This is my first viewing of this engine. The only opinion is: It runs fair it's just a matter of a break in period. It's probably better than the old Rivarossi in the 1970s that I purchased in those days...

[@SamsTrains]

Yes after running in the performance was better, but still not fantastic! Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@bootsnall8996]

The handrails were originally fitted below the window cutout level, the only example 1363 has the handrail fitted at the same height as the cab window cutout. Maybe this happened during preservation.

[@SamsTrains]

Duly noted, many thanks for the info!

[@Albert-fu1vq]

10:54 I’m pretty sure it’s etched, because mine is. DJM just likes to have the number plates sunken in instead of standing out for some reason.

[@SamsTrains]

You might be right - I'll have to double check - thanks for that! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@mrail3]

For whatever reason running in seems to make a big difference with these. A friend and I both noticed ours started out very loud but got nice and quiet as time went on. I've never seen an engine where running in changed their performance so much.

[@SamsTrains]

Yes I noticed this too - it may be due to the unreliable electrical contacts to the axles - maybe the friction from extended running cleans them? Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@hovermotion]

Cool...photo livery....nice model and vid.. .If I bought I would install a Lenz chip considering it has a coreless motor... Ive installed a few retro fitouts with coreless motors and the work well with Lenz chips...

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks mate, yes I wonder whether the performance would be better with one of those?? :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@hovermotion]

@@SamsTrains I think so as when I swap over from standard dcc chip chips to Hulenbrock ,Lenz etc the quality of the motor control is huge on some models...some corless motors require a special setting on the c.v settings ..

[@neonthehybrid8047]

I see why you like Photogenic Grey now. Compliments it very well

[@SamsTrains]

Thank you! I think it looks lovely on this loco too! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@diedertspijkerboer]

I really like the shape of this loco and am actually tempted to put it on my wish list, which would be the first for a tank engine. The price is vey reasonable, but I found that your Hattons affiliate link listed them as about GBP 125. However, I did manage to find cheaper ones at the Kernow models site. The only thing is that I don't like fine details that break off easily. If there is an older, second hand version of this engine at a lower price, I would definitely consider buying it.

[@SamsTrains]

Yeah, for the price you can't really go wrong at the moment! Yes the Hatton's price isn't as good, which is a shame :( Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@srenchin]

28:00 This is one of the oldest tricks in the "marketing" book. Manufacturers commonly offer inflated MSRPs so that retailers can offer big "discounts" and yet everyone still makes a profit. Consumers love to save money so items priced significantly below MSRP tend to sell better just because they appear to be "good deals".

[@SamsTrains]

Yes you're right Scott! If only the actual discounting part happened more often! ;D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@garagewindowrailway]

Following in Sam's footsteps.... After a disastrous flirtation with a Heljan 1361 (no 1363) - it was attractive at £79.95 - it was returned to Rails for refund; it sat on my track, lurched 2 inches and then sat still, wheels jammed with the moter audibly spinning inside the loco. After some thought, and a few reviews, I ordered a Kernow 1361 (also no 1363) in GWR Green the following afternoon - I was pleasantly surprised that this too has been reduced in price to £69.95!. Mine also arrived within 24 hours, and in addition to all the fine details in Sam's review, in I particularly like the open doors to the cab. One difference the GWR black and green example has matching black NEM couplings and black links in the detail pack (Sam's were both grey to match his photographic grey example) Putting it on the layout, the locomotive sprang into life (if a little noisily from the mechanism) and ran flawlessly in both directions for 30 minutes. After running in, slow speed is good across Peco electrofrog Code 100 points with no stalling in either direction. Despite its light weight it hauls 3 Bachmann Collett coaches up a 1:35 curved incline to my branch line station without wheel spin. Detail packs are good and the couplings are at the right height! My only comment is that the mechanism makes this the noisiest of my locomotives - I will have to experiment with some lightweight silicon grease. Many thanks for yet another great and accurate review. I agree this one is a gem (compared with the Heljan dog).

[@SamsTrains]

Many thanks for sharing this Simon - yes you seem to have the same findings as me. The Kernow mechanism leaves much to be desired (yes they are very noisy!) but they're fit for purpose, which is more than can be said for Heljan's. I trust you've opted for a refund on the Heljan? Huge waste of time! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@paulcaswell2813]

What's that J50 doing there!!! BTW - A Gresley Pacific or King or Castle's standard load was 14 coaches. And you expect a little Duck Six tank to match that??? Something you never mention is whether a model has the 'look' and character of the prototype - DJM have captured the little engine to perfection - and the 'expression' on the smokebox door is wonderfully done.

[@mercuryoak2]

Also to note I have tried the slow crawl with my vintage kit built mantua 3 pole Pacific since I only ran a little bit previously it didn't really but I ran it Sunday since I cleaned it beforehand and lubricated it before putting it away she did run beautifully and it did a crawl i was shocked. Mind you when I bought it at a trainshow in January it never was broken in at all.

[@SamsTrains]

Great to hear that Matthew - a bit of oil and a clean does wonders! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@divinechild_creativerebellion]

Hi Sam, I have an Airfix 14xx it stuggles to pull coaches I'm running it on the santas express track do you know what would the problem be? Thanks👍

[@SamsTrains]

Hmm that's strange - are the traction tyres still in tact?? Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@joelightrailway2362]

Excellent review of the DJM GWR 1361 Class Sam 👍👍 Now you have chosen the best one and that is the lovely light grey livery with white lining. I know the DJM ones aren’t that perfect, but they are a little bit improvement than Heljan version.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks very much Joe - yeah I loved the livery actually!! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@leewaymodels]

Well... my Heljan 1361 died, like litteraly it catched on fire! I agree with you that this model is better.

[@reliantrailways]

When I am getting a new loco, I always check if you have reviewed one to see if it's good! :)

[@nnrfanoldaccount]

Same

[@OlivierGabin]

Same for me. the only time I did not do it, it was for my DJM J94...

[@SamsTrains]

haha thank you! Oops Oliver!! ;D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@WilliamHBaird-eq2hp]

That's a nice looking little Tank engine! What is "Photographic Gray" Is it Grey Primer? What railroad is that for ... An Industrial Shunter colour? I would have got GWR Green myself.

[@mrail3]

When engines were built they'd be painted up in grey for their builder's photos. In a black and white photo the grey would show a lot more detail. A dark livery wouldn't show much contrast with everything coming out near black.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks for the answer Paul, appreciate it! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@WilliamHBaird-eq2hp]

@@mrail3 Thank You... So they never actually "operated" in this paint scheme?

[@mrail3]

I'm not sure what British practice was. In the US they definitely didn't. In fact it was often only applied to one side of the loco here for what it's worth.

[@WilliamHBaird-eq2hp]

@@mrail3 You are correct, it was only for the photo.

[@richardcolvin8629]

Do you have the DJM class 02 0-4-4t? Looking for your oppinion on it

[@1maico1]

It looks like there might be some space in the body to add some weights? Add in drive train lubrication and you could make another video on it. Cutting out on points is yesterday's news, many people these days use live frogs. I use Trix C-track, everything is live, no dead spots or shorts anywhere no matter how you join it up. Peco make electrofrog track although the wiring can be very complex using that system with double slips etc..

[@SamsTrains]

Yes there is a little room, not much mind you! Many people use insulated frogs - I think manufacturers should allow for this - the more reliable the pickups, the better! Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@theonemasterwarhero]

This does look nice in grey and there isn't many that look good in that colour...I'm wondering if I should pick up a Ruston shunter.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks mate, I thought so too! Yeah the Rustons are pretty awesome overall! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)