Hornby's Purple A4 | Love or Hate It? | Unboxing & Review

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My review of Hornby's classic Gresley A4 in the very unusual BR experimental purple livery!
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0:00 Introduction
3:33 Unboxing
7:01 History
8:13 Detail
14:30 Mechanism
16:39 Performance
22:48 Load Testing
27:38 Ratings
30:23 Conclusion

[@lewisporto]

Personally I love the colour and bought mine over a year ago. Great running at slow and high speed! Great review as always!

[@EricH_1983]

SHOUT OUT to the the crane operator, fastest operator in the land!!

[@SodorTrain1225]

Purple on an A4 looks lovely.

[@ayeshafenner7180]

You call that PURPLE!? I'll show you PURPLE! **Insert purple emojis ♒♑✝️☦️🛐⚛️☪️☯️☸️✡️🕉️☮️🕎🔯♀️🆔♾️🌂☂️☔🍇🍆💜**

[@celineangelicadominiqueapi6281]

Edward

[@MrKenichi22]

I agree

[@Tavothelms2mt]

That color it's call ultramarine blue

[@StarlightSnow1991]

My reaction when I saw the title “purple A4” : W H A T ?

[@SamsTrains]

haha mine too! ;D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@axellbenavidez3172]

Ny it's My

[@jonathancruz562]

It’s called ultra marine blue

[@sheldondillon5799]

@@SamsTrains hello Sam I was wondering if you should get bachmann Spencer and compared the A4 with him in your next video

[@randysmith3774]

I love it 😀

[@mikeking2539]

YES Sam lets have a speed test on the A4s' we would like to know the 'scale' speed

[@SamsTrains]

haha yeah I'll have to try that some time! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@nigelsabin1713]

Check 'hollpoll' . He's done that!!!!

[@darknut9696]

So it's the Cadbury train? anyone remember the collectible buses and vans from the 90's for different brands

[@madduckuk]

I do! I had a Hovis and a Corn Flakes one that I remember, but there were LOADS of them. Some product had a token-collect promotion for an N gauge train (unpowered) that I got, but I can't remember what it was.

[@TankEngine75]

There is a Castle Class called "Cadbury Castle"

[@skuula]

It contains milk! It's healthy!

[@The_RWS_Modeller]

I actually really like this model. The livery was striking and I love the red stripes. Great review!

[@LeStrangeW]

There’s some pictures you can find floating around online of the Southern’s Merchant Navy class in Experimental Purple, and they look stunning!

[@SamsTrains]

Ooh really?! I'd really like to see that! :O Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@SiddYT]

@@SamsTrainsSame goes with the A3 if you would want to check that out

[@Trija204]

Wo! A purple steam locomotive! That’s extremely rare! Great choice Sam, I love the colour!

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks mate - yeah it's super rare!! :O Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@kyle5674]

I LOVE the purple, alongside all the other non-standard liveries, e.g. the independent industrial liveries. They're a breath of fresh air, and I find BR Green and Blue a little tiresome after a while. Great video!

[@Kris-qy7hh]

I’ve always loved the look of the “purple” A-4’s, I think it made the ones painted in that livery more unique and different to the others. Great review as always!

[@turbulanceism]

I have both the old and new version i love this locomotive! Top quality model catching this era of steam

[@arbiterofmtringo2345]

I was wondering when id see you do a review of this, i must say after seeing it out of the box and i love the livery even more! Great review!

[@RoadsterRyan23]

I love it. I picked one up in January for £118 and for that price , I can't complain. Oh and the tender wheel issue is apparent with mine too. I think noted it in my own review

[@traxxasfan3674]

I’m really happy to see the cab is getting some love. Look great 👍

[@parzival_3597]

I love the livery. Looks very nice on the A4 in my opinion.

[@SamsTrains]

Me too Allen - it's growing on me! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@maverick9473]

So close to 100k subs, I've been watching your channel for nearly 4 years

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks so much for the support mate - would be amazing to finally get there!! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@scotthamilton7856]

Stunning. I want one as i love purple. Not everyone’s favourite but each to their own.

[@teescottageguyproductions]

Congratulations on 98K subscribers! Your on the finishing straight to 100K and your first KZbin plaque

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks so much mate - that would be absolutely amazing!! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@alco1252]

I really love that livery. Unusual liveries look so so soooo nice. Great video Sam!

[@leifvejby8023]

For checking the quartering, maybe you could take off the coupling rods on one side, and run it without.

[@MegaTrainlover]

Personally it’s a stunning livery for a stunning loco! Great review! 😁

[@SamsTrains]

Glad to hear that - I think so too, on reflection!! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@michaelt9639]

Another great review sam I am enjoying every single video ou up load dont stop giving so much great content

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks so much mate, I really appreciate that! Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@atent5124]

So close to 100k! Can’t wait until this achievement!

[@diogenes34]

I like the color, purple is my favorite color that engine looks blue to me and I think the blue looks very nice.

[@lukeslocomotives]

Sam and his experimental things this year- Blue A3 Frozen Locos Purple A4 What's next- I made a model train fly

[@SamsTrains]

haha that's true... it's been an interesting year already! ;D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@plaguedoctormuffin]

@@SamsTrains DO IT

[@markmcdonald6665]

I think he should get his hands on a Hush Hush in the future I'd love to see a review on that

[@TDSWar]

Sams next test: made a model train go past the speed of sound LOL

[@willhooker9567]

@@SamsTrains You have to do that!

[@SaltyVan]

I think all existing A4 liveries are beautiful - Brunswick green - Apple green - Garter blue - Experimental purple - Passenger blue - Wartime black - Silver jubilee silver All are lovely

[@lb2783]

Hi Sam I have been watching you since you were at 30k and It makes me really happy to see your going to reach 100k

[@SamsTrains]

Thank you so much - really glad to know you've been along for so long, appreciate it!! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@ValentinSparkle16]

I Really Love This Livery Sam!

[@Ben-Likes-Trains]

I like the livery a lot it kind of looks like a dark blue version of LNER garter blue or BR express blue-Ben

[@MrHipwell1989]

Haha great video. I recently bought the BR blue mallard. Love it, just a shame there's no flickering firebox

[@irt_rorsam8315]

Purple is my favourite colour, I quite like this livery Also you’re nearly at 100k, well done!

[@SamsTrains]

Great to hear that Daniel, and thanks so much mate! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@theeveningstar9235]

Great review! I love the purple but my favourite is the garter blue. Kernow Model Rail Centre have this on sale for 115 pound. Would you recommend one for that price?

[@danielwardwell914]

That livery is gorgeous, I love it!!!!!

[@paquitobeldia4806]

wow, 7k viewers in just 5 hours... ur channel is growing rapidly and its amazing because i watched it grow myself too... i love ur videos sam:D

[@SamsTrains]

Thank you so much!! Yeah I'm pleased this one seemed to be popular! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@funny.lol.haha.lol.funny.]

Hi Sam, me again. Looks very interesting. Love all of your vids and has been 3 years of my subscription. Was wondering where the best place to buy any A4 cheaply? Thanks again for carrying on despite tough times. Enjoy!

[@trainfanproductions7149]

A4: I am speed

[@magicguystudios7940]

Awesome dude that’s amazing absolutely astounding I love it

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks mate, I really like this too! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@Charmaster04]

While you were initially unsure whether or not you liked this paint scheme, I was in no doubt; this livery is beautiful. It's rich, it's soothing, and it's more surreal in the evening light (pardon me for waxing poetic). By the way, props for mentioning the Burlington Zephyr, Hornby! I've had the pleasure of seeing it a few times at the Museum of Science and Industry and even met the descendent of one of it's engineers/drivers during a visit, but I wasn't expecting to see it mentioned on the back of a British Outline locomotive box! (Fun fact: it is suspected that American steam locomotives often ran at speeds faster than the mallard illegally, but as it was kept under wraps, the official record stood unchallenged. A group is reconstructing the Pennsylvania Railroad Duplex, a streamlined 4-4-4-4 passenger locomotive with no preserved examples, to challenge the record based on this premise.)

[@deathwatch2123]

I love it and I want it so much. Though I do have a bias with the colour purple as it's my favourite. If it was just a popular as emerald green during the steam era then I think it would be less weird.

[@Olivers-trains]

Sam did you know that Sir Nigel Gresley is actually Sir Herbert Nigel Gresley

[@CasinoWoyale]

Isn't Wikipedia a wonderful thing?

[@Olivers-trains]

@@CasinoWoyale I found it out at the National Railway Museum in York

[@douglasallen511]

@@CasinoWoyale I use Wikipedia for many reasons and appreciate it's existence.

[@diningsock3316]

Course I love it! Its different but it looks good!

[@n-spiredmodeller]

Experimental Blue/Purple is my favourite livery! I model N Gauge and found the Dapol (Modelbahn Union) Limited Edition and loved it so much I'm getting the rest of the locos that carried this livery created. It was the flagships (8Ps) from each region that had this, so: Coronations, Kings, Merchant Navy and an A3 too. From reference photos I've been able to find, the A4 is the most 'purple' of all of them, the rest were more in line with a dark blue closer to the GER blue but with red, white and grey LNWR style lining

[@edwardlawrence9916]

I got the 2006 Hornby A4 Sir Charles Newton R2338 for my 10th birthday and it still runs soooo well, idk what it was about Hornby Loco's from this era but it crawls unbelievably well

[@lukeslocomotives]

7:58 which ones were they?

[@Class158]

60024 "Kingfisher" 60027 "Merlin" 60028 "Walter K Whigham" 60029 "Woodcock"

[@pressstart1490]

I would love to see them releasing again some of the Silver A4 locomotives without side covers. But i don't really think Hornby will ever do that

[@RomeoHatesShrimp]

PURPLE SPENCER

[@Jaymzhatstand]

They didn't loose the valances over the driving wheels until during WWII, and by then the locos weren't silver anymore.

[@shauntempley9757]

@@Jaymzhatstand The Silver Link was the prototype without valances, so the designers and repair crews could work on issues it developed. Other than that, you are correct.

[@connorrobinson1909]

I talked about this in a comment yonks ago. So you finally got round to it? Brilliant.

[@SamsTrains]

haha yep!! I thought I'd better see what they were like!! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@fredsrails7501]

good video sam loved the music you put at the start

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks so much Fred, glad you did!! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@lukeslocomotives]

It looks far brighter than ger blue

[@TidmouthSheds]

My phone when I say to Siri “invert colours”:

[@SamsTrains]

haha!! xD Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@lucasmonkey913]

For me it only turn black to blu-ish and switch grey/black to white tho...

[@nikerailfanningttm9046]

I've always loved the BR experimental Purple livery, its so nice and looks sharp with the black on the A4's

[@pedalcarguy]

I really like the livery on this one. It is very striking. Like a punch in the eye! I recently acquired an old train set with a non-running A4. I got it mainly for the Pullman coaches. The loco has a very worn mechanism and the gears are catching badly. It will need new bushings on the driven axle and all the gear axles too, which originally were without bushings. The axle bosses in the metal chassis are so worn. I guess it has been driven with no lubrication from the start. No matter, I like solving problems and fixing things! If you ask me, there is not enough reduction gearing in these Hornby A4's. The slow speed performance has perhaps been sacrificed for a higher top speed. Sam, thank you and stay healthy!

[@tudortheb2peckett787]

IT'S JUST ANOTHER BLUE A4 .

[@munchkinman9186]

Got this one for Christmas a year or two back. Quite enjoyed it apart from that famous, or infamous, linkage problem I heard most of the Hornby A4s had where it would just come apart after 10 minutes of running. As I’ve had nothing but green or black locos for most of my model railway life the experimental blue was a welcome sight to the collection

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks for sharing - ahh yes of course, sorry to hear that... I've heard a lot about this! I hope you sent it back and got it sorted! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@thestandardfour0699]

I actually like this livery, My brother has a BR blue A4 and I love it. I adore the unusual livery. Great vid Sam!

[@SamsTrains]

Glad to hear that - the blue ones are amazing too! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@RobA500]

I like it and do already own one. I’ve not run mine for a while but don’t remember any issues, I will have to get it out and have a go so will get back to you on that one. I will eventually video it as I’ve started to record some stuff. Keep up the good reviews. Now that I have just checked mine I can report back that it runs super smooth at all speeds and all tender wheels touch the track.

[@shinvelcro]

After listing it in the instructions did it have the speedo? Still I do like that shade!

[@Evaunit98]

This livery has become one of my favourites after I bought it a couple of weeks ago, it’s so strange yet it still has the elegance of the A4

[@SamsTrains]

Great to hear that Jacob - yeah I'd agree with you there! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@70053morayfirth]

Looks very cheap indeed at the price you paid for such a wonderfully detailed engine. That cab, the subtle footplate lining and the screw coupling are brilliant. This engine only carried this livery for two years (1948-1950) and it's not my favourite, but it looks terrific at speed. Nice review.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks John - yes that's true, there are lots of great details on these! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@Alpha-oo8]

What a lovely livery! I love it when they try different liveries. Here in Victoria, most main line engines are just black, so I love it when we have different colours.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks a lot mate, I love seeing these different liveries too!! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@brianmicky7596]

Hi Sam, Good Review, love the colour, Am with you it's not got the full woo factor, All the Best Brian 🤗

[@richardchantlerrico]

I went out of my way to get one of these, love the different colour and being a fan of purple it caught my attention more.

[@SamsTrains]

Great to hear that - that's certainly true! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@cameronmcilroy8261]

I have that train myself, got it for Christmas and I love it all together

[@SamsTrains]

Ooh fantastic - great to hear that! :D

[@harrygrieves6812]

Hi Sam. Do you ever use the Northern line, the tube line on the London Underground network that divides onto 2 separate branches in Central Line and then reforms when heading south on the tube map?

[@sloppyfadge9565]

Can some one tell me, when mallard did it’s WR run did it have its wheels exposed like the purple Walter or were it’s wheels covered as they are in the video? I’ve seen the mallard sold with its wheels exposed and hidden and I want to get one but as it was when it did the record.

[@Nialletto]

Great review. I just bought a mint, unused Merlin which was the first of the China made purple livery A4s back in around 2004. I think the tooling for this model is what was used on Merlin. Stunning models :).

[@pettra1]

Hi Sam. Just thought I'd let you know that my model of this loco arrived today. It did a splendid very slow crawl straight out of the box, only very minor cogging at one or two points during the test. Did the running in of 30 minutes in each direction at 40 - 50% speed. Sounds really smooth now. Crawl test just as good after the running in, again with only very minor cogging at one or two points. Am very pleased with it, especially with it pulling a rake of five BR maroon coaches around the track. Even copes with slow crawl speed with the coaches. Lovely. Best Pete.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks a lot for sharing Pete - that's very interesting to know! What controller are you using? Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@pettra1]

@@SamsTrains I was using the Hornby HM2000 controller. Wasn't as good with my Gaugemaster controller though.

[@Low_Zones]

Sam is so wholesome and happy, I love it!

[@SamsTrains]

haha thanks so much!! :D

[@adamrivera3327]

At 13:55 if you look under the corridor and on top of the the nem coupling, you can see the Depiction of American knuckle coupler. Really good details for 20 plus years old

[@SamsTrains]

Ooh yeah! That's pretty awesome!! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@terrycharleslewis7565]

Hey Sam, good and fair revue. Strangely, I'm drawn to this colour much more than the blue, maybe because it was experimental only. Incredible a modeller has the choice at what must've been a very rare colour indeed. Regards, Terry.

[@roycspary8923]

checking quartering is a bit of a nightmare, but the easiest way I have found so far is to take the body of, put it on a separate piece of track turn the motor or worm gear over by hang until the coupling rod on one is exactly level. using the axle centers is a reasonable guide. turn the track around to see the other side and use a small engineers square to check that each coupling rod screw is exactly in line with the axle center. being above or below does not mater being exactly in line is what you look for. obviously they will all be above or below. perhaps it is just age, but I find magnifying glasses make this easier thanks for the review my 80 pound equivalent is running in right now. what a delightful little model I trusted your review and to me it wasspot on. thanks sam keep up the good work roy

[@ridefree2153]

I just got back into model railway, couple of years ago. How often do they update the locomotives?

[@MrHipwell1989]

Sam how do I get to the bearings under the base keeper on this? It's hard wired on and I can't remove it. And now the worry if got is that because I removed the screws to try and remove the base, I now don't know if the bearings are seated correctly as I can't see them!

[@skalemodelkorner289]

Very nice loco, very nice review! Cheers, Luca👍

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks Luca, glad you liked it! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@ciaranburke3243]

Glad you featured this sam I do like it, if that tooling is from 04 it aint half bad worth what you paid for it but not the rrp 🙂 I have a quick question if you don't mind im thinking of buying an American diesel loco do you know if the rear couplers can be swapped out for tension lock couplers 🤔

[@tainuns4525]

Love the livery! also if they update the A4 they should try an opening smoke box door for display of a A4 getting serviced.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks Tai! Yeah that'd be epic actually! :O Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@jackirishboi522]

Walter K Whigham looks stunning, thanks for reviewing it Sam!

[@SamsTrains]

It's a pleasure Jack, glad you liked it! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@HarryC_640]

A very interesting video Sam! I quite like the purple actually as it’s just a subtle difference to a br blue. Do you think given their age that there will be an update to the a4 class coming soon? Congrats on 98k too!!

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks a lot Harry - yeah that's right! I hope so, but I don't know whether it's happening or not! ;D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@LleshGordon2122]

Ahh yes Sam it looking very cool purple LNER speed of locomotive, well let see you having on the tracks bro

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks a lot llesh, appreciate it! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@kennethdelagarza7339]

Love this A4 it looks like its in blue but I will make sure to get this for my birthday

[@jackdripper5675]

In the RAL classic colour chart this shade of violet-blue closely matches what they call Coronation Blue. There is a good period colour photos of an unrebuilt Merchant Navy in BR experimental blue in the thread ' BR A4 Experimental Blue 1948-51' on the Rmweb forum. It's close, but I think the original colour was a tad brighter blue in shade, sometimes called ultramarine-blue

[@marcdempsey5850]

A4s are one of my favourite and this colour is very dramatic, I like it. Great review, as it’s dcc ready why not try it with decoder fitted and see what the slow speed turns out like. The other A4s I have a very good at slow speed but not as smooth as a dcc one. Thanks again for great review. 👍

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks a lot Marc - yes that's a good point, i could try that some time! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@ajvids1869]

Awesome video sam and I have to said that a4 is cool in purple livery and it looks like mallard,silver link,golden eagle and spencer the silver streamline engine.

[@teescottageguyproductions]

Once again a great review

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks a lot Tee!! :D

[@kurtmansfield4571]

Hey Sam check the bogie is in place and open the tender and check. I had the same problem but with tender driven version

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks Kurt! There is no truck on the loco-driven Hornby A4... only the Railroad one! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@TheClaudHamilton]

I really like the experimental purple livery. It reminds me somewhat of the royal blue that you used to see on the Claud Hamilton 4-4-0s and other Great Eastern engines.

[@SamsTrains]

Me too actually - I'm a fan of it for sure!! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@mattbov14]

hello Sam I love all the liveries of the A4's. as they are my favourite. I've got over 60 of them nearly all of that were produced and all in differnt liveries . would be a good video to see how many could get on your layout🤣👍 great video again mate

[@SamsTrains]

Glad to hear that Matt - me too! Wow you have over 60?!?!? :O Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@jacobwilson5468]

This exact release did come out in 2004. This purple livery A4 was released in 2019 or 2020. The tooling was made 2004, but it has been updated since then, being fitted NEM couplings.

[@SamsTrains]

Ooh very interesting - yeah it has been updated, but only in minor areas as far as I can tell! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@robertlucido3686]

I've done one part of my layout as an old west theme park with an miniature train running around it, that train I've also done in N gauge

[@SamsTrains]

Ooh I love that idea - what a cool idea!! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@dutch_train_guy7993]

This is a nice A4 livery i myself only have german loco’s those are normally black with red greetings from the netherlands

[@ThomasZoey3000]

I really like this livery, it's interesting and so far, a one of a kind look to it. I actually have this model, and ever since I got it, it's really brought character to my train layout.

[@SamsTrains]

Yeah me too - it's definitely grown on me a lot! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@Running-with-skizers]

I love that color sam its something different kinda like the southern pacific daylight color scheme

[@gc7820]

I love the experimental liveries of early nationalisation like this or the acid green version (same lining colours in the LNWR grey/cream/red style that went on the black mixed traffic locomotives) that seemed to crop up on the exLMS jubilees or just the old big 4 liveries with British railways written on the tender sometimes in the style of the old company (western and southern especially did this) and a letter denoting region in front of the running numbers. After trying this purpleish blue they settled on the short lived lighter blue with white lining Caledonian style livery for frontline express passenger which dirtied too fast so was phased out with everything express passenger getting GWR esque lined green.

[@seankorol]

Like the BR blue Flying Scotsman I think the Experimental Purple is something refreshing because these Locomotives were in LNER green, BR green and BR blue for who knows how long so its nice to see something different. I like it.

[@thebluejelly7012]

That actually looks quite nice, great video 👍

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks Jelly, glad you liked it! :D Thanks for watching - Sam :)

[@matthewcastle24]

@Sam'strains hi Sam great video got to get one of these plus can I ask if you had any trouble with your hornby A4 mallard railroad version as I brought one ran in on my layout and all the valve gear sheared off and my 9f crosti so be careful mate

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks so much Matthew! No I haven't - but that is a common problem, I've had tonnes of comments about this! :( Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@speleokeir]

The livery is a bit different so adds a bit more variety of colour on a layout. The real question is which coaches to put with it? BR blue/grey mk1s? Pullmans? Blue Pullmans? Custard & creams? or perhaps mixing eras with teaks. I think all would clash slightly.

[@Madonsteamrailways]

The bit of running it back and forth on a small area of track is necessary so that you know how the locomotive works. The general running in going to make the locomotive more subtle than it would be straight out of the box.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks for sharing - yes I think so too! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@peterbartlett4082]

People's "perceptions of colour" is interesting particularly as in certain lighting conditions the loco does actually appear blue!

[@SamsTrains]

I agree Peter - it's very interesting and indefinite isn't it? Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@johnstedman4075]

To match Mallard, the 00 scale version would have to zoom along at 2 feet 5 inches per second. The blue paint makes it faster, apparently...