Kampala Rd: The ViTrains Class 37 A Look See

A look at a much critisied model in its day. Whilst not up the the Bachmann stable mate, they do run very well and are easy to maintain.

[@onnomulder9775]

Very nice loco and video!! Merry Christmas and a good and healthy 2020 for you and your family Jerry! Cheers Onno.

[@jerryallen34]

Thank you Onno and a jolly merry Christmas ti you and all too. Highly appreciate you comments and support throughout the year. Best. Jerry

[@NorbertRoll]

Really wonderful. I like the ViTrains locos.

[@jerryallen34]

Really glad you liked it. Merry Christmas Norbert. Jerry

[@NorbertRoll]

@@jerryallen34 Hi Jerry, Merry Christmas and an extra great New Year 2020 to you.

[@robertstrainset6556]

Hi Jerry, I must say if you had just shown these 37's going around the layout and said you can buy them S/H for £50 pounds they would have indeed been a bargain so thanks for making us aware of what we would be letting ourselves in for but as you seem very happy with them it would maybe tempt others to buy them and then the prices might go up!!!. I did however enjoy this film so well done and keep up the good work in entertaining and educating us far into the future. I wish you all there a very Happy Christmas & New Year where ever you may spend it. Cheers Robert.

[@jerryallen34]

Hello Robert and thanks for the comment. For someone coming into Railway Modelling it is important they know what they are letting themselves infor if a vitrains is on the list. You can imagine if new to the hobby how disapointing it would be and may put you off. A very Merry Christmas to you too. Have a great time. Jerry

[@LNER1946]

Hi Jerry, Interesting and honest video on a now defunct manufacturer, good to see and hear how you have improved it. have a great Christmas and New year. Glynn

[@jerryallen34]

Happy Christmas to you to Glynn. Thanks for the support and trust all going well in the new loft. Cheers Jerry

[@medwaypeninsulaMR]

Hi Jerry - Thanks that was informative and your weathered versions looks very good

[@jerryallen34]

Thnak you, and whilst its a bit of an old banger I do love it very much! Have a very Merry Christmas. Jerry

[@medwaypeninsulaMR]

You too Jerry and a Happy New Year

[@davestrains6816]

Great review Jerry. Its nice to see other types of locomotives that I have never seen before. I really love the sound of them. Thanks for sharing. Dave

[@jerryallen34]

Thank you Dave and I really appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment. Cheers Jerry

[@bomaddox4771]

InstaBlaster.

[@robertgates7686]

Hi Jerry, thanks for video on the Vitrains class 37. As you say there are easy to maintain and run excellently. I have only one, 'British Steel Hunterston' which as a newcomer to model railways I bought secondhand from my local model shop. It ran excellently until about a year ago when it started to run jerkily in one direction. I decided to give it a major strip down and discovered that one drive bogie had a brass bearing bush missing from the outer end of the worm gear. It is surprising that it ran so well for many years with this part missing. i am fortunate to have a very elderly small lathe and so made a new one to dimensions taken from the other drive bogie. It runs again but still not as good as it used to in one direction. Probably due to the worm and wheel gears running misaligned for many years. Keep your videos coming, I really enjoy them.

[@jerryallen34]

My God, you made one!!! Well done. I am glad you enjoyed the loco because that is what it is all about and the livery of yours is no too shabby, I like it! Thank you for the very kind comment re the videos, another one coming shortly which is my usual Christmas Bloopers special. Merry Christmas and thank you again. Jerry

[@thebibletrain8297]

Nice loco and a fun video to watch 👍

[@jerryallen34]

Thanks and appreciated Merry Christmas. Jerry

[@stephenchambers5900]

Great video. I have gone on EBay and hopefully have an unused one on the way. I was a big fan of Lima models as a kid.

[@jerryallen34]

Enjoy. They are under rated

[@ChippingfordModelRailway64]

Cheers nice review, very fair I thought. I’ve just discovered their excellent range of liveries and plan on getting a few more.

[@jerryallen34]

Great, you will not be disappointed

[@howarth004]

Good price and a few tweaks you have a good one

[@jerryallen34]

They are good work horses Dave and still good value for money! Cheers Jerry

[@glenshielrailway5696]

I have an Intercity one and I'd say they're better than the Hornby Railroad range. Definitely worth the money. Just have to have some glue nearby for those fiddly bits! Mike.

[@jerryallen34]

Yep keep the glue handy Mike! Cheers and Happy New Year, Jerry

[@stmichaelshill7421]

Good look see Jerry! I have one and I'm pretty happy with it to be honest, especially for the price paid!

[@jerryallen34]

Hi Richard, yep good all round model, not the best but up there with them. Glad you liked it and Happy Christmas. Jerry

[@ILikeTransport]

Very nice video Jerry! I enjoyed that! The buffers are modelled on the later version which is why they are not as you mentioned large round.

[@jerryallen34]

Thank you and I did not know the reason so appreciate the details Glad you enjoyed it. Have a very Merry Christmas. Jerry

[@ILikeTransport]

@@jerryallen34 thanks!

[@simondean9579]

Theses are a decent locomotive, I have quite a few

[@DungeWoodRailway]

Hi Jerry Great video, I somehow completely missed out on the ViTrains models, so clearly missed out on some fun... They do look good when all in one piece but I haven't seen any below fifty quid, maybe the bargains and damaged ones have gone now? I've heard if you can get all the extra detail to stay they look much better than Bachmann early effort, which was also the wrong shape. Looking forward to the bloopers vid. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family. Cheers Paul

[@jerryallen34]

Detail them, weather them properly (not like mine) and they look superb and possibly better thatn the Bachmans! That Dutch on cost £51 so they are around, pateince is required. Happy Christmas to you and your family Paul. Jerry

[@ChapelEndJunctionUK]

I have a Vitrains 37 and thought it was my bad luck with the faults , but as you say Jerry it is a great runner and with a bit of weathering does look better . Good review .......Peter

[@jerryallen34]

Cheers Peter, I have seen yours with the great sound. Cheers Jerry

[@AdiPullen]

Hi jerry This is a well made video. Very informative video as always You should do this videos more often I never knew they was Italy made. Yes I have heard a few people slag them off Tar for sharing Keep safe arp

[@jerryallen34]

Thanks mate and slag them off is an understatement lol. Appreciate the comment as its not really your thing so means something. Best and take care, Jerry

[@AdiPullen]

@@jerryallen34 no no it was interesting Do vitrains do a steam locomotives

[@jerryallen34]

@@AdiPullen Not British outline

[@colwichjunction3366]

Nice video, I got hold of a Vi Trains BR Blue 37 earlier in the year & yes it’s full of faults that you can pick on. The saving grace is like you say, they’re lovely runners & powerful to boot. My 37 is missing most of it detailing, & somebody has has a go at weathering it , but it looks great running. I probably paid over the odds for a 47 in DRS livery (as new) from one of the large online retailers, again it has problems compared to my Bachmann DRS 57 side by side, but the detailing on the moulding is really good. Non of the detailing parts have been fitted, so at some point I will be busy with the glue! Its biggest let down is the light bleed through the yellow ends - this loco is again another lovely runner.... Like you say with a little time spent on them they can be made into looking great locos 👍 Cheers John B

[@jerryallen34]

Hi John. Yes i have had to paint the interiors to stop the light bleed. The 47s are indeed great except there are SO MANY parts to fit including all hand rails. The 47 do seem to go for quite a bit of money, probobly because there are less of them around? Anyway Merry Christmas and best Jerry

[@GrahamFoulston]

Hi Gerry, I enjoyed that video, very informative. I have always shied away from Vitrains because of the really bad reputation they had (have). But as long as you are prepared to do a little modelling on them then your 37’s actually look very good on the track, not what I was expecting at all. I can see why you have a few of them yourself. Great video mate and thanks for sharing. Cheers for now mate. ...........Graham

[@jerryallen34]

Gday Graham and thanks. Yep I can understand you staying away, most people did! They were poorly put together something that should of been unacceptable and indeed today would be so. But they are unfussy and do a job. Many thanks for the comment mate and I'll send you Christmas greeting on your video which I have just watched!! Best and thanks for the support. Jerry

[@nigelcarter9503]

I know all those problems, Jerry, as I have had them all on ViTrains. I have several. They are my favorite and I can hear them every morning on the Rhymney to Cardiff line. Colas and some from Scotland. I do not like traction tyres. A good article. I agree they run well.

[@jerryallen34]

Thanks Nigel. I used to watch 37s leaving Liverpool Street heading out to the Fens etc and would love to hear that sound again one day. You are fortunate! Thanks for watching and a very Merry Christmas to you. Cheers

[@nigelcarter9503]

@@jerryallen34 Same to you and family

[@paulroberts2173]

Hi Jerry. I have one of the later ones without traction tyres I must agree they are not perfectly detailed but mine runs superb I modified there's lights with fibre optics a lot better . It runs fine with a tts decoder try an iPhone speaker great sounds . Paul

[@jerryallen34]

Gday Paul a better speaker would be good agreed. They do run well with TTS I was quite suprised.My later ones do not have tyres which is better a bit like the Class 50. Have a very Meryy Christmas and thanks. Jerry

[@PaulAFulcher]

Hi jerry another nice video !...my i offer my five pence on your speaker problem..a sugar cube speaker with 3 box units stuck together for a boom box sited with blue tack behind the cab...there is more room with the body on than it looks.

[@jerryallen34]

No worries Paul and thanks for that. I indeed need to invest in speakers so I can have a choice when the time comes. Really apprecite the help. Anytime. Have a merry Christmas, Jerry

[@TRAMJUNCTION7147HG]

As I have only got back into the model railway scene last year, after a very long absense, I have never heard of Vitrains, maybe because there are not that many around now. From what you had to say about them, they did have a lot of faults and although cheap compared to other makes, you get what you pay for I suppose. I don't think I will be desperate to get one, even if I saw one, because I prefer to spend my money on steam locos, although I do have a few diesels. Great and informative video Jerry and thank you for your detailed examination on these locos. regards Geoff

[@jerryallen34]

Gday Geoff. I think they are good if you want "play" trains although I must say I do like mine and use them as such along with the Bachmann examples. They run so well, however can be frustrating with all the bits falling off. Thanks for the feedback appreciate and I hope you have a very Merry Christmas. Jerry

[@csxrensville5105]

Nice locos. Good price. Your speaker needs a baffle box. That's why it's sounding tinney.

[@jerryallen34]

Hi and thanks for that, yes i had taken the one supplied off and not built a replacement out of blu-tak, your observation is spot on. Thank you and Merry Christmas. Jerry

[@sub39h]

I don’t have the 37 but I have a few 47s and in terms of detail I have to say they are right up there with Bachmann.

[@jerryallen34]

I have 3 Class 47 and totally agree, they run better than my Bachmanns alth shape wise may be the latter is a nose in front. Merry Christmas. Jerry

[@Steamplug]

Hi Jerry, will you be returning to KZbin? Really enjoyed your content and a shame to see it discontinued.

[@jerryallen34]

Hello John, yes i will, definitely. I'll be doing a long overdue update soon. Thanks for the comments

[@danielsellers8707]

For me it would be Vitrains as they're not made in China!