Out of curiosity, my wife looked up the set. They're now out of stock on the full price, and no "scuffed" ones to speak of. That listing is gone. Hornby must have someone monitoring your channel which I find very funny. Keep up the brutal honesty!
@druunderwood56022 жыл бұрын
Maybe they tipped over on Forest Gate Triangle?
@Nathan93Baker2 жыл бұрын
I wish my wife looked up train sets.
@Whodey22052 жыл бұрын
@@Nathan93Baker same
@thedappercook2 жыл бұрын
Probably just sold out. Don't go down some conspiracy rat hole
@timtheeagle12 жыл бұрын
@@thedappercook lol. There's a difference between listings out of stock and removed from the site all together. The regular ones were showing as out of stock. If you've watched any of Sam's videos, Hornby is not a company you'd be soon defending.
@InventorZahran Жыл бұрын
What's especially frustrating is that the "real" Hogwarts Express was always depicted as having four coaches (except in one film where it had five for no apparent reason), so it wouldn't've even been that difficult to just include two more to complete the set.
@Edits24-7.4 ай бұрын
They have other coaches for sale (selfish money loving sods… Anyway
@NJRD9772 жыл бұрын
With some licensing agreements, there are strict rules about discounting including discounts for end of range, damaged products and customer or reseller returns while the license is live. It could be that non A-1 packaging can be sold at a clearance price and the definition/audit process of non A-1 is loose enough for the supplier to use to clear over stocks without breaking the master agreement.
@pmb91722 жыл бұрын
No , they have discounted Harry Potter product before , but that was before they adopted the anti retailer approach , you should not the most recent Hornby board appointment , a gent with specific specialist internet selling experience.
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
Interesting - thanks a lot to you both for sharing the info! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@stuartaaron6132 жыл бұрын
A way to fix that blue/white LED is to use some "clear orange" paint (Tamiya X- 26). A few coats over the LED tones down the color towards that "warm white" color that most modelers desire. I hate those blue/white LEDs. Several US companies use them, and they ruin what are otherwise beautiful models.
@wayneelliott82772 жыл бұрын
It does have corner scrapes and I'm fairly sure I know at least partly what this stock is about. This is retailer return stock, I saw pallets of this stuff going out to retail pre Christmas including easy build cars from Airfix. Likely returned for credit leaving hornby with B grade stock to shift.
@lindaoffenbach2 жыл бұрын
Ah, that does make sense. So they have to clear their stock then which is mostly B now.
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
It really didn't - it's quite normal to have the odd soft corner like that! Ahh interesting - could be right there! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@rowdyperson63932 жыл бұрын
Nonsense. What is described in the vid is the truth. Hornby want to charge stupid money for sub standard stuff. The end of model railways is fast approaching as people stop buying and the next generation stops coming in to it. Hornby etc only have themselves to blame.
@TheRamtops2 жыл бұрын
Send it back for a full refund.
@cocaptainbluesgaming69992 жыл бұрын
I think I know why... I remember reading about this.. When the new owner took over Hornby he said the company was all over the place. He was confused as to why Hornby was even making sets such as Hogwarts and Paddington when it doesn't fit into the company's style. "How is Hogwarts express going to fit into someone's accurate model layout of the 1900's" (he said something like that) So maybe they are finding a way to gradually remove stock such as this?
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
Yeah it's a good question isn't it? Fair enough if stand-alone train sets were popular among non-modellers, but are they these days? Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@robertlucido36862 жыл бұрын
You should do a running session where you show models of trains that have been used in movies and TV shows
@RHaenJarr2 жыл бұрын
Are you sure you want to watch Underground Ernie on the layout again?
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
That's an awesome idea Robert - thing is, I bet most of the preserved locos have been screen used from one time or another! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@Alex-cw3rz2 жыл бұрын
I imagine they stuck the LED in the front like that, rather than it in a lamp, so modellers couldn't get a cheap hall class, so Hornby could sell models at higher price. Although conjecture it's probably also why it was a white light as well to make it even more of an inconvenience
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
haha very cynical, but you could be right, lol! ;D Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@Shipwright19182 жыл бұрын
Could always just snip the wires and paint /blank it over if you find it a bother, or remount it into a lamp body. Kitbashing is the budget modeller's friend.
@bjmorley2 жыл бұрын
And? Take it out, and plug with some plasticard and filler... Then paint! 🤷♂️
@grahamfigg58172 жыл бұрын
@@Shipwright1918 To make it into a Hall in either GWR or BR livery you'd have to completely repaint it anyway so popping out the smokebox door and getting a spare would be a minor inconvenience. If only the Harry Potter film had used an LMS locomotive!!
@Loweko11702 жыл бұрын
@@SamsTrains It may not be "cheap Hall class" so much as "legally distinct Hall class" - the licensing agreement will have specified Hogwarts Castle, and under US law there can be legal issues around "confusion" between an IP-linked item and a generic item. The licence might well have demanded all-new tooling (note the Hogwarts Railways logo too) to avoid any suggestion that Hogwarts Castle was the same product as a standard Hall and losing IP protection.
@jamesmorris31232 жыл бұрын
I have actually seen the Hogwarts Express when it was stored in London's Clapham Junction, Battersea. It was secretly stored to stop train fanatics knowing where it was. The security gate was about 20 feet high covered in barbed wire Also there which I was allowed to tour through was the Orient Express which was being serviced. I was given a bar of Orient Express soap. 20 years ago, time flies.
@stormus652 жыл бұрын
Interestingly, the set is missing quite a bit from Hornbys earlier HP train sets. The Philosophers Stone, Chamber Of Secrets sets also had a trackmat, platform with a platform shelter in it, platform fencing and furniture n that cost around £100 back in the day. Controller wise, ya should have a look at the old school HandM Clipper or Duette controllers, they were and are still awesome kit
@johnriddering83422 жыл бұрын
I just got the Lionel hogwarts express and that came with three coaches that light up and it is stunning.
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
Very awesome Johnn - I've never seen that one myself! :O Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@ianhaynes58982 жыл бұрын
And you get a bell.
@kretieg29432 жыл бұрын
The Lionel units look very nice. That 3rd rail just ruins it for me though. I have seen setups that have the middle line black but my eye goes straight to it. I like the size of the OO models but the error between track and scale is about 12% in OO and roughly 7% for HO scale. I just don't understand how they didn't engineer this better like....I don't know...a HUNDRED years ago? Joking aside, it should have been resolved accurately 60-70 years ago.
@LightweightNat2 жыл бұрын
I bought one of these a few months ago (due to overly effective Instagram advertising) and mine is also not remotely scuffed, really pleased with it! I got the impression that these sets are all returned from high street retailers like WH Smith and Marks and Spencers etc, and some of them would have spent some time being shuffled around shop floors before being returned to Hornby as unsold, whereas others would have just sat in a warehouse or two prior to being returned. If I was being kind to Hornby I would suggest that they're offering all boxes that have been returned from high street retailers as potentially scuffed wether they are or not, and the unscuffed full price ones have never left Hornby's own premises before, but that's possibly being over generous - your theory also seems plausible. Enjoyed the review, I also feel like this set is great value for money at the reduced price, and it was an easy choice for me to help me get my kids more enthusiastic about (my!) model trains!
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
Thanks a lot for sharing Nat - it seems as though most of them don't have any scuffing... definitely getting that sense from the comments! That's a good thought - could be right there! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@paulbowman15002 жыл бұрын
Let's just say that u have been blessed with a magical train in your train collection (and it's making Thomas and his friends jealous). It's an awesome model to have as a modal train from Hornby. The train is perfect, they brought the proper train from RL (real life) into an aweome looking model. I wonder what the next review is going to be that you will be doing Sam.
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
haha I sure have Paul - and maybe Thomas and his pals is jealous... I'll have to have a word! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@paulbowman15002 жыл бұрын
@@SamsTrains OK Sam.
@josephtucker71812 жыл бұрын
I have been rewatching this religiously for the past 2 weeks I am rewatching Harry Potter and have got back into it. I am waiting for a chance to get this for my layout. Literally just the loco... Maybe a single coach because it looks so good. The led I don't care about being blue.
@martgough2 жыл бұрын
The disappointing thing is I got an original Harry potter set when it first came out years ago, which had a castle class instead of a hall. The one used the horrific ringfield motor. And that came with a specific Harry potter track mat. And definitely looks like the very same mk1s you shown today. I believe it came from toys r us for £80 well over 10 years ago. And if you were to review today that it'd score the same as this new set.
@MachRacer45 ай бұрын
I’ve had that set for a few years and have outfitted it with DCC Sound using a Soundtraxx Econami UK steam sound decoder with a GWR exhaust chuff sound with the Gresley A4 whistle for a more movie accurate sound than the TTS sound fitted version of the engine.
@hueyiroquois38392 жыл бұрын
21:35 The headlight is magically enhanced, which turns it blue.
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
Ahh of course - silly me! ;D Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@Evaunit982 жыл бұрын
Hogwarts castle will forever amuse me, it’s a Hall class pretending to be a Castle class, that just seems funny to me
@druunderwood56022 жыл бұрын
I'm pretty sure the break down of the multiverse has something to do with that.
@druunderwood56022 жыл бұрын
Its like a Class 31 thinking its a toffee apple? Or is it the other way round?
@adamwilliams1922 жыл бұрын
Interesting review and a good train set….for the cheaper price! What on Earth Hornby think they are doing with the “scuffed box” business, but it’s yet more strange shenanigans from the so called biggest name in the business!
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
Thanks Adam - haha I don't know - it's very strange isn't it?! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@marks.64802 жыл бұрын
could be related to the licensing deal. maybe that deal doesnt allow them to sell at a lower price (== lower license payments!) without permission. Writing it off as B stock could be a workaround there
@freebrickproductions2 жыл бұрын
@@marks.6480 That's what I was suspecting as well, as Terf Castle Lady seems to be pretty picky when it comes to the license of her franchise, given how she's acted over the years towards people who are/were fans of her series, especially those who were fanfic writers.
@marks.64802 жыл бұрын
@@freebrickproductions im pretty sure she is not involved in the licensing deals. that is usually farmed out to a marketing team.
@druunderwood56022 жыл бұрын
Trust me stranger shenanigans have happened at Goodmayes.
@TomPrickVixen2 жыл бұрын
I have a theory too: maybe the shipping container was dropped or the delivery truck had an accident, the set were shipped with (or something like that), so by a law (i think GB has a law too for that) they can not sell these as brand new, only as damaged product, despite it got damaged or not. Maybe! Or just there's a printing error on the boxes.
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
Thanks Tom - yes that's being suggested quite a bit - could be - we'll never know for sure! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@marcdempsey58502 жыл бұрын
Hi Sam, after seeing the review I had to check my Harry Potter train set; first one the philosopher stone. It to only had two coaches and I added to it another two to give it some truth. The reason I checked the box was it came with a very special track mat. Background of stars etc. Never used it but knew I had had seen something so out there, there must be others. I did get a dcc version with the lamp but it’s not great on dc… well done hornby. Anyway great review and hoped to help re the special HP track mat.. keep the review coming, all best Marc
@MrHack4never2 жыл бұрын
It is also possible that the lower price for scuffed packaging is to offer the product for cheaper to people who won't keep the box on display
@jamesling82182 жыл бұрын
Hey mate I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for these videos I think you do an amazing job and you have inspired me to love trains like nothing else and I have now convinced my parents to give me a corner of my garage to build my own layout so thank you for inspiring me.
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
It's a pleasure James, thanks so much for your kind words! That's amazing news - good luck with your layout - send me some photos of it!! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@jamesling82182 жыл бұрын
@@SamsTrains Your welcome Sam, how would I send you photos?
@timsmith81892 жыл бұрын
I thought you gave a very fair review. It inspired me to " Look through my Hoard ". I have a Mint Boxed R1048 set with a Cadbury Castle from 2004. Apparently the 4 coaches are from the Railroad Range. It seems to me there was much better value for money then. The Loco is really nice with brass chimney, whistles, etc. I have no idea what it cost originally and would be intrigued if someone new what it would be in 2022 adjusted for inflation. Great Video by the way 👍
@graham76man2 жыл бұрын
This Sunday on the Antiques Roadshow a guy had the original number of the Hall locomotive. It was valued at less money than if it had been a fake one from the film! I think you are right about why Hornby were offering a cheaper version of the set. Younger fans of Harry Potter would have a job convincing parents to fork out over £200 for Christmas or birthday presents!
@worldcomicsreview3542 жыл бұрын
I remember getting a dirt cheap Nintendo DSi (old at the time, but not that old) because it was "scratched". The bloke had to keep turning it over in the light to even make the "scratch" visible!
@leighwitts2522 жыл бұрын
The 1st set released by hornby was Harry Potter and the philosiphers stone set....this was a decent set, as the loco had metal whistles, sprung buffers and a push together connection between loco and tender. The set came with 2 coaches, oval of track with siding, a track mat and a station for the siding...so seems to me the value has gone down but the price has gone up...
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
Yes I know of those older sets - different loco altogether of course though! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@patricpeters97162 жыл бұрын
This is one of the only Hornby train sets continuously available in the US, for around $200. I had a Bachmann Hogwarts when I was a kid, sadly it was quite fragile and only the coaches survived to this day. I look forward to actually buying one of these and and add my old coaches.
@johnrycroft39062 жыл бұрын
I looked at this set last year, when it was £180. I bought a ‘scuffed box’ version when it came out in November 21. Thanks for the review Sam
@BrakeCoach2 жыл бұрын
9:16 seems like the livery is post-preservation since it has the orange cantrail stripe below the roof gutter
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
Ahh very interesting!
@chaoticgoose48872 жыл бұрын
Lovely looking train set! Looking at hornby's US website, it's one of the few things on there (yes, hornby has a different website for us yanks, with way less stuff). However, the set on their website is $315, or about 245 pounds!! Hornby at this point is the laughing stock of the OO modelling world.
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
It is actually! Ahh it's still on there in the US? They say it's now gone from their UK site! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@yaboyidk69622 жыл бұрын
I purchased mine for $209
@Jaidencharlotte2 жыл бұрын
I got this set for Christmas last year based on information I gathered from your reviews, which continue to influence my choices in locos/stock to expand. Thanks very much for reviewing it
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
Ahh fantastic! Yeah overall it's a decent quality set - one of the better ones I'd say! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@1earedwolf Жыл бұрын
I'm in contact with someone who's essentially a Hornby-licensed repairman. He had a Hogwarts Castle loco that was sent in for the LED fault (which I found hilarious), and as the customer had received a new one already, he fixed it and put it up for sale. I bought it off him for $25/£12.50. So I can't really complain about it given the price. It seems alright.
@michaelwolak30982 жыл бұрын
Hi Sam on the early sets it came with 3 coaches and also sprung buffers but no light and front name plate and a heavy chassis
@Bowsy-11202 жыл бұрын
Part of me suspects that they started off with a good amount of scuffed ones. Put those on the site to sell them, thinking they wouldn't sell as the full price ones weren't really selling, and then the cheaper ones sold better than expected, and they would rather make some money than new money so they've kept the listing up and are just filling the orders from the main stock.
@bobsmodelrailways2 жыл бұрын
How very odd! Even the “named” sets - “Half Blood Prince” etc, came with additional accessories, platforms, overall roof, for example and they were cheaper than £241 - which,incidentally, I think is wholly extortionate. It’s just a very cheeky “try out” to sell what they have left.
@stoptheplanetiwantoff69062 жыл бұрын
I brought that train.set here in New Zealand it cost me $504 plus I brought extra 5 coaches two of them with free the rest cost me 40 New Zealand dollars and then I decided I wanted a sound chip but they didn't have it so I bought the engine with the sound chip and dcc in it and that cost me another 300 New Zealand dollars so I have both the analogue and digital one so it was quite expensive but I liked it. Both engines have a lot of grunt pulls very well and smoothly.
@radharamadevi2 жыл бұрын
Hi Sam. Great video. I am pretty sure that the brake coach might be the prefects compartment
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
haha yeah you could be right - that's where Percy goes! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@azuma8922 жыл бұрын
Can you review a Class 395 train set? They are available at WHSmith for £69.99.
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
That sounds awesome, thanks! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@jonathanbarnes53242 жыл бұрын
the older Hogwarts Express had a Trak mat and a Station Halt with it more cost cutting by Hornby?
@nathanswales8282 жыл бұрын
First train i had and still runs beautifully especially with a small rake of coaches
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
They do run very nicely, that's for sure! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@hardcorehead62842 жыл бұрын
£242.99 is nothing if you are a train enthousiast in europe, i have Marklin and some of those trains are €500 easy but the quality of those loco's is really top notch they are really on a different level
@DieselElevators2 жыл бұрын
4:08 "Nice" Another man of culture!
@iceeblueburst032 жыл бұрын
I always love that scene with the flying car while the train is behind Ron and Harry! 😂
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
haha I know - classic! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@Pullisto10 ай бұрын
I managed to get the actual Castle Class version for a Harry Potter loving friend, from Hattons pre owned, for £60. It compares well as it has sprung buffers etc. But it doesn't have the large headlight. I also individually got 2 HP coaches, one brake, one standard, £20 each, also from Hattons pre owned.
@Dododiddkeododo2 жыл бұрын
Also on June Im being the engineer,I'm getting my first train set on the 10th nothing big it's the red tank engine coach and wagon,but you have to start somewhere,I can't wait,the start of the train,the start of the journey I'm going to get a ton of model railway stuff also maybe a small table for it,deffiently going to get the bachman Irish steam set,I live in Ireland keep up the videos,
@saraegan63272 жыл бұрын
Thank you I have been wanting a train set like this and I have not had one and I decided to get one, but I wanted to make sure that this was good, and I think you approve of it as a beginner in the train community and I can't wait to play with it
@srenchin8 ай бұрын
I bought this train set a couple years ago and I was pleasantly surprised by its quality, my only complaint is that I would have preferred a third coach over the switch and spur track.
@probro9898 Жыл бұрын
They've cut back a lot on this set. About 20 years ago I bought the Hornby Hogwarts set and it was a lot better than this. It *did* have a trackmat, and a station platform. The buffers on the locomotive were sprung, and I was quite stunned by the level of detail. The box had a proper lid, and a polystyrene base (instead of that horrible "eggbox" packaging). The basic set cost about £100 as I recall, though I must have spent at least that much again on extra track and accessories. (Eventually I had 3 concentric ovals linked by points, with two separate sidings, and a second locomotive - though when I got married I gave it all away to my nephew.)
@malcolmloud93892 жыл бұрын
Will you ever review some of the southeast network livery dmu's or diesel and electric engines
@GhoulishGlee2 жыл бұрын
As for the scuffing: If a container was damaged during transport they can get an insurance payout. They would also be able to sell the remaining sets, but only at a reduced price, otherwise they would have to have their insurance claim re-evaluated. So... yeah, they probably had some really damaged sets, but luckily for us customers that means that they also had to sell the surviving sets at a good price.
@williamsquires3070 Жыл бұрын
Hornby should have included some chocolate frogs, or a bag of Betty Bott’s All-flavor beans. It IS a Harry Potter themed train set, after all!
@darknut96962 жыл бұрын
The half blood prince set hall class had sprung buffers but mine had been over tightened screws that held the body on so the fit was loose but i liked it
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
Oh really? Might have been the old Castle version - surprised they were still using that for half blood prince though... pretty sure the Hall never had sprung buffers! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@dommatt8711 ай бұрын
I'm in shipping and a lot of the time companys will declare a intire case will be declared damaged instead of individual packages within a case saves time for there staff
@kingofthepod51692 жыл бұрын
I worked warehouse for microcenter (American computer & computer parts retailer) and I bet these are either new old stock sets or an entire trailer/cargo container was damaged and they marked down everything in the trailer regardless of condition. We had 2 skids of printers that was found 2 years later. They were sold for 50 bucks a pop (bargain pricing, they were the fax, scanner printer combo inkjets.)
@Running-with-skizers2 жыл бұрын
The boxes possibly may not necessarily have damage but the box may be missing a print, text, or somthing that wasnt to the original design that the franchise and hornby agreed on
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
Could be! The point is though that the description said "scuffed box", and there was no damage at all! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@J0hnstrains2 жыл бұрын
4:06 Looks like Sam is getting into some memes now
@justchillin1312 жыл бұрын
I've go one of the older ones, but mine has a warm white light, sprung buffers, metal funnel and whistles, it also has the cylinder drain pipes fitted but they are black not painted copper. My train pack also came with a track mat too, the coaches are exactly the same though.
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
Very interesting - so why did they change it to cool white?!? :( Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@justchillin1312 жыл бұрын
@@SamsTrains i don't understand it either, mine was the order of the pheonix set. Basically they are all the same but it seems that the loco in my set was better quality, she is also one hell of a puller! Insanely powerfull.
@David_Mattox2 жыл бұрын
Excellent video Sam. I may get one of these myself. It's no King class, but I will admit that I do like the Halls, especially when it is considered that a red Great Western engine isn't exactly a one-off thing... Also, Congratulations Sam! Gladstone is officially out of the worst five! Woo-hoo!
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
Thanks a lot David - yes I love the Halls too, and decent models too! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@tjmfarming95842 жыл бұрын
Interesting 🤔 I myself have spotted this set in a local Hobby shop close to our new farm we recently moved to. Considering the fact that I’m in a need for some track because my old layout sadly got destroyed last year due to a collapsed ceiling making the buildings and track all rotten when recovering it, I only saved my locos and coaches from that layout, depending on the price this might be a good set to get me started again and will fit the bill for our interest in Harry Potter in the family too.
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
Ahh sorry to hear about your layout - but sure, train sets are a great way of getting everything you need! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@DJ_K6662 жыл бұрын
Yourecright about the controller. I've got one of those Gaugemaster ones with the plug in the back for an auxiliary handset too. The loco and coaches don't look too bad for a train set to be fair. Nice to see separately fitted bits and a fall plate. Completely let down by that light though. Perfect for kids I think.
@ecidaho2 жыл бұрын
Nice loco to maybe disassemble and repaint and number.
@elliottsaucedo4422 жыл бұрын
I’m thinking that the packaging might have been different. When it comes to expensive action figures, sometimes, there is different levels of packaging. These being something near the lines of “standard” and “collectors.” (The collectors being at a higher price) If I understand correctly, this is because some people never take the figure out of the box, and hence the box being in perfect condition is vital. But to those who don’t care about that, they don’t have to pay that price for extra protection, but run the chance of damage occurring through shipping.
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
Ahh interesting - thanks for sharing Elliott, appreciate it! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@Wolfie6020 Жыл бұрын
The version I have with an LED has a soft yellow colour. Unfortunately the main gear cracked and it is out of service now.
@gs4252 жыл бұрын
I wonder if the other reviews are shared with the set, ie whether sold reduced or not.
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
Hmm good question! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@kaneqwin28572 жыл бұрын
I got one of the "scuffed boxes" there was no damage but I did notice a mis print as it said dcc fitted when it's dcc ready
@kaneqwin28572 жыл бұрын
In case you are wondering this is viable in the video (back of the box in front of the engine)
@harrygrieves68122 жыл бұрын
I'm a huge fan of Harry Potter but except I haven't seen any of the films for ages. I'll have to catch up on some of them as soon as I can.
@marvwatkins70292 жыл бұрын
I bought a DC version of this set several years ago for a lot less: under £50.00. Runs great.
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
Wow! That's a stunning price! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@survivingworldsteam2 жыл бұрын
What further complicates the Hogwarts Express market is that the Bradford Exchange also sells a Hogwarts Express train set for three installments of $30, at least in the U.S. It has the Bachmann track and transformer, and comparing it to the Hornby locomotive in your video, I am almost certain it is the Bachmann train set as well. The engine has a light in the smokebox as well, and the coaches are lit. It does come with Harry Potter pewter figures, but they are more like O Scale than OO Scale; I gave mine to a family member. It is also a smooth runner. I only received the engine, tender, and trackwork so far. I made a short video, search for Bradford Exchange (Bachmann) Hogwarts Express. This inexpensive train set may also be forcing Hornby to dump theirs at a reduced price.
@rowdyperson63932 жыл бұрын
Hi I think that you are a real genuine guy unlike so many of the others on here who get free models from manufacturers to lie. In reality Hornby Bachmann and now Heljan are ripping us all off. Accruscale produce exceptional models all day long and charge the right price that reflects this. Basically if Bachmann made a class 31 to the same standard as Accruscale are now making they would charge around the £200 mark just like they are with their new class 47. Also Bachmann VEA is £33 each but if Accruscale made this they would sell three for £75. Its a joke and I no longer buy anything from them. Rapido, Calvex etc also charge a real high price as well for what they do and as a result I can not justify any purchases from them either. Its a disgrace and its about greed and one or two getting themselves out of financial trouble due to various mistakes they made.
@James-Railyard2 жыл бұрын
Trainworld has a few of these sets and the engine and coaches on their own. I’m probably going to get the items separately for easier storage and transport. The separate coaches, of the three offered, two are the same as the set so there is only three offered. Either way I’m getting the whole train and adding Tsunami 2 for sounds.
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
Yeah it's probably easier to get them separately, particularly if you don't need all the extras like track etc! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@gangelious38942 жыл бұрын
I have a theory as to the "scuffed but not" boxes. There likely were/are some scuffed boxes in the warehouse, but when invoice/order goes through to warehouse, pickers see "harry potter train set" and just pick from the location that has the most of them, and send it out. I did also see some very minor dents on the lower front edges, not really damage per say but not pristine. So I also suspect an entire pallet/container was damaged, and so they've discounted the lot rather than sort through. They've certainly done some questionable practices of late, but there are some reasons that would offer a little less shady approach to them.
@adamswindells1 Жыл бұрын
I have one of the origionals from about 2002, was a lovely train and coaches, didnt have that god awful light on it, the brass chimney cowl was actually metal and at the time i got it brand new it was my most detailed steam engine and coaches, ive still got it all but i think the brass cowl has fallen off the engine, i swear it had sprung buffers but i could be wrong. ill have to dig it out wherever it is
@mikeking25392 жыл бұрын
The railer/re railer thing is very useful, I have one and use it most of the time to get locos on the track, mostly steam lococs.
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
It is very handy - makes things much easier! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@johngibson46412 жыл бұрын
Hi there Sam ,, If they call it damaged or scoughed box hornby can still keep the price of the RRP & still get more than the cost of the build and a 92 pound damage incurrance or tax refund or write it down so hornby gets a tax credits for the reduction of "damaged stock" (that pays some of the tax bill) and still gets there model across the line of success or failure. I have one of these but an earlier version with the styrofoam packaging and the really decorated box and i have run it and its an absolutely gorgeous and i luv luv luv it and even for just the loco and the 2 carriages as im not into horry patter that much so I just luv it for what it is.. Anyhoo keep the good work and gr8 video there sam. Cheers from John in Australia
@MrBnsftrain2 жыл бұрын
my local model shop has a couple of these sets for $150-ish, as well as a Hornby Christmas set, Hornby Coca-Cola set, and some other Hornby and Oxford items. But I've never seen this set outside of a model train shop, but I have seen the Corgi model of the Hogwarts Express in Target. 1:44 I see one tab that's a bit weird, but maybe a majority of a pallet or shipment had significant damage to warrant being returned to Hornby. 6:18 I'm surprised they didn't make wagons for each Hogwarts house like Lionel did, or included non-railway buildings from the Wizarding World. 19:26 I think they should've done a new trackmat too to place the stations and other Wizarding World Buildings and maybe a couple of the track extension sets (but not all of them) 21:44 probably because the lamp on the real Olton Hall was a modern LED lamp. I think other mainline steam engines in the UK have similar headlights
@intel9042 жыл бұрын
I know Bachmann & Rivarossi did a Hogwarts Express Train Set- maybe you should do a comparison between the 3 of them!
@H_chapman172 жыл бұрын
Great video would it be cheaper in getting the hornby Olton hall and 2 maroon coaches all 2nd hand with loco better quality
@ThatGuyKal2 жыл бұрын
This set was up on WHSmith for £150 about a month ago, so I grabbed it then after watching your review of R1234
@diedertspijkerboer2 жыл бұрын
Hornby doesn't have the staff anymore to scuff boxes. I believe that the only person who could have scuffed those boxes professionally now works in the repair department of Martin Mart-Martinsson.
@leewaymodels2 жыл бұрын
I think you are right. My contact told me he even had a written recommendation from Hornby to take the other job while he was still working for them. I guess Martin saw an opportunity and didn't even bothered about doing an interview before he hired him.
@diedertspijkerboer2 жыл бұрын
@@leewaymodels Yeah, grab the talent when you can.
@99_steamnoob582 жыл бұрын
I just got this set recently, and it shows signs of struggling with 4 coaches on my layout I'm currently working on.
@grahamebradford10282 жыл бұрын
I paid £108 for my set last year from Amazon. Happy with that.
@grahamariss21112 жыл бұрын
Could be they were stock that they had shifted as Sale and Return to retailers and then had shipped back, the issue is that having had them on shelves and pallets in this process they can't be sure of the quality of packaging so they say "scuffed" and knock some money off, as you say to protect their RRP.
@anthonywilkinson88872 жыл бұрын
This was my first hornby set!
@harryhill7832 жыл бұрын
I managed to get this set for £100 (back when Hornby’s RRP was £200) in the January sale at Hawkins Bizarre 2 years ago. I think they were closing down and selling everything at 50% off. Got a good deal I think! I love the set, it’s my favourite model. I love Harry Potter which I think biases me! However agree that there’s no way it’s worth £200+. £150 is more reasonable. The price increases from Hornby are awful, as so many have said.
@eriksanchez59558 ай бұрын
It's ironic that the engine that had written "Hogwarts Castle" on it's side belongs to the Hall class instead of being an actual Castle class engine.
@C.A.A932 жыл бұрын
always great to make a cup of coffee and chill with a video of yours Sam
@darobzamusic60072 жыл бұрын
with hornby, it's very weird because something like the class 56 is definitley worth all of those £150 but the class 66 litterally fell apart in my hands as I got it out of the box. It's weird because with hornby it's like one of those pick a random card choose your fate kind of games. Since when did gambling come into the model railways?!
@chrishines60482 жыл бұрын
As soon as I saw the thumbnail I clicked on the video in a heartbeat ( and yes I'm a harry potter fan )
@modelrailwaynoob2 жыл бұрын
It seems a good buy for the price you paid. The big question is, have you pre-ordered the SVR/Hornby Queen Elizabeth II in purple? I can imagine your comments on the price. I am about to fit two sound cards to the underside of my exhibition layout: one for diesel sounds and one for steam. The chuff can be modified and freewheeling programmed in. The are different diesel engine sounds and steam whistles via a remote control. Speakers will be above to give DC locos the appearance of sound. It's an experiment. I already have signal box and farm ambient soumds on the layout.
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
Sure, it's spot on for what I paid! And no I haven't... your imagination will be 100% accurate, lol! Good luck with the sound cards - that sounds very cool :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@welshsteamenthusiast34402 жыл бұрын
Nice! I love the GWR hall locomotives
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
I do too! :D
@mgr_video_productions2 жыл бұрын
Awesome. Bachmann made this famous train set some years back.
@marvwatkins70292 жыл бұрын
As usual a very through and detailed review. However, one possibly minor point: it would appear that the loco and coaches are of different shades if not actual colour.
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
Thanks Marv! Yeah that's quite normal - the coaches aren't necessarily supposed to match the loco exactly! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@jimross6232 жыл бұрын
I think you should have used the price you paid, not an average of what you paid and the RRP, to calculate the Value. In other areas in which you rate things you always say “I can only rate what’s in front of me, not what the average might be if I saw every one made”, which means you should only rate the Value against the price you paid, which would have given the train set a better score.
@imatrainperson11952 жыл бұрын
Over here in America I saw a Harry Potter set and an individual engine at a train show several months ago. I don’t remember the price of the set but it wasn’t scuffed in any way. I ended up paying for the engine for about $130 (which was a discounted price) so idk if that’s an average price in pounds but hopefully this helped give some insight on the matter overseas.
@alancarpenter20702 жыл бұрын
Hi Sam, the original HP train set, the one with the Castle class loco, only had two coaches also in it, but it did have a HP track mat with it. Regards, Alan.
@SamsTrains2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for sharing Alan - yes I know the one! Can't believe they're not including mats with the latest sets - seems very stingy! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@fredashay2 жыл бұрын
Couple more comments... Does it use NEM pockets so the British couplers can be replaced with Kadee couplers (I'm an American)? *_YES_* For people who already have a layout, can you buy just the train without the track? Can you get it DCC fitted, or at least DCC ready? *_Has a socket in the tender._* What size decoder does it take?
@bradfordsmith30302 жыл бұрын
The locomotive and coaches do have NEM pockets. There is a detail part above the coaches' NEM pockets which interfere with Kadee NEM couplers. Kadees should work okay if the detail is trimmed/cut off. There is an eight pin socket in the tender and sufficient room for a decoder and speaker. I installed a Soundtraxx Econami (UK ECO series) sound decoder and speaker in mine. The headlight is not wired to the 8-pin socket therefore will not respond to a decoder unless wires to the light are added.
@fredashay2 жыл бұрын
@@bradfordsmith3030 Thanks for the info! I can cut that trim off to fit the Kaddee coupler. I tried to find a Hornby TTS decoder for Hall locomotives, but everyone is out of stock. I'll buy a generic 8-pin decoder with steam sounds which should be good enough for this. Thanks again!
@jasonl.19592 жыл бұрын
Nice Olton Hall review
@bobbennett50132 жыл бұрын
This one doesn't come with TTS sound. A possible explanation for the "buyer-friendly" price is that more buyers than anticipated opted for the TTS loco, sold separately; leaving a pile of non TTS sets high and dry in the warehouse. Agree with you on the white light and the carriages and the dud controller. So frustrating that they still get the little things wrong. How long have they been making trains? (yes, I know)
@RCassinello2 жыл бұрын
My parents got my son this set two Christmases ago, paid around £150 for it. It's literally the quietest running loco I've ever had on the track!
@harrypotsmoke2 жыл бұрын
I bought this new, No where near the price Sam said.