Seeing stuff like this makes me glad that as a modeler of late era Japanese steam in HO, that none of the Japanese manufacturers have gone this route

What you have got there, Sam, are three examples of Dr. Garthew Arsebasket's famous 'Gelatine Horses'. They were bred to be nearly indestructible in battle, catching bullets and canister shot, like modern day ballistic gel. However, one of Arsebasket's assistants, the extremely deaf Mungo Haircut, thought that Arsebasket had asked him to breed horses made from a primitive type of Nitro-Glycerine. All went well, until August 28, 1839, when Arsebasket patted one of his horses. The resulting explosion destroyed one of the more 'toilety' areas of Liverpool. Tragically, nobody noticed for several years. Only three rubbery horses were ever carried by rail. They bounced about so much in transit, though, that the Wagons were derailed, and the engine, one of Sir T.D. Bowellmuvementt's experimental 4-7-3 'Barnacle' class engines, 'The Flatulent Whelk' was (thankfully) destroyed. The horses bounced off, never to be seen again. 🤔🤔🤔😆😆😆

From my analysis of the original drawing I would say Hornby have missed a vertical beam which joins the 2 planks across the horse box. They have also made the mistake of attaching those planks to the outside. From the drawing it implies it actually works like a draw bar (which is sat in a recess on each end), and you would simply lift it out to provide access

It’s sad that this is what many, including I have come to expect from Hornby. They really need to get their act together if they are to survive in this industry. It’s become ever increasingly beneficial to just build kits instead…

A reliable source at the Hornby plant in China tells me the pride of the 2024 launch will be the Christmas steampunk lowmac carrying a donkey drinking a bottle of diet cola in TT:120 named after a prog-rock guitarist from the 1970s. Not available at any retailers for a bargain £99.99.

You should make some more era 1 rolling stock. They would probably be more 99%. Better and more realistic than Hornbys

That’s why the Hornby A2/2 and A2/3 were substandard, Hornby needed the A team to work long and hard on this project.

I'm guessing the horse and sheep figures were originally meant to be line-side decoration figures, given the pose the horses are supposed to be in and the lack of a base on them.

Knowing how the other bad Hornby era 1 reviews have gone, we all know where this is going. Sam's gonna make his own 3D printed versions of these for a quarter the price in a month or so. 😅

Ah yes, Hornby redesigns livestock, and you can't bleat it. But at that price, we're being fleeced. I was tempted to go and shout at the manufacturer, but that would make me a little hoarse...

If Hornby's other brands are being operated in the same way we're watching a company in it's death throes...

Hi Sam, great honest review, it’s a shame Hornby don’t send preproduction models to guys like you for assessment, if they did these models wouldn’t reach the market! If this is what Hornby thinks modellers what then they are as delude as the Tory party! These along with the lowmac with the giant coke bottle are horrific! I’m sure Stevie Wonder wouldn’t buy this crap they churn out, gone are Hornby of old, I feel sorry for the Chinese workers who make these insults to railway modelling, I’m sick and tired of seeing crap like this, thanks for sharing Sam.

I have to say at the moment Sam your channel and few others are keeping me sane as because of the cost of living crises I'm not able to invest in my favourite hobby. Keep up the good work.

Love the satire hahah. Standardisation of instructional text is of course rational and efficient, and frankly we can easily live with using some imagination for era 1 wagons..., but had H at least made the cattle smartly clipping in or something, supply a pack of extra sheep, make the plastic not so cheap plasticy looking..., and cut the price towards £ 15 maximum a piece, then perhaps these could fare into the direction towards acceptable in our opinion. H is financially in a very bad state and have been investing heavily in Vietnamese production (die-cast locos), and of course they've tried TT (with backlash by some rudimentary most silly quality issues). Your reviews of the new OO die-cast locos did look promising, so let's see if H will be eventually be able to pull themselves out of their financial swamp. Meanwhile, they've been burning many bridges in recent years which will be haunting them for years to come... This era 1 mess doesn't really help... Cheerio.

To be fair to Hornby, if you look up Liverpool and Manchester railways goods trains, these wagons do look correct. The wheelbase could be a little longer, but the wagons themselves do look like the prototype as do the flat wagons. It's just the coal wagons they really messed up on. That being said, nearly £80 for 3 wagons that are the same quality as a pound shop train set is most definitely not worth it.

I used to watch you around 5 years ago, you were my childhood man. I would comment on your videos everyday and you replying to them would make my day. I was so addicted to trains before and would watch your videos almost every single day. Now my love for trains kinda just died out throughout the years. But im still happy your still making the same type of content and still healthy! Now looking back 5 years ago. Thank you, thank you for making my childhood so memorable! 🙌

I think the worst part for me is that they couldn't be bothered to make different poses for the horses. Sums it up

That intro is just priceless!!! Honestly their will only ever be one Sam! And I love your sarcasm and humour!

It may be surprising for you, it certainly was for me, but the sheep wagons weren’t completely wrong. I have found drawings and paintings of similar wagons from the L&MR, but the chassis are all wrong, copying a coach base isn’t accurate, but again, the top half isn’t bad.

No wonder Simon K and Montana have decided to wash their hands of Hornby. I hope the modeling world vote with their pockets, if this is the future standard and total lack of pride in what they do, then their days are numbered. I'm so grateful you have the courage to give a honest opinion with a bit of humour. Good on you Sam. Eddy xx

Amazing review. You always keep me going to carry on with my layout. Great conversation and enjoy the content.

The plastic used on the animals is reminiscent of the soft plastic used on old airfix 1/72 figures.

Great review Sam don't think I've ever laughed so much at a model review before 😂

Yep, thise animals are definitely to scale... 😂 Thing is, when this doesn't sell, Hornby will shout long and loud about how customers aren't interested in Era 1, rather than admitting that it's because their Era 1 offerings were low effort, cash grab rubbish 🤷

The drawings you referred to (and which Hornby obviously used as a reference) actually come from a typeface/font used commonly for adverts - you can see the locos and wagons in all sorts of combinations in adverts from the 1860s through 1920's. They aren't representative of anything "real" - just what some typeface manufacturer dreamed up.

A couple of questions: Can you do better using your 3-D printers? And if you feel you can, why not show Hornby how it is done?

It would be interesting to see an accurate 3d printed version of these.

Awesome video as always Sam your videos are always a big help

0:21 I love the sarcasm there Sam. Lol Cheers Japser & Willow

These wagons and animals would not look out of place as part of the Steam Punk range. I don't know why Hornby didn't think of it! Of the Steam Punk locos you reviewed and this circus pack which do you consider is the better value for money?

I love how one of the time stamps is "Fitting the carcusses". 😂 Love your videos Sam.

if only they had OO scale hornby designer figures you could add so much more realism to these.

Looking at the L&M.R. prints the horse box looks to have a door on the left hand side. When you think that modellers can now do resin 3D printing and produce something half decent, one would have thought that all the manufacturers would have upped their game. In Hornby's case and in this instance clearly not! As the prices have gone up considerably over the years and I can foresee a lot of resin manufactured wagons along with stations and other kit coming off 3d printers. Thank for your pull no punches review it is what was needed!

Those wagons without the tops look better then the real flat beds 😂

Wow that looks so cool. And Sam's face after that terrible music hahahah. Very cool overall. Keep being awesome my friend. I might get a black 5 or maybe a great Western engine. But yeah ur the best. Hope to see what trains they have in store this year

22:30 made me chuckle. The way you said it made you sound like you were genuinely impressed they messed up every item on that consist

Sam, that was your funniest review in a quite a while, you really make me smile😂. Clearly these models have a place but not at that price, they are basic toys I would expect on a playtrain set. And as for those animals. Bad enough they can't stand for static posing in a field but how useless when being pulled along behind a loco! Hornby are strange, one week with a high spec steam loco, the next with cheap and nasty horse transporter. I suspect many would prefer something in between, a lower cost quality model rather than these extremes.

Perhaps Hornby Era 1 uses the level of equipment available during Era 1 to produce it!

Sam really seems the perfect person to generally judge a product before release better than the officials.

I’m not annoyed at the in accuracy or realism , after all my kids have plenty of inaccurate toys from China, my problem is this is not priced or intended to be a toy, Hornby needs to be ashamed to put this into production…… but they don’t seem to be, thanks for bending over for us again Sam so we don’t have to

Looking at these wagons, quality and build it’s hard to see how Hornby can justify the price …even the addition of livestock leaves me wondering what Hornby thought the reaction would be 🤔

For next year's April 1st video you should review a selection of real Hornby products and mix in a few outrageously fake ones too and leave it to us to figure out which is which.

Well done Hornby ! 😂 I think they must live on another planet tbh - they have no common sense! I mean why spend time and money on something no one wants or will want (similar to brickpunk) when they could be investing in upgrading something?!

The basic line drawings in the disassembly instructions look better than the full models haha

Did anyone notice on one of the Victorian sketches the end flat wagon with a horse carriage on it with people sitting in the carriage? The further possibilities are endless ... like a set of Russian dolls ! I'm sure Hornby can oblige.

Review the new Bachman hudson next! New tooling, all metal body, and Wow sound decoder. The decoder makes a weird sound through the speaker from time to time but according to Bachman and WOW it’s normal until a fox can be made.

Thank you for bringing us the bad as well as the good Sam! Clearly these are terrible, but I could see my pre-school daughter enjoying something similar - perhaps a starter set with wagons and animals to load/unload. There's the seed of a good idea here, but a shame that cash-grabbing seems to be the only thing on Hornby's agenda.

Hi Sam, great post. Marketing , presentation and packaging is where the money has gone, the box & sponge looks high quality. If I was a horse in transit I am sure I would have all four legs on the floor. I cannot see the the Americans buying into this. Also I can say to be realistic you need about 30 sheep here!

(@19:22) Check out the guy in the goods wagon behind the horse wagon. It looks like he’s getting ready to deliver a beat down with a golf club. Is that a 9-iron? Fore!

Nice video Sam very good camera work as usual as always I am really enjoying your lovely videos and camera work keep your lovely camera work up I am really looking forward to seeing your next video I hope you get a nice video next time also when is your next video going to be on KZfaq bye for now Philip

When you restart your live show, you just know the Lion and all the silly rolling stock are going to be right up there with the most requested! 😂😂😂🐏🐏🐏🐎🐎🐎

After a long day at college, this video title is extremely exciting to see. Still a shame, though, that this is what is being produced. Your 3D prints are the way of the future!

Did Simon "retire" because he commissioned these models or because Hornby did? Great review by the way

Sorta gave the review away there Sam with the Great Festering Turds comment at the start!

Sam mate the look on the your face at 0:20 just said it all about these so-called wagons

I'm not sure if we will ever find proper diagrams for L&M freight wagons aside from the coal wagons. We do know at least some of the sheep wagons would've had canvas roofs based on surviving text. I assume the side planks on the horse wagons would've been latched and un-latched (or nailed) to get the horse in an out. The flatbeds re-using the coach frames is somewhat accurate as those would've been used to transfer passengers' horse carriages as seen in the painting you found.

Sam to get the horses in or out of the waggon you undo part C while holding part A and standing on part F Just like on the IkIA book cases

Awesome video today Sam such a shame that hornby just reuse old models

Just for fun: Try 3-D printing some realistic parts for these "wagons". First, a peaked roof to shed water. Perhaps replacement sides /with doors/ for the sheep jails?

Nice job sam!

Hi Sam love your videos

I smell a collaboration opportunity here: Anthony Dawson and samstrains. Needs a snappy name

What about fixing Lafayette by printing a new gear? I’ve done it several times for my HO locomotives, they might not last as long, but it’s good enough for such a small loco.

Same typo in the top caution warning on both different instruction sheets!

Hi sam! speaking of hornby charging extortionate prices, although its a lot to ask i was wondering if you was planning on buying and reviewing one of those deltics they announced for £320? great review btw :)

I'm gonna give my Hotwheels argument again. Hotwheels can make a fantastic toy car that sells for

"Early railway prints" by Gareth Rees. Published by phaidon press 1980 page 41 " travelling on the liverpool and manchester railway " by I shaw. Shows side elevations of goods trains, They look like the hornby models, but the chassis are a lot simpler and nothing like carriage chassis

good vid thanks lee

Hornby when making era 1 stock accurate: (clueless) Hornby when making era 1 stock expensive: (knows what they are doing)

You know you have an issue when the track you are displaying a model on is more detalied then the model - Thanks for taking the bullet so others do not have to Sam!

Just re-viewed your Accurascale Chaldron review from a year ago. At £45 you commented that they were relatively expensive for a pack of three; _do_ tell us what you think about that price now.

I can see Sam just ROASTING Era 1 Hornby on a late night talk show. A show I would definitely watch 🤣

Is there a good source to find what these Era 1 wagons would have actually looked like?

The upper structures are broadly correct but some what crude for 1831 wagons judging by period newspaper illustrations. The 2 wooden bars in the horse box looked removable and the ends solid wooden panels.

What would make this range complete is models of some of the other wagons seen at 15:38 - the truck with the amorphous black substance on it, the child-beating wagon, and the blue truck that transports a single Duplo block

Why does the song at the beginning sound like its sung by mort?

It appears to me that these models are NOT based on original drawings, but on the Royal Mail Liverpool and Manchester stamps from 1980.Check Google and you will see what I mean. Also only enough sheep for one wagon. Enjoyed the video, correct assessment. once again.

I’m glad that Hornby has graced us with this revolutionary era 1 rolling stock. They are paving the way and setting the example 😂 On a serious note: A shame they don’t make standard freight locos from era 1. A tiny little engine (preferably one with outside cranks) would be lovely

Are you going to make your own version @samsTrains?

Wow, I’ve always wanted the Hornby horse IKEA bookshelf and sheep prisons! 💀

100% agree with your review! For what you paid you could’ve gotten something far far better.

Those sheep look like they're making a movie called The Lamb Shank Redemption!

This is a nice pack. I love this reviews my favorite is the caledonian 812 one

I've done some scenery work on my layout, I've got some pictures of it, I can send them to you if you like

It’s been awhile since I’ve seen one of these harsh, scathing reviews (not entirely unfair tbh) Agree with everything you said about them but have got to wonder is something like this better than no era1 stuff, does producing these do more harm than good? As for when hornby goes we can be glad to be missing out on these as a final remark is equally harsh as we’d also miss out on things like the exquisite new P2s and currently no one does as much (if poor) era 1 stuff as Hornby, from a distant the set up wasn’t so bad and if it sparks interest in the period that can only be a good thing, it’s a shame they have to charge an arm and a leg for it

Dobbin regretted still attempting dressage after his osteoporosis diagnosis.

Good heavens, they cut the steps off! What an incredible attention to detail!

Can't wait for the inevitable episode where Sam 3d prints correct ones himself

Awesome review as always Sam unfortunately this kind of wagon is the only i don't love all the best and thumbs up from me Alberto 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

Great review sam

I’d honestly like to see you speedrun your own sheep or horse wagons, i assume that would be indicative of how much time and effort went into these ones

I hope you "with handle care" when you assembled it.

Awesome video Sam's trains

I cannot be the only one looking forward to Sams 3d printed bodies for these waggons

I’ve watched most of your reviews and I’ve heard you disappointed, impressed and mildly annoyed. Your sarcasm has always been well placed and justified. This review you actually sounded genuinely pissed off with the crap your had to review. Completely justified. These “wagons” are crap. In my opinion far far worse than that jubilee junk you looked at.

A good honest review. I would never buy these cars! The price is insane.

You know it would be awful when Sam starts the video with a sigh just before his normal intro

Now I know why I stuck with the Super Detail 1950/60's Hornby Dublo! Heads should be hanging in shame down in Margate.

For the start I figured Sam was either just being sheepish or had fell off the wagon, but he certainly wasn't horsing around. Top marks though Sam for keeping on track and not letting the review go off the rails.

It would appear that Hornby have taken their design for these wagons from postage stamps issued by the British Post Office in the 1980s (of which they are ‘good’ representation’s even down to the colour) rather than the watercolour image available from the Science Photo Library which at least shows cage doors, or the image that you show.