The 11th edition of the Triang catalogue had Rocket and a Brush Type 2 on the front cover. R. 346, priced at 52/6 (£2 62.5p) came with crew, smoke, magnadhesion and just one coach. R.621, priced at 7/6 (37.5p) coach, was available as 'Times', 'Experience' or 'Despatch'. The Triang version is robust enough to handle and it can shunt its train, so maybe the Hornby version is a step backwards?

Of all the model locomotives, The Rocket really needs a model crew on the footplate - it just looks silly without one.

one thing sam: the brown is pretty accurate, the actual rocket's firebox was actually made from copper

Tri Ang: Im glad i grew up with this Hornby: But damn this is better

So glad you mentioned the difference in colour between loco and coaches. I think I remember reading the the L&M had already picked out the livery colour for their coaches, and the Stephensons just happened to paint Rocket yellow too (but a different shade), either not knowing or not worrying that the coaches would be a different shade.

Although it was in the 1963 catalogue, I think it may have taken until 1964 to be available. It was so amazing at the time that even Australian TV news at the time showed film of it running with smoke from a toy fair announcement. Very rare to see model trains on the news back then. A later tv appearance of the Tri-ang Rocket was on a Faraday science lecture show where it failed to run when the elaborate set up completed the circuit. Confirming that it was not the most reliable Tri-ang loco. A 1964 or 65 railway modeller, railway of the month was based on the Liverpool and Manchester opening, so relied on lots of Rockets with many converted to Northumbrian or similar. They commented on the delay in Rocket release causing problems.

Hi Sam , love the Rocket, shes absolutely beautiful! I am not far from the famous L&MR where she ran! I must say that the livestream was quiet without Kelly , and she didn't turn up to mine either. Feel worried , so I sent her an email asking how she is. Anyway I must thankyou for sending me a lovely email addressing issues with people in my videos , and it really helped me get through the situation , everything is back to normal now 🤞. I was building the London Tower Bridge in Minecraft for a KZfaq series when the notification popped up , and I was so surprised! Thankyou so much. Hope everyone is great and Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

That was a really cool video Sam. I have the new Hornsby rocket on order. Thank you for giving me an incite on what I will expect. Cheers Sam

Not offended at all Sam. The 1963 version came with a smoke unit. Does the 2020 version. The tender came fitted with a regular Tri-ang coupling and we got 3 coaches in the pack. I still have it. We thought it was very good back in 1963 and it ran well. It also had Magnadhesion which helped the pulling capability on the Super Four track of the day.

Very interesting video, as always. But I'm not sure about your price comparison. There were 20 shillings to a pound, so 52 shillings and six pence would be £2.63. Using your inflation rate, that would make it about £50 it today's money, with the new version costing more than three times as much.

Thanks Sam for a fascinating comparison! The only thing I don't like about the new Hornby version is the join line in the water barrel - it's one of those things that once noticed I can't keep from looking at. Happy Christmas and Stay Safe!

Hi Sam. I enjoy these videos. That really dose show the difference Very interesting, thank you!

*This is the thing I needed in life* Well done Sam!

Thanks for the video Sam that was a really interesting comparison! Do you know if Hornby will be making another batch of these Rockets? I liked how you gave a nod to how revolutionary the old Triang version was for the hobby. Merry Christmas!

Very interesting indeed Sam. The manufacturers have certainly come a long way but, as you say, back in the 50's and 60's there were no CAD systems etc.. They did a wonderful job with what they had. Many thanks as always.

Great video as always Sam. You mentioned you added extra pickups to the Triang rocket. Any chance you could point me in the right direction on how to do this? Cheers. Jon

I like the 2020 version more than the 1963 version because the detail on the 2020 version is so cool and my birthday is coming up in less than a week from now, about 4 ta 5 days from now so I hope you can do a few minute video on my birthday (Thursday 17th December), that will be much appreciated from you Sam. I'm not forcing you to do a recording on Thursday morning and releasing it a few hours later, I'm not that type of person. Even if you do a train review on my birthday, that would be SUPER cool.

Good comparison, it’s nice to see them both side by side. You can now download the exploded diagram service sheet for the new Rocket at Lendons of Cardiff web site, it’s amazing to see just how many parts it uses. I’m still none the wiser of how it comes apart though I think there is some glue involved. Thankfully I was able to fix mine without doing so as it’s motor wasn’t properly engaged when I got it. So glad I did get it on pre-order though as prices are crazy now, another reason for being so determined to fix it rather than send it back.

Thank you again Sam for another interesting video, the question I have is do you modify your points to enable the bigger flanged Triang rolling stock to clear as in the old rocket? as I have a lot of old stock and peco 100 track, thank you Sam, have a good Christmas and a Happy and Healthy new year, kindest regards , Paul.

Hi Sam, love the new look on the Rocket. I really fancy getting one of these but not sure if it could manage a 3% incline. Do you have any idea or be able to test it out on yours. I'd hate to pay that kind of money to find it won't go around my track ? Kindest regards, Rick

Hi sam i loved the video and the music at the begging game also enjoyed the stream as well!

Fun fact about the Rocket The rocket was in a Thomas book and it looks super close to the new virson

Hi Sam,nice review of these two locos,I own the 2020 version and wanted one since they came out,alot has definitely changed in the years.mine is still in the box.

Another top review and comparison between vintage and modern hornby. Was thinking wouldn't it be great if hornby made rocket in her remaining state as seen in the museum. Keep up the great work mate. 👍

Hi Sam, many thanks for this old and new review. I agree perfectly with your points, but do believe that the 1963 iteration of Rocket was an amazing model for it’s time. Indeed, it suffers only by way of comparison to the 2020 model, which is truly an amazing piece of craftsmanship. I would really love to hear the backstory of how Hornby decided to develop the 2020 version, and did so with such secrecy. I am very fortunate that I have the 1980s boxed set with Rocket and three cars and I preordered one of the Centenary sets which is amazing. I then searched about and was able to snag the regular issue as well. It is altogether fitting that this set was voted to be Hornby’s Best Ever locomotive. Sam, how are your fingers? Cheers.

I was 10 in 1963 when Triang trains were in great demand at Christmas. Most children were more than happy, pretty much as stated with the quality. They were a 'special treat' gift. They were half toy, half model, and as such the original has great charm. I'm not a railway modeller but it would be difficult to chose which I'd like ! Perhaps the new one needs some old dirt. I wonder if the big coach was for tiny hands ?

The Tri-ang version still would look pretty good even to this day! Hey sam how long have you had the Tri-ang version?

My 1979 Hornby catalogue includes a leaflet on the new live steam Rocket in 1/16th scale on 3.5 inch gauge track. Coaches later available. This used compressed gas for steam raising. Plastic track as no electricity involved. This scale gave models twice the size of gauge one or G scale standard gauge models. Very expensive then and was only in production for a few years. Did not work as well as hoped for.

Interesting vid sam keep it up mate

Hi Sam, top video once again. Best way to look at these two; How thrilled would you have been to get the original one as a Christmas present in 1963 and how thrilled would you be to get the new one for Christmas this year? Tough call but maybe the original?

Good video Sam Congratulations😉

Amazing it’s got a 5 pole motor when Bachmann fitting Coreless motors to J72, 94XX and Precursor

Not sure if it's just me, but my triang rocket has a little bit of some smoke from the funnel when it runs. Is that normal?

The metal chimney on the Triang was so it could fit the seuthe smoke unit. 'S' designated model number

Thanks Sam! I enjoy both models for different reasons. I always laugh when I see the old one going so fast. All I can hear in my head is the Theme from the Benny Hill Show!

Hi sam great comparison. My grandparents got me couple of second hand model buildings that had lights fitted by the owner. Do you know any ideas or switchboards I can buy that wont blow up the bulbs?

Loved the video today Sam and I would get the new hornby one

Errrrrrr...........52/6 equates to just over £2.62 in modern money (I was there at the time) so the cost comparison is even more devastating than you thought.

I wanted the Triang version of the Rocket. But being around 7 or 8yrs Old , my Dear Old Dad said " You would break it within a Week.!" & I had the Shits up for about as long. Until he Turned up with an 0.6.0 shunter. Which I still have and it still goes. Sadly, as u may imagine very Play Worn. But in Retrospect. I think Dad made the Right Choice all the way..!! Great Video Sam. Very entertaining. And for me Nostalgic. Thx for your efforts in production. Great work..!! Cheers kim in Oz. 😎

hello sam to me both models have advantages in their own ways, the new one is more detailed but can only pull the rocket coaches that came in the set and the 3rd class coach, and the old one is less detailed but can be coupled up like any other model but if i had to choose one it would be the new one because it is just beautiful and will you do another one of these with the dapol and bachmann 43xx models and love the video from david

Some people have solved the choice problem by having the sixties Tri-ang, the eighties Hornby loco and three coach pack, the 2020 Tri-ang pack and the standard pack although they are waiting for the open third to arrive in Australia. There is also the kitmaster then Airfix then Dapol plastic kit for Rocket.

I think the Triang deserves credit for the fact that it has lasted since 1963! That was 5 years before my mum was born!

Nice comparison! I got the Triang version :)

Both models are great the triang one is great as they had to design it by looking at drawings and transferring what they saw to a model. The new one is great as it's a completely to scale accurate model of the real replica locomotive. The real Rocket looks slightly different from the replica version and can usually be seen in the science museum in London but I think it has travelled back to either the York or Shildon railway museum's

I remember the Triang version coming out and thinking how fantastic it was. It had great lettering on the coach, enough detail and how did they manage to get such a small engine to run? This is a very fair test. Did you know Kitmaster made a plastic kit version in OO as well, possibly in the late 1960s? I had one of those, but there was no coach.

Even the current NRM Rocket replicas have a lowered chimney to ensure clearances on British railways. Some have issues with the 2020 if they have a very close to scale clearance model railway.

Very interesting, thank you!

Hey Sam got a problem hope you can help, I’ve bought a dcc fitted flying Scotsman for my 4 year old and I’ve bought a Hornby select controller and a digital track power bit that connects the controller to track, all track is probably connected but the train isn’t moving any reason why?

The old has an unbeatable antique charm to it. It makes it a pretty nice model to still display and show today, especially because it's still running perfectly fine after nearly 60 years! Don't think the modern one will survive the test of time that good...

Hi Sam, could you maybe do a comparison of the Triang and Hornby Scotsman’s?

Hi sam This is a very interesting video and a fair comparison in my opinion. 1960s rocket was breaking for the times which Simon kohler has said on more than one occasion Please keep safe Keep safe arp

Is the loco meant to be a different shade of yellow to the coaches?

Nice video mate never knew they made a new one! Which do u like better

The thing about the colors being different were actually quit normal in the old days, This was before RAL, NSCTS, RGB or any other precise color charts were popularized. the only thing manufacturers or maintenance sheds had to go from was rough pigment recipes. A small deviation in the quality or quantity of ingredients could result in a different shade of the same color. Further cheaper pigments were sometimes used on carriages as opposed to locomotives and the cheapest paint was often used on freight cars.

Which one do you think will have more play in it??🙂just wondered

How did you get yours to run so well!

I reckon the old model should of been called Stephensons Missile Great video Sam Thanks Nick Australia

Why do you not use the new gauge master co troller?

Great video Sam it looks like the new rocket isn’t available anywhere now

A Nice video yet again!!!

I love trains and this channel

The Tri-ang Rocket used the X-500 motor that Tri-ang used in their Minic Motorways 1/76 scale slot car system. This had level crossings and some rare track pieces where the railway and road Shared one lane. KZfaq search will reward.

The Rocket, I have to say, is absolutely brilliant for a locomotive that pioneered the start of the era of railway steam locomotives in the 19th century and the locomotive is absolutely amazing and I think George Stephenson did a brilliant job for a locomotive, before the replica was built in the 1970’s of course.

Great vid. I I am shocked that the order rocket is not tender driven

Any chance of getting a hold of the KR Models GT3? That thing looks amazing.

Sam, maybe file down the posts to make the barrel sit properly. Great video.

He was in King of the railway and Anthony spelled in 1800 usually I think it was an 1806 or 1800 or somewhere in the 19th

The Bachmann Norris 4-2-0 for the late 1830s era runs very well for its 1980s production era. The Prussia, Lafayette and Pegasus were some of the names used. Possibly may outperform the 2020 Rocket. Little known. Worth a search.

I think one of the problems concerning accuracy and dimensions is that we don't really know for sure. The original Rocket does survive but it was rebuilt later in its life and furthermore quite a few bits are missing. There are various contemporary drawings and sketches but some details are contradictory so it's difficult to know who to trust. There are various replicas in existence, some of which are more accurate than others, and a lot of research went into their creation. But when it comes to such questions as the height of the original chimney, I think we will never know for sure.

Hi Sam this video is interesting

Sam enjoyed the "ragtime" music for the two rockets. Just wondered if you will be 'gearing down' your crane sometime ? I think Health & Safety will be concerned about the load flying about like that....Great review though.

Hey Sam, I have a question. I have saved up a bit of money and was wondering if I should get a OO scale flying Scotsman

Nice vid Edit:Sam I would really like to get into the hobby so can I ask if the Hornby's Flying Scotsman set is good for a beginner like me?

Very interesting, even if you are not a vintage train collector. Both models have their interest, the latest as an accurate model of the prototype, the first as an interesting piece of vintage technology. Those both are not really usable as trains you can run to simulate a real network activity due to the historical setting of the prototype. Anyway, they are more shelf models you can run, in my opinion. And both are usable as this.

Interesting comparison.-Ben

Sam do you have to run in wagons to get the wheels smooth Brad. I like your videos

That seam on the water barrel would drive me nuts.

Hi Sam. Nice comparison of the two Rockets. I need to challenge you on the 1965 price of the Triang version; 52s6d = 52.5s / 20s per pound = £2.62½! Correspondingly, the 2020 equivalent would be less than £120 (I'll let you do the maths on that one!). Hmmm... old Gaugemaster controller?

15:24 when ‘Rocket’ wastes no time when he meets ‘Circle.’

I like both rocket modells, so i can not chose witch one the modern hornby or the triang one. I chose both rockets as both are good repersentative of the difrent decades . Hornby repestent the latest techs of 2020. The tri ang represent the latest techs from the 60 ies. I love them both. Nice vid as always Sam. Keep up the good work . 👍👍👍👍😊😊😊👍👍👍

Did you have a crash that damaged a locomotive badly? And what class?

Any other old vs new episodes in the works Sam?

Sam would you think about making a vid going out to a railroad p anytime?

Hi Sam, Good Review, It was all basic in the old days, You can get a better model in some classes, New one for me, All the Best Brian 🤗

Will you make a warwell load of the 1963 rocket

I'd have the hornby one but I do like them both there great

Certainly is a very interesting contrast. Enjoyed every moment of this. The new Rocket really is one of Hornby's greatest achievements and a perfect example of how far modelling has come since the 60's but nevertheless Triang certainly delivered with what was available. The triang one still has it's legacy even now as that tooling appears to have been reused in the Great British Locomotives Magazine Collection for a non-motorized variant. Bigger steam locomotives have certainly got better with newer tech but there's not many that can have as drastic a change as Hornby's Rocket since their mechanisms usually wouldn't interfere with the look as there was enough space to tuck them away most of the time. Would love to see Hornby tackle a new Pug model. Reckon this time they could eliminate the motor taking up the cab.

Hi Sam any Mazak rot? 52 shillings and sixpence works out around £2.62 ish. Great review Sam all the best.

17:08 , the old rocket living up to its name…

I really want a new rocket so badly. Maybe another Xmas present to meeeeee!!!

My earliest Rocket and three coaches is the gold and tan boxed (similar to the 2020 packaging) train pack. Released around 1982 with the catalogue number of R0796. I am not sure which version of Triang releases you have Sam of the Rocket. If it was the single release or one of the train packs with the three coaches. So I tried to dig out some old photos from the web to show the other readers the variations of the released productions of the loco, but one can't paste them to a comment. Though do, do a web search and you will find for starters: Triang/Hornby R346 Loco & 1x Coach in a long Red Windowed box Triang/Hornby R346C Loco & 3x Coach set in a Red outer box Triang/Hornby R346C Loco & 3x Coach set in a White outer box Hornby Railways R796 Loco 3x Coach set in a Gold & Tan Windowed box Hornby R3810 Loco & 3x Coach set in a Yellow box (2020) Triang/Hornby R3809 Loco & 3x Coach set in a Red box (2020) The 100th Centenary issue G100 Hornby Live Stream loco only in the larger scale and of course there are others by different manufactures, but we'll just stick to the Hornby related models, enjoy looking them up.

They re Released it some time ago, but it was still the same c1960’s model. I still have my model but sadly it no longer runs, (or at least not as good as it used to)

I loved watching the comparisons . I'd buy the modern one.

Hey Sam, will you ever review a N Scale Train Set?

I'm didn't know that your triage rocket was that old but I still think that the new rocket is the locomotive in your collection in my opinion!

Could you please review the Dewitt Clinton set by Bachmann?

I would still prefer the Tri-ang one I'm an uncurable nostalgic lol

Hi sam how you been . Good review were can I buy I really want to buy

The Australian 1966 price for the Rocket and coach set was $10.95. For 5 cents more you could purchase the R450 Sydney suburban EMU two car set. These Australian made overhead electric suburbans from Tri-ang now go for in excess of $2000, such is their rarity now.

I prefer the triang chimney then the 2020 as it looks more realistic. But I do prefer the 2020 as a whole great comparison Sam 🙂🙂