Sam's Model Train Review: A Parody

[Mike Parkes]

Hornby seem keen on him, any coincidence they are bringing out a 9F and he slams the Bachmann one; might he have been given the heads up early by Hornby.

[Brian]

I do wonder how he is able to review so many new models? He either has a credit card that's virtually unlimited or has models sent to him FOC from the manufacturers? I certainly cannot afford to buy virtually every new model issued! Then I wouldn't want to! (FOC is Free Of Charge).
As for carpet running, its disgraceful, that he puts such on the www for all to view, since most genuine modellers have been against such since year dot!

[brian1951]

His youtube earnings are more than enough to pay for the locos.

[Walkingthedog]

It’s the carpet running that makes me think his views are not worth listening to.

[dtb]

Hornby seem keen on him, any coincidence they are bringing out a 9F and he slams the Bachmann one; might he have been given the heads up early by Hornby.

that's a very valid point.

[Chops]

Sam blasts Hornby's erratum with great regularity, as well. He holds them to no lesser a flame, and I've seen a number of his reviews. He shreds and praises Heljan and Dapol, with eviscerating equanimity. There are those, however, with much more expertise than myself who appraise his abilities differently.

I've seen other Youtube Channel people who have been given, FOC, a certain product for review, and their analysis is quite mild, accordingly.

My own experience is that his recommendations have saved me a lot of trouble. It is all well and good to return an item to its UK seller, but the transoceanic tariff is a fright. Pretty much, I have to get it right, from the start.

Oscar Paisley, under a Youtube channel of the same name, regularly reviews vintage 2 rail, DC, Hornby, Triang, Hornby-Triang, and Hornby-Triang-Rovex, which is now, I believe, Hornby-Heljan-Lima, oh I give up, and Wrenn. He generally runs only mint state stuff, and his insights are rather revealing and useful, for British vintage fanciers, as I.

[Chops]

Hornby seem keen on him, any coincidence they are bringing out a 9F and he slams the Bachmann one; might he have been given the heads up early by Hornby.

that's a very valid point.

Forgive me, but does the world need yet another 9F? I mean, hasn't that goose already been cooked and recooked over the decades? Only reason this comes to mind, is I once stumbled over an "Evening Star" in a Raleigh hobby shop. One very rarely sees anything British, ever, and that is why it stuck out in my mind. To this end, I will credit Bachmann for producing models of trains that are not typical- such as various American makes from 1830 to modern range.

Sam gave a very favorable review on Bachmann's City of Truro, and because of it I went out and bought the thing, and paid half as much again in shipping, nearly, and it has proven to be a gem in every regard.

(Apologies for the abundance of italics. I cannot seem to edit them out. Not intended).

Mod. Edit: Italic code sorted.

[Walkingthedog]

I still have my City of Truro. Beautiful model. Need a yard of OO track on a plank so I can run it up and down.

[teedoubleudee]

My first (and last) post on this thread.

I really think it's time to stop criticising this guy for his efforts. OK, so he runs trains on a carpet - a big no no I agree but it appears to me he has little head room so needs to have the track at floor level, and it could be the carpet provides a sound barrier to the rooms below. His videos are a tad too long but he does stick to a standard format so his followers, whom he has very many, know what to expect.

Regarding his personal impression of each model, he can only deliver on what is in front of him, after all he is opening the box for the first time and seeing it as you would see it at home for the first time. Again, to be fair he doesn't expect every model to run perfectly straight out of the box and always pauses the video whilst giving them a decent running in period before making his performance assesment.

Personally I like to see unbiassed reviews of any major purchase I'm contemplating whether it be a model locomotive or a coffee machine! I don't go straight to his channel but a general google search often reveals his is the one and only review of the model in question; if there are others I watch them all.

So all in all I think he provides a service and you can take it or leave it at your will, so if you think you can do better than him then why not make your own video reviews and see what it's like to be bad mouthed after putting in all that effort to show people what to expect for their hard earned cash.

[Brian]

His youtube earnings are more than enough to pay for the locos.

Thats interesting. How does he or anyone else make money from YouTube videos? No adverts that I can see and no donation requests.