Is It Worth The Money? | New Hornby Streamlined B17/5 | Unboxing & Review

Thanks for watching!

0:00 Intro
5:28 Unboxing
9:44 Prototype Info
11:26 Detail
20:05 Mechanism
25:33 Performance
30:05 Haulage
37:20 Ratings
42:35 Final Thoughts

[chrishaynes]

Chris from Olivia's trains here. you say the loco tender connection worked fine on other models. trust me it didn't the amount of returns for the connection breaking or tabs snapping inside it was silly. so with that said we are 1 shop with a lot of problems from the connection i assume Hornby got a lot more complaints for the same issue, so i am assuming they have reversed back to the 4pin plug until a better design is made

[thomasfan]

I love how this loco is so small yet also streamlined! It looks so unique because of that, despite the fact it basically just looks like a mini A4 (or mini Rebuilt W1)

[timbervalleyproductions]

It's a nice looking loco - but the price is insane!! (Plus due to rise tomorrow!) Deffo won't be buying unless it's seriously reduced. Does look fantastic in the green though.

[ivoryjohnson]

Hold their feet to the fire, make ‘em smoke!!!’ You would think fire box flicker, etched name plates, smoke unit wouldn’t be asking too much. Premium prices need premium features.

[TrentFalkenrath]

Dude, every time ya said b17 instantly made me think I was watching a video about WW2 bomber planes. I've been on a bit of a war history binge these days. Lol

[JerseyBill-xr]

Well, I do have to say it is a good looking locomotive and an excellent runner. Your assessment was fair but I think a D would have been more concise. Hornby is very close to folding and needs to stop the bleeding. I think they should appeal to the masses and tell them exactly why the price is so high and stop blaming inflation as the only cause. Once Hornby and other manufactures opted to move production to China the clock started ticking. Nostalgia and loyalty can save a company, but the company has to trim the fat and that starts at the top. I wish I had better news for the future of this hobby, but all things change. Time for a beer, cheers! Great review and video, Jersey Bill

[Damien.D]

what a cute little baby A4! Pretty good looking, the detailing is perfect, but the price is clearly over-the-top... It should be what a regular model looks like, not a premium priced one.

[thepoltroon]

Certainly is a beauty, it's a shame that the prices on hornby's models has gone up. Excellent video Sam, keep it up😁

[stephendavies]

Hi Sam. Another excellent, forensic review. Your process-focused approach is "best in class". I always search for your review on any loco I intend to buy prior to shelling out my cash.

As an enthusiast living in East Anglia I would have definitely bought this loco, especially after tour review, but the damn price is just a deal breaker. Oh well...

I wouldn't disagree with anything you said. But I think your final rating of an E is harsh.

Keep up the good work, sir.

[NextEevolution]

I bought a new R3171 Hornby P2 class last month for under £98 shipped. That had a flywheel in it. And while it didnt have a firebox flicker or a diecast body, it also didn't have near Hornby Dublo tier pricing.
I've really been wanting a modern model of an LNER 4-6-0 tender engine too and would like this to join the other streamlined A4s and Hush Hush I have, but that price and the features make it hard to justify. That cab interior is, however, spectacular.

[SpartanAMoose]

Hi sam! I just got back from a model trainshow! I got twelve working used locos and three cars for the same price as two new hornby locos, your guide on used models really helped thanks!!

[EthanCharlton-rzlf]

when I read the title before seeing the thumbnail I thought he had reviewed the B-17 Flying fortress 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Sam can you actually do that

[dretety]

Great review, honest as always and very detailed.
Thank you Sam.

[cbrooks]

Good review Sam. Funny you reflect my feelings exactly. I was fortunate enough to pre order this loco when club members got 10% off so I only paid £188.99. I like the loco but it doesn't give me the buzz that say an Accurascale one does. As you say it is lacking in features which is exactly what I thought and I asked myself "would I have paid much more for this loco". The answer was definitely no, even worse is a Accurascale or Dapol Manor with sound is not much more than Hornby's recommended retail price. The lack of Firebox flicker really got me, virtually all their competition's locos have it. Interestingly I have been adding it to A4s I convert to decoder in tender. The circuit board they make, makes joining that 4 way they use to the loco pickups easier.

[SirFrederickBanbury]

This is a pretty good model, but for such a price, I don’t want to have to repaint the green, fix the lining and boiler bands, fit decent wheels, fit decent valve gear and coupling/connecting rods, make a decent cross head, fit decent buffers, and on top of all of that, fix a lot of soft moulding. I’d be happy to do all the previous if the price didn’t make my wallet beg for mercy, but I don’t like the sound of a sobbing wallet enough to justify purchasing this model. By the way, the cable on the left side is the whistle cable, and the small brass valve connected to it is the whistle valve, Hornby slightly botched the detail, and it should look a bit more like how it is on the A4s (whistle cable on the A4s ran under the ejector pipe to the brass valve). Thanks as always Sam!

[scottdance]

I’ve definitely been looking forward to this; everyone seems to want these streamlined B17’s! Regrettably I am not so convinced as I hoped to be. The smooth motion and diecast body are truly marvellous, as is the plastic coal load - for a change. Effort has been made to some degree and thankfully those merits show.

But, regrettably with no new drawbar, firebox flicker, old motor without a flywheel, nor nameplates, I’d say this model is worth £180. Honestly I am chronically disappointed in Hornby’s price increase and this will only turn model makers towards the likes of Rapido, Dapol and Accurascale.

Frankly, Hornby’s years are numbered. I, and multiple modellers haven’t been able to take Hornby seriously for a good number of years now. This new price says it all.

[AndrésMahou]

I like it Sam. In the bus world it would be classed as midi bus...skipping round corners/curves... Be great if you could strip off the cladding like an Airfix Snapkit

[David-ttmt]

Not a model train set owner, but none the less enjoy watching ST's channel. The cost of these locomotives and ancillaries are almost approaching lease/financing territory!

[strike]

i like how the numbers and letters have a 3d effect., long before that would ever be a term. not so much for the model more for the prototype, but you know what mean it makes you think.

[Tom-Lahaye]

It's a very beautiful made model, the paint is probably a bit thick on the metal body, making the detail a bit soft, but the texture, lining and printing are very good. Very nice wheels also and a good cab detail.
I also did run fairly well on you layout with good control. The lack of any extra features like lighting, fire box flicker or a speaker is what lets it down, the mechanism is a direct carry over from the old B-17 but yet these features could have been included without a lot of redesign to the mechanism.
However, while almost £250, - RRP is expensive but still relatively affordable compared with models on the continent nowadays. I recently did see the surprise model from Märklin for this year, the French 141R 2-8-2 class locomotive. While this model looks the part with lots of separate parts, smoke (sadly not dynamic), DCC sound, fire box flicker and head, tail and cab lights and even lights under the running boards €680 really is a price that puts me off, I could buy 2 or 3 UK models for that money even with the current pricing.
This doesn't speak Hornby free of maybe unfair price increases, or is it the wages in China going up that much?