I remember a set in the local model shop window back in the '80s with a note - "Works better than the real thing."

Just for clarity on your introduction, the APT-P was rarely run as a 14-car double set. The 14-car consist was just done a few times for press and promotional shots etc.
Much more common was to have a shorter (2 or 3 passenger car) set on the southern end and a 5 or 6 passenger car set on the northern end. Sometimes with one and sometimes with two NDMs. There is lots of info on formations on the 25kv APT site.
I think Hornby promote the 14-car formation because they want to sell more coach packs, but it is misleading to portray that as the regular service formation. Hope that helps.

Is it just me or is the driver figure the spitting image of Frankenstein’s monster?!
The new model is nice, but as far as a 5 car set goes, I can’t see that it’s massively better than the 1980s Hornby model, a hot rod that can be picked up for around £110 used.  The new pantograph is way, way more realistic, but the old one, whilst not capable of DC catenary running, was sprung metal and would run under the wires OK.
I think the value for money of the new one is still stretching it, even at discounted prices.
I’m not sure that  lighting is really needed.  Most real trains barely register their internal lighting from the outside and therefore it seems a bit superfluous to me at least.

Loved the video though Sam. Top work, as usual!

My engineering brain was going wild trying to work out the possible tilting mechanism and when you showed it ……….wow! So simple and effective, very clever indeed Hornby well done!

15:40 - Nice to see British Rail giving the job of driving the APT to the Frankenstein creature. Spot on for the 'Suspicions Confirmed' department. 😆😆😆

Not many people (apart from Pete Waterman!) have the space for a 14-car train, but a 7-car set would indeed look good on a large layout with sweeping curves...only at the discount price, though.

I bought the DC APT 7-Car set about a year after launch. On the large layout at my local club, the APT struggled to get up a 1-2% incline on the overpass bridge. So soon after that, I bought the extra-powered NDM. After this second purchase, the performance and traction of the APT on the overpass were great. Then last year when the double coach packs fell below the fifty-pound margin, I purchased one to two packs per month until I made up the 14-Car set. It only gets run as a full-length train on the club's large layout for now or via an extensive-sized exhibition layout, but boy it is a sight to see running at its full length. Next year I may upgrade it to DCC Sound, but for now, I am happy with the APT as it is and how it looks. If you would like to try your set with a second NDM Sam, you can have a loan from one of my two and a coach pack to make up a 7-car unit to test them out. Better still you can borrow my 7-car set with two NDMs to test out against your 5-car set side by side, just ask me anytime. Oh, btw, it was a great review, better late than never, (even with a modern timetable) lol.

I presonally think the power car should've been an absolute monster. Givene the slowing down and the struggling of pushing the coaches. Maybe it could've been a little bit faster but thats just me.
Great video no matter what sam!

Makes me Nostalgic because of the RailRiders artwork I had back in the day.

Loved your presentation. My family an I travelled on the inaugural trip in December 1981. My son, four at the time was the youngest on the trip.  It was an amazing experience and still have all the memorabilia handed out to passengers. We made an unscheduled stop  in the Lake District to pick up Isla St Clair, co-host of the BBC programme The Generation Game. Still have the original APT set and may consider buying the new version.

I bought the 5 car set from AJM Railways. I bought the rest of the coaches from Hattons and the second DMU. It cost me $1,500 NZ or £750 UK 🇬🇧 I'll need 4 dcc decoders. It was expensive, but I wanted to treat myself. It runs well as a 14-car set and it looks very impressive but once the seats are toned down, or the interior is improved, and  fitted with passengers it'll look even better. I like it.

Hi Sam, not sure if you will read this amongst the hundreds of comments but here goes. I was amazed when Hornby announced a new APT and after being duped by DJM to support an all bells and whistles APT, I was desperate to get something worthwhile. Unfortunately I got a full set of the earliest run, with huge barrel capacitors in the coaches that didn't work and awful plastic couplings at the power cars. Worse still a lot of the intermediate coaches had to be sent back as the bogie frames had been moulded squint, causing the coaches to ride at all different heights. Also with the draggy pickups, there was no way a single power car and a dummy NDM (as advertised initially) was sufficient for the 7 car set, nevermind the full 14 car. I decided to bite the bullet and re-engineer my model, with through wiring, low friction axle pickups and DCC sound. Whilst doing this I chose to super detail the interior with tartan prints on the seats and details on the buffet and a more realistic paint scheme. It has taken me all this time on and off since release in 2020 to get a model I'm happy with. I was angry and disappointed with Hornby with their initial run and of course no option of swapping for the improved second run versions, as who would want them! Hope you enjoy your model, as I certainly didn't.
Best wishes
Neil.

The Pantograph is far superior on my original APT

It was never given running in time and was unlucky to be both so ahead of its time as well as born at that time ~ suffering from the concerns/jealousies of the Seventies unions, being noticeably not an 'in-house' project it didn't stand a chance.
Don't forget that its demise not only hastened the marvellous HST 125 (as you Adam Williams 192 say), but also it's the parent of every Pendolino train now to be seen across the world.

Very good in-depth review of an iconic train set, the first time saw an APT set was in Cheltenham Model centre many years ago, it was an eye opener that stuck with me so when I got back into the hobby at the end of 2021 after a few decades away I knew I had to buy a set, I have the 2nd run model which could have been better but it has potential, Sam’s set is the 3rd run with most of the issues with the 2nd run addressed, I’m going to upgrade the lighting and interior on mine when I get time, I don’t believe another manufacturer will ever produce the APT in 00 gauge and this 3rd run will be the last so take advantage of the discounted coaches and accessories while they are available, thanks for sharing.

I thought they weren't a success because BR couldn't find Advanced Passengers for it. I think it was The Two Ronnies who showed a picture of a prototype Advanced Passenger (a chap on a railway tricycle :P )

I remember when the first batch was released, the giant capacitor was totally visible and was ridiculed by everybody. It's nice that they fixed it, but the reputational damage likely impacted the sales of the second batch

never thought I would see the day you would make this video

7 hours after the video arrived Rails have sold out.

OOps. The pack I got is NOT R30104 but an older code. The Box is EXACTLY the same but the train does not have the capacitors for keep alive lighting, nor does it have Frankenstein as the driver. I'm a bit gutted but not much as it's still a great train.