Noel

They are not terrible, the sound is actually good, they just lack prototypical driving characteristics. Not like driving a real train. But that's a personal preference thing. I just find them boring to drive compared to the skill needed to stop a scale 70mph train at a signal or station platform after coasting and braking to a gradual scale like halt. The 071, 201 and 121 decoder projects all drive pretty much the same with minimal inertia, no coasting nor need for manual braking. They are like driving an EV using regen braking to slow down by lifting off the throttle pedal rather than having to actually use the brake pedal. 1960s and 1990s trains never behaved like that, they took considerable running distance to slow down and stop. Skilled drivers could judge the distance and level of braking and coasting required.

Looking down the line towards Athenry Cattle time - two cattle wagons loaded ready for next passing goods train to pick them up

http://www.wheeltappersdccsounds.co.uk/styled-5/index.html Best quality and most realistic driving characteristics for 121, 141/181, 071 and 201 are from Neil at Wheel Tappers. Much better than the vanilla ESU desk jockey efforts they produced for manufacturers including MM. Driving a model train that lacks coasting and braking seems a bit like a broken pencil - pointless. LokSound V5 decoders have ESU's latest 'Full Throttle' software, but the MM ESU sound projects don't use such features, not even throttle hold. I've been using their decoders for some years, and they make driving even more enjoyable. PS: If you have a LokProgrammer, you can buy blank decoders direct from Germany (€94) bypassing brexitistan customs fees, and burn wheeltappers projects onto them yourself with Neil's help.

Yes I've been adding weight to the wagons that will run on Gort to comply with NMRA guidelines and make shunting more reliable Had some spare roof lead flashing so cut strips off it and glued it into wagon interiors to get them to recommended 75gm weight and improve reliability of magnetic uncoupling and coupling up. The extra weight avoids axle shuffle when passing over the large hidden under track magnet. Tests showed almost 100% perfect coupling and automatic uncoupling behaviour with the added weight. Some RTR wagons are nearly half the recommended weight.

Started adding cosmetic point rodding from signal box. Its very very fiddly.

Thanks, relieved it worked out, runs reliably and smoothly. I can run a loco at speed step 1 anywhere on the layout without any stalling or juddering. The extra work for electrofrog points and cobalt point motors paid off.

Some time lapse added to make video shorter - delayed automatic uncoupling using one under track magnet. Edit updated video

Just curious to understand how the brakes and notching are properly managed on a train. I get the basic controls seem to be: Throttle notch controls 1-8 Direction lever Loco Braking Train Braking Watching old IRRS and RPSI videos of cab rides there seems to be a sort of choreography of nudging the brake handle and notch controls, just curious to know what's going on and why. It seems obvious very different to driving a HGV.

DMU. Have not yet found a good video on how to drive EMD diesel locos.

€185 ok if it’s motorised with lights and remote control (ie you can actually drive it on a layout). Sorry but €185 for an ornament not my personal cup of tea, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong.

Warned him not to hold the tablet catcher out the window! It's a Tesla 121, he doesn't need hands or arms because there's no controls.

Personally to date Hattons having DDP (Delivery Duties Paid) have been the most painless supplier in UK to deal with. They are registered for VAT here so no delays in post, no extra fees payable here. Hattons pay the vat. No fuss, no delays. Some of the others if you ask who are not set up for DDP will deduct UK VAT so you only pay vat here but still have the delay in that process.

One tray fits 15 two axle goods wagons (ie 30 in total in a box with two trays). My collection of BR private owner coal wagons. Cheers. I used AddressPal to get around supplier not shipping outside brexitistan, and yes modest customs fees applied as it was an import from a 3rd country, but all payable online and delivery went smoothly. These boxes will be invaluable to me as I move my running stock into storage during layout updates, and for transport.

Picked up some of these useful stock boxes. Two layers. Moveable partitions to fit coaches, locos or 2 axle wagons https://modellers-mecca.co.uk/products/the-warley-stock-box Very handy for both storage and transport

Yes, apologies, I only noticed the B&T van on their website yesterday. Was aware of the GSWR six wheelers.

Interesting spotted this little Irish gem on Hattons web site yesterday. Due middle of next winter apparently. Pre-Orders for now. Has a lighting option. https://www.hattons.co.uk/1056113/hattons_originals_h4_6fb_1703_6_wheel_full_brake_79_in_cie_black_tan/stockdetail

Another viewing angle of the ticket office. This is the Ennis end of the platform. This is now a private house. The ticket office, goods shed, water tower and signal box were scratch built in plastic card with balsa structure using old black and white photographs as no drawings were available.

IRM published a fix for these wagons on their web site when the 42ft's were first released before covid. I cannot find the link, perhaps one of the IRM lads might post it here.

Cheers the little baby GM was even more impressive given it had 4 axle pickups instead of six and has no stay alive. Electrofrog points require a small amount of extra wiring but it really is worth it and if you use a point motor with a build in frog switch then there's only a few extra inches of wiring locally at the point (ie not all the way back to centralised switches).

Here you go. IRM A class crawling over electro frog points with precision and ease IMG_1268.MOV

Cheers. Will video an A on the same section in time. It should be just as good as it has 6 axles and stay alive which the baby GMs don't.

What MM managed to fit inside the 121 body was miraculous given the size, especially the see through grills. However in engineering sometimes compromises are required to achieve the primary functional objectives. In the case of the 121 it was the small inaccessible sugar cube speaker that was less than perfect. Easy to fix for customers used to dissecting and reassembling models, but for typical customers perhaps not viable.

Agree, still my favourite Irish loco. Staggering slow speed precision performance on the Bachmann chassis. I was delighted how well the MM baby GMs run over Peco code 75 electro frog points at crawl speeds (see below) without a hint of a stall or judder. IMG_1241.MOV Combine with a bass reflex speaker and a decent sound project and these locos excel despite being a 15yo build. The 071 and 201s also excellent but not quite as silky smooth runners. The A's are excellent too.

Enjoyed an operating session yesterday with my good friend Junction Mad (Dave). As I'm about to start making the signals and cosmetic point rodding Dave gave me some great advice on the correct signals needed and how to electrify them using micro servos less that 1/2 inch in size. More work to be done (eg fascia boards for the signal box). Test ran B165 over electro frog points at speed step 1 & 2. Had to snip and extra 1mm off some of the point motor actuator shafts to stop them fouling under the baby GM bogie bodies. Pleased with how smooth the MM runs over the point work at crawl speeds without stalling. IMG_1241.MOV

Yes unfortunately many didn't realise it was possible to leave the hand rails on the model while removing the body section to fit decoders and speaker. One nice to have refresh item would be see through the body grills on the side like the 121, but that robs a lot of weight and storage space for speaker (which could perhaps be suspended above the gap if small enough).