Noel

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).

That's a huge plus. Many modellers found removing the body to fit a decoder and speaker extremely inconvenient and with a degree difficulty, not to mention lacking the skills to solder two wires to the PCB.

It depends perhaps on wither the re-run release are the same models just with different running numbers, or if there is any kind of refresh with new features added such as speakers, stay-a-live, proper lighting configs, etc. If the former the older models are likely to retain a higher value due rarity, if the latter, second hand prices could go down significantly. Fortunately I never paid more than €118 for a baby GM when I started collecting them seven years ago. The sort of ebay prices in recent few years seemed to defy rational logic. Panic buying at outrageous prices.

My main source of spares, bogies, buffers, glazing, wheels, couplings, etc, has been from Peter Spares in GB: https://www.petersspares.com Unfortunately being located in brexitistan there will be additional customs fees (ie vat+Duty) payable to An Post prior to delivery to EU.

It was not uncommon on Irish Branch lines to see mixed passenger and goods formations, often unfitted loose couple 2 axles wagons tagged onto the end of one or two passenger coaches with a brake van for safety. New Silverfox tin van with its Kadee couplings, as of yet unweathered. 15:42 about to depart for Athenry. 09:45 arrived from Ennis standing at platform 2 waiting to be passed by the 09:48 due inbound from Athenry.

Last time I operated into Duxford was 1984

Super job, weathering also top class. I genuinely cannot see any crack.

Mk3 Hornby shortie respray into Mk3 IR/Tippex livery getting pax fitted along with a MM Craven after reupholstering seats. Not fine scale passengers, but good enough for viewing through the glazing. Better than an empty coach. Tried out Train-Tech lighting modules for this coach rather than my own DIY pcb.

Inexpensive passengers in packs of 100 from china cost about €4. Snip the legs off with a wire cutters and glue to the seats. Led coach Lights are triggered by motion and stay on for 5mins after no motion.

Do you Suzette take this man Fred as your lawful wedded modeller? Do you promise not to object to paint smells coming out of the spare bedroom? Do you understand the secret cupboard is truly a secret place? Do you take Fred in sickness or in health? Do you take Fred as DC or DCC? For Richer (measured by size of model collection, nothing else), or poorer (shortness of breath carrying models up the attic stairs)? I now pronounce you modeller and paint brush cleaner, you may now airbrush the bride.

IRM's warranty service is top class, I'm sure their service team could fix this. If spare parts needed they might arrange via Murphy Models I'm sure. I understand 'normal' retailers may not stock spares, but IRM are not 'normal' retailers, they are extraordinary and make things happen.

Problem is modelling railways set in Ireland means almost exclusive use of diesel locos, therefore prime movers for GM/EMD diesel engines employed in 12,141,181,071 and 201, and Irish diesel loco horns, none of the Hornby nor budget US sound decoders facilitate this combination. Unfortunately perhaps not a game changer. In the mean time purchase ESU decoders direct from Germany for €95 and upload free diesel sound projects onto them using a LokProgrammer rather than paying €120 for a pre-programmed ESU decoder. Its not rocket science. I don't see the benefit of bluetooth for control data comms, when through track works just as well and offers almost wire free control of DCC accessory decoders for point control, signals, etc, rather than having to buy bluetooth hardware accessories. A game changer with be an ESU LokSound quality decoder selling for €50 with an open NMRA compliant standards for programming and integration. Vanilla sound projects just don't cut it for Irish Diesel locos, perhaps 260 and 460, and 060 steam locos assuming half decent whilst sounds might get away with it.

Superb

Model Craven standing at Gort Platform 2 after passengers added to reupholstered coach with lighting added. Later that evening Lady in Red seems in a hurry to find the right seat

Green upholstery added with headrest covers, passengers and lighting. Next up weathering and Kadee's Standing platform 2 at Gort awaiting 16:45 departure to Ennis Opps its dark. Inbound train from Limerick must have been delayed. Have to wait here to pass once the token has been secured.

As a piece of electronics, DCC decoder production never reaches what one could call volume by comparison with consumer electronics or automotive components. Model (Toy) trains is a tiny tiny market by comparison with consumer mass markets unfortunately not with enough scale to mass produce decoders where economics of scale could kick in. I wouldn't trust Hornby with a barge pole when it comes to DCC or a proprietary alternative. Their track record complying with NMRA standards, compatibility and interoperability is not good, nor has the quality of their budget motor only decoders in the past. TTS has had some success in the train set market segment. Budget decoders fall down on clever motor control tech that makes average locos run more precisely even on train set track. Some of the Hornby Decoders don't even have a CV3 and CV4 setting. Everything to do with TT120 seems to a a grab at direct sales model cutting out the traditional retail distribution channel, and especially taking the box shifters out of the game who have now morphed into competitors producing their own models from time to time. Proprietary tech like the HM7000 seems designed to keep the competition from selling compatible components and leaving Hornby 100% in control. Not sure all of this going out on a limb will end well for them. Words like Betamax and Kodak come to mind. Hornby is an iconic brand name, that probably launched most folks from childhood who are now n todays model train hobby. Would not like to see anything bad happen to that brand name whoever ends up owning it in the future.

@Sean you are correct. The default volume on most sound projects is far too high. I generally reduce the volume by half on my locos and they are plenty loud enough. The MM sound projects have excessively loud default out of the box volume level, sometimes leading to speaker distortion (eg 121, 071).

AS going from strength to strength. Modellers in GB will love this product.