Noel

Yes good news, saw it on MM website http://www.murphymodels.com Well done MM. Looking forward to acquiring 3 x 121s for my era (1xIE 2xB&T), and may be tempted into one Grey livery for static display in a case.

Agree. Seems over priced for an underwhelming model. My modelling budget will be saved for the 121s.

Thanks for posting. 22030 looks filthy. Presume that is caused by spray from standing water in the ballast. We get the train down to Killarney a few times a year, walk to hotel, and hire electric bikes to cycle around Killarney national park and Muckross, but some of the cycleways and caddy paths we cycle on are well under water in your golf club pics. Killarney is a fabulous destination for a weekend break by train and cycling around the flat pathways in that stunning scenery and lakelands is magical. Ross castle is a favourite out of season when the tourist hoards are away. Last time we were down the 22k had broken down (again) so we had a rather decrepit 2600 up to mallow. To add insult to injury the usual 201 hauled Mk4 set had been replaced by a 22k so hard fibreglass seats all the way to Dublin.

Wonderful. Pure 100% excellence that is in another class altogether. Totally sublime and that includes the layout.

Is the solution to that what the toy makers used to do - leave centre axil floating or without flanges.

I preferred the 121 to Galway from Amiens Street rather than Kingsbridge, but also liked Westland Row because you had a great view of the city from the elevated track lines from either station. Shame they closed the Mullingar-Athlone link.

And the right way up (sorry couldn't resist)

Yes on here, 2016 may be remembered more as the year of the 121 than the rising's 100th

I see what you mean from the CAD image on their web site PS: Please don't flame me folks, but unfortunately again another rather poor web site. In this day and age even the smallest cottage industries can have decent looking websites (i.e. out of the box template sites, end user CMS, etc).

Jeepers I sense expectations are climbing higher than practicality. Will we be expecting working windscreen wipers as well? (in jest)

Enjoy - looks great. US diesel locos do look more like 'serious' machines and evoke a sense of power and industry. Love all the odd shapes, weird cab arrangements, walkways and railings all over the loco. That Union Pacific has oodles of character (i.e. compared to a 201 rectangle box or an A class).

Hmmm, perhaps! My first one below. Bought this as a donor chassis but it seems too nice to cut up and it runs really smoothly.

Yes good news. It would be great if they do make it into the retail trade in time for Christmas 2016, but not the end of the world if they are a bit late like the ST coaches. Will be worth the wait. Wonder if they will be DCC Sound friendly (i.e. space for a speaker, or speaker fitted).

or Mr S Clause perhaps

Oh yummie. I can hear the theme tune of an 1950s period drama on TV and imagine I'm seeing these scenes on TV. Top class.

Just thinking of the families of casualties and those who suffered long term injuries and trauma. Today's anniversary and commemoration will be bringing up unhappy memories from 40 years ago. Looking at those wreckage photos is telling.

Ditto - links don't work

We thought it was very good, but don't want to say too much, other than what I already said, refreshingly it returns to the original Lucas theme of good story telling rather than reliance on special effects and mere action. Have since re-watched the original three movies (episodes 4,5,6) from 70s/80s. Nostalgia - must be why I'm a fan of B&T 141s and loose coupled pick up goods traffic. Don't want to post any 'spoilers' as it often takes weeks for folks to get to a new movie release!

My favourite bit was when Scotty having time travelled back to the 20th century, picked up a PC mouse thinking it was a microfone and spoke into it "Computer?" - oh sorry wrong series, Trek instead of Wars! But 'there be whales here' has to be the best all time line in hollywood sci-fi movie history.

Doh, darn it. Forgot to reconnect the running lights after fitting the decoder!!! Will have to disassemble again. One thing about the Athearn is that it only has bi-directional head lights, no running lights but the PCB has connectivity for them.

As promised video clip of Athearn SW1500 running under DCC with Lenz 8-pin silver+ decoder fitted. Side by side SW1500 with MM0183, both fitted with Lenz Silver+ decoders (8 pin & 21 pin respectively). Also segment of slow running over insulfrog points. [video=youtube;Gzv2__Jg-Ws] There was a marked improvement in low speed smoothness under DCC compared with DC. I presume this is down to higher track voltage helping pickup continuity, and BEMF on the motor drive. The motor drive is nearly as good as the amazing MM141/181 and seems equal to MM071s.

They look very well. What donor coach(es) did you use?

Yes that's the same price I paid in Germany. Great value for a quality decoder.

Hi Dave. Quite happy with them and good prices from German web sites. They seem quiet and smooth presumably due to the BEMF. Have used the Lenz Silver+ on my MM 141/181, and 071 (no cab lights). 183 in the video below is using a Lenz Silver+. The 071 is a LokSound, both at speed step 1. The baby GMs crawl speed which would only be used buffering up or starting off on a heavy train is impressive. All the best. Noel

Athearn SW1500 body removed. Just two screws under kadee box at each end and the body pulls off. Careful of the lighting wires. Light wires easy to remove from PCB as they are just pinched on with plastic tabs. Looks like it can take either a 9pin decoder, or an 8 pin. Just about to read manual. I suspect two metal lugs at each end of the chassis the kadee's screw into may have to be cut or filed, or alternatively cut slots in the MIR body for them to protrude. Centre drive, double flywheel, all wheel pickups. Now to fit a Lenz decoder and test run again alongside an MM141/181