Noel

Sure. Will post a video next week when I get some time to fit the decoder and speaker to one of my 141s. I've heard his 071 chips and they sound good at move off, acceleration, deceleration, coasting and breaking. If the new 141 sound programme does what it claims on the tin, I will be a happy bunny, but can't judge till I've heard it with my own ears. I'm taking a punt on this.

Yes Keith confirmed the same to me earlier. I hope to test one of the new sound chips for 141 locos next week.

This new product sounds like a welcome and positive development. Its a small niche market but anything that brings HNW tourists here seems a good thing for Ireland inc. The 'sleeper' element is interesting as we don't have long routes so presume it will be parked up somewhere over night. Where will be interesting. Some remote loop in the country side, or in a city location with good security. Cruise ships do the reverse by cruising at night and stopping in some port by day to allow the PAX off to visit places. But as they operate already on short Scottish routes I'm sure this has a proven solution. Good luck to them. A weeks cruise on the inland Shannon princess is circa €3k with top class catering on board. Sounds like the train product is a step up. Mind you a whole weeks cruise on a small 5 star ocean cruise ship is about half the cost of the mooted train fares. But then there is also clearly a market for 'star clippers'. Hope its a success.

Really enjoyed that video and your new layout. Looks really well and should be very interesting to operate. Love the long trains and scale speed.

Interesting. Beauty or not is in the eye of the beholder. When I travelled on early mk3s way back then, I thought the scheme was rather dull and dreary. The later 'tippex' at least gave an ugly colour scheme a visual lift. Thankfully the Mk4s have a nice livery and that awful orange is gone. I'd love to know what the thinking or reasoning behind the switch from the 50s olive green livery to the early 60s black and tan was. Green was the theme colour back then in ROI (e.g. post boxes, phone boxes, buses, trains, etc). Basically they just painted the roofs orange and removed the upper white strip when the Mk2s arrived. Must have been a maintenance headache trying to keep day glow orange roofs clean. Somebody once told me that they changed the buses from green livery so that folks could more easily see them coming from distance in the green country side. Myth or true I have no idea. On the subject of restaurant cars, the catering on the Mk2s and Mk3s was pretty OK compared to the absolute limited rubbish now available on the current Cork Mk4 trains. There was a time the business traveller could travel to Cork and back for a days work, having a decent breakfast on the way down, and an evening meal on the return, instead of a greasy microwaved bap. I understand the enterprise still has decent catering facilities. No wonder the business traveller has abandoned intercity trains.

Nice pic. Nostalgic looking back at that old CIE livery - it was a grim colour scheme.

Hear hear. Great stuff.

In the late 60s Triang had a range of military train rolling stock, including all manner of flats with tanks and artillery pieces, covered in netting camouflage, engineering loads, etc. I remember drooling as a child looking at it in the display case of WJ Owens in Bray. There were about 5 years where toy manufacturers produced a lot of military toys during the 25th anniversary of WW2. A great era when stuff like Mecanno, airfix, Lego, toy trains, scalextric, wooden blocks, chemistry sets, books and footballs were what entertained youngsters, rather than hours transfixed by dancing LCD screens. When one had to physically interact with a toy world instead of watch it. Wonder how creative the next generation of engineers will be given most never built anything during their formative years growing up! Brunnel must have had a great wooden block set as a toddler to envision his mind.

Woops - Sorry no offence whatsoever was intended. It was a genuine question. I have indeed been away from the hobby for many years, but before my break I had never been a member of any clubs, so would not have been aware of any names nor what areas they were based in. I had been to a few exhibitions decades ago but just a walk in member of the public. Please let's just chill. Noel Ps. I really enjoyed the show and the venue, even if space was a little tight at times (ie I visited twice)

I should be able to post a pic at the end of this week once I have collected it.

Thank you very much for posting that. It sounds really great and the second video confirms the rapid change in sound to match throttle speed inputs. So just to confirm I have understood a few points: The loco in the two videos is LokSound v4.0 with a modified 071 sound file supplied by Olivia's models (i.e. pre-burned with the modified file) Olivia models changed the prime mover sound for an EMD 567 from another file they had The spooling up and down sounds were automatically matched to throttle settings (i.e. not manually notched on 2nd video) The breaking sound was automatic Have I got that right? And the BMS Zimo chip does not spool up quickly with early throttle inputs. One of the things I like about the MM LokSound 071 decoder is that the sound spools up almost before the loco moves like the real thing and automatically notches up during early accelerations (i.e. rapidly matches speed changes). From what you are all saying the BMS Zimo chip does not do this which seems a major omission. PS: Forgive, but did real world 181s sound much different to 141s?

Thanks guys.

Hi Kevin. Some Bachmann/Hornby steam Loco models including lights, keep-alive and smoke box lights. Noel

Thanks that link explains it. One question, I assume you removed the supplied speaker cradle that is pre fitted in the MM 141/181? And replaced the plastic moulding with the modified speaker.

Thanks DV and IrishThump. That very informative and great to get feed back from 'the horses mouth' so to speak. Does anybody have a video of the LokSound 'spooling' up in a 141/181 as you describe when it moves off. The 071 I have is very good at the synchronisation you describe. I spoke to one supplier on the phone who claimed the MM LokSound file v the Zimo file was chalk'n'cheese implying that the sound file used on the zimo was far superior, but it appears not to be so from both of your experience. You have saved me a few bob. Thank you. In the article below it looks like the author made unnecessary work for himself with the mods to the chassis to fit his chosen speaker in. I'm hoping for an easy 'plug and play' install just having to solder the speaker wires to the MM pcb. http://www.murphymodels.com/files/Class_141_Sound_DCC_MR130_058-061.pdf

I'll be visiting Seamus's store later this week to collect my order and some DCC conversions, so I will ask him what the story is as regards further resprays of the galway EGV to either IE or IR livery (i.e. black or orange roof).

Thanks guys. DV, do you mean you preferred the modified LokSound to the Zimo in BMS? The video in glendergs link is fabulous, but I didn't think the loco had that classic GM hi-pitched spooling up and down noises. It sounded a little like a BR diesel instead, but in fairness that may have been because in the video she was only shunted at low speeds and perhaps the decoder didn't get a chance to spool up the motor sound. The 071 chip I've heard had a more classic GM sound. If BMS uses the Mr Sound guy decoder, then that seems to narrow it down to three choices, BMS (Zimo Mr Sound Guy), Olivia's Trains (LokSound customised as per video) or put an MM071 chip in it (LokSound). Anymore 141/181 owners out there with sound chips? I'd read on one of the forums opinions that Zimo may not be as smooth a drive decoder as others, but that could be a myth? PS: How did folk get on fitting speakers?

Hi Folks Could any of you kind folk who have DCC sound working well on MM 141 or MM 181 locos please let me know where you sourced your sound chip and speaker, and also if you are happy with it. I understand it should now be possible to fit a speaker inside an MM 141/181 loco body without cannibalising it. The only two sources I am aware of are Model Shop Belfast and Mr Sound Guy. Are these two different sound files, or the same? Thanks in advance. Noel

Thanks Stephen. Most of our layout curves are 900mm radius with a few 750mm, do you think the Kadee 17 or 18 might work ok? I'm not keen on the visual intrusion of the drop bar on kaydee's, but like the narrow coupling. Are there shorter versions of the Bachmann tension lock style couplings that would pull coaches closer together? I suppose I could cut off the kaydee drop bar on couplings between coaches and leave them on the end of rake coaches. Noel EDIT: Apologies, just found this post http://irishrailwaymodelling.net/showthread.php/2268-kadee-s-and-Hornby-couplers nirclass80 video gives a great idea. I could cut the drop bars off the couplers between coaches and just leave them on the two end coaches of each rake.

Hi Folks Being a relatively recent returnee to the hobby I am well out of date on model technology like couplings. As I understand it most products nowadays including Murphy models use an NEM type coupling. My questions is are there shorter versions one can purchase for use on coaches that will run on large radius curves? It would get the coaches a lot closer to get there. Cheers Noel

Thanks. The 18-105 is such a versatile and light lens. We just need to find a suitable 'tardis' and send you back to 1965 for a few days to photograph real trains in colour. Cheers

Hi RR Yes as far as I know. See link below: http://www.themodelshop.ie/graham-s-resprays-mk2-egv-ie-livery-black-roof.html Cheers Noel

Some very atmospheric pics. Liked the motion blur shots too, especially the 201 streak. If only there had been somebody with your photographic skills out there 30 or 40 years ago recording rail scenes when there were interesting looking trains operating on Irish rails instead of wall to wall 22k buses. You must have a very long reach lens or do you crop those long shots?

Passing mid day expresses on Crinkle Wood line. 183 destined for Kingsbridge, rear of 073 for Crinkle Wood Crinkle Wood junction - somebodies kicked in one of the windows on the goods shed on platform 1 Kingsbridge with new arrival 2-6-0 CIE Mogul Once the preserve of British outline steam locos, Crinkle Wood junction is now taken over by Irish trains. Can't wait to get started with the scenics next month.

Apologies for the out of focus pics and awful DOF, was rushing and didn't have time to change lens. But you can get the general view of the Park Royal. She will receive a bit of mild weathering over the winter. A black 141 seems the right partner for Park Royal, or a black & tan 001. 183 approaching platform 3 Atmospheric blur - DOF very very narrow