Noel

Spot on

Yes the MKL version (58449). Been there got that badge, but sorted by swapping with a 58419 for one of my MM 121s.

I've only used Lenz, NCE and Roco, and for an afternoon got to play with a prodigy advance and an eCos. Its a purely personal thing but I did like the ergonomics of the NCE cabs which facilitated eyes off one handed operation and suited my penchant for operating sound locos. I disliked using touch screen cabs due to the lack of tactile feedback with throttle inputs which required eyes on the cab screen using a touchscreen slider icon to control throttle. When I started out on DCC my mindset was still in DC mode and I really wanted cabs with either throttle sliders or rotary knobs (ie like DC had), instead of throttle buttons +/-, the NCE had both a rotary knob and Throttle +/- buttons as well as +4/-4 buttons which left both options open, but I quickly changed mindset and find I never use the throttle knob, just the INC and DEC buttons which is handy for blind eyes off one handed use leaving me free to watch the loco and operate points while shunting. All the different systems has their own pros and cons and will suit different personal tastes and driving styles. The Roco Z21 appealed as it allowed the use of smartphones as inexpensive wireless cabs, but with eye on touch screen throttle control. One advantage of smartphone cabs is the customisation of function button labels to match the sounds available on a particular loco. The Lenz cabs are compact and were once the gold standard, personally I just preferred the feel in hand of the NCE dog bone snapped cabs and the size and tactile feel of the buttons and controls. Great menu interface makes them really easy to setup and programme. The underlying base electronics behind DCC pre-dates Zero1 and is very much late 1970s technology, but modern decoders have powerful functionality if a rather primitive and slow comms protocol. IMHO concepts such as CVs should be invisible to users in this day and age and buried under a simple human interface. Tooling up on DCC is fun and stimulating though.

Or more likely the default values in your decoders were pre-set for CV3 and CV4 (acceleration/decelaration). Personally I prefer to use the default values for CV3/4 in sound decoders, and manually adjust the values for non-sound decoders to get trains to drive as prototypically as suits my personal driving style. If the momentum button was accidentally used resetting the decoder or reinstating CV3 & CV4 values should restore matters.

It was to enable the loco cab driver to alter the inertia (ie momentum) of a locomotive (ie increase the accelaration and braking distances). Years ago in the DC world we were all chasing DC controller that had 'inertia' simulation and a break knob. These just simulated acceleration and braking by electronically delaying the voltage increase as the regulator knob was turned up, and delayed the voltage drop using simulating braking. This was based on an electronics kit I made up in the 1970s when 'inertia' was all the rage, but is now a routine part of DCC systems (primarily but not exclusively via CV3 and CV4).

DCC Tip - NCE Some years ago when I first got an NCE system I noticed what I thought at the time was a very useful 'momentum' button on the cab, but it is a disaster because it causes CV3 (accelaration) and CV4 (deceleration) on loco decoders to be overwritten each time it is used which really messes up sound decoder locos, and even non-sound locos where CV3 and CV4 had been carefully set to give optimal prototypical running performance. I recommend taping over this useless button. If Momentum button is used inadvertently reseting the decoder on the programme track should put everything back to normal (eg. CV8=8 for most decoder manufacturers). I investigated gluing the momentum button on my cabs to prevent accidental use but decided against so as not to compromise NCE warranty. Otherwise the NCE DCC system has proven very useable, especially so for sound locos and consisting double headers of baby GMs. I've reconfigured the 'option' button on my cabs to operate like a shift button for DCC sound functions (eg option+7 for FN17, option+option+4 for FN24), which gives quicker access to all 28 functions on sound decoders. If there was one single software change I would like to see its that any throttle input should escape and cancel any level of menu the cab may be in (eg: pressing 'expn' to view active functions should auto exit if a throttle input is made rather than having to press escape or expn again). PS: Remember a decoder reset also defaults a locos address back to the default of 3, so the loco address may have to be reassigned after any decoder reset.

Wishing all on here and your loved ones a blessed and special Christmas.

That's just brilliant

Great photos. Post CIE days the locos were allowed to get into quite a grubby state. Looks like I may have to weather the heck out of my bright orange IR 121 to match the photos above. There's nothing subtle about the weathering on those prototypes above.

Nice surprise in the post earlier this week. These will go nicely on a rake of mk3 resprays (when I get them finished). They'll also do nicely on the IRM Tara wagon rake.

Yes they are the bees knees and the cats whiskers and right up my street (ie CIE golden era 1960s). Every train I travelled on as a youngster had one of these either tagged on at the end of the rake or behind the loco.

Hi George. I'd choose to do without I guess. As I've done with other rare models (eg Bachmann Mk2a, U class, etc). Would keep an eye out over extended time period at swap-meets and trade stands at places like Stillorgan and Bray. eBay just drives prices even higher. Fortunately over a number of years this paid off with baby GMs. Noel

Any 21MTC spec 21 pin DCC complaint decoder should fit and work as regards motor control. Lights and sound may be another matter. Decoders from ESU (LokSound), Lenz, Zimo should fit and drive the locos, but CVs may need adjusting to map lights correctly. Personally I've fitted and successfully run LokSound V5, LokPilot V5 and Lenz silver+ decoders. Under EU consumer law using another manufactures decoder should not invalidate loco warranty as long as its a 21 pin DCC compliant decoder and no modifications are made to the loco or its PCB to facilitate the fitting of a decoder. That's the whole point of a 21MTC standard, interoperability of DCC components between manufacturers products. Personally I've found the MM 121s run very will with Lenz Silver+ 21pin decoders (ie for non sound locos) and I've consisted pairs of them using Lenz decoders as well as ESU LokSound/LokPilot decoders.

Not worth it IMHO.

Stunningly photo realistic scenes.

Christmas came early and fortunately we just beat the 'B' deadline of Dec 31st so avoided any possible vat or customs issues had parcel not arrived in time. Well done SF. SF have lifted their game and I'm delighted to have these two classic CIE era vans to operate with my black and tan coaching stock. These pics are straight out of the box before weathering and before couplings converted to kadee's. 6 Wheel heating van (ie would have been silver before being resprayed Black and Tan livery in the 1960s Four wheel heating and luggage van (HLV). Much improved glazing. I am really delighted to have these to run with CIE era branch trains. Improved gangway details I'll weather them over the Christmas break. The 6 wheel version has a sliding centre axle so that it can run over short points ok.

B125 in motion at Woodvale Junction on route from KIngsbridge

B125 in traffic at Woodvale junction

Wow a real collectors item, one of the original white metal kits. Buyer should perhaps never built it and instead keep it as a bit of model heritage and history.

I've enjoyed driving this B121 3D kit bash effort for the past two years but the MM B125 version below is simply sublime. Murphy Model B125 below is an awesome model. Nice to have the two in CIE Black'n'Tan livery. These two can consist together or with super train livery MM 121/141/181s, so much operational potential. We've never had it so good.

Same here No 19 and a plastic shim inside the NEM pocket to remove the coupling droop.

These Black'n'Tan livery MM 121s are just gorgeous. B125 got a very light dusting in the sheep dip. Just enough to get the plastic shine off it.

Looks a perfect partner for B113

Stunning job. Sublime.

I've successfully used 121 sound decoders from WheelTappers for some time and very pleased with them. Excellent prototypical driving features and independent control of the head lamps (ie coasting, braking, throttle hold, etc). Some nice additional functions like kadee uncoupling, cascading train coupling snatch and converse buffer clashing as an entire train comes to a halt. Full lighting support for double header consists. I just love driving these wheeltapper projects like real prototypical trains with real stopping distances and procedures. They are the very same ESU LokSound V5 decoders that MM supply so no issues with warranty (ie just better sound functionality). Cost seems the same. I'm just a happy customer using these for years driving my MM baby GMs even before the 121s came out. They also consist (double head) really well with MM 141/181 locos as was common practice on the real railways. Have fun and enjoy. http://www.wheeltappersdccsounds.co.uk/styled-5/index.html