Murphy Models 121 Class
◆ GAUGE ‘OO’ ◆ MODEL Murphy Models MM0135 121 Class Bo‑bo B135, CIÉ grey/yellow ◆ PRICE £27.50 ◆ AVAILABILITY Murphy Models stockists
Another month, another ‘OO’ gauge ‘121’ to review.
But if you were worried that a third manufacturer had followed Dapol and Bachmann, you can rest easy. What we have here is as far removed from BR’S Pressed Steel railcar as it’s possible to be.
This is Coras Iompair Éireann’s 121 Class, a historical turning point in Ireland’s railway history, for it was its first main line diesel to be built in the USA, paving the way for all subsequent Irish main line diesel locomotives. It’s also a fitting way for Murphy Models to complete the quartet of ready-to-run Us-built Irish diesels in ‘OO’.
In today’s world, where anyone with enough money can commission a ready-to-run model, it’s easy to forget that Murphy Models was a pioneer in that field. It first worked with Lima in 2003 to produce the 201 Class and then joined forces with Bachmann in 2007/2008 to offer the 141/181 Class. Since then, it’s gone direct to China for its locomotives and coaches. MM’S standards are incredibly high, so a new model is always eagerly awaited.
The wait for the ‘121’ has been long but, once you’ve lifted the model out of its web of foam packaging, it immediately impresses. Viewed with British eyes, CIÉ’S grey and yellow livery looks a bit odd, but it can’t hide the design’s US switcher origins.
The shape looks spot on, from the angled nose to the way that the bonnet dips down towards the cab. That cab ‘face’ set the
standard for the look of all subsequent Irish diesels, and the model really captures that character.
CLEAR ADVANTAGE
The glazing reveals a well-finished interior and doesn’t suffer from any prismatic effects. In fact, the black paint around the edges, to simulate the rubber seals, is fabulously fine and perfectly executed. The icing on the window cake is the beautiful metal wipers.
There are so many eye-catching features. The tablet-catching equipment on the cabside is a separately fitted item, and though arguably a little undernourished, it is commendable that this hasn’t been moulded as part of the cabside. Hand and grab-rails are a mixture of thin plastic and metal wire and all look great, particularly the correctly angled rails on the cab nose. There are also, correctly, grab rails on one of the large bodyside grilles on one side and not on the other.
That leads us nicely on to the subject of those grilles. They are some of the finest etched items we’ve seen on a ‘OO’ gauge diesel and, with one on each side, they let in a huge amount of daylight. They’re complemented by a chequer grille on the bonnet that’s just as finely etched. The problem, however, with letting so much light inside is that the drive to the bogie gear towers and the bogie mounts is visible. It’s difficult to tell from prototype photographs of ‘121s’ in this livery whether the grilles are painted black or that it’s an optical effect caused by the darkness from inside the bonnet.
Given how fine the etched grilles are, it’s a shame that the louvres on the body and on the solebars lack a little depth and the footsteps are a touch on the thick side. The shape and finish of the door louvres is not correct, but that and the fact that the lamp irons are missing front and rear are the only disappointing aspects of the model.
The good work continues below solebar level. The distinctive bogie frames are beautifully moulded with the spring detail clear and visible. Brake linkages are separately fitted and if you do catch one with an errant finger, they are easy to pop back into place.
The axle ends rotate and there’s plenty of space between the bogie frames to fit prototypical 21mm gauge axles. Although the wheels look odd, spaced to 16.5mm gauge ‘OO’, the wheel flanges are very fine and put those from more established manufacturers to shame!
NEM pockets are fixed to the bogies and move as they move. There are holes in the valances and blanking panels are included in the bag of bits for those who want to replace tension locks with three-link couplings.
The bag contains several finely made parts, from coupling hooks to lamps. Sadly, the brief instruction sheet doesn’t explain where all these pieces go.
As one would expect, not only from a 21st-century diesel model but also a product from Murphy Models, the ‘121’ has a full suite of lighting and sound options. Three white marker lights are illuminated when moving forwards, along with the two high-intensity headlights, and there is a prototypical difference in the amount of light that is chucked out. A single red shows and is very effective.
LIGHT TOUCH
One very neat touch is how you access the inside. The exhaust/ silencer unit clips in place and, removing it, reveals a bank of tiny switches. Once you’ve removed the protective yellow film, these switches allow non-dcc users full control over the lights.
Prise the surrounding panel away and you get full access to the 21-pin decoder socket. Murphy Models has developed a bespoke decoder and sound decoders, due to the fact that there’s not a lot of space inside the narrow bonnet. It’s worth pointing out that problems caused by using non-mm decoders are not covered under the warranty.
The wheel flanges are very fine and put those from more established manufacturers to shame!
MM’S factory has applied CIÉ’S curious yellow and grey livery well and you can easily overlook the fact that the handrail knobs on the bonnet ought to be grey. CIÉ’S ‘flying snail’ logo and the running numbers are the right size and weight and the tiny General
Motors worksplate brings a welcome – though incredibly tiny – splash of colour.
The quality of Murphy Models’ locomotives and coaches can tempt even the most ardent of British-outline steam enthusiasts to consider modelling the Irish diesel scene – and the ‘121’ makes it even harder to resist that temptation! Its competitively priced, good looking and performs superbly. What else could you ask for? Get your order in quick because the ‘121s’ are unlikely to hang around for long.
And it begs the question: what will Murphy Models do next? (RF)