Worth the bother?

Installation of the new motor was simple, and it offers a marked improvement in performance, with minimal power required before it begins running. Indeed, I had to be gentle with my analogue controller as the Class 121 was suddenly behaving like a teenager in a hot hatch, spinning its wheels as it set off at quite a pace. While the original motor demanded a hefty starting voltage of almost 4V, the new mechanism was off and running at less than 1V.

There’s still quite a bit of noise from the original gears, despite a full de-grease and re-lube, but there’s not much one can do about that. Indeed, it’s important to manage your expectations, as this re-motor package will never be able to transform the performance into something akin to a modern locomotive, with twin flywheels, cardan shafts, precision gears and all the rest.

I do wonder if the Micromotor.eu kit would benefit from a similar speedlimiting diode package, as employed by Modeltorque, to provide a gentler start and a realistic top speed, especially for a railcar such as the ‘121’. I’m also curious to trial this kit on DCC…

Haulage capacity was slightly reduced, compared to the original motor, but the lightweight nature of the railcar and my decision to install superior wheels without traction tyres are both likely to have had an impact (Lima’s locomotives were routinely fitted with hefty ballast weights). The ‘121’ handled a load of three unpowered DMU cars, hauling and propelling, so it’s well up to the job.

At this early stage, it’s difficult to vouch for the potential longevity of the new motor unit – time will tell. But, given the cost, time and effort required the conversion has definitely been worth the effort, prompting me to make a start on super-detailing the railcar.

Like my other re-motored Lima locomotives, the traction upgrade will ensure that another of these venerable – and much-loved – models will enjoy a working life, rather than gathering dust on a shelf or languishing in its box.