32-286 Class 101 2-car DMU questions

[muggins]

Can I expect one of these to run well at low (scale) speeds on conventional (DC) power? Are they generally reckoned to be good runners?

How easy is it to change the destination shown or fit passengers?

[Bigmet]

It is the same power unit found in the other early BR MU's like the 4-CEP, classes 105, 108 etc.; essentially half of one of their regular BoBo centre motor drives. I have yet to see a bad one among the dozen or so I have DCC fitted for myself and friends: smooth, quiet, bags of traction. It does very well on the extremely basic H&M Duette (DC resistance controller) that I use to test mechanisms. The motor starts on very little current, so the DC controller needs to have a well regulated small output for the smoothest start and stop, this is aided by the flywheel that is fitted. Good pick up too, all wheels on the power car. (The unpowered car may well be the most free-running RTR model on your layout, also has all wheel pick up for the lights.)

So that's the good news. Getting the bodies off to fit passengers or alter the destinations. Very fiddly, the bodies are clip on and fairly tightly attached if my experience on the class 105s, 108s, DLW and 4-CEP are anything to go by. It is difficult to find anything to hold onto on the underframe without doing damage (but dislodged parts stick back on OK) and reassembly so that the internal lighting is restored is a fiddle. Choose a day when you are calm and collected and have all the time in the world. Carefully move the sides outwards to unclip, using slips of card to prevent the clips re-engaging. Slowly and patiently does it. (Never had to change destinations on my own 105s, because miraculously Bachmann came up with the very destinations required for my KX area inner-sub operation!)

Overall these models seem very good to me, even allowing for some people's criticisms of the window positioning on the 101s. My sole gripe is that they don't have a close coupling mechanism fitted, but that is a very minor objection.

[Mountain]

My 108's run well. Nice slow running when one needs it. They run good with the Bachmann 2 function decoders (One decoder per coach both programmed to the same address, though one is programmed to be in reverse). The old two function 8 pin decoders had a dimming feature for the internal and external lights which is most effective indeed! Not sure if these decoders are still available as was around 10 years ago I bought them. I dont think the three function decoders that were available had the dimming feature.
The only downside to these trains so far is that to get the bodies off involves finding the hidden screws and nearly every one of the four cars the battery boxes needed glueing back into position as there was not a lot to hold onto to separate the bodies from the chassis due to detail overkill!
I am told that some have experienced irratic running but this is due to the wheel contacts needing a clean with a cleaning spray. It is the ends of the pinpoint axles on the wheels that need this cleaning should issues arise.
I've not run mine since testing after fitting decoders as I've nothing to run them on as I am hoping to move one of these days!

[muggins]

Cheers chaps. Bigmet, a big thank you once again for the comprehensive and very useful answers. You're saving me making some very expensive mistakes, to be sure

[Bigmet]

...You're saving me making some very expensive mistakes, to be sure

It's easy enough to advise confidently when the model is fundamentally a goodun; or alternatively so dire as to require little more than a hazard warning, Avoid, Avoid, Avoid!

It's when the question relates to something that's a curate's egg, 'good in parts' that it gets more difficult to advise. Bach's BR std 5MT, Hornby's 8F or Heljan's O2 for example. So no awkward questions OK?

[muggins]

I've been wed nigh on 40 years, so it must be at least 38 now since I gave up asking awkward questions ...

[Metadyneman]

The Bachmann class 101 has a slightly different internal lighting arrangement to previous DMUs in so much as the internal lighting is not attached to the bodywork and is an integral extension to the chassis. In other words both coaches have a "false ceiling" which is part of the interior detail and detaches from the body when it is removed. Also, the 101 only has one decoder socket and is "through wired" by way of an electrical coupling similar to the 4-CEP,2-EPB, Class 150 sprinter etc etc. The sound enabled class 101 will also provide limited sound functionality on a DC layout. In other words when you turn the knob on your controller, the DMU will not immediately move but will go through the engine start up sequence and gradually move off, making the change of gear sound as it accelerates. Similarly when you decelerate it will coast until coming to a halt although if you turn the knob to off you will lose the sound and it will go through the start up sequence again when you re apply power.

[Bigmet]

Good to learn that Bach have improved their DMU design template in some key respects.

If it wasn't for the fact of having a fair stash of salvaged decoders various available, I would probably have through wired my 105 units so that a single decoder could operate the pair of vehicles,

[muggins]

Just to say that Bigmet's response to my question persuaded me to splash out a hundred quid I couldn't afford, and I am well chuffed with the 2-car 101. Runs just like the man said and it'll do very nicely as the layout's token diesel. It's actually turned out to be the ideal solution to my we-need-more-than-the-autocoach-but-we-don't-need-a-proper-passenger-train dilemma.

Plus The Lady Wife likes the lights lots ...

[Bigmet]

I suspect the RTR manufacturers may have missed a trick on coach lighting.

My ECML set up needs Pullman cars, and when Bachmann began to oblige with the Met-Camm mk1 based Pullman cars it just so happened that my dear wife was with me when they first came into stock at our nearest model shop. She promptly purchased all the umber and cream variations then in stock, and has gone on to purchase - under my guidance - further suitable cars from Bachmann and Hornby's respective selections, most recently a full set of the all steel Queen of Scots cars.

It's the lights and the interiors. She is somewhat disappointed that the regular coaches don't have lights.

[Peterm]

Please send your wife here for a holiday. Thank you very much.