Decent 3-pole motors are fine, I have dozens of them in my older European locos and they run perfectly smoothly. 
 
5-pole motors will usually run a little slower and smoother at slowest speeds, especially skew-wound types.

Coreless motors exhibit virtually no "cogging" and draw less current.

There are of course good quality and cheapo motors of any type. Some of the cheapest ones have simple metal brushes (not carbon) and are designed to run primarily in one direction: they wear out and break the brush "fingers" in no time (as Hornby found out with their early TT:120 motors).

I don't think the latest releases are any different to earlier batches of 101s are they?

Quote from: geofff on September 29, 2026, 06:46:48 PMI've seen the advert for this new model and note that it has a 3 pole motor. I know nothing about motors, but other new models (including Dapol)seem to have either a 5 pole or  a coreless motor which are claimed are an improvement on the 3 pole.

Is the new model worth buying with what I guess/perceive to be an inferior motor?

It's not quite as simple as "the more poles the better..." There are other factors including for example no of windings per pole, stright or skew-cut poles. 

All other things being equal, you'd see most difference in running quality between a 3 and 5-pole in slow speed shunting operation - not a common use for DMUs!

I have found a company that supplies similar boxes called Weston Boxes and also a company called Easy Foam that supplies to pre-cut inserts.

By marrying the two this may be a solution.

I do not know if these are the companies that John used but it perhaps is a way forward to obtain boxes at a reasonable price.

GE

Can't really comment on the spec of the motor being largely ignorant of such things, but I did get one of these latest releases to add to an earlier 101 release and a 108 and are all smooth, quiet, excellent runners

I've seen the advert for this new model and note that it has a 3 pole motor. I know nothing about motors, but other new models (including Dapol)seem to have either a 5 pole or  a coreless motor which are claimed are an improvement on the 3 pole.

Is the new model worth buying with what I guess/perceive to be an inferior motor?

As I understand it the pre-existing product is a single shelf one - effectively replacing a gradient, as a means of getting a train to a different height, rather than a complete storage system. The new one has the 12 roads and is therefore a proper storage system (and comparator to the Nelevation). I imagine the price will be rather higher than the ~£500 for the current one.

Appear to be 2 different sizes & available to purchase...

https://proseshobby.com/search?options%5Bprefix%5D=last&q=elevator

I agree with ntp on all counts. At the moment few can answer any of that!

I certainly wouldn't let the failure of Nelevation cloud my opinion of the Proses offering, they're wholly different products. A lot of the Proses products feel like a sledgehammer to crack a walnut, or a solution in search of a problem, but I can see the appeal of this.

I have half a dozen of Jon's boxes/liners and find them hugely useful, although the foam has a penchant for chomping on NEM couplings so I put all such in polythene liners before placing them in the foam. Whether Jon continues to trade or not I wish him well in recovering.
Thanks for the info, Bob.

Wonder if it's this one