Couplings

Most of them can be.

There's one called the Sprat & Winkle which is like a less obtrusive "upside down" version of the Hornby.

The hook and bar are made of etched brass, and there is a dropper that is pulled down by the magnet.

There is also the Alex Jackson which is possibly the least obtrusive of all, but is fairly fragile.

A lot of people use the American Kadee which is a buckeye coupling that uncouples magnetically.

If you don't turn engines or stock, the Dingham coupler is one of the best. It actually looks like the 3-link coupling hook but is handes so thera are A and B ends. An A end couples to a B end but not to another A end,. Similarly for the B end.

....

J94 is a nice shunting class. Would also suggest a Jinty but then John Turner and I might revive the discussion of Bachmann vs Hornby !

cheers, Simon

I didn't suggest an engine because those are a matter of personal choice.

My own preference would be for a kit-built GWR saddle tank.

But for ready to run a pannier tank. For something different you could paint it for London Transport who acquired some from BR to replace Metropolitan engines and used them until 1971.

Or you could renumber a 14xx to the non-auto-fitted 5800 series.

An alternative could be L&Y Pug or a Terrier.

Hornby Terrier is a great slow running loco.

There are numerous other types of electromagnetically operated.

DG (think they are now available from Model Signal Engineering) is fairly common in smaller scales.

They are easy to make and fit with a few tools, and very cheap. There is also a simpler version called the "P4ME". But I'd not recommend the AJ for anyone using track which allows a lot of horizontal "slop" which means vehicles don't align predictably. They are also difficult on tighter curves. They work very well in P4 (little slop), and I use them. I also have DCC controlled versions in locomotives, so don't have to "hunt the magnet".

- Nigel

But Ben said the layout was to be set in the 1960s and by then all 58xx locos had been withdrawn except for 5815 that lasted until april '61.

Alan

Kadees allow delayed uncoupling as well so you only need a few strategic magnets either on track or under board. You do need a reasonable smooth running layout as delay effect will be lost if there's a lot of sudden stop starts. For more recent releases of locos and stock NEM couplings make the conversion quick and easy. Although Bachmann for some reason have there pockets at different heights. You can also hand uncouple by putting an instrument screwdriver in the knuckles and gently twisting. Also easy to lift stock as well as there are no hooks involved. Good luck.

Chris

I don't know how fiddly this would be in OO, but Ken Payne once showed me a simple way to make 3-link couplings easier in O.

Solder a piece of tube across a long single link. Keep a stock of these at the control panel.

Slip one of these onto a dental probe that it is a friction fit, and use the probe to place it between the coupling hooks, and withdraw the probe.

To uncouple just slip the point of the probe into the tube and lift.

Hi Nigel.

I run RP25 wheel and rail standards, which are much the same as UK proprietry non-standards, other than the smaller flanges. I have close to 1mm total "horizontal slop" on each wagon, which can equal 0mm/1mm/2mm of misalignment of two wagons coupling on straight track. Add to that fractional mm variations in centering of each coupling and the chances of any two wagons coupling with AJ couplers is about 67-75%. On proprietry curves the chances of two wagons coupling is about zero.

Probably the easiest couplers which fulfil Christopher's requirements are the Kadees and their many clones. Admittedly they need a little "model engineering" to create a flat mounting pad under the wagons, but that's not too onerous once you've figured it out.

Regatrds, Greg.P.

Not forgetting the preference for ex-LMS locos.

Cheers, Simon

Like the J94?

True, but at least they were designed/modified/adapted by/for Riddles. Dont know what their distribution was during the 60's though.

Cheers, Simon

There were a heck of a lot in industry though. The NCB bought a lot of panniers as did London Transport, which is the reason I mentioned them.

I don't know if the NCB had any Terriers. They tended to go to light railways - which is how the Greatest Western acquired theirs when they inherited the assets of the WC&P.

FWIW there were also industrial Gronks.

Huh? Was there something after the LMS???

Greg.P.

Kadees are fine in OO I use them myself.

Chris

For a few years till BTC was disbanded and Riddles retired, then it all went pear shaped thanks to government interference.

cheers, Simon