Hi again all
I am just placing three magnificent tri-ang old World coaches on eBay and just KNOW I will get asked why there are "different" couplers on them. Can anyone enlighten me so I know the answer please?
Thanks
Steve
Hi again all
I am just placing three magnificent tri-ang old World coaches on eBay and just KNOW I will get asked why there are "different" couplers on them. Can anyone enlighten me so I know the answer please?
Thanks
Steve
"mindesign" wrote
The original Tri-ang couplers were open at one side and were replaced by the standard Tri-ang/Hornby coupling at a later date.
John.
Hi John
no these are an American style knuckle coupling - I have had several other old Time coaches with them as well - they are obviously fitted 'retro' but do seem like they are done at factory.
I will take a pic and point folks to it
Steve
Years ago, I had a rake of Triang (I think) Pullmans which had a plastic knuckle coupler - a sort of horizontal hook.
that's them! I imagine they're for the US market only - special fitment or something like that..... nice little coupling actually
Cheers
Steve
Are you sure that wasn't the original Hornby coupling (also used by Peco on their Wondrrful Wagons)? That was a knuckle coupler.
Peco also sold a conversion kit to fit these couplings to original Triang vehicles. I remember using them on Triang green suburban carriages to give my kid brother to pull behind his Hornby Sothern tank engine.
The original Triang coupler (pre- tension lock) was similar to the corrent one but with a piece of bent metal forming the bar that gets hooked onto.
This meant that there wasn't a lip on the bar to lock the hook, but it had the advantage that vehicles could be lifted out of the train.
It gets confusing because Triang took over Hornby, and the combined company was known as Triang Hornby for a while, and the Triang range was re-branded.
(Some of the original Hornby range was re-branded as Wrenn)
After a few years the Triang part of the name was dropped, and it became known as Hornby - but it was still the old Triang company and range.
Christopher,
In fact, the knuckle coupler was Peco's invention and was used by Hornby Dublo and Trix post WW2. The original couplers were metal stampings, but a plastic version appeared later.
It has been said that the royalties from the coupler gave Peco the revenue to allow it to develop into the company we know today.
Jim.
I didn't realise that it was Peco's invention, but it explains the Patent Products part of their full name.
Their Wonderful Wagons really were wonderful for the era - with sprung buffers and axleboxes, nicely weighted so the springing worked properly, and the printed embossed card overlays. Streets ahead of anything from Triang, Hornby or Trix.
That sounds more like Trix Pullmans.
Didn't the original Hornby do some modern ones?
The old Hornby knuckle type couplers were streets ahead of the present day Hornby, Triang, Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all meat choppers. Regards, Bill.
I agree unanimously with this post. Triang made a big mistake staying with the tension locks.
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