Model Forum / General / Railroads / September 2006

Hi Rick

The only reaiastic coupling for  most UK portotypes is a small hook
with a chain. This is only practical for simple layouts or larger
scales.

There are are number of articles on the web about converting UK
models to Kadee couplings. This is not a easy exercise on some
models as the base of the existing coupling has to be removed
and often the area where the Kadee is to be mounted restored
to a flat surface. There is also the problem that the buffers require
the Kadee to be mounted further out than on US stock.

If you put " UK kadee coupling conversion" or similar phrases into
Google you will find some good advice on how to do this conversion.

Regards

Tony Cane

Rick Mitchell <MitchellRA@gmail.com> skrev i
diskussionsgruppsmeddelandet:1155958523.259363.302590@m79g2000cwm.googlegrou
ps.com...

Salvé
tThere are a few options open, one ofcourse is to stay with the traditional
british couplers which work :) Then there are link and hook couplers, which
are realistic, but require at the very least a bar across the buffers to
stop "buffer lock" on curves, Spratt and Winkle couplers which are a near
invisible coupler worked magnetically and are cheap are another option, look
in the British modelling press  to obtain them, Kadee style couplers in my
opinion are not an option because except on really modern stock because they
look so wrong, the traditional coupler does the job very efectively they
keep the stock far enough apart to stop buffer lock,and keep them coupled
(!)  but the kaydee is a prototypical type which  looks totally wrong on any
but the most modern British types, buckeye couplings have been used on
coaching stock for many years but  3 link, Instanter and (on Victorian
period) 5 link and screw link couplers have been the standard on prototype
stock  since the beginning, and a kaydee on any P/O wagon (Waggon) looks
just plain ludicrous a real anachronism, maybe its just me but the
usefullness of the kaydee disappears because it looks wrong , for some
reason for me (And others!!) its easier to accept the unprototypical
Walkley coupling ( because it is unprototypical?!) than the kaydees, Spratt
and Winkles magnetically operated couplers are probably the way for you to
go, they are near invisible and allow all the benefits that the Kaydee do
without the visual impact of a foreign bt of kit at both ends jarring the
imagination... The disadvantages of using links and hook is this, propelling
a rake of chain couple wagons, without a  wire across the buffer heads will
cause buffer lock, you'll also need very easy curves to stop this happening
too, which is only a minor problem compared to needing the hands of a
neurosurgeon for uncoupling them(He may object to your sawing his mitts off
so you can couple and uncouple a rake of coaches or wagons !)  as well as a
microscope to find the bloody things between each and every
wagon/coach/loco........,
As far as finding Spratt and Winkle types go try Hattons (of Liverpool) who
sell everything railwayee :) hope this harangue confuses you less than it
did me writing it.....oh yes there are alo the various  couplers sold by
PECO in their catalogue.....oh yes lots of typs matey.. urk! oh yes British
modellers have been discussing this since the twenties when A.R. Walkley
invented HO and his coupler.....
Beowulf (now I'm going for a cup of char....)