Redgate's Modelling

I have used one before but found that it needed access from the side. Your crank should help with that.

My preference is to use a bit of the wire in coper tube supplied to operate signals etc. The steel wire is strong enough to hold the hook shape while being thinner than brass would need to be. That reduces the problem of it jamming in the hook with the loop. I make a suitable steel hook and then clamp it in a length of the copper tube which is easier to hold.

 

I know one well known modeller used to cheat a little by making the bottom loop slightly wider than scale to make them easier to use.

I also recommend filling the edges of the hooks on the wagon to make it easier to slde the loops over.

 

The other thing you can do is hand the uncoupling hooks to children viewers. I found small girls would make it look so much easier than me.

 

Don