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O Gauge - Heljan Class B Mobil Tank Screw Link Coupling


Bill

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Well this arrived after a Regent and three Esso versions and very nice they are too...

They have a good heft, the bearings are all sprung, have nice screw link couplings -

However the hooks were designed almost identical to the prototype and are thus a bit awkward to use..

They might need their points fettled to increase the gap to improve their ease of use.

 

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The other day I noticed an end link from a screw link coupling upon the floor of the train room (in and of itself a miracle)

Upon further investigation made the discovery it had dropped off from the newly arrived Heljan Mobil Class B Tank...

Closer scrutiny revealed that the screw bar was barely inserted into the block of the link attached directly to the chassis frame.

So that could also have been irretrievably lost...

Rotating the screw bar caused it to penetrate no further into the block, so I made the mistake of removing the screw bar.

I managed with some difficulty to re-attach the end link to it and then tried to reattach the assembly - but with absolutely no success.

Somehow the thread in the block was rejecting the screw-bar....

After two days of fruitless attempts in which I had to restrain my impulse to completely 'lose it' a revelation - remove the thread and glue in the screw bar instead.

Easier thought than done - none of my drill bits were of the right size or made much impression on the cross-threaded block.

Then I discovered a diamond drill bit that a friend had given me back in 1983 and never used since.

It was just the right size and after a couple of minutes drilling the screw-bar now slid easily through the block.

All that was now needed was a little Gorilla brand super glue to fix the screw bar in place and voila..

A half working screw link coupling!

 

Now I do wish they would notice these things before sending them half way round the world..

 

'Wistful sigh'! knowing nothing will change and that every so often repairs will be needed...

 

At and around the same time this arrived...

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As it was crying out to be run - an oval of track was hastily assembled for it to use...

And as I rather like the result, ways are being investigated to incorporate an OO gauge layout...

More later...

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Hi Bill,

Did you try screwing  anti clockwise? They are threaded just like the real ones!

PS: when I built my MMP tankers, I used CPL diesel couplings with a coach tommy bar, looks spot on!!

 

ATB Bagpipes

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That's great - Thanks - And nope It did not cross my mind - that is very useful information...

If it happens again I'll know what to try..

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