Hi all:

Have I come too confident? daring? or downright rash? with altering RTR stock? After having rake splitting problems both with U.K. tension lock couplers and my modern HO couplers, I went on the Forum and requested information concerning Kadees. As a result, I decided to go ahead and purchased several envelopes of two different types and a height gauge. As far as the coaches and one of my locomotives were concerned, it was a simple matter of unplugging the old and plugging in the new. The problems came with the other two steam locomotives, a 1992 vintage Hornby Fowler Tank and a 1975 vintage Wrenn City Class.

In the first place, I had to source 2mm bolts which, fortunately, I found in my local Model Shop. The next thing was to subject these locomotives to surgery. I should say here that I excel in taking things apart; putting Humpty Dumpty back together again is another question. The Hornby locomotive came with Triang type couplers which I had removed and to fit tension locks I changed the pony truck. Now, to fit the Kadees, in the first place I had to open up the hole in the rear bogie to admit the 2mm bolt and also I had to go back to the original pony truck and drill a hole in it to take the 2mm bolt. To do this I made a jig as per these photos:

I managed to get the hole centered from side to side but somehow, in spite of having a clear mark, I managed to drill the hole 1-1.5 mm further back than I would have liked.

For the Wrenn, it was a case of adding the coupler to the rear of the tender. I have decided not to touch the hook at the front of the locomotive. Here I had an irregular hole that I had drilled a long time ago. It was alright for a 3mm bolt and the tension lock, but too big for the 2 mm bolt and the Kadee coupler, which was also too low. So, I started to grind and file away material under the tender until I could level the coupler with the gauge. Then I drilled out the hole slightly larger to remove certain irregularities and then filled it with a proprietary putty of those which you mix two components which air harden, but leaving a toothpick to form a hole for the 2mm bolt. I then fitted the coupler and after three trips with one coach around the layout in each direction, with only once splitting apart, I feel satisfied with the results.