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Oxford Rail announces - OO gauge Mk3 coaches


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On 05/01/2020 at 16:46, Tiddles47 said:

Forgive me if this has been mentioned before,  To closely couple my Oxford Rail MK3's on 2nd rad curves without buffer locking, what size Kadees's would I need or would the continental hoop type coupling be ok? I'm currently using the bar type that Hornby use with their Maunsells. But the gap is still a big big. Ta

 

On the rake I made up, I found that #17 Kadees did the job. Pretty much run gangway to gangway on the straights, with the coupling cams taking care of the corners. Seemed to go round my layout fine, with 4th & 3rd radius curves.

 

The rake runs with a Hornby Class 87 & DVT. The 87 uses a #18, while I think the DVT a #19. The 87 has couplings cams which help, but the DVT doesn't so needed a slightly longer Kadee to be used. Whole rake runs well (after some work!), but will not push without derailing on the corners unfortunately.

 

One thing I did which is a cheap detail job is on the ETH cables. The inboard HST style ones were removed, and one of the receptacles repurposed as the standard loco hauled one on the coach corner. Makes a difference!

 

1886223886_OxfordMk3-02.JPG.68b4a1bed409da0f785f6cdae9d6655c.JPG

 

1691007077_OxfordMk3-03.JPG.e12bface7d2aba260f094727fcf6270f.JPG

 

608106717_OxfordMk3-01.JPG.1bc5adfc05ec93708ae4da393dbd2811.JPG

 

A video of the whole lot running:

 

Andy.

 

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19 minutes ago, SWT442 said:

 

On the rake I made up, I found that #17 Kadees did the job. Pretty much run gangway to gangway on the straights, with the coupling cams taking care of the corners. Seemed to go round my layout fine, with 4th & 3rd radius curves.

 

The rake runs with a Hornby Class 87 & DVT. The 87 uses a #18, while I think the DVT a #19. The 87 has couplings cams which help, but the DVT doesn't so needed a slightly longer Kadee to be used. Whole rake runs well (after some work!), but will not push without derailing on the corners unfortunately.

 

One thing I did which is a cheap detail job is on the ETH cables. The inboard HST style ones were removed, and one of the receptacles repurposed as the standard loco hauled one on the coach corner. Makes a difference!

 

1886223886_OxfordMk3-02.JPG.68b4a1bed409da0f785f6cdae9d6655c.JPG

 

1691007077_OxfordMk3-03.JPG.e12bface7d2aba260f094727fcf6270f.JPG

 

608106717_OxfordMk3-01.JPG.1bc5adfc05ec93708ae4da393dbd2811.JPG

 

A video of the whole lot running:

 

Andy.

 

 

Just personal opinion, Don't use Kadee's in the MK3a rake there's too much play in the coupling heads, try looking at a rigid style coupling, It's easy to pull the rake but not so easy to push it,

I can't recommend one as there is plenty out there what can do the job, everybody has a different opinion and run them differently.

I use Marklin 7023, nothing but negatives but work for me, expensive, big, ugly, but you don't notice them that much and at a shoulder length of 15.3mm roughly these will push through a 2nd radius curve and still maintain a tight gap on the straights.

Under compression (pushing) they can nip a hacksaw blade between the corridors but not clashing, I can live with that.

It's reverse engineering literally, make them work first pushing then adapt to your needs, all in all anything is better than tension lock couplings they come with.

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Thanks I got some 19's as a birthday present and attached theses to my Mk3's and DBSO; however being pushed there was buffer lock ( round 2nd rad) and being pulled they tended to uncouple and because of the slack 1 of the sockets came loose in its mounting so it sagged. So I ended uptaking them off and replacing the bar couplings that i had already put in. 

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3 hours ago, Tiddles47 said:

Thanks I got some 19's as a birthday present and attached theses to my Mk3's and DBSO; however being pushed there was buffer lock ( round 2nd rad) and being pulled they tended to uncouple and because of the slack 1 of the sockets came loose in its mounting so it sagged. So I ended uptaking them off and replacing the bar couplings that i had already put in. 

use the standard length Fleischmann Profi couplings, they're rigid enough and allow for running around 2nd radius 

image.png

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10 hours ago, Adamphillip said:

use the standard length Fleischmann Profi couplings, they're rigid enough and allow for running around 2nd radius 

image.png

Or the Hornby / Roco rigid coupling type.  I have 2 Scotrail push pull rakes that could not be pushed at all with Kadees used, but with Hornby / Roco rigid couplings I can now propel at full speed around my layout which includes a complex fiddle yard entrance/exit.  The Hornby / Roco versions work the same and look the same but the Roco version is slightly shorter - I can't actually recall which I used suffice to say that the gangways are touching when on straight track, but they can negotiate curves no issue.  If you haven't tried these couplers I can strongly recommend - has become my choice within fixed rakes of coaches and wagons as reduces "slop" in couplings whilst providing nice close coupling and is slightly less sensitive to getting height spot-on than Kadees.  Still use Kadees for rest of fleet including locos though as less obtrusive.  Note also these couplers are a somewhat lower cost option than Kadees too :-).

 

M

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4 hours ago, Adamphillip said:

can do one better and give you a link to them on the gaugemaster site https://www.gaugemasterretail.com/magento/fleischmann-fm386515.html

I've tried these on the OR MK3a's although they look great and I do like these couplings I found them a bit too tight. They wouldn't connect as the corridors hit first,

You either had to slam them or just slightly lift them to connect, having said that they will negotiate a 2nd radius under pushing but the corridors can rub on the straights all depending on how many you have got.

Personally I'd just buy a pair first and test them before spending £50.00 on them just in case you find the same.

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43 minutes ago, UP 4000 said:

I've tried these on the OR MK3a's although they look great and I do like these couplings I found them a bit too tight. They wouldn't connect as the corridors hit first,

You either had to slam them or just slightly lift them to connect, having said that they will negotiate a 2nd radius under pushing but the corridors can rub on the straights all depending on how many you have got.

Personally I'd just buy a pair first and test them before spending £50.00 on them just in case you find the same.

see above picture, that's the corridors on a straight with those couplings

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1 hour ago, Adamphillip said:

see above picture, that's the corridors on a straight with those couplings

Yes I know, probably relaxed not under compression, I've tried them, they do work but I found they were difficult to connect as they hit first and pushing a 9 coach rake they did touch, as with your picture I found the same I don't know why but they seem to toper towards the top that's when they hit.

I'm (not) not recommending them as they are a good coupling just advising to test first, It's what I found was happening so opted for the Marklin 7023, As my post further up the page (just realised the post numbers have disappeared) I don't recommend any coupling as there is too many variables, each to there own I suppose, but they work for me,

Edited by UP 4000
can't spell
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8 hours ago, Tiddles47 said:

I don't use that type, not only can I not spell correctly I like to change numbers about, Instead of editing posts the couplings I use is Marklin 7203

image.jpg.c689921bab3e7a6ceee489c6e01a69ed.jpg

 

https://www.maerklin.de/en/products/details/article/7203/48/?tx_torrpdb_pi1[backlink]=48&tx_torrpdb_pi1


=3&tx_torrpdb_pi1[perpage]=10&tx_torrpdb_pi1[era]=&tx_torrpdb_pi1[newonly]=0&tx_torrpdb_pi1[gaugechoice]=2&tx_torrpdb_pi1[groupchoice]=4&tx_torrpdb_pi1[subgroupchoice]=24&tx_torrpdb_pi1[filter]=1&tx_torrpdb_pi1[pagesort]=artnrasc&tx_torrpdb_pi1[brandId]=1&tx_torrpdb_pi1[noPaging]=

 

Or,

https://www.gaugemasterretail.com/magento/catalogsearch/result/?q=marklin+7203

 

£3.00 more for a pack of 50 over the Profi's, I like them, yes bigger, ugly but the corridors don't clash when coupling, roughly 0.3-0.5mm larger gap shoulder to shoulder as a pair (face to face of the NEM pocket) over the Profi's.

They are worth a try but I'm not recommending them, they have issues but work great for me, everybody has there own opinion on what to use and everybody runs there rakes on there own layouts,

I'd prefer the Profi's for looks but I'm happier with these, just my personal opinion,

Edited by UP 4000
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I don't use that type, not only can I not spell correctly I like to change numbers about, Instead of editing posts the couplings I use is Marklin 7203

 

image.jpg.5ad9716fea99599ede007354aad6471b.jpg

https://www.maerklin.de/en/products/details/article/7203/48/?tx_torrpdb_pi1[backlink]=48&tx_torrpdb_pi1

=3&tx_torrpdb_pi1[perpage]=10&tx_torrpdb_pi1[era]=&tx_torrpdb_pi1[newonly]=0&tx_torrpdb_pi1[gaugechoice]=2&tx_torrpdb_pi1[groupchoice]=4&tx_torrpdb_pi1[subgroupchoice]=24&tx_torrpdb_pi1[filter]=1&tx_torrpdb_pi1[pagesort]=artnrasc&tx_torrpdb_pi1[brandId]=1&tx_torrpdb_pi1[noPaging]=

 

Or,

https://www.gaugemasterretail.com/magento/catalogsearch/result/?q=marklin+7203

 

£3.00 more for a pack of 50 over the Profi's, I like them, yes bigger, ugly but the corridors don't clash when coupling, roughly 0.3-0.5mm larger gap shoulder to shoulder as a pair (face to face of the NEM pocket) over the Profi's.

They are worth a try but I'm not recommending them, they have issues but work great for me, everybody has there own opinion on what to use and everybody runs there rakes on there own layouts,

I'd prefer the Profi's for looks but I'm happier with these, just my personal opinion,

 

Sorry for reposting, It didn't seem to work first time,

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  • 2 weeks later...
17 hours ago, Wild Boar Fell said:

 

Looking forward to these, where did you find these please?

Hopefully they'll remove the yellow stripes off the TSO before production.

It was a screenshot off of a YouTube video on Oxfords 2020 announcements. I did have conformation though that these will be arriving this year from an email I sent a few weeks back. I’m sure they’ll remove the yellow on the TSOs.

 

hope this helps, all the best, Matthew 

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Virgin mk3s look brilliant. First time they've got a livery right on the Mk3s?

 

Has anyone emailed them RE the yellow line on the TSO? What a flop if they overlook that! I'll email them myself if no one has.

 

Cheers...

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