New to 7mm / fitting Kadee's to Heljan Westerns / Warships

[Mutley]

Good morning all.

 

I’m a recent convert to ‘O’ Gauge, currently in the process of selling off all of my ‘OO’ Gauge stock and just trying to find my feet in the ‘senior scale’.

 

My interests lie in a period spanning the early to late 60’s and are firmly entrenched in the Western Region, so Diesel Hydraulics and late BR Steam are my thing.

 

I hope you will forgive the steady stream of questions that is likely to appear in this area over the coming weeks and my first relates to couplings.

 

A bit of context first of all.

 

My layout will be garage based and I have a space available to me of 17’8” x 9’6” with annoying piers that jut out at in a couple of places but guess they serve a useful purpose in stopping the walls from falling down!

 

For me, I gain the most enjoyment from operating my layouts and I have a 3-year old daughter who likes to operate the trains with me and a continuous run is essential.

 

I’ve already acquired a Heljan Warship, a Heljan Western and a Dapol 8750 and have been carrying out various tests using a Lionheart B Set to establish what I can get away with in terms of minimum radius curves.  For couplings, I’ve been using the 3-link / screw-link couplings provided out of the box.

 

I bought a box of Peco 2^nd radius curves and eased these into a straight section by virtue of a Peco curved point and whilst all of the above gets around this arrangement (and I can propel without buffer locking), I sense the Western is not quite so comfortable and slows down noticeably as it enters the curve and that’s true when coupled to the coaches, or running on its own.

 

I’ve widened out to 48” and it seems to be much happier, so that’s my adopted minimum radius and have knocked together a layout plan in XTrkCad and am happy on that front.

 

I’m about to acquire some of the attractive looking Darstaed MK1 coaches and notice that they come fitted with Kadees (with an option for screw links if preferred) and I’ve seen comments from people mentioning that they’ve adopted Kadees for their fleets and am contemplating which way to go myself.

 

I do find the 3-link / screw-link couplings a bit of a pain but can see that with an appropriate ‘shunters pole’ it would be less so. 

 

The prospect of automatic coupling / uncoupling is an attractive one for me but given my liking of the WR hydraulics and their deep front valences, I wondered what the route might be to fitting Kadees to the Westerns and Warships and whether anybody could advise on the best way to approach it?

 

Whilst with OO Gauge I’ve been more than happy to ‘have a go’ but with models costing £500 ish I’m less inclined in case I wreck them!  Is there somebody out there who could do this for me professionally perhaps?  I’ve just completed my membership application to the Gauge O Guild and maybe once that has been processed I’ll have access to just this sort of information.

 

Any advice would be very gratefully received. 

 

Meanwhile, I’m enjoying the journey so far and as well as the sheer ‘heft’ of these models in 7mm, I must say that each new item that arrives feels like a real event, which is something I’ve not experienced for a very long time.

 

Thanks in advance

Mike

Edited October 5, 2018 by Mutley

[Simond]

Mike

 

You’ll not couple corridor coaches to one another with screw or 3-link couplings, it’s simply impossible for normal humans on a normal day.

 

I have Kadees within all my corridor rakes, though I have screw couplings at the ends of them.

 

I’ve not tried but the magnaclick couplings seem popular

 

Others use old triang or Bachmann tension lock couplers in an adaptor plate

 

HTH

Simon

[Mutley]

Thanks Simon, much appreciated.

 

Mike

You’ll not couple corridor coaches to one another with screw or 3-link couplings, it’s simply impossible for normal humans on a normal day.

I have Kadees within all my corridor rakes, though I have screw couplings at the ends of them.

I’ve not tried but the magnaclick couplings seem popular

Others use old triang or Bachmann tension lock couplers in an adaptor plate

HTH
Simon

[Simond]

Mike

 

I can’t help with the diesels, I don’t have any (well ignoring my ixion fowler, which is an honorary steam loco..) but I imagine it would be similar to coupling coaches to the back of a large tender, and that’s possible, provided you use the links on the coach and the hook on the loco

 

Your jumpers, steam heat, ETH vac pipes etc may add to the entertainment

 

Best

Simon

[Mutley]

Thanks Simon, that's useful advice, I guess coupling that way around avoids having to try to drop the link 'blind' onto the hook beneath the corridor connection .. hadn't occurred to me.

 

I've found a few examples of Shunter's Poles and might see if I can concoct something using a bit of brass wire and a mini torch.

 

Al the best

Mike

 

Mike

I can’t help with the diesels, I don’t have any (well ignoring my ixion fowler, which is an honorary steam loco..) but I imagine it would be similar to coupling coaches to the back of a large tender, and that’s possible, provided you use the links on the coach and the hook on the loco

Your jumpers, steam heat, ETH vac pipes etc may add to the entertainment

Best
Simon

[kernowtim]

Some years ago a fellow.club member was using Hornby dublo type couplings on his O gauge stock which worked well , don't suppose they would be any easier to fit though!!

May be worth asking the question on one of the facebook modern image O gauge groups.

[Mutley]

Thanks, I'll take a look.

 

Some years ago a fellow.club member was using Hornby dublo type couplings on his O gauge stock which worked well , don't suppose they would be any easier to fit though!!
May be worth asking the question on one of the facebook modern image O gauge groups.

[Simond]

Three thoughts;

 

First, the “bullet” is a nicely made torch + hook - they were in sale at Telford, I didn’t buy one as it is simply a nicer version of the homemade one I have, which is a led torch, with a home made hook made from piano wire.

 

The second is the magnetic coupler - a micro magnet in a brass tube shield, I believe they were produced by David LO Smith, or a pal of his. Not great with brass links...

 

Finally, a pet hate. If you ever build stock, please please please ensure the brass hook & links are blackened!

 

Best

Simon

[Mutley]

Thanks again Simon.

 

I've identified torch / wire and will order in the morning and see what I can come up with.

 

Your point on blackening hooks / links duly noted!  I might actually get around to building a few things for myself, perhaps a wagon to begin with.  Alas, lack of time is my enemy, so could be a slow process for me.

 

All the best

Mike

 

Three thoughts;

First, the “bullet” is a nicely made torch + hook - they were in sale at Telford, I didn’t buy one as it is simply a nicer version of the homemade one I have, which is a led torch, with a home made hook made from piano wire.

The second is the magnetic coupler - a micro magnet in a brass tube shield, I believe they were produced by David LO Smith, or a pal of his. Not great with brass links...

Finally, a pet hate. If you ever build stock, please please please ensure the brass hook & links are blackened!

Best
Simon