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Instanter couplings


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I recently bought some Accurascale Instanter couplings - great product .

I’m aware that 3 links are for “unfitted” stock and screw links for vacuum stock ( my era is 1930s). Is there a rule of thumb guidance for stock fitted with Instanters , please ? A sort of Mr In Between .

Thanks

Ken 

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54 minutes ago, 1466 said:

I recently bought some Accurascale Instanter couplings - great product .

I’m aware that 3 links are for “unfitted” stock and screw links for vacuum stock ( my era is 1930s). Is there a rule of thumb guidance for stock fitted with Instanters , please ? A sort of Mr In Between .

Thanks

Ken 

What stock do you plan to run? BR era? 

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1 hour ago, 1466 said:

I recently bought some Accurascale Instanter couplings - great product .

I’m aware that 3 links are for “unfitted” stock and screw links for vacuum stock ( my era is 1930s). Is there a rule of thumb guidance for stock fitted with Instanters , please ? A sort of Mr In Between .

Thanks

Ken 

 
Screw links generally .... but not exclusively.... on passenger rated stock, instanters on vac fitted freight stock

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I am informed by others here that instanters were a GWR invention.  They are cheaper and lighter than screw links.  They were used on vacuum fitted freight stock.  BR adopted them I believe.

 

Therefore, rule of thumb would be that BR built  fitted freight stock would have them.  Pre nationalization fitted freight stock, not GWR, would most likely have screw link.

 

I'm sure there was a lot of chopping and changing so best to go with a photo if you are in doubt.

 

John

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Thanks everyone . Most helpful . I’m modelling 1935 GWR but have seen Instanters on  modem air braked stock with them in the “short” position . I understand that a skilled shunter would tweak the “ears “ and change them to the “long “ position .

Thanks again

Ken

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Instanters were a GW idea from the 20s I believe, and offered the advantage over 3 link of extra strength (coupling breakages on loose fitted freight trains were not uncommon) and the ability to set them in a 'long' configuration, like 3 links, for easy shunting on pickup or colliery trip work, or a short postition for through freight.  It is not as simple as saying '3 link = unfitted, instanter = part or fully fitted, and screw = passenger rated.  I'm sure Stationmaster Mike can give us chapter and verse, but in my time on the railway, the 70s, the only vehicles left in service with 3 link couplings were departmental; revenue vehicles were either instanter or screw.  XP rated vehicles had screw couplings, but so did some fitted minerals, and other non passenger rated vans or wagons, including some unfitted.  The majority had instanters though. 

 

Deployed in the 'long' position, they were restricted to use in class 9 unfitted trains, of which there were still a good number in the 70s, mostly local mineral or steel work, and restricted to 25mph running.  Class 8,7, and 6 trains had to have the instanters in the 'short' position, and could run at whatever the minimum speed of wagons in the train was.  For 9 or 10 foot wheelbase vehicles, this was 45mph.

 

The little horns are to enable the coupling to be changed from long to short or vice versa with a shunting pole so the shunter did not have to go between wagons to do this.  In my entire railway career, I never heard of an instanter or screw coupling breaking; they would pull out of the vehicle first.

 

If you are modelling an post 1960 scenario, I would suggest that your unfitted stock should be mostly instanterm, with some screw, and fitted stock should also be instanter unless it it 'XP' branded.  No BR wagon was built with 3-link couplings, nor AFAIK those built to Big 4 designs post war, and all wagons refurbished by BR were given instanter or screw couplings, except for wooden XPOs.

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3 hours ago, The Johnster said:

No BR wagon was built with 3-link couplings, nor AFAIK those built to Big 4 designs post war, and all wagons refurbished by BR were given instanter or screw couplings, except for wooden XPOs.

That is not correct, there were plenty of unfitted BR wagons built with 3 link couplings.

https://hmrs.org.uk/photographs/24t-hopper-br-b437491-op-chas-roberts-yard-1950.html

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