SR/BR G6 Class 0-6-0T Couplings

[Staffordshire]

   Please excuse the question as to many I am sure it is obvious, but unfortunately not me ....

 

    I am having built a 4mm model of SR/BR G6  Class loco ,  

 

    The question is should it have 3-Link couplings or Screw Couplings ?

 

       With thanks,   Ian

[Steamport Southport]

The basic rule is if it has vacuum brakes and vacuum pipes, it has screw couplings. If it hasn't then three link.

 

Although that isn't always true, it's a good guide.

 

 

https://sremg.org.uk/steam/g6class_01.html

 

Probably better looking for a photograph of the locomotive being modelled as they did change a bit over the years.

 

 

Jason

[DCB]

There is no shortage of photos of G6's on Google and from a quick look it seems 3 link couplings and vacuum brakes were common.  The G6 was primarily a dedicated shunting loco, the mixed traffic branch and local passenger variant was the 02 class 0-4-4T, almost identical to  G6 except for the bogie instead of the rear driving wheels. The Southern had very few 0-6-0 tank locos,  as they tended to use 0-6-2T and  0-4-4T locos on the duties the GWR used Pannier tanks for.  That said the 02 is a sod to model, the Kernow one has the worst coupling rods I know of and the white metal ones have all the weight on the bogie and wont pull the skin off a cold coffee.

[Il Grifone]

An 0-4-4T is a notoriously unstable beast, as the GWR found to their cost and promptly rebuilt theirs as 4-4-0s.

A model needs careful compensation. An article in the model press many years ago suggested building it like a carriage, basically on two bogies. Owning a  Tri-ang Hornby M7, I can vouch for this. I am undecided whether my Wills kit will end up as an 02 or G6. She would only have to pull a couple (or at most three) carriages, so lack of pull shouldn't be a problem.

As to the original question it seems to depend....

https://www.google.com/search?q=southern+g6

 

[Jack P]

This website has some really excellent photos of the G6's. It looks like a few (not many though) had screw couplings but all later on in life. 

 

Incidentally it seems that the 3 link ones had the slightly different top link. Which is easy enough to produce in 4mm using a link from a screw link and some wire/rod.

 

https://railway-photography.smugmug.com/SRSteam/Isle-of-Wight-Railways/Adams-Tank-engine-designs/Adams-LSWR-G6-class/

 

[bike2steam]

On 12/02/2021 at 05:09, DavidCBroad said:

 That said the 02 is a sod to model, the white metal ones have all the weight on the bogie and wont pull the skin off a cold coffee.

Not if you balance the chassis correctly by springing the bogie. I had 5 (Wills/SEF) to work my old Bembridge layout, they would haul 5 or 6 coaches with no problem even tho' on the layout they only pulled 2.

[Il Grifone]

The spring tension is critical.

The Tri-ang/Hornby M7 relies on a rather delicate spring (and Magnadesion IIRC).