Graham Farish BDA Bogie Bolster Wagon

[jackrob]

Dapol NEM knuckle couplings,as supplied by them with all their models now.A mixture of long and short ones would probably be needed,depending on minimum radius used.

The short version of the Farish coupling would achieve the same effect,but the Dapol ones do look better.

 

Ahh ok. From this distance they look great, but are they smaller than the standard rapido coupler?

[Nile]

Here is a comparison for you.

Left to right they are: Microtrains 1015,Dapol,Farish.They are all upside down (underside view).

[Wherry Lines]

Dapol's knuckle couplers look significantly better on a model than the traditional rapido. The short shank version gets stock plenty close enough. I wouldn't advise using the short version on curves less than 12" radius.

[grahame]

Here is a comparison for you.

Left to right they are: Microtrains 1015,Dapol,Farish.They are all upside down (underside view).

 

Great pic comparison. All those, except the MicroTrains 1015, are a simple push in fit to a NEM socket. For knuckle style buck-eyes that will fit a standard sprung Rapido socket box (not Elsie) here are a few more options;

 

 

 

From left to right they are; Kato (two part), Red Caboose Unimate (now difficult to source) and Bachmann (one piece).

 

G.

[Dr Al]

These are actually really useful pics - I'm surprised nobody's thought of doing this before to give an easy comparison of what's out there in terms of various couplers.

 

Of these 3 which (if any) would you deem the best? (I have thoughts of close coupling a Mk4 rake, so original Farish style coupler boxes, hence the question)

 

Cheers,

Alan

 

 

From left to right they are; Kato (two part), Red Caboose Unimate (now difficult to source) and Bachmann (one piece).

 

G.

[Stuart A]

great comparisons. Is the Dapol knuckle compatible with either the Unimate or the Bachmann ones pictured by Graham?

[grahame]

Of these 3 which (if any) would you deem the best? (I have thoughts of close coupling a Mk4 rake, so original Farish style coupler boxes, hence the question)

 

They've all got pros and cons. For example the Kato fits in without a spring so is prone to droop and uncouple, and doen't really offer any/much closer coupling over the Rapido, but it's nicely engineered, small, and offers auto coupling by pushing together while on track (not that that's necessarilly important for a fixed rake). The Red Caboose Unimate comes in three shank lengths so is great for close coupling but is now almost impossble to obtain, which leaves the Bachmann which with a spring fits easily, remains level and improves close coupling but has the largest head.

 

G.

[jackrob]

Thanks for the information. I might just go with 3-link couplings though.

[Vonzack]

These are actually really useful pics - I'm surprised nobody's thought of doing this before to give an easy comparison of what's out there in terms of various couplers.

 

Of these 3 which (if any) would you deem the best? (I have thoughts of close coupling a Mk4 rake, so original Farish style coupler boxes, hence the question)

 

Cheers,

Alan

I've done exactly this on my GNER 225 / MkIVs, I used the Bachmann knuckle coupler, you can find these on eBay or Osbournes tend to have them in stock from time to time. These fit directly into the old farish style coupler boxes. Sometimes you have to shave down the shank a little, as when you put the coupler in, it won't twist into position. If you force it, it will snap the box. You can feel it though, it should rotate without any force, if you can't rotate it, take some plastic off the top and bottom of the shank and try again.

 

There's some video of my close coupled set here -