O Gauge Auto Couplings

[Stringfingerling]

I've just been experimenting with DG's O gauge couplings and decided against them.  The etchings are basically the same as the 4mm scale version but thicker.  As a result they protrude from below wagon headstocks if they are set far enough forwards to work.  The phoshor bronze wire supplied is extremely thin and easily bent out of shape.  The holes in the etching for the loop are  over sized, so the loop tends to wobble about, the list of snags goes on.  I used to use these several years ago for EM gauge and liked them, but I think now that I was deluded!  I'm going to give Spratt and Winkles  a trial.   I know they don't look very prototypical but they do work, from what I remember, and reliability counts for a lot with me.  Snags i can see looming over the horizon, are :

1) the mounting plates, as supplied, are big enough to co-incide with the compensation units on the Peco wagons I've just built,

2)  The instructions refer to using a slitting disc to dig a sort of groove to accommodate the wire above the mounting plate.  Having spent hours building my GWR toad I'm reluctant to go near it with a whirling slitting disc.

I'll report my progress if anyone's interested soon.

[HSB]

We tried the similar B&B couplings on Ramchester but found the mounting plates on these were too short.

[CME and Bottlewasher]

I've just been experimenting with DG's O gauge couplings and decided against them.  The etchings are basically the same as the 4mm scale version but thicker.  As a result they protrude from below wagon headstocks if they are set far enough forwards to work.  The phoshor bronze wire supplied is extremely thin and easily bent out of shape.  The holes in the etching for the loop are  over sized, so the loop tends to wobble about, the list of snags goes on.  I used to use these several years ago for EM gauge and liked them, but I think now that I was deluded!  I'm going to give Spratt and Winkles  a trial.   I know they don't look very prototypical but they do work, from what I remember, and reliability counts for a lot with me.  Snags i can see looming over the horizon, are :

 

1) the mounting plates, as supplied, are big enough to co-incide with the compensation units on the Peco wagons I've just built,

 

2)  The instructions refer to using a slitting disc to dig a sort of groove to accommodate the wire above the mounting plate.  Having spent hours building my GWR toad I'm reluctant to go near it with a whirling slitting disc.

I'll report my progress if anyone's interested soon.

Hi,

 

I have found Winterleys to be very reliable in tests - and when viewed working on others' layouts - the are 'endend' of course. I have some wagons/vehicles that I have yet to finish fitting them to, one of which being a 7mm ex-GWR (WR) Toad (Fitted), I have cut and shut the couplings - around the various dangly pipework - and it still aint quite there yet either, couplings are a real chore whichever way you look at it! LOL!!

 

ATVB

 

CME

[Barnaby]

Has anyone else who has been following this thread found it a bit of a laugh, well the promise of a new owner making these Lincs couplings available again has been has been just that.

 

It's been over a year now since the promises started and they still haven't appeared.
I'm not sure why Richard has sought to make them available again but as a service to the modelling community it's been a flop.  Despite several promises of soon, next month, a couple of weeks they have all been seen to be empty promises.

 

I'm only writing this to show my disappointment at the none appearance of the LINCS coupling when there is a genuine interest and market for them.

 

Regards

Edited March 26, 2013 by Barnaby

[switcher 1]

I reckon if I ever change from 3-link it will most likely be to tension lock couplings, as I know how they work & they can be readily bought, I believe.

[Stringfingerling]

Hi,

 

I have found Winterleys to be very reliable in tests - and when viewed working on others' layouts - the are 'endend' of course. I have some wagons/vehicles that I have yet to finish fitting them to, one of which being a 7mm ex-GWR (WR) Toad (Fitted), I have cut and shut the couplings - around the various dangly pipework - and it still aint quite there yet either, couplings are a real chore whichever way you look at it! LOL!!

 

ATVB

 

CME

Interesting to hear about the other possibilities.  On my layout I won't be able to use handed couplings because the whole thing depends on the use of a train turntable which is now complete and operational.

Edited March 27, 2013 by Stringfingerling

[David Siddall]

Bearing in mind how long a certain r-t-r manufacturer is going to be keeping us on tenterhooks for their '08', or the slippage in the due date of the new Class 14 'Teddy Bear' kit I'm so looking forward to, I'm not overly concerned about the extended lead time for the relaunched 'Links' – particularly as they're being produced by a one man specialist supplier (apparently now referred to by the government as a 'micro business enterprise!)

 

...I'll just look forward to being able to buy some when they're ready.

 

David

[HeavyDuty]

Has there been any progress on the reissue of Lincs?

[Barnaby]

Naaaaaah I think they have been taking the PI$$ and actually have no intention of producing them.

[jamie92208]

Naaaaaah I think they have been taking the PI$$ and actually have no intention of producing them.

If that;s the case why has Richard gone to the trouble of commissioning new artwork and getting several sheets of new etches produced at his own expense.

 

Jamie

[Stringfingerling]

I'm very happy with the Spratt and Winkles I've installed now.  Making the loop narrow than specified improves the appearance in my opinion.  The best thing is the 100% reliability.

[Barnaby]

Yes Jamie but that was 18 months ago and despite the promises relayed by you saying they're only weeks away there's still no sight of them.

As you know Jamie these are not complex etches, the original ones worked fine as they were so what changes Richard thought necessary to improve them I can't fathom.

 

Still to take 18 months to get them made and not yet have a for sale date is just ridiculous, even taking into account the family issues, holidays and personal sicknesses.

 

I've given up and made my own variant without the need for any etch at all, the principle is the same but even more simplified.

 

Regards

[Gilbert]

I'm very happy with the Spratt and Winkles I've installed now.  Making the loop narrow than specified improves the appearance in my opinion.  The best thing is the 100% reliability.

So far so good with my S&Ws as well

Chris

[PatB]

I've given up and made my own variant without the need for any etch at all, the principle is the same but even more simplified.

 

Regards

Any possibility of a pic?  I may need to go down the homebuilt route myself due to lack of funds as much as lack of commercial availability.and it would be nice not to have to reinvent the wheel.  Besides, it makes sense to start now, with only one loco and two wagons to retrofit rather than having to convert a substantial fleet.

[Barnaby]

PatB if you read my post #53 in here you will see my crude sketch of how it works. 

I have a picture to hand and will pm it to you so you can review my #53 post and look at the picture to see how it works.  basically it is the same thing as the Lincs but without the bracket.

 

Regards.

[2ManySpams]

PatB if you read my post #53 in here you will see my crude sketch of how it works. 

I have a picture to hand and will pm it to you so you can review my #53 post and look at the picture to see how it works.  basically it is the same thing as the Lincs but without the bracket.

 

Regards.

 

Why not post the photo on this thread? I'm sure I'm not alone in trying to work out what is going on in the sketch below! Thanks

 

____1/====/2____\3

[Barnaby]

The couplings are fixed to the underside of the waggon at a position that places the coupling arm parallel to the waggon centre line but offset by 2mm for 4mm scale and 3.5mm for 7mm scale.
 the height of the coupling wire must present a horizontal alignment from the bottom edge of the buffer beam to the hook.

The hook should be approximately 1.5mm in front of the buffers for 4mm scale and 3.8mm for 7mm scale.  You can increase these if you have tight curves, less the 3ft radius to negotiate.

The hook also should be at a 45 degree angle to the vertical when it’s formed crossing over the centre line.  When 2 waggons meet the hooks will form an X when coupled.

 

Here you go, just add some packing under the tube to set the height.  I think I posted the original Lincs instructions but let me know if you want them and I'll post them up too.

Thanks to Sandy Harper for the inspiration.

Edited May 1, 2013 by Barnaby

[Barnaby]

Here's a pic showing how the hook lies at an 45 degree angle to the vertical.and crossing the centre line.  Don't forget the offset as stated above.

 

One final thing if you want to read the full magazine review of the Lincs coupling it's in the BRM APRIL 1994 magazine.

Edited May 1, 2013 by Barnaby

[Barnaby]

 

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Posted 28 April 2013 - 23:08

Barnaby, on 28 Apr 2013 - 22:59, said:

Naaaaaah I think they have been taking the PI$$ and actually have no intention of producing them.

If that;s the case why has Richard gone to the trouble of commissioning new artwork and getting several sheets of new etches produced at his own expense.

 

Jamie

 

Jamie maybe you can answer your own question and tell us why he went to the trouble of commissioning the work for Lincs couplings.

I'd love to hear your version.

 

Regards

Edited May 24, 2013 by Barnaby

[CME and Bottlewasher]

Hi Guys,

 

As I have mentioned before I have been fitting and using (in tests) the excellent Winterley couplings which have on-board magnets and can be coupled and uncoupled anywhere on the layout, the downside is that they are 'ended' (Hook mechanism at one end and Loop at the other). These are a bit of a chore to fit to some items of stock and are easy to fit to steam-outline locos, yet not to diesels (if one wishes to fit all the hoses and other fittings to the diesel loco head-stocks).

 

An advantage of the Winterleys is that they retain - at one end at least - the three-link-couplings (chains) and can therefore be coupled to other stock fitted with three-link-couplings (chains) - is such also possible with the Lincs couplings too?

 

Also with the Lincs system - please excuse my ignorance - is it possible to mount magnets under the baseboards (hidden) for un-coupling - and is it possible to mount/use such uncoupling magnets on, or under, outdoor baseboards?

 

Any updates on a launch date for the etches/coupling packs yet?

 

Many thanks in anticipation.

 

Kind regards,

 

CME

[alant]

 

Hi Guys,

 

As I have mentioned before I have been fitting and using (in tests) the excellent Winterley couplings which have on-board magnets and can be coupled and uncoupled anywhere on the layout, the downside is that they are 'ended' (Hook mechanism at one end and Loop at the other). These are a bit of a chore to fit to some items of stock and are easy to fit to steam-outline locos, yet not to diesels (if one wishes to fit all the hoses and other fittings to the diesel loco head-stocks).

 

An advantage of the Winterleys is that they retain - at one end at least - the three-link-couplings (chains) and can therefore be coupled to other stock fitted with three-link-couplings (chains) - is such also possible with the Lincs couplings too?

 

Also with the Lincs system - please excuse my ignorance - is it possible to mount magnets under the baseboards (hidden) for un-coupling - and is it possible to mount/use such uncoupling magnets on, or under, outdoor baseboards?

 

Any updates on a launch date for the etches/coupling packs yet?

 

Many thanks in anticipation.

 

Kind regards,

 

CME

It's possible to retain the 3 link couplings when using the Lincs method. I found though that I had to replace them with brass versions as the steel ones became magnetic after a while and could become tangled with the Lincs operating bar.

 

I use permanent magnets buried in the ballast of my trackwork. The only disadvantage with Lincs is that there is no delayed uncoupling method so magnets have to be placed where you want to uncouple.

 

I have no experience of using outdoors but wouldn't have thought there would be a problem.

 

Alan.

[CME and Bottlewasher]

It's possible to retain the 3 link couplings when using the Lincs method. I found though that I had to replace them with brass versions as the steel ones became magnetic after a while and could become tangled with the Lincs operating bar.

 

I use permanent magnets buried in the ballast of my trackwork. The only disadvantage with Lincs is that there is no delayed uncoupling method so magnets have to be placed where you want to uncouple.

 

I have no experience of using outdoors but wouldn't have thought there would be a problem.

 

Alan.

Hi Alan,

 

Many, many thanks for that, may I enquire as to where brass 3 -Link-couplings can be purchased, as I haven't, knowingly, seen such on my travels as yet?

 

Kind regards,

 

CME

[alant]

 

Hi Alan,

 

Many, many thanks for that, may I enquire as to where brass 3 -Link-couplings can be purchased, as I haven't, knowingly, seen such on my travels as yet?

 

Kind regards,

 

CME

That's a good question actually! I should have mentioned I searched around and couldn't find any ready made examples so ended up making my own from soft brass wire which I think I bought from Eileens. Mine are not perfect and are slightly bigger than Slaters/Parkside steel ones but look OK and do the job if necessary. They probably won't work too well on long heavy trains though.

 

Alan.

Edited May 30, 2013 by alant

[HSB]

Parkside and Slaters both sell their 3-links as spare parts.

[alant]

 

Parkside and Slaters both sell their 3-links as spare parts.

Hi Howard,

 

Yes, but they are made of steel (or something similar) and will become magnetized over time in my experience. Hence the brass (or similar) requirement.

 

Alan.