O Gauge Auto Couplings

[Aire Main]

Hello everybody. Thanks for your e-mails. I have only just taken over the Lincs couplers from Ray Hodson who previously marketed them. The couplings are suitable for both 4mm and 7mm scales, with different dimensions for each scale. The etchings, however, are common to both scales.

 

The current situation is that I have some of the components in stock, but with the crucial exception of the etchings, which Ray had sold to exhaustion. I am currently investigating the state of the artwork and looking for an etcher, so please be patient. The couplers WILL come back on the market as soon as possible and I will be making announcements here and in the modelling press in due course. I will also post further news on here.

 

Thank you for your interest.

 

Richard Syms

[railwayrod]

Hi Alan & David,

 

Just to say that disability is what you make of it!! It would be very easy for me to just give up and I feel that many people would do just that if their eyesight was down to the level of mine. However I persevere and accept that their on some aspects of modelling that I cannot do- such as biolding locos. I am indebted to my friend Howard Brooking who is working his socks off to do my scenery and for helping me with some of the jobs that are beyond me. My layout "Ramchester" is featured elsewhere on the rmweb and I will endeavour to keep you all posted.

 

I would be keen to e-mail the new owner of the Lincs coupling if you would let me have his address.

 

Many thanks for your kind remarks - it is nice to know that I have given some people food for thought on the lack of vision.

 

railwayrod.

[alant]

Hi Railwayrod,

 

I have just sent you a private message with the contact details on.

 

Regards,

 

Alan.

Edited January 19, 2012 by alant

[Barnaby]

Hello Railwayrod

 

I have a supply of these from when they were made by the original manufacturer.

I was contemplating changing over to something else because they were no longer available, so I was well pleased when your post flushed out some positive news.

 

I have an article that fully shows with sketches how they fit to a waggon etc. I'll dig it out [it's somewhere in my office room] scan it and mail it on to you.

 

If I can dig out the stored away coupling kits I would be happy to send you a couple to have a play with so you will know what's needed to fit them.

From memory you get wire for the hook, a small etched bracket, a small lead sphere [fishing weight] it acts as the return from the magnet action and a small pre-bent gauge tool for setting up.

 

It really is a very simple thing to do even with poor eye sight, mines none too good either.

Another big plus is if you need to lift anything off track they allow for a straight lift with no snagging or tangling of the couplings and that's a big plus for me.

 

Nope the article must be up the garden in my workroom so I'll post this and go and look, I know I've seen it recently.

 

Best regards

 

ps I'll be ordering some more too as for me they're the best. They work in both directions unlike some, you can keep 3-link on as well so your stock looks better

 

UPDATE UPDATE

I've scanned in the pages so if you pm your e-mail addy I'll fire it off to you. If you'd Like I can snail mail you some hard copy too but would need your home address for that.

Edited February 15, 2012 by Barnaby

[Barnaby]

I also found this link>>> http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=5562&start=0

[Barnaby]

Re-ignition>>>

 

Does anybody know if Richard Syms has these back onto the market yet?

 

Thanks

Edited August 15, 2012 by Barnaby

[Barnaby]

Well answering my own question, I also emailed Richard at the same time as I posted above to which he has already replied.

 

Here's an extract from it:-- However, I have some good news. A friend, who is designing some etches for his own use, has recreated the Lincs artwork with (what I hope are) some small improvements. I was discussing the artwork with him today and suggesting some changes, which he has already made. We hope to do a small test-etch linked to his own artwork in the very near future, for trial assembly. If this is successful, then we will move to a full-sheet etch, and Lincs will be back in business!! (If the test-etch is successful, it may be possible to do a small pre-production run from the original combined artwork). Meanwhile, I am starting to revise the instruction sheet in the light of my own experiences with assembling the couplers - the previous version is a bit too basic for my liking.

I trust this is good news for you and hope that you can hang on a little longer for the production kits.

 

Best regards

 

Richard

 

 

Regards

[jamie92208]

Well answering my own question, I also emailed Richard at the same time as I posted above to which he has already replied.

 

Here's an extract from it:-- However, I have some good news. A friend, who is designing some etches for his own use, has recreated the Lincs artwork with (what I hope are) some small improvements. I was discussing the artwork with him today and suggesting some changes, which he has already made. We hope to do a small test-etch linked to his own artwork in the very near future, for trial assembly. If this is successful, then we will move to a full-sheet etch, and Lincs will be back in business!! (If the test-etch is successful, it may be possible to do a small pre-production run from the original combined artwork). Meanwhile, I am starting to revise the instruction sheet in the light of my own experiences with assembling the couplers - the previous version is a bit too basic for my liking.

I trust this is good news for you and hope that you can hang on a little longer for the production kits.

 

Best regards

 

Richard

 

 

Regards

 

I better get the etch off to Grainge and Hodder then and not spend so much time moving trams.

 

Jamie

Edited August 15, 2012 by jamie92208

[Barnaby]

Yes please Jamie ;¬)

[orford]

I am also champing at the bit to get my hands on some of these. I used the O Scale version about 30 years ago when they were originally introduced and they were known back in those days as the 'Billingborough Auto Coupling' ...and I found them to be excellent.

 

Now that I'm back into O Gauge with a little industrial concept 'micro-layout' I could really do with some of them.

 

Don Mason

[Sandy Harper]

I use Lincs auto couplers but have simplified the fitting.

 

I now solder a short length of brass tube to a sheet of Copperclad (use jig for angle and size to suit vehicle)and then use a jig to part bent the steel wire. Then thread the wire through the tube and bend to trap it in the tube. Solder on the weight and hey presto!

 

Regards

Sandy

[Zappatime]

Very interesting thread; Sandy - have you got a photo of your version you could post, ta?

 

Keith

[Barnaby]

14 DAYS ON SINCE LAST UPDATE FROM RICHARD AND JAMIE any g o o d news yet.

Price and a source address would be nice.

 

I'm beginning to think I'll be better off using the bits I have to make copies and reproduce them for my own use as I originally intended. I have several full sets of both 7mm & 4mm complete with a couple of jigs so it shouldn't be too fiddly it's just I thought if someone was marketing them that would take the legwork out of getting the wire - brass tube - fish weights etc..

 

Regards

[jamie92208]

14 DAYS ON SINCE LAST UPDATE FROM RICHARD AND JAMIE any g o o d news yet.

Price and a source address would be nice.

 

I'm beginning to think I'll be better off using the bits I have to make copies and reproduce them for my own use as I originally intended. I have several full sets of both 7mm & 4mm complete with a couple of jigs so it shouldn't be too fiddly it's just I thought if someone was marketing them that would take the legwork out of getting the wire - brass tube - fish weights etc..

 

Regards

 

Yes there is some news, the artwork has gone to the etchers tonight, it is mainly stuff for Lancaster Green Ayre and that has taken some time to get right. I'm then on holiday so hopefully the etches should be back in October, after that it's over to Richard.

 

Jamie

[orford]

Sandy - Any chance of a photo or even a sketch of your system ??

[Barnaby]

Sandy as you kindly sent me a photo I've made it available to orford too as I expect you'd be doing prep for tomorrow's show.

I hope that's ok with you.

 

Regards

[alant]

Sandy as you kindly sent me a photo I've made it available to orford too as I expect you'd be doing prep for tomorrow's show.

I hope that's ok with you.

 

Regards

 

Hi Barnaby,

 

Would you mind forwarding Sandy's pic to me if possible please as I can't quite picture what he describes. I still have a few Lincs couplings to make-up which I had purchased before they were sold on.

 

Thanks,

 

Alan.

[orford]

Re: "Sandy as you kindly sent me a photo I've made it available to orford too as I expect you'd be doing prep for tomorrow's show.

I hope that's ok with you............"

 

Hmm - I never got that................Orford. Thanks for trying though.

[jamie92208]

Just to keep people up to date with progress. After being away in the USA for over 3 weeks (photographing trains and measuring bits of old trams) I can report that the prototype etches are now in production and should be with Richard in about 3 weeks. As I got ready to post the artwork to the etchers they informed me that they had now gone digital so I had to reformat all the various elements on the etch into the correct format for the software to interpret. This caused some eyestrain but was worthwhile. You can see them in the corner of the artwork on my Lancaster Green Ayre thread. I will keep readers updated in due course.

 

Jamie

[David Siddall]

Really looking forward to these couplers being available again. Would be happy to chip in an advanced order if that would help?

 

David

[Barnaby]

Orford I've just checked my PM's not emails and I sent you the post dated 7Sept 2012? Don't know why you didn't get it.

Edited October 20, 2012 by Barnaby

[hartleymartin]

I lead to believe that if you do not reverse your stock that you can have a steel wire on one each of each wagon and a brass one on the other. Again, you cannot turn your stock around, but it creates the ability to have delayed uncoupling since it pulls down the steel one, the brass one flicks back up and then you can push a wagon into the siding without unintentional re-coupling. Can anyone here tell me if this is so? It is more of an academic interest to me, since in my own use, I am following the NSW Government Railway's practice of having a combination of vehicles with hook drawgear, auto-couplers with buffers and auto-couplers without buffers. It makes for interesting shunting since you require a vehicle with auto-couplers AND buffers AND transition drawgear in order to couple an bufferless auto-coupled vehicle to one with hook drawgear. Just adds a whole new dimension of complexity when working with shunting layouts.

[alant]

I lead to believe that if you do not reverse your stock that you can have a steel wire on one each of each wagon and a brass one on the other. Again, you cannot turn your stock around, but it creates the ability to have delayed uncoupling since it pulls down the steel one, the brass one flicks back up and then you can push a wagon into the siding without unintentional re-coupling. Can anyone here tell me if this is so? It is more of an academic interest to me, since in my own use, I am following the NSW Government Railway's practice of having a combination of vehicles with hook drawgear, auto-couplers with buffers and auto-couplers without buffers. It makes for interesting shunting since you require a vehicle with auto-couplers AND buffers AND transition drawgear in order to couple an bufferless auto-coupled vehicle to one with hook drawgear. Just adds a whole new dimension of complexity when working with shunting layouts.

 

The Lincs couplings are only pulled down whilst over the magnet and spring back up again once passed so will couple back up. You have to stop over the magnet to affect the uncoupling and can therefore only uncouple at that point.

 

Alan.

[orford]

Hi everyone.

 

Just wondering whether there is any further news/update on the re-introduction of the Lincs Auto Coupler?

 

 

- Don Mason

[Barnaby]

Seems not Don M.

 

Sandy's simplified version works well see ref above.

Sandy sent me a Pic of his which I'm sure he wouldn't mind me sending to you.

All you need is some steel wire to form the hook, some brass tube for it to pivot in, a saw to cut to size and some pliers to bend it.

It works ever so slightly different to the bracket mounted one but the principle opperation is the same.

 

Let me know if you want the pic.

 

EDIT

Just spotted I've tried to send you the pic before, did you get it ?

Edited November 5, 2012 by Barnaby