Wormdale

[Joseph_Pestell]

I helped operate a layout with S&W couplings last weekend. I found them very good to operate and, as you say, less conspicuous than others. I would suggest that you go for electro-magnets rather than permanent though.

[Captain Nick]

I helped operate a layout with S&W couplings last weekend. I found them very good to operate and, as you say, less conspicuous than others. I would suggest that you go for electro-magnets rather than permanent though.

Why would you recommend that in particular Joseph? I would have quite a problem retro fitting electro magnets on my layout.

[Rowsley17D]

Hi Capt Nick, good to have you posting again. If you keep your wagons in fixed rakes of say three and four wagons (or any number of your choice) then you only need one s&w at each end of the rake. Have you had a look at Dingham couplings?

 

http://www.dingham.co.uk

Edited November 4, 2016 by Rowsley17D

[Captain Nick]

Hi Capt Nick, good to have you posting again. If you keep your wagons in fixed rakes of say three and four wagons (or any number of your choice) then you only need one s&w at each end of the rake. Have you had a look at Dingham couplings?

 

http://www.dingham.co.uk

Yes I did look at them but I reckoned S&Ps seemed easier (for me) to fit. As for fixed rakes, yes I am planning on that but don't have suitable chain to hand. Perhaps someone could give me a pointer for ready made brass chain?

[Joseph_Pestell]

Why would you recommend that in particular Joseph? I would have quite a problem retro fitting electro magnets on my layout.

 

Because they will quite often uncouple when you don't want them to.

[Marcus 37]

Hi Nick

Good to see you back modelling again. Like the look of the S&W couplers. As you say they are the nearest thing visually to a 3 link or instanter. I shall probably go down the Kadee route eventually with PDW as they are problems more fitting on modern wagons.

By the way I took your advice and added the pipe on the bridge on PDW. It's away down the thread now but I think there's some recent views with it in the back ground. Look forward to more updates from Wormdale.

Cheers

Marcus

[Alister_G]

Hi Nick,

 

Great to see a post from you again. The S&W couplers do look good, far better than tension lock or even Kadees.

 

I think what Joseph meant was that with electromagnets, they only work if they are switched on, whereas by its nature a permanent magnet is always on, which runs the risk of stock uncoupling when you don't want it to.

 

Al.

[Captain Nick]

Hi Nick,

 

Great to see a post from you again. The S&W couplers do look good, far better than tension lock or even Kadees.

 

I think what Joseph meant was that with electromagnets, they only work if they are switched on, whereas by its nature a permanent magnet is always on, which runs the risk of stock uncoupling when you don't want it to.

 

Al.

Hi Al

 

I have been following your Grindleford Station with great interest.

I was just wondering if Joseph had more pros and cons for using the different types of magnets. I have also just learnt that the 8 S&Ws that I have so far fitted aren't the delayed action version. I had assumed they were. Doh!

Gordon Bennett! This modelling lark is so confusing at times but I must speed up my modelling output.

 

Cheers

 

Nick

[toplink@()1989))((]

Just found this thread Nick, very very impressed! The trackwork problems you were experiencing I am glad to see you sorted, I am also going for Spratt and Winkle uncouplers on my own layout, though in 7mm, you should be able to retro fit the delay bit to your wagons using a bit of wire soldered on. Looking forward to the next instalment.

 

Cheers, Pete. 

[AncientMariner]

Hi Nick,

 

I recall somewhere reading about someone trying to resolve problems with models using S&W couplings coming adrift.  Having tried to locate it using a Google search, I came up with the following. 

 

http://www.gwr.org.uk/procouplings.html

 

The final two paragraphs in the article are the ones that matter most.

 

Basically, the guy tried initially to reduce the strength of the magnetic field by trying to shield the magnet with a bit of Plasticard, with unsatisfactory results.  He then simply broke the magnet in two, with a more satisfactory outcome.

 

I mentioned when I saw you about 10 or so days ago that I have decided to go down the road of S&W, and actually got started over the weekend.  So far, 2 tank locos (one end only), and 2 wagons have been converted.  Early days as yet, but so far, the system seems to be doing what it’s supposed to do.

 

John

 

Edited for a typo

Edited November 7, 2016 by AncientMariner

[Joseph_Pestell]

If you have permanent magnets, you need to be very careful where you place them. One of the problems that I encountered last week is that because it was a small shunting layout the magnets had been placed at locations which allowed a maximum number of wagons to be placed in the loop. That meant that the magnets were exactly four wagons length apart and so not only would one uncouple the wagon intended but also another four wagons back.

 

But apart from that, there were problems with trains uncoupling again after being coupled.

[Captain Nick]

Hi Nick,

 

I recall somewhere reading about someone trying to resolve problems with models using S&W couplings coming adrift.  Having tried to locate it using a Google search, I came up with the following. 

 

http://www.gwr.org.uk/procouplings.html

 

The final two paragraphs in the article are the ones that matter most.

 

Basically, the guy tried initially to reduce the strength of the magnetic field by trying to shield the magnet with a bit of Plasticard, with unsatisfactory results.  He then simply broke the magnet in two, with a more satisfactory outcome.

 

I mentioned when I saw you about 10 or so days ago that I have decided to go down the road of S&W, and actually got started over the weekend.  So far, 2 tank locos (one end only), and 2 wagons have been converted.  Early days as yet, but so far, the system seems to be doing what it’s supposed to do.

 

John

 

Edited for a typo

Hi John

 

I already have this link and it has helped very much, even so far as breaking the magnets in half. I have converted 9 wagons so far and they work as the should on my test bed track. I haven't put any magnets on the layout as yet nor have I converted any locos but will do so this week. I'm also putting S&Ws on one end of my carriage brakes and have already modified one ready for fitting. These will be fitted on the ends of permanent rakes. In the meantime I have been experimenting with corridor connectors today and so far I'm pleased with how that is going. I will post some photos tomorrow, Jane permitting! Its the start of her 'weekend' off so who knows what my job list will be.

 

Regards

 

Nick

[Captain Nick]

If you have permanent magnets, you need to be very careful where you place them. One of the problems that I encountered last week is that because it was a small shunting layout the magnets had been placed at locations which allowed a maximum number of wagons to be placed in the loop. That meant that the magnets were exactly four wagons length apart and so not only would one uncouple the wagon intended but also another four wagons back.

 

But apart from that, there were problems with trains uncoupling again after being coupled.

HI Joseph.

 

My layout has fairly long sidings so I'm hoping to get away with magnets being fairly well distanced from each other. I will also have them at the ends of platforms for loco changes and running round etc. I have found that there is some magnetic interference to the wagon weights but not so that it upsets the operation. I will continue experimenting and report back as to how I'm getting on. I am pleased with the looks of the couplings and they are fairly unobtrusive to my myopic eyes. I'm feeling so much more confident about my modelling after this experiment.

 

Regards

 

Nick

[Captain Nick]

Well, I've had a go at adding home made corridor connectors and S&Ws to the ends of a 3 coach fixed rake of Mark I coaches for experimental purposes. All went reasonably well on the layout with the rake behaving well through point formations and the corridor connectors nicely filling the gaps between coaches and moving against each other well. The problem was off scene where there is a minimum curve equivalent to Pecos 4th radius. Here the S&W paddle came into contact with the leading bogie wheels and caused derailments. It seemed to me that the only way to get around this was to mount the coupling further aft under the corridor connector. This was not ideal and I'm sure the purists amongst us would not be pleased with the resultant increased gap between the pulling loco and lead coach. A compromise for this seems to be the connector itself which fills the space to an extent but much more that would happen in real life. What do we think?

 

 

 

The Spratt and Winkle in original position but which fouls the leading wheels on my off-scene curves.

 

 

My first attempt at corridor connectors. Note the left hand coach connector has been mounted too high but I think the effect is getting close to what I'm after. I did try and take off the molded connector but then decided to keep them and put the new connector on that.

 

 

These last photos show the difference  between the old and new mounting positions and the resultant gap between coach and loco and how the corridor connector disguises this to and extent. The last picture is of the new mounting position. 

[Captain Nick]

 

The finished article. The extended  gap is a compromise and I think I can live with it. I think it looks so much better than r-to-r couplings and of course it gives me remote control of shunting and in the case of passenger coaches, changing locos and adding through coaches etc.

[Captain Nick]

More news from Wormdale!

 

I have spent most of my modelling time this past winter away from the layout and in the workshop. (There has also been a months trip around the Isle of Wight etc. courtesy of P&O).  I have weathered and Sprat & Winkled my way through about 100 waggons and have begun the building from scratch the station plate girder foot bridge that is based on that which was originally at Chinley in its heyday. 

 

I have also scrapped the method for coupling coaches that I had begun to use and have shown earlier in this thread for something more easier to use. Unfortunately fitting S&Ps to the buffer beams of the coaches caused the coaches to de-rail on the 19 inch curve that is found off-scene on the layout.

 

The new method involves the S&Ps  being fitted to the top of the modified bogies of the rake ends and to the underside of bogies where a semi permanent coupling is required within the rake. The robustness of the S&P hook means that the coaches can be gently pushed together when joining up the rake on the layout. This Mark 2 method is much easier to fit than the Mark 1 version although I have not tried fitting them to Thompson coaches yet . The foreseen problem here is that these coaches have a  bigger overhang between bogie and buffer beam. The hook does need to be mounted on or in front of the bogie in line with the buffer beam. The wire loop for the hook to grip needs only to be put on one end of the coach. I have also fitted home made carriage connectors which are in contact with each other at all times on the layout.

 

 

This picture shows the semi permanent coupling.

 

 

This one shows the rake end method with a truck acting as a loco for illustrative purposes.

 

 

This is a picture that I found on the net of Chinley foot bridge some time ago. The author of the picture was unattributable and so I cannot ask his or her's permission but I hope they won't mind my using it for illustrative purposes. The picture shows the bridge with the glazing and roof removed. Below are two pictures of my efforts thus far. It is entirely constructed out of individual  Plastruct parts. The white blob in one of the pictures is a stair case but it hasn't obviously come out in the photo.

[Alister_G]

Hi Nick,

 

good to see you posting again, and a nice job of the footbridge, it looks really good so far.

 

Al.

[Rowsley17D]

Hi Nick, good to see the latest round of modelling. I like seeing coaches with gangways.

[Captain Nick]

I see that it is over a year since I last posted anything about Wormdale.   How time flies, however, I have been busy on the layout. Not much actual modelling has taken place but I have got to grips with my long running (no pun etc etc) track issues. Some has been relaid and rail joint problems have been more or less eliminated. Also curves in the off-scene parts have been eased. I have also weathered about sixty wagons together with fitting them with S&P couplings. I have also got rid of the 2 metre long cassettes and in their place, laid a simple fiddle yard. So now I have actual trains made up which has made my enjoyment of the layout so much better.  Having find a jolly good chap to undertake the work, I have also had more of my loco fleet fitted with Stay-Alives' so I'm a happy bunny right now.

I will endeavor to post some photos later this week. Happy modeling! 

[Buhar]

Very positive post there Nick. I was worried about the track issues which seemed to be stalling an excellent model railway.

[Captain Nick]

Very positive post there Nick. I was worried about the track issues which seemed to be stalling an excellent model railway.

I was losing hope a little at times so it was a case of biting the bullet and having a go at things I hadn't attempted before. I guess many modelers go through the doldrums at times and we all have  strengths in areas of the hobby and weaknesses in others which is why RMWeb is so good as a go-to forum for help, advice and encouragement.

[Lecorbusier]

Glad this thread has awoken again .... I have been lurking much enjoying progress and have been having withdrawal symptoms. 

[Captain Nick]

I'm still at it! Slowly perhaps but I'm putting in point rodding at the moment.

[Alister_G]

Hi Nick,

 

That's such a great photo to come back with, great to hear from you again.

 

Nice to see the J94 as well...

 

Al.

[Rowsley17D]

On ‎21‎/‎02‎/‎2019 at 13:27, Captain Nick said:

I'm still at it! Slowly perhaps but I'm putting in point rodding at the moment.

 

 

Welcome back Capt Nick. what point rodding are you using? I saw the DCC Concepts stuff at Glasgow yesterday and good it looked even though purists say it's a little over-size.