Wright writes.....

[Barry Ten]

Tony's picture of the B12/3 reminds me that I have little understanding of how widespread was the retention of lower quadrant signalling away from the GWR and WR, after the general adoption of upper quadrant signalling by the other companies. Are there are any broad summaries that might help me out, or is the picture far too complicated for that? It's not a subject that seems to be all that well covered in the areas of particular interest to me, such as the S&D.

[micklner]

2 hours ago, jwealleans said:

I'm a user of 3- and screw links and I'd recommend Smiths.  The hooks are overscale and this helps coupling and uncoupling.

 

Don't put vac pipes where they're supposed to be (directly over the hook) either.   From the side you can't tell if they're a little offset.

 

If you're watching costs, you can buy the hooks separately and make your own links from soft wire.   There are plenty of guides on doing this in books and online.

 

Masokits are the best in appearance (I'm told) but they're horrilby fiddly to make and couple up.

 

Romford screw links are over large and have a tendency to jam up, often so they stick out from the front of a loco in a highly suggestive manner.

 

Or maybe it's just my mind.....

I also recomend using the last 3 link coupling in steel , Smiths do them , very easy to couple up with a tiny magnet on a pole/torch , shame they dont a steel version for screw links as well.

 

As to Romford Screw links way overscale and ugly , and got rid off them years ago.

 

I cant say I had any had any sticking out JW, no idea what you are using them for !!

[Clem]

5 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

After the closure of the M&GN, ex-LNER locos regularly worked over the MR route through Stamford, to Leicester. Prior to the closure (actually a little before) B12s would often take the 'Leicester' to Leicester, or even Birmingham New Street, travelling over both ex-MR and ex-LNWR lines. 

Evening Tony,

I think Spital Bridge going Eastern had quite a lot to do with ex-LNER locos on the Midland after the M&GN closed. Pictues of D16s, B12s and J39s come to mind. But I think on the Cambridge - Oxford line, Cambridge were responible for some diagrams, at least in later days but also, I think, earlier too. Somewhere (I've yet to lay my hands on it) I have a photo of a K3 on a freight coming out of Oxford on the Cambridge line with a freight sometime around 1960.

Edited August 12, 2020 by Clem

[JamieR4489]

3 hours ago, jwealleans said:

Romford screw links are over large and have a tendency to jam up, often so they stick out from the front of a loco in a highly suggestive manner.

And as we found at Ely last year, they have a tendency to uncouple whilst on the move.

 

I’ve just started using smith’s 3-links and I find them quite easy to use, although my eyesight is still pretty good. I don’t bother with a magnetic link, just the standard wire hook on a torch. They work well and look so much better than tension locks or kaydees.

 

Just my tuppence worth,

 

Jamie

 

Edit, I don’t bother springing my couplings. The wagons will derail long before the springs compress.

Edited August 12, 2020 by JamieR4489

[jamie92208]

1 hour ago, Barry Ten said:

Tony's picture of the B12/3 reminds me that I have little understanding of how widespread was the retention of lower quadrant signalling away from the GWR and WR, after the general adoption of upper quadrant signalling by the other companies. Are there are any broad summaries that might help me out, or is the picture far too complicated for that? It's not a subject that seems to be all that well covered in the areas of particular interest to me, such as the S&D.

The Ex Midland lines cerainly had lower quadrants and were laid out for right hand drive locos. Many were not converted until the 1950's.

 

Jamie

[Richard_A]

3 hours ago, Clem said:

Not being under exhibition scrutiny, I try to make my 3 links as close to prototype as possible. As I've said before, I know make my own out of 0.5mm brass wire. Using a uncoupling pole attached to a torch is a big help and if you can get the hook just right it can make the difference, making the coupling/uncoupling a lot easier. However, I can see that on a large exhibition layout using Smiths would be the ideal compromise.

 

Here's one I've just done although the photo shows that I didn't quite line up that last link. I solder up each link and with care,  the solder usually fills any gaps without leaving any humps. The hooks are Masokits.

 

That looks really good. 

[Theakerr]

22 hours ago, cctransuk said:

 

Is there anything sold in the USA that does NOT have that warning on it?

 

John Isherwood,

Politicians

 

[johndon]

2 hours ago, micklner said:

I also recomend using the last 3 link coupling in steel , Smiths do them , very easy to couple up with a tiny magnet on a pole/torch

 

One unfortunate thing I've found with steel links.  My Hornby 08 has a sugar cube speaker fitted in the nose and the magnet in the speaker is strong enough to attract the steel links when a wagon gets close enough making coupling a bit of a nightmare...

 

John

 

[Tony Wright]

1 hour ago, jamie92208 said:

The Ex Midland lines cerainly had lower quadrants and were laid out for right hand drive locos. Many were not converted until the 1950's.

 

Jamie

There's still one ex-Midland lower-quadrant signal on the national network, Jamie,

 

It's at Ketton, not far from Stamford. I believe it has a preservation order on it. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

4 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

I do like to see a bit of well-modelled Midland. The tramway that goes under the girder bridge is nicely done too!

 

Re. 3-links, I've been happy using the Slaters ones which are rather nearer scale than the Smiths ones and consequently more of a pain to couple up. Perhaps not so good for shunting but in a fixed rake they look better. Although I'm in 00, this is a case where, for me, appearance wins out over functionality.

Thanks Stephen,

 

That bit of well-modelled Midland is down mainly to Ian Wilson, Tony Gee, Jamie Guest and Dave Wager.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Dunsignalling]

1 hour ago, Theakerr said:

Politicians

 

I've always been a little hazy on whether US politicians are sold, or bought....

 

John

[Porcy Mane]

53 minutes ago, johndon said:

One unfortunate thing I've found with steel links.

 

Black coated copper jeweler's wire.

 

Half hours work to knock up a former and then a life times supply of non magnetic 3 links for a couple of quid. Amply strong enough to haul the Alexander iron ores.

 

Nickel for screws. These are Mr Newitts which I've posted elsewhere afore.

 

 

Pics of the three links tomorrow.  

[Clem]

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

There's still one ex-Midland lower-quadrant signal on the national network, Jamie,

 

It's at Ketton, not far from Stamford. I believe it has a preservation order on it. 

Is that still there!!!! wow. Last time I was there and photoed must have been 20 years or more ago and I was relieved that I'd photoed it before it was demolished. That's a real gleam of sunshine in my life!

[2mm Andy]

16 minutes ago, Clem said:

Is that still there!!!! wow. Last time I was there and photoed must have been 20 years or more ago and I was relieved that I'd photoed it before it was demolished. That's a real gleam of sunshine in my life!

 

It seems to be quite a celebrity - there are a few photos of it on the Geograph photo website

 

https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3542138

 

and it also features in another thread on here;

 

 

Andy

[PMP]

8 hours ago, jwealleans said:

 

Masokits are the best in appearance (I'm told) but they're horrilby fiddly to make and couple up.

 

The Masokits screw couplings are quite easy and quick once you get the hang of them, very reasonably priced too. I use them as a fifteen minute job as you can do a few easily and quickly once they’re prepared.

https://albionyard.wordpress.com/2012/03/15/fifteen-minute-heroes/
 

For three links and instanter I use Ambis hooks, and Smiths links. These give a practical solution, without being as overscale as Jackson or Smiths.

n.b. None of my couplings are sprung either.

 

 

Edited August 12, 2020 by PMP

[St Enodoc]

3 hours ago, PMP said:

The Masokits screw couplings are quite easy and quick once you get the hang of them, very reasonably priced too. I use them as a fifteen minute job as you can do a few easily and quickly once they’re prepared.

https://albionyard.wordpress.com/2012/03/15/fifteen-minute-heroes/
 

For three links and instanter I use Ambis hooks, and Smiths links. These give a practical solution, without being as overscale as Jackson or Smiths.

n.b. None of my couplings are sprung either.

 

 

Although I only use them cosmetically, I've always liked PC three-link and screw couplings. Not easy to get hold of nowadays though.

[Major Clanger]

4 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Although I only use them cosmetically, I've always liked PC three-link and screw couplings. Not easy to get hold of nowadays though.

The screw version are Wizard Models code UC006, £3.00 for four pairs. I got the rights to them via the ex-PC carriage kits. No idea what happened to the 3-link flavour though.

[Tony Wright]

Has anyone considered these couplings?

 

 

I can't remember if they're from Hornby, Bachmann or Heljan, but they're often provided as extras, along with other add-on bits, in little plastic bags provided with the RTR locos. It might well be that all RTR manufacturers provide them. Apart from on some diesel-outline models, they're not factory-fitted, because they'd foul the nasty tension-locks.

 

Whether they're available as spares, I have no idea, but they actually work, and look rather neat. If they are available, can someone tell us, please? 

 

This is on the front of a modified Bachmann 'Director', of which more later....................

Edited August 13, 2020 by Tony Wright
to add something

[Tony Wright]

The Bachmann D11 seen in my last post has now been altered to EM (not in the intervening half hour!), for use on Retford.

 

 

Good friend, Ray Chessum did the conversion for me, using the original Bachmann drivers and tender wheels. Perhaps he'll tell us how it was done.

 

 

 

All I did originally was to renumber/rename, detail and weather this example. However, since a D11 working through Little Bytham would be highly-unlikely in BR days, it'll be far more use on Retford. 

 

It might even set a precedent. What, with its carrying a lamp, crewed and with tools on the tender! 

 

 

Edited August 13, 2020 by Tony Wright
to add something

[thegreenhowards]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

Has anyone considered these couplings?

 

 

I can't remember if they're from Hornby, Bachmann or Heljan, but they're often provided as extras, along with other add-on bits, in little plastic bags provided with the RTR locos. It might well be that all RTR manufacturers provide them. Apart from on some diesel-outline models, they're not factory-fitted, because they'd foul the nasty tension-locks.

 

Whether they're available as spares, I have no idea, but they actually work, and look rather neat. If they are available, can someone tell us, please? 

 

This is on the front of a modified Bachmann 'Director', of which more later....................

 

I do use the Hornby and Bachmann types on their locos as detailing, but I haven’t tested them in use as a coupling. They seem to be available as spares (Hornby R7200). I suggest trying the Accurascale equivalent which I’ve just bought but not yet used. They claim to be useable as couplings as well as purely cosmetic and are excellent value at £7.50 for 8 (https://accurascale.co.uk/collections/couplers).

 

Andy

[johndon]

21 minutes ago, thegreenhowards said:

 

I suggest trying the Accurascale equivalent which I’ve just bought but not yet used. They claim to be useable as couplings as well as purely cosmetic and are excellent value at £7.50 for 8 (https://accurascale.co.uk/collections/couplers).

 

 

I've used the Hornby spares before as they are good compromise between scale and robustness.

 

The only problem with the Accurascale couplings is that, if used as couplings rather than just being cosmetic, is that, when coupled, the tommy bar sticks up in air rather than hanging down...

 

John

 

[Porcy Mane]

34 minutes ago, thegreenhowards said:

I suggest trying the Accurascale equivalent which I’ve just bought but not yet used.

 

If used as a working coupling, they need fettling so that the tommy bar dangles correctly.

 

How I did it.  (and scroll down)

 

Bl**dy good representation of and RIV/UIC coupling too.

 

See here.   (and scroll down)

Edited August 13, 2020 by Porcy Mane
Crossed post with Mr D.

[pete55]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

The Bachmann D11 seen in my last post has now been altered to EM (not in the intervening half hour!), for use on Retford.

Good friend, Ray Chessum did the conversion for me, using the original Bachmann drivers and tender wheels. Perhaps he'll tell us how it was done.

 

 

 

 

All I did originally was to renumber/rename, detail and weather this example. However, since a D11 working through Little Bytham would be highly-unlikely in BR days, it'll be far more use on Retford. 

 

It might even set a precedent. What, with its carrying a lamp, crewed and with tools on the tender! 

 

 

 

He probably converted it in a similar way to the methods I used.

There is a "how to" guide for this loco and others downloadable from the Alan Gibson website under the downloads heading.

 

http://www.alangibsonworkshop.com/orignal-index.html

 

Pete

 

 

[Barry Ten]

I don't routinely spring my couplings (or buffers) either.  The only time I've done it is on some bogie and long wheelbase stock where there might be a bit more displacement on curves. Partly it's to alleviate the consumerist guilt of throwing all the little springs and split-pins away.

[Tony Wright]

2 hours ago, thegreenhowards said:

 

I do use the Hornby and Bachmann types on their locos as detailing, but I haven’t tested them in use as a coupling. They seem to be available as spares (Hornby R7200). I suggest trying the Accurascale equivalent which I’ve just bought but not yet used. They claim to be useable as couplings as well as purely cosmetic and are excellent value at £7.50 for 8 (https://accurascale.co.uk/collections/couplers).

 

Andy

Thanks Andy,

 

I'll have to order some. As you know, I only use screw couplings (as cosmetic items) on the front buffer beams of the locos I build, and these shackles appear to be the perfect compromise.

 

Regards,

 

Tony.