connecting locomotives to tenders

[Helmdon]

I'm slightly wary of starting this because I can't believe that no one's asked it before - but I can't find anything unless I'm searching with the wrong terms.

 

Just getting back into modelling after packing everything away when I was 14...I'm now pushing 40!

 

Anyway, have bought a couple of engines second hand from a well-known internet retailer, and a weathered one at Warley. The problem children here are all Bachmann: a K3, a B1 and a DubDee (building a layout based on the GC mainline in the 50s).

 

I got them for a good price, and have satisfied myself that they do all run fine, so very happy. But none of them connect to their tenders - and all of the connectors look like they're broken in different ways (either missing the hook or a pin (that goes through the eye)??. It can't be beyond the wit of man to rig something up that reconnects one to the other (especially given the tenders are all free rolling so there's no electrics to consider) and the models themselves are otherwise spot on. 

 

So, given I don't really know where to start, any suggestions of how to do it please? 

Edited April 28, 2020 by Helmdon

[Philou]

Hello and welcome. I'll be honest and say I don't know and I can't offer to look for you as all my kit is packed away - some for 40 years or more - just getting back into modelling myself.

 

But if you hang on a bit, I'm sure the RMweb collective will be along  to give you some advice. It may be as well to have a couple of photos of your problem children ready to show the connection between loco and tender.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Tony Cane]

If the DubDee has the arm with a hole at the end on the locomotive then you probably have a working link.

The arm goes through a slot in the tender front and then hooks over an improbably small "pimple" on the bottom of the tender floor.

This minimal location works surprisingly well.

[Helmdon]

16 minutes ago, Tony Cane said:

If the DubDee has the arm with a hole at the end on the locomotive then you probably have a working link.

The arm goes through a slot in the tender front and then hooks over an improbably small "pimple" on the bottom of the tender floor.

This minimal location works surprisingly well.

thanks - that answers that one if it really is minimal! I just thought it must have snapped shorter, but there's actually no sign it was ever longer so yes I think that one's fine. Just the B1 and K3 then. Going to have a look in the boxes and remind myself exactly what the problem is and clarify the OP.

[Helmdon]

Actually, thanks Tony, I think I can see that two of them are consequently probably alright (I was used to very old school Hornby with the brass pins), and how i can therefore fix the third. 

 

Brilliant, many thanks!

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

2 hours ago, Helmdon said:

I'm slightly wary of starting this because I can't believe that no one's asked it before - but I can't find anything unless I'm searching with the wrong terms...

Actually there was a lot of discussion of this on the early versions of RMweb as people started to venture purchases of this product from an unfamiliar manufacturer. But those early versions crashed and burned, and are now not available.

 

Sometimes drilling an extra hole in the drawbar, or cutting off the pin and making a hole to take a self tapper, is the way to closer spacing than Bachmann provide (eg BR std 9F) and there is at least one loco (BR std 4 2-6-0) where the nearer hole won't engage on the peg because the moulded on intermediate buffers on the tender drag box are too long!

 

Bachmann have now further developed this system so that the drawbar engages a pin on a slide under the tender, so that spacing is freely adjustable. You will find that on the three GCR designs from Bachmann, D11, J11, O4.

 

 

[Helmdon]

11 hours ago, 34theletterbetweenB&D said:

Actually there was a lot of discussion of this on the early versions of RMweb as people started to venture purchases of this product from an unfamiliar manufacturer. But those early versions crashed and burned, and are now not available.

 

Sometimes drilling an extra hole in the drawbar, or cutting off the pin and making a hole to take a self tapper, is the way to closer spacing than Bachmann provide (eg BR std 9F) and there is at least one loco (BR std 4 2-6-0) where the nearer hole won't engage on the peg because the moulded on intermediate buffers on the tender drag box are too long!

 

Bachmann have now further developed this system so that the drawbar engages a pin on a slide under the tender, so that spacing is freely adjustable. You will find that on the three GCR designs from Bachmann, D11, J11, O4.

 

 

 

All good stuff, many thanks. Fortunately I could get the funds to buy the D11/1, J11 and O4 new, so will have a closer look. It's the rest of the stud that's largely comprised of the "pre loved"!

[Guest Half-full]

Before I started concentrating on real locos, I used to get rid of the factory tender coupling arrangement and just used a simple hook and loop made out of brass wire.  Meant I could adjust the gap to suit my layout at the time.