Aston On Clun. A forgotten Great Western outpost.

[MrWolf]

9 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

 

 

There's always one isn't there who has to lower the tone.

 

Did I mention the female form in my posting. Nope. Nada. Neon. Niet. 

 

I want photos of unhooking irons please. Let's at least try to keep some resemblance of decentity please.

 

Be assured that I did already have you figured as a clean living sort of chap. 

 

And it would be very useful for us to all put some ideas together for an uncoupling hook and develop something that works.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2021 by MrWolf

[MrWolf]

On 29/12/2021 at 23:30, Winslow Boy said:

My initial thoughts are that the hook portion would go through one of the links? Is that correct?

 

If so I assume its another link that is then placed over the wagon hook.

 

Has anybody tried tweezers or a magnet.

 

I've had a bit of a tinker and the only way with a hook is to pick up the end link, as the buffers prevent you from getting close enough to drop the link over the hook by picking up the middle link. So you need to be able to slide your uncoupling hook out from between the hook and link.

 

That's the easy part

Holding the link flat to drop it over the hook is the tricky part. 

I think that you might just be on to something with the tweezers Idea. The cranked type work rather well.

 

 

 

 

images lost.

 

 

Edited August 28, 2022 by MrWolf
Technology that fails to deliver

[Limpley Stoker]

When I dabbled in P4 and 3 link couplings I used an instrument like this, a simple straight shaft and a nearly right angle bend on the hook with a hexagonal handle. It worked reasonably,  well if patient.

 

 

 

[Winslow Boy]

 Nothing like a bit of experimentation to come up with the correct solution.

 

Two thoughts had occurred to me. Firstly the length of the actual hook or lip at the end and secondly was there something on the market already but not necessarily used for this purpose. 

 

I see that limpey stoker has already addressed my second thought so turning to my first idea I think that was is needed is what I would describe as a 'u' at the end of the probe.

 

That way when the link is captured it will slide to the bottom of the 'u' and no further. It would have to be quite short in length, say 7 mm as any longer would defeat the intended objective and also impede maneuovrability.

 

Hope that makes sense.

 

 

Edited December 30, 2021 by Winslow Boy

[JustinDean]

Last time I had a functioning layout (in my teens) all stock was on Smith’s three link couplings and I made a hook identical to the one Limpey Stoker has posted above. 

I’ll be doing exactly the same again for both my layouts under construction. 
 

Jay

Edited December 30, 2021 by JustinDean

[NHY 581]

These are on amazon at present...........

 

 

 

 

A bit of choice therein. Most useful. 

 

Rob. 

[JustinDean]

@NHY 581 I was just about to edit my post to add these!

Also clay sculpting hooks on Evilbay. 
 

Jay

Edited December 30, 2021 by JustinDean

[Graham T]

8 minutes ago, JustinDean said:

@NHY 581 I was just about to edit my post to add these!

Also clay sculpting hooks on Evilbay. 
 

Jay

 

I just got a set like that, and was wondering what to do with most of them.  Problem solved!

[Limpley Stoker]

Had a quick rummage for the old hook and found I had modified it with some bends. I tried it out on the bench but my eyesight has deteriorated since my P4 days. (I’m now a fan of magnetic couplings)

 

 

 

 

 

[MrWolf]

Thanks everyone, I now see that the combination of a hook with a crank in it to line up with the couplings is the way forward. I'll get some of those tools ordered.

I do have a few dental picks in the workshop but they've all been mangled to perform awkward little jobs on motorcycles.

[NHY 581]

Funnily enough, following the purchase of the D1, I'm thinking of three links/scale screw couplings myself and DC control for any layout featuring said D1. That's at odds with current practice of DCC and Kadees. 

 

But, it seems at odds with the D1......

 

Rob. 

[MrWolf]

Bizarrely enough, I've visited a friend this afternoon and amongst the O gauge stock he was sorting through was a D1 built from a very old white metal kit. I was almost glad when he couldn't get it to run. It's a slippery slope....

[MrWolf]

Here we are, almost an hour into 2022, happy new year to everyone.

 

Thanks for reading, commenting, passing on ideas, contacts and technical information over the last twelve months and generally putting up my ramblings!

[JustinDean]

16 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

Here we are, almost an hour into 2022, happy new year to everyone.

 

Thanks for reading, commenting, passing on ideas, contacts and technical information over the last twelve months and generally putting up my ramblings!

Happy new year Rob! Long may the rambling continue. 
 

Jay

[Regularity]

The Clun valley is a nice place for a ramble!

 

HNY

[NHY 581]

7 hours ago, MrWolf said:

Here we are, almost an hour into 2022, happy new year to everyone.

 

Thanks for reading, commenting, passing on ideas, contacts and technical information over the last twelve months and generally putting up my ramblings!

 

 

Morning Rob. 

 

Happy 2022 to you and the Memsahib. Aston is a splendid place to pop to for the splendid reasons you list above. 

 

Long may it continue ! 

 

Rob. 

[Winslow Boy]

 

So first walk of the new year. Any good ones near Aston on Clun Rob that you would care to recommend.

 

Not the field in front of the station please. Too many sheep in that one and Madam (that's the dog by the way) not to certain about them.

 

Anyway time to go for the paper.

 

 

[Captain Kernow]

Happy New Year all.

 

Now then, 3-link and screw link couplings in 4mm scale.

 

I've been using these for over 40 years in one shape or form.

 

For what it's worth, Rob, these are the things that I have learned and now form the basis of the Standard Kernow Method of Coupling:

 

- Smiths components (available from Wizard and probably elsewhere as well). The hooks are a bit overscale, but that makes them easier to get the links over, very important at exhibitions or when your back is playing up or you are otherwise in a bit of a grumpy mood

 

- Having used small coupling hooks for years, fashioned from 0.4mm brass wire attached to slim pen torches (the illumination bit is essential), I have now gone over to making the final link of both 3-links, instanters and screw links magnetic

 

- Smiths make magnetic links (sold in separate packets) to go on the end of 3-link and instanter couplings. For screw links, it's a bit more tricky. I am using up the last in a supply of the excellent Exactoscale steel 'D' links, which went well with the Smiths screw link parts, but they are now defunct. It is possible to get a fret of steel 'D' links from Ambis, however, as my friend Re6/6 recently got some

 

- there are other etched screw link possibilities (including the very good, exact scale Ambis and Masokits products), which give you a much better drop weight representation for screw links than the awful track pin that Smiths offer. What I do, however, is to use a brass lace-making pin (get them from haberdashers, they are the same size as conventional steel pins). I then anneal them, cut them to length and bend the stub end into a semi-circle at the end. This is then threaded through the hole in the middle of the Smiths screw coupling component (ie. that bit that represents the 'screw' part of the coupling), the semi-circle is then bent right round into a full circle (ie. so that you can no longer get it off the central component) and the circle is then flooded with flux and solder, to represent the kind of large steel ball that you get at the end of some of these couplings. I know that this is representative of some GW locos, because I managed to knock myself on the forehead with the coupling of 6412 many years ago at Minehead, whilst uncoupling the loco from the train (that's when you realise how useful a pack of frozen peas from the mess room is as an ice pack!).

 

- as such, I use tiny magnets attached to the end of a bit of 1.0mm brass wire, which in turn is attached to a pen torch (you would need to attach the magnet to the brass wire - a bit of 1.0mm internal diameter tubing - as thin as possible outside diameter - would do the trick, plus a little glue to keep the magnet in place)

 

- you used to be able to get hold of ready-made magnetic uncoupling poles as described above from Dave Franks of Lanarkshire Model Supplies, but he doesn't do them any more (attached to a nice little pen torch as well!), but he may still do the non-magnetic shunting pole, which is essentially the same pen torch, but with a brass hook on the end instead, for non-magnetic links

 

All I can say is that the above generally serves me well these days and I don't build any stock without magnetic links any more. I am also gradually converting as much of my non-magnetic stock to magnetic end links, as and when I get the opportunity.

 

The use of the magnetic coupling hooks is very significantly easier than using a non-magnetic one!

 

[MrWolf]

Just a little reminder that even though you're working on tiny models in the spare room, you're still in a workshop and need something on your feet.

 

That stuck into the rubber a good quarter inch!

 

 

image lost.

 

 

Edited August 28, 2022 by MrWolf
Technology that fails to deliver

[MrWolf]

In answer to the obvious question:

 

No, the memsahib did not throw it at me. It's only a tiny knife and her aim is better than that....

[MrWolf]

Thanks Rob, I've ordered a Rolson stabbing set. They should prove very handy.

 

That's a pretty comprehensive case you put forward there CK, all of my wagons have steel links, so a magnetic shunting pole is definitely on the list!

 

Something else that I need to get is another set of miniature wire cutters. I don't have much faith in any of those sold for cutting track. They don't, or if they do, it isn't for very long.

Which is why I've always used a fine razor saw for track cutting, they don't mangle the rail like side cutters.

[MrWolf]

New year, new levels of masochism.

 

A standard Ratio ground signal frame.

 

 

Bearing reinforcement, @St Enodocstyle:

 

 

Removal of most of the square lanp case:

 

 

Round case salvaged from signal post fitted, (there's too many for my purposes on the posts) seen beside an original.

 

[Winslow Boy]

40 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

Thanks Rob, I've ordered a Rolson stabbing set. They should prove very handy.

 

That's a pretty comprehensive case you put forward there CK, all of my wagons have steel links, so a magnetic shunting pole is definitely on the list!

 

Something else that I need to get is another set of miniature wire cutters. I don't have much faith in any of those sold for cutting track. They don't, or if they do, it isn't for very long.

Which is why I've always used a fine razor saw for track cutting, they don't mangle the rail like side cutters.

 

Dear Mr Wolf whatsit I would just like to draw you attention that I did mention about having magnet links. So there - would have liked to have a raspberry here but couldn't find one so just imagine me with my tongue out blowing a raspberry.

[MrWolf]

Apologies, you did indeed Mr Winslow thingy.

In my defense, I didn't wake up until lunchtime and I'm still in first gear.

 

Here you go.

 

 

 

It often takes me all my time to remember if I had repeated something from three pages ago when writing a post.

 

Generally, I leave raspberries to.my assistant / PR consultant / private security contractor.

 

 

Edited August 28, 2022 by MrWolf
Replaced picture

[Winslow Boy]

1 minute ago, MrWolf said:

Apologies, you did indeed Mr Winslow thingy.

In my defense, I didn't wake up until lunchtime and I'm still in first gear.

 

Here you go.

 

 

 

It often takes me all my time to remember if I had repeated something from three pages ago when writing a post.

 

Generally, I leave raspberries to.my assistant / PR consultant / private security contractor.

 

 

Please sir can have some more.