Hornby Blue Spot Fish van - couplings

[robmanchester]

Hello,

I have a few Hornby Blue Spot fish vans. When purchased I took off the couplings intending to fit scale ones. Now I wish to refit the original couplings to some of them but can't figure out what the actual coupling should look like. I have the small clips that hold the coupling in place but can't locate the couplings in my mega box of couplings. Anybody help me ?

 

Regards

Rob

 

[phil_sutters]

Have your tried Googling it? What vintage are your vans. They seem to have had all the different couplings from the Hornby Dublo Peco style ones onwards.

[robmanchester]

The ones I have are latest models Phil, the same as available new now. Yes I did try Mr. Google but he wasn't very helpful.

 

I hadn't realised they had made them before.

 

Rob

 

[spamcan61]

Is it these you're after maybe? Not recommending this seller particularly just using the picture.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hornby-OO-Gauge-X9289-NEM-Coupling-Without-Pocket-Pack-of-2-/392896159483?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

[robmanchester]

No spamcan61 it isn't. Thanks for the attempt. I will take a picture later if nobody has come through with an answer. There is a peg that it needs to fit over and then be retained by the clip ( which I have ). I don't know if the part includes the actual coupler or just provides an NEM socket into which you plug the coupler.

 

Rob

 

[Going Spare]

Hornby pack R8099?

[Ruffnut Thorston]

This sounds suspiciously like the Airfix Railway System/ Dapol type of coupling.

 

In normal use, the clip on cover plate remains in place, the couplings can simply be pulled out, or pushed in until the clip on the coupling engages with the post usually moulded onto the chassis...

 

The narrow Fleischmann style coupling was the original Airfix type, later the Hornby style (left) was used, about when the GMR branding was adopted by Airfix. 

 

 

When the Airfix models became part of the Mainline (Palitoy) range, a Mainline (Medium width loop) type of coupling to fit the Airfix mounting was introduced, this is the type favoured by Dapol.

 

The Dapol version, below, has a hole used for screw fixing on some Dapol wagons that did not have the Airfix type mountings.

 

 

 

Hornby make a narrow tension lock coupling, with a flexible joint, that fits the Airfix type mounting.

 

This is the R8099 mentioned above.

 

 

This can be used to replace any of the earlier couplings, for better compatibility with other current narrow tension lock couplings.

 

 

Are you sure the wagons are Hornby?

 

Only I thought that the latest Hornby issues would have NEM couplings.

 

Hornby Fish Van.

 

 

Hornby have used this type of non NEM clip in coupling though, mainly on models acquired from Dapol and some tenders.

 

 

Dapol have issued the ex Hornby Dublo SD6 (and later Wrenn) Blue Spot fish van body on a new type chassis.

 

 

Original Hornby Dublo SD6 Fish Van.

Wrenn Fish Van.

 

 

Dapol Fish Van.

 

Edited November 22, 2020 by Ruffnut Thorston
Typo

[robmanchester]

Hi Ruffnut,

Wow, thanks for the posting - very comprehensive.  I have been doing some searhcing and recent Blue Spot vans do indeed have NEM sockets. Looking more carefully at the wagons I have would suggest that somebody has changed the chassis on some of them !!! I do have a Hornby vee tank cement wagon that came from the Lima range and that takes the non-NEM push in type you pictured.

 

Armed with you very useful information I shall take a further look when I can find the time.

 

BTW why are the fish-tail sockets on the base of Hornby, Bachmann and Oxford Rail wagon different sizes ?? If you take a Bachmann NEM coupler and its NEM box and try to plug it into an Oxford or Hornby wagon it either won't go in or just falls out when you turn the wagon over. The Bachmann coupler and box seem to be identified by small single character code printed on both items. Oxford and Hornby are, or so it appears, usually plain with no markings. Sorry, that wasn't actually meant as a direct question to you, just me having a rant......

 

Rob

 

[Going Spare]

The medium-width clip-in couplings with tapering sides are still offered by Dapol and both those and the wide-bar couplings with parallel sides are available in Hornby packs X8052 and X9660, respectively.

Regarding NEM couplings, the fish tails can be tapered vertically (all may be, I am not sure) so if any seem tighter than you would expect, try turning them over.

[Ruffnut Thorston]

The problem with some, if not all, Oxford models is that the actual NEM socket pocket is a non standard depth.

The Oxford pocket is shorter than standard, and the tails on Oxford NEM couplings are also shorter, and so don’t clip Home in standard length, depth, NEM pockets.

 

I lengthened the Oxford pocket in effect, by cutting shims from a spare pocket, and slipping these onto the standard length (Kadee NEM type) coupling tail before inserting the coupling into the pocket.

 

No changes made to the model’s coupling mountings.

 

 

 

 

I came across this while researching...very interesting...

 

https://www.buffersmodelrailways.com/image/data/couplings.pdf

[robmanchester]

Ruffnut,

 

Thank you again.

 

What a good article you linked to.

 

Rob