Llanelly(Seaside) - Build suspended

[two tone green]

My biggest Heljan locos fully fitted with DCC sound etc very rarely pull over 1 amp according to my ECoS

[cromptonnut]

Chris, whereabouts in the UK are you?

[ianwales]

Hi All

 

What couplings do you use/recommend for 7mm scale? I've used kadee's in 4mm where in recent years there has been the advantage of NEM pockets to plug them into, I've also been looking at scale couplings, Dinghams and the Spratt & Winkle variety. If I build a layout it will probably be post steam/pre TOPS dieselsand  I want to be able to shunt parcels vans between various trains(I've had a possible eureka moment with regard to the form a new layout in O could take)

 

Thanks in advance

Ian

(Playing with signals and full size trains again)

[cromptonnut]

Good question Ian, one I was about to ask.  At the moment I've got three links fitted and have decided that it's far too fiddly for me to mess around with when I could be doing far more interesting things.

 

Look forward to seeing the replies.

[cromptonnut]

Hi Chris

 

My reason for asking is that probably the best thing you can try and do is get along to one of the O gauge specific shows for inspiration - there's the one in Reading on 7th December, a trade show that will open your eyes to many things you didn't know existed, Bristol (although perhaps a bit far from Cambridgeshire) in January, the Guild show at Kettering in March.

 

Are there any local clubs with an active 7mm section?  As several others have said, it's a whole new world and so many things are not just "do it as if you would in OO but a bit bigger" - even down to needing a bigger soldering iron in many cases. 

 

7mm can be a hard slog on a lonely road as a solo modeller but I've found the 7mm section on RMWeb very useful for a lot of questions. 

[chaz]

Hi All

 

What couplings do you use/recommend for 7mm scale? I've used kadee's in 4mm where in recent years there has been the advantage of NEM pockets to plug them into, I've also been looking at scale couplings, Dinghams and the Spratt & Winkle variety. If I build a layout it will probably be post steam/pre TOPS dieselsand  I want to be able to shunt parcels vans between various trains(I've had a possible eureka moment with regard to the form a new layout in O could take)

 

Thanks in advance

Ian

(Playing with signals and full size trains again)

 

I use Dinghams on Dock Green. Not perfect (what auto coupling is?) but they are discrete (especially if blackened) and work well. The biggest drawback the have is that the stock has a different coupling each end, so can't be turned.

[cromptonnut]

I can't remember where on here I saw it but I'm sure someone was using the small Bachmann OO couplings in NEM pockets under their wagons and it didn't actually look that obvious.

[switcher 1]

Some people use Kadee, some use Tension Lock, & then there are the special types such as Dinghams, Sprat & Winkle, etc.

If it is just your railway, it doesn't matter what you choose, but if you intend joining a group, find out what they are using, for compatibility.

 

Edit: As Cromptonnut suggests, there is a layout using Tension lock - http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/50114-progress-at-ramchester/page-5

Edited November 28, 2013 by fatmac

[cromptonnut]

Thanks Fatmac, I knew I'd seen it somewhere.  Will have to do some experimenting with OO couplings and see if I can get a satisfactory result on the new Peco setrack curves without buffer locking/derailments.

[two tone green]

I use Kadee with good results. No hand of god needed.

[two tone green]

Kadee's at play.

 

Demonstrates also the auto coupling function of the ESU Loksound V4 XL.

 

[81A Oldoak]

An excellent automatic coupling for 7mm scale was the Lincs coupling. It was a simple rig and allowed the retention of 3-link or screw couplings. It was also much easier to construct and install than the Alex Jackson and also had a fair degree of lateral tolerance. Sadly it is not available despite rumours that it might return to the market. Here is a link to a very old page of the G0G Manual, which shows, albeit not too clearly, the Lincs hook. http://www.gauge0guild.com/manual/04_D4_2_1_2.pdf

[alant]

I use the Lincs system on my O Gauge layout (link below) and fortunately have quite a few in stock for future builds. They are relatively easy to construct and require a "near enough" accuracy to work. I do hope they will eventually get released again.

 

Alan.

[81A Oldoak]

I use the Lincs system on my O Gauge layout (link below) and fortunately have quite a few in stock for future builds. They are relatively easy to construct and require a "near enough" accuracy to work. I do hope they will eventually get released again.

 

Alan.

 

Alan,

Could you photograph or scan and post a picture of an unbuilt specimen?

[alant]

Alan,

Could you photograph or scan and post a picture of an unbuilt specimen?

Will do Chris. It will be a couple of days or so as my wife is away with the camera at the moment.

[ianwales]

Hi All

 

The 7mm bug seems to have bitten well, went out to buy a set of Christmas lights and came home with a 7mm Bachmann brass 04 as well!!!

 

Ian

Edited December 1, 2013 by ianwales

[switcher 1]

It just starts with a loco or a wagon.....

[two tone green]

Apethorne Junction did it for me. Had a big dose in Manchester in 2008 and I was hooked.

 

My name is Two Tone Green and I am an O gauge addict.

[asa]

12 years ago after reading articles in magazines and having a chat with GOG area rep at Glasgow show I bought a Parkside 16 tonner and a yard of track.Now I have 70 wagons 6 locos and 9 coaches and parcel vans all in a loft 15ftx12ft! I only recently sold off my oo gear.

[alant]

Alan,

Could you photograph or scan and post a picture of an unbuilt specimen?

 

Chris,

 

Photos of Lincs as requested.

 

This one shows the contents of the kit. The etch contains enough for 5 pairs of couplings and also shows the steel lengths for the hooks, brass rod and tube for the pivot and fishing weights.

 

This pic show a completed coupling (except the counter balance weight) and the jig for soldering the hook to the brass rod.

 

Alan.

[ianwales]

 

Ian,

 

That's serious!  How did you explain away such an expensive set of Christmas lights???  Your OP was posted on 25/11 and you were just "thinking"...  Now you have a loco. This model was produced some years back, so I assume yours is 2nd hand and fully painted?

 

 

Hi Paul

 

No, last one left in the shop and still in unpainted brass.

 

Ian

[ianwales]

Hi All

 

Been thinking about a possible layout idea and would like a few comments. I had previously mentioned a layout length of loco and 5 coaches, but this just showed up my 4mm way of thinking without appreciating the length of coaches in 7mm, convesely I didn't want a goods only layout so I started thinking around other ideas and then came across this thread on RMweb and especially struck by the photo in post no 6.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/46826-kings-cross-parcels-depot-info-sought-please/

 

That was my eureka moment, why not a parcels station/depot, after all the newspaper train that use to pass my signalbox was only ever 2 vans hauled by a class 37 or 47 while the Workington TPO was only ever 1 TPO coach flanked by a pair of BG's, after all a loco and 5 vans are shorter than a loco and 5 coaches.

 

 

 

This is the plan I've been contemplating for a parcels station and small fuelling point, late 60's era, Western Region but set somewhere near London to allow inter-regional parcels trains.

 

Ian

[two tone green]

Gosh. That's almost like mine.

 

Will post my track plan once I get to my PC. On my iPhone at the moment.

[two tone green]

Hello again

 

Here is my layout as promised.

 

Its almost right as there is some minor skewing of tracks to get clearances in the sidings that come off the platform area as these will take what I call my Royal Mail Exchange Shed which is a combined freight shed with a pass through track and a dead end road that takes a MK1 TPO.

 

There is no points in the database to make up the right combination at the top of the layout in the fiddle yard but the diagram shows the principle. A train arrives from the scenic area and a loco waiting in the two sidings at the left end of the fiddle yard picks whatever stock there is in the fiddle yard and takes it back then the loco held in the fiddle yard roads either returns to the station as light engine or takes an empty track on the left of the fiddle yard.

 

it works and offers a lot of flexible working.  It allows me to run big diesels plus two Mk1 coaches. Longest loco is Deltic, EE Type 4 and Peak. A Mk1 is similar length. I work on each item being 20 inches in length so any other train is made up to match those length.

 

I have Brush 2 and 4's. EE Type 3 and 4's plus Peak, Western, Hymek, DMU 108, diesel shunter plus the usual stock of Mk1's, BG, TPO, mineral wagons, Ventilated box vans, 20t brake vans etc. The usual 1960's green stock era. So plenty of choice and combination. Tank wagons will be added when out.

 

Hope this helps.

 

[two tone green]

Oh, forgot to add, all DCC sound equiped locos & DMU and operated by ESU ECoS and V8 Gold RR&Co. Simple