Garden Railway Forum

What do you guys use for coupling? Does it come with the kit that you buy, or do you have to use something else......? Please help





Thanks

Some kits come with couplings - centre buffer with a hook is the "standard". Brandbright kits don't, but they list variations in their catalogue.

Other people use chopper couplings - again Brandbright list these.

There is a nominal "standard" that couplings should be 25mm above rail level - when the Association started and before the height was more-or-less agreed, the use of a wire paper clip to cure awkward coupling problems was actively promoted - advice that holds good now as much as it did then.

Funny, my brandbright coach kit came with three link chains and centre buffers.

Im looking for some WD couplings. Slates do them but no photos.

I am modifying some AnDel WD resin bogies. I have cut a hole in the head stock for a draw bar and need some couplings.

Any experience of WD couplings?

I prefer chopper couplings cause they are much like couplings on 1:1 narrow gauge trains here in Norway.

And among the 16mm 's over here the chopper couplings increase in numbers. Both AC and Brandbright works fine.

The kits comes mostly with no couplings. It is ok - then we can chose what couplings we like to put on the kit.

We tend to use good old fashioned "ook n chain" with ours, although choppers do make an experience (most notable being our Accucraft NGG16 and a WHR bike wagon).
I'm doing a trial with Brandbrights choppers!

I'm feeling all inadequate again. My couplings are a OO track pin whacked into the top of a central dumb buffer, with a paper clip to attach it to the next wagon. Although I do have some realistic ones: the paper clip has been unwound, cut into three and made into a three link chain.

Si:95744 wrote:I'm feeling all inadequate again.  My couplings are a OO track pin whacked into the top of a central dumb buffer, with a paper clip to attach it to the next wagon.  Although I do have some realistic ones: the paper clip has been unwound, cut into three and made into a three link chain.

(takes his hand, gently sits him down) There, there, Simon - there's no need to feel inadequate! You need to progress on to the sophisticated version of your coupling, which I've used on occasions - take your track pin in a pair of pliers, heat it ti red heat and plunge it into the plastic / resin so it makes its own hole!

Steamcoaster:95293 wrote:Im looking for some WD couplings. Slates do them but no photos.

I am modifying some AnDel WD resin bogies. I have cut a hole in the head stock for a draw bar and need some couplings.

Any experience of WD couplings?

Think I might need to do something about mine. I've got three pairs of Andel bogies. None have been properly tested in service yet, but I am concerned that the superglued butt joint just isn't strong enough to keep 'em on the bufferbeams, particularly if recent experience with my Andel "Moelwyn" is anything to go by - my daughter stopped that rather abruptly whilst propelling a train down a gradient and the wagons went rolling off with the loco's coupling hanging from the rear coupling chain...

I plan to drill a hole through the loco's coupling, countersunk on the front, then use a nut and bolt to fix the coupling to the bufferbeam, add a bit of glue then fill and sand over the hole... If it works I'll probably apply a similar bodge to the Andel bogies to prevent the same thing happening...

Cheers,

Andrew.

Hi Andrew,

Gluing couplers when required is not a problem if you use something strong like Zap-A-Gap.

I have used this on a few wagons with Accucraft choppers and they cope even with weighted loads over 1kg.

Has anyone got any experience of Swift Sixteens roundhouse scale coulplings (the choppers)? Will they couple to the Accucraft chopper couplings.?
Best wishes colin

Yes they will work with Accucraft choppers as I asked them a while back, however, cannot justify the price!

Thanks for the quick reply. Just ordered a pair for my fowler.
Best wishes
Colin

Colinjamesporter:95790 wrote:Has anyone got any experience of Swift Sixteens roundhouse scale coulplings (the choppers)? Will they couple to the Accucraft chopper couplings.?
Best wishes colin

There is a short article on the square faced ones in the Feb Gorton Rail mag. As they came out round about the same time I assume they are similar to the round faced ones.

Good luck.