Having a bit of a 'Yes' morning. All early stuff, with the latest played being 'Close to the Edge'

Ningen Isu

Ok I have now finished the designs for this round of testing, thanks for your input everyone! I now have three shank lengths to test, and assuming that the NEM standard of 6mm from the front of the coupling socket to the mid point between the couplings is 6mm (it is often considerably shorter on actual models) you get:

Size: Short Midpoint from socket: 6mm Buffer gap: 0mm

Size: Medium Midpoint from socket: 7mm Buffer gap: 2mm

Size: Long Midpoint from socket: 8mm Buffer gap: 4mm

So in the case of a socket which is only 4mm from the buffers (2mm under standard) then you would get a 4mm buffer gap using the short coupler. I hope that makes sense. So you should be able to get the right buffer distance for your layout curve radii for looks and reliable operation across a wide range of different rolling stock.

These will also work for 009 and TT120 using the same sizes which is handy!

When I get the second catch versions back from the etchers I will test it and update this.

Will.

My buddy just turned me on to Sweet. I've heard these songs before, but never knew who sang them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96j6Ms6mDrI


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRgWvvkSvfk

Quote from: lil chris on Yesterday at 07:43:59 PMWell I have just traded my car for a newer one,the old one cost me a few quid last mot, I was not having a repeat. They kept me waiting a while for paper work but it was worth it. The car is a 75 plate so i thought it was about 8/9 months old, checked the paperwork and it was first registered 18th March this year, so its two months old and only 18 miles on the clock, what a good do. You got to laugh  the wife ie swmbo was away last week and when she came back on Friday and found cans of Thatchers Cider in the fridge and then found out I had bought a car too. Eldist son said to her you have only been away a week and dads started drinking and bought car.....lol
Chris H.

Hi

A little puzzled as a car registered in March this year should be 26. 75 would relate to 1/09/2025 to 28/02/2026

Cheers

Paul

Well I have just traded my car for a newer one,the old one cost me a few quid last mot, I was not having a repeat. They kept me waiting a while for paper work but it was worth it. The car is a 75 plate so i thought it was about 8/9 months old, checked the paperwork and it was first registered 18th March this year, so its two months old and only 18 miles on the clock, what a good do. You got to laugh  the wife ie swmbo was away last week and when she came back on Friday and found cans of Thatchers Cider in the fridge and then found out I had bought a car too. Eldist son said to her you have only been away a week and dads started drinking and bought car.....lol
Chris H.

Quote from: Steven B on Yesterday at 12:03:30 PM7mm, 6mm and 5mm might be good starting points?

I'm looking forward to seeing these couplings develop!

Thanks Steve, my own investigations have since yielded similar measurements to test so it's good to have that corroborated!

These will have a side clasp a bit like Tillig couplers so should remain rigidly in line when pushed around corners - though what radii they will be happy with when pushed is anyone's guess and will come out in testing.

Will.

See page 38 of the West Hill Wagon Works Hunt Couplings Guide.

Their three NEM pocket couplings measure out at 7.5mm, 6mm and 5.2mm from the front of the NEM socket to the outer face of the coupling.

I've yet to need to use the 7.5mm one.

Note the magnetic couplings do need at least one vehicle to have a close coupling mechanism (unless the pivoting coupling is used) - fixed NEM pockets and magnets tend not to go round curves particularly well! I'm guessing if you're going for a DG/B&B type coupling this wouldn't be an issue.

7mm, 6mm and 5mm might be good starting points?

I'm looking forward to seeing these couplings develop!

Quote from: Steven B on Yesterday at 09:17:21 AMRevolution, and a few items from other manufacturers like the Dapol Hymek are to NEM standards

So by this I assume it means exactly 6mm between the front of the socket at the buffer face? That's useful. I may well go with something like 4mm, 6mm, and 8mm shank options in the set to cover as wide as range of possibilities as I can. The will also use the same steel catch.

Will.

Whether the tender is correct is not the issue - the loco did get this tender in 1955.

The question is whether the full lined livery is correct - it quite possibly is, but the only evidence I can find is unlined black.

https://railway-photography.smugmug.com/GWRSteam-1/Collett-Locomotives/Collett-460-designs/Grange-Class/68006819-Built-1936/i-bc77Cfn/A

Was it then lined out? Who knows! I'd think Dapol may well have reference material confirming it was - at least you'd hope so. Presumably it wouldn't have stayed in this livery for too long (a few years) before getting BR Green and late crest, for which there are plenty of prototype photos.

If the lining's too much, you could go all black!

Cheers,
Alan