http://www.rhoshelyg.me.ukhttp://www.rhoshelyg.me.ukThis is a perennial. Please add pictures and tell us of your experiences.A short piece suggested by Graham, about conversion of couplers on the PDR
Paul
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Couplings
Ffestiniog Couplings
Added by JSJ and written by Tony Willmore of Rhos Helyg Locomotive Works in answer to a query about Ffestiniog couplings. Reproduced from an email on NGgarden Yahoo group with kind permission of the author. There are five types in regular use: 1) Chopper 2) Centre buffer with underslung hook 3) Wagon "bumper" also with underslung hook 4) Screwed shackle as per standard gauge 5) RAF In no particular order... Type 4 is only used for coupling bug boxes together when they are intended to run as a set and not be split up again for a while, i.e. "semi-permanently coupled", whatever that means. Type 5 is only used for works train vehicles, and consists of a vertical pin in each vehicle held together by a steel loop. Moel Hebog and Harlech Castle are fitted with RAF couplings. Types 2 and 3 are the same, except that most (not all) of the wagons do not get the luxury of a sprung buffer to protect them. They are coupled together by placing the hook from one vehicle onto the loop of the other. Palmerston has centre buffer couplings. Type 1 are used on most passenger vehicles and most (but not all) locomotives. Most (but not all) chopper couplings have a pair of holes across the hollow body underneath the chopper pivot. Inserting a locking pin (known as a "French Pin" for some reason) through these holes allows a type 2 or 3 coupling to be attached to a chopper. Various adaptors exist that allow coupling of other types together, but these are not in every-day use. All vehicles used on the present-day Welsh Highland must be fitted with chopper couplings, with no exceptions unless somebody decides otherwise. It is my understanding that the pre-war WHR chopper couplings were not 100% compatible with FR choppers, but I am happy to be corrected on that. Tony Rhos Helyg Locomotive Works - www.rhoshelyg.me.uk |
Accucraft choppers
I have decided to change all my stock over to these Conversion under way. The headstock to buffer face is around 29 mm, so just under two feet for both 16mm and 15 mm to the foot. I have decided to remove the black from the face of the buffer on Kestrel (shown below). Looking at photos of full-size choppers, mostly they show a steel colour. The buffer head is too big as well, so I suspect Mr Dremel will be in use shortly to reduce the diameter, at least on the front buffer. I am not sure if this will affect the working but Kestrel rarely runs bunker first anyway. The EMR has a very efficient loco-turning mechanism ;). Views on this and other coupling matters very welcome. The four bolts which come with a pack of two Accucraft couplers have a head which the Accucraft user will imagine are M2. Not so. I don't know what the thread size is but the heads certainly do not fit into a 3.0mm nut runner. Not even nearly. They do, however, fit into a 3.2 mm nut runner. Just thought I would mention it (JSJ).  |
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