Has anyone yet tried the new Peco L&B wagons with Dapol Easi-fit couplings in place of the Peco GR-102 that come with the wagons? If so, what has been your experience of them in operation, please? Both are of course NEM355 compatible, so swapping one for the other should be a doddle - but do the Dapol's perform as expected? And has anyone tried the Dapols on any of the Kato tram chassis?
Hi Richard
Just found your post after being frustrated by Greenwich couplings. I know loads of 009 members use them but I just can't get the hanger of making them wih my stubby fingers and general cack handedness!
I decided this week to try the Dapol couplings and so far so good. The do fit the he pockets on the Peco L&B wagons without a problem. They seem a little low when compared to the Dapol height gauge but work as advertised. As mentioned on a post on NGRM you sometimes have to bend the metal hook to get the delayed shunting working but that's easy done.
I've also fitted some to some Colin Ashby 4 wheel coaches I have and a loco with a Kato chassis. Had to pack the NEM pockets to lower them but all seems ok so far.
Will post some photos if I get chance tomorrow. Hope that helps.
Andy
Here are some photos of what I've made. The couplings went straight into the NEM pockets of the Peco L&B wagon.
I had to pack the NEM pocket on both the 4 wheel coach and Kato chassis, but the shims the come with the pockets were sufficient. They are currently attached with superglue but I may use some stronger adhesive as time goes by.
They were all pretty straightforward to fit and seem to work as advertised on the short test track I've rigged up. I fitted the two coupling to the Kato chassis in less time than it took me to fail to make one Greenwich coupling. They may be more pricey but are what I'll be sticking with for now.
Hope the photos help, although quality not great.
Andy
Here's the coupling attached to the Kato 103 chassis and attached to a Chris Ward 3D printed body
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7542/15678221374_94bc17ab5b_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/pTqYZC)P1170008 (https://flic.kr/p/pTqYZC) by andywilliamsX (https://www.flickr.com/people/100405031@N08/), on Flickr
Here's the coupling attached to the Peco L&B wagon
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8657/16113085128_5fbfabb305_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/qxRLQy)P1170011 (https://flic.kr/p/qxRLQy) by andywilliamsX (https://www.flickr.com/people/100405031@N08/), on Flickr
Here's the coupling attached to a Colin Ashby 4 wheel coach
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7492/15678220244_9931fc99f1_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/pTqYE9)P1170012 (https://flic.kr/p/pTqYE9) by andywilliamsX (https://www.flickr.com/people/100405031@N08/), on Flickr
Loco coupled to Peco L&B wagon and 4 wheel coach.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7476/16274702706_6c61394bdd_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/qN977w)P1170002 (https://flic.kr/p/qN977w) by andywilliamsX (https://www.flickr.com/people/100405031@N08/), on Flickr
Loco coupled to Peco L&B wagon
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7499/16274701976_b5640dbf13_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/qN96TW)P1170003 (https://flic.kr/p/qN96TW) by andywilliamsX (https://www.flickr.com/people/100405031@N08/), on Flickr
Hi, Andy.
I have been 'off air' so far as OO-9 is concerned for rather too long, so have only just caught up with your postings. I am grateful for your thoughts and experiences and for the photos. All very helpful. Guess now I am restarting I will follow your route as I also have problems making the Greenwixh couplings - a combination of old age and diminsihing eyesight, I think! Thanks again for your time and trouble.
Richard
No problem Richard. Hoe you have fun with them.
One thing I have discovered you do need to watch carefully is the coupling height. If yo don't get it right the metal hook below the Dapol coupling will foul gong through points and yo end up with derailed stock!
Andy
Quote from: Andybw on October 02, 2015, 17:26
No problem Richard. Hoe you have fun with them.
One thing I have discovered you do need to watch carefully is the coupling height. If yo don't get it right the metal hook below the Dapol coupling will foul gong through points and yo end up with derailed stock!
Andy
You should be able to adjust the length of the trip pin the same way as you can with Micro-trains ones.
Alternatively, you could adjust them the same way as Kadees.
On a personal note, I think the Dapol couplings are ridiculously expensive.
Darren.