Continuing my archaeology of railway modelling, I present this interesting article from May 1949 by Mr M H Bryant. How wonderfully formal they were back then, no "Mike Bryant" - being published in a magazine was a serious matter akin to presenting to the Royal Society.
Anyway, is this the first appearance of a tension lock coupling ? It certainly looks like the same sort of thing you'd find at the extremities of a Hornby or Bachmann locomotive. Modern coupling ramps are sprung internally but essentially aren't a whole lot different to the one in the diagram (Note: click on the picture to get a bigger view).
It's interesting that the coupling proposed for the locomotives is just a bent bit of wire. This is much more subtle than mounting the standard version and, in many people's opinion, ruining the "face" of the model. It's one of the reasons us fans of the Spratt & Winkle coupling don't put hooks on our locos.
Making these things would have been fun in the late 40's. Etching technology was in its infancy so each hook and bar would have to be cut out by hand. Consistency would have been all important yet difficult to achieve.
Makes you realise how easy we have it now doesn't it.
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