A quiet month for me in the latest issue of BRM which should be hitting your doorsteps this morning. I'm taking the opportunity to explain how I fit Sprat & Winkle couplings to rolling stock.
"What are those couplings?" is a popular question at exhibitions, indeed at some shows it seems to be the only question anyone wants to ask. Back in the good old days, modellers could recognise an aftermarket coupling a mile off but now we live in the era of the Internet, pop tarts and tension lock couplings fitted to RTR stock that will actually couple with each other, the demand for replacements has dropped off a bit.
Despite this, it's worth presenting people with options and explaining how they work. As it was I had to do some research because Wizard Models have expanded the range with some funky new under-buffer beam fitting plates so you don't have to hack a slot between the buffers any more.
Apart from this and a bit in the Q&A section, you're going to be a bit light on my contributions this month. That's not a move to sideline me, quite the opposite. It's just that to date, projects have been completed pretty much on the deadline date and when you are making things, that's not a great situation to be in. If something goes wrong then you are stuffed.
As it is, there is sufficient material sitting in the pile to let me take a breather for a month and work on the following months content. Here I can promise some of the most interesting kits I've ever built. But that's for next month...
What was the deciding factor of attaching the loop across the buffer faces, surely a loop from the beams would give a better look?
ReplyDeleteIt's much easier to fit a bar across the buffers than a loop from the beam. It doesn't look much different to my eye either.
ReplyDeleteThe other advantage is that my way allows more horizontal swing for the hook which works better on tight curves such as the ones on my dock layout.