466 networker coupling issues

[BlightyExPat]

I have an old Hornby Network SouthEast 466. It runs OK, except that the rear car female coupling is limited in movement by the leading car. They use a female/male pin-style coupling.

Hence, it de-rails every time at one (slightly) tight bend. 

Does anyone know if it is possible to purchase an alternative arrangement that, for eg, provides a slot rather than a circular hole in the rear car coupler so that it can move more independently to the front car?

Hope this makes sense, image attached.

Or perhaps there is anothjer solution?

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[walkingthedog]

Apart from changing the tight curve could you adapt the coupling yourself, you seem to know what you require?

[LCDR]

I cannot remember how the coupling is attached to the bogie, and my 466 is in 'deep storage' at present so I cannot look at the moment, but I don't remember having any problem with mine cornering, although I was using second radius curves.

There is a moderate amount of 'meat' around the hole in the female coupling, I wonder if a little bit if metal removal with a rats tail needle file would remove enough to make the difference. 

The alternative would be to make a new coupling with a slot and somehow replace the original piece, but I cannot quite see how to attach it.

[Going Spare]

The couplings are part of the main bogie chassis blocks so there is no easy fix.  Are the bogies able to swivel freely within the underframe?  Could one or both of the underframes be modified to allow slightly greater bogier swing?  Could the pin and ring be cut off the coupling bars to allow small tension lock couplings to be attached?

[Going Spare]

PS.  Networker bogie frames become notoriously brittle with age and are almost impossible to find as replacements  - do not remove unless absolutely necessary. 

[BlightyExPat]

From the responses I have received I must conclude that there's no 'off-the-shelf' solution, so I will have to try and create something, myself.

I found a review on You Tube recently and it congratulated Hornby on producing a nicely detailed model that dates way back to the early 2000's. However, as 'Going Spare' correctly suggests, there are 'ageing' issues with this Networker model. On my model, the rubber corridor connection fell apart and the screw fixing the body to the chassis serves no purpose as the body plastic has perished where the screw is located.