Couplers

[Rallymatt]

Roger, thankyou! I can drive most things but the inter web still catches me out!

Markus, wow, it’s a well developed layout and because it’s an urban location the different levels and busy rail network, works. I love the detail in the cantenary and signalling, some lovely stock too. How has Hornby’s entry into TT120 been received on the ‘Continental’ scene?

I love your era description as ‘Jeeves and Wooster!’ British layouts (and mine!!) are not boring…. they are reserved…. 🤣🤣

[ntpntpntp]

How do you post pictures here? I tried to add a picture by clicking on the icon next to the "smiley" icon, but it didn't work.

 

 

 

 

The picture icon should put up a file chooser dialog to pick your photo, which then appears inline in the post.

Don't be surprised if your post doesn't show up at first, it seems that posts with images have to be moderated and approved - that caught me out first time as I wondered where my post had gone :)

 

 

Love your layout Marcus, as a Continental N modeller myself :)

[RDS]

RDS Mod Note

@Markus

It did double post, so I have removed the duplicate. As ntpntpntp (or something like that) says above. ALL pictures need Moderator approval. There is an extremely small window appears at the top of the screen, that tells you your picture has gone for approval. We have requested that window be made to cover the entire centre of the screen, because you are certainly not alone in thinking your post has disappeared.

[britishcolum]

How has Hornby’s entry into TT120 been received on the ‘Continental’ scene?

 

 

With a fair bit of interest. On the German TT forum there's a fairly extensive thread discussing it, and quite a few have commented that they've preordered or plan to order (the DB 08 had been mentioned a few times). It's also been received with some interest in a Hungarian TT community I follow.

 

 

I think it would be wise of Hornby to look into producing other British types that operate on the Continent... TT is the second most popular scale in Hungary, so class 56 and Class 86 in Floyd/Eurogate Rail Hungary colours would be popular there...

[TT-Man]

With Hornby's TT prices being very competitive compared to continental TT prices and the fact that they offer free shipping, I would think re-skins would sell well.

Of course at the moment Hornby have their hands full with supplying British outline so it may be some time before get into the overseas scene.

In reverse I can see Tillig possibly producing British models if TT takes off in the UK. They already do 19 different nationalities!

[britishcolum]

Definitely, if UK TT starts doing well I cannot see Tillig not getting involved - they have a rather strong "this is mine" attitude towards 1:120... they forced Roco out of the scale at one point, it wasn't until Piko came along that they started getting serious competition.

[ellocoloco]

I was certainly surprised that that the initial range in Hornby's announcement didn't include more types that could be rebadged into the Arnold range like the above mentioned 56 & 86 and modern wagons for chunnel traffic. The 66 is a no brainer for both markets. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Arnold TT disappeared and the range was all simply branded Hornby TT:120.

(Still no sure I should order some????)

[TT-Man]

There is a massive price differential between Arnold and Hornby TT. I wouldn't be surprised if over 90% of Arnold is sold in the EU. To merge the two prices would have to shift significantly and I doubt it would be entirely to the benefit of UK outline. All the EU TT manufacturers are much more expensive than Hornby TT (how long will it last?). Also Arnold is available retail and at lower prices than through Hornby, so for a merger there would have to be a policy change there as well.

I own some Arnold wagons, so I am interested to see how the quality compares between the two when my first Hornby TT stuff arrives.

Couplers are great - there I said it! Just to keep this topic on track joy

[Rallymatt]

Couplers and coupling things….

I would expect Arnold to retain and expand its TT offerings reflecting German prototypes and depending on the level of impact Hornby TT120 possibly see other Hornby brands launch their own TT120 models, using the identity of each to reflect Home market, ie Lima/Rivarossi Italian, Jouef for French outline etc etc but underneath uses common components etc to effect economies of scale. When starting with a clean sheet and a level of designed in standardisation it becomes much more viable.

The core reasoning for TT120 is equally valid in European homes as in UK.

I did consider splicing Dapol easi shunts onto the spare Arnold coupling shanks I now have… the Tillig ones work so well I have shelved that idea for when I have way too much time on my hands…..

Topic preserved nicely there I think 😂

[Old Kent Biker]

What I would REALLY like to see is for Keen Systems to introduce their close-couplers and corridor connections for Hornby TT. These make such a difference to rakes of OO coaches, although I'm not sure how (if) they could be designed to fit around the NEM coupler pockets.

To see how the OO versions work, https://keen-systems.com/Couplings.html

[Markus1707823000]

The photos on Keen Systems web page look pretty much like the same distance I've already got between my coaches with Tillig couplers (1 millimetre approximately on straight track).

[BenJ1707823011]

Would have been nice to have some instructions on the box do how to do/un do the couplers for us beginners. I broke one already!

Bit fiddly but once you got the hang of it ok.

[Rallymatt]

@Ben J, when you say you have broken one, have you actually broken something critical off? This coupler system so simple there are only 2 parts to the catch mechanism. If the little metal hook has popped out, it’s easy (but fiddly) to pop back in place. I will look out my Tillig diagram that shows how it assembled

[Rallymatt]

The Tillig and Hornby/Arnold couplings are identical in assembly. You will need to pull the plastic shank part from the NEM Pocket, grip and firm pull then you can assemble as per diagram, refit and the hook will be locked into correct position

[BenJ1707823011]

It still works. I clipped it back in but one of the 'fish hooks' came off.

I think I'll get some spares.

[Rallymatt]

Tillig are a transformation in use

[D9020 Nimbus]

They are very fiddly to assemble, though — the metal hook is very thin, so thin that none of my tweezers can actually grip it.

[Rallymatt]

Hobbycraft sell some great inexpensive craft tweezers that are ideal for this type of work, nice pointy ends too.

[D9020 Nimbus]

Yes, I have some but they don't work for this particular application.

[ntpntpntp]

I'd use snipe nose pliers rather than tweezers. You'll get a better grip.

[david_watts1]

Having just played with my set for the first time I thought the couplings were pretty good, seem to connect OK at fairly slow speed on straights and once coupled they were like swans (inseparable). However, it appears they aren't that good at coupling on curves. Also I found out eventually that one of mine was broken, luckily I have some Tillig ones on order.

[TT-Man]

I discovered that with the Tillig ones you can remove rolling stock from above by giving the lifted piece of stock a little wiggle as you raise it. The Arnold ones however, are locked together by the extra little moulding they have (looks a bit like a vacuum pipe) and are impossible to remove from above.

I have read that some people prefer the Arnold design as it prevents stock from coming uncoupled on uneven or badly laid track. I still far prefer the Tillig as they are better made in my opinion are are more reliable when both coupling and uncoupling in normal use on the layout.

[Les1952]

I've experimented with Dapol Easi-shunts- admittedly on Roco and Tillig stock as my Scotsman set hadn't arrived yet.

The NEM pockets have bigger gaps than the N-gauge pockets, but the plastic is fairly rigid so squeezing them together with narrow pliers got the Easi-Shunt to sit in happily. O Hornby Radius 2 the couplings performed quite happily, no issues pulling or pushing the train round the layout.

These are the nearest to Kadee couplings you will find.

My Scotsman set has arrived so I might try them between a pair of the Pullmans- the loco has had to go back to Hornby as it was missing the wheelset from under the cab.

[D9020 Nimbus]

I notice that the new 2023 Piko TT items now all have the Tillig-style close coupling. Up to now they have used the old style Tillig coupling.

[Rallymatt]

I had a bit of a play with a now redundant Arnold (Hornby) coupling, the metal latch doesn’t drop into the notch cut into the plastic part. When it is after a firm hand push, it’s too tight to cleanly uncouple. I had a go at opening the notch up but got bored as the Tillig ones work seamlessly

Great news Piko is on board, provided it’s as good at the Tillig ones but at least the pockets seem to be at consistent heights and to right dimensions