Scharfenburg coupler 2a-000-029

[JR_P]

I spotted this item (2A-000-029) on RoS website - this sounds like an interesting item; is this a NEM pocket Scharfenburg coupler?

if it is, that would be awesome :-)

Would be grateful if someone from Dapol can confirm details and when it will be available - thanks!

[Jeanette-H]

What's a Scharfenburg coupler?

[JR_P]

Have a read here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scharfenberg_coupler

As far as I’m aware the Cl 350 have them, so they’ll be going on the outer ends of my Farish 350s (assuming they are NEM pocket compatible).

[woodbury22uk]

This article might help. http://blainestrains.org/pdfs/TomixScharfenberg.pdf

[Vonzack]

Allot of the 'box shifters' are listing them as pre-order, but no details. These are great on the Voyager sets, definitely no uncoupling

[Joel Dapol]

We have developed an NEM Scharfenberg coupler for our Class 142 and future runs of the Class 153 and 156. They will be made available initially in a self assembly kit form in all 6 couplings 2 each of short medium and long arms. I hope that helps.

[woodbury22uk]

Joel Dapol Does that mean they will be NEM pocket compatible?

[woodbury22uk]

The Scharfenberg couplers are fitted to the Dapol Class 153 and Class 156 DMUs, and based on the working Tomix couplers. If it is these couplers they are not NEM pocket couplers, and occupy quite a large space at the end of the coaches. But they do couple securely and look very realistic. Tomix also produce a smaller version (0381/0382) but it is not NEM-pocket compatible, although it can be made to fit an NEM pocket with a bit of modelling skill.

This article shows pictures of the various Tomix ones.0331- 0335 are like the ones in the Dapol Class 153/156.

http://blainestrains.org/pdfs/TomixScharfenberg.pdf

This image shows two dapol units coupled with the Tomix couplers.

[JR_P]

Joel Dapol Great news! Nice move.

Surprised they are kit-form though. I’ve previously bought rapido [standard] pocket Scharfenberg couplers in kit-form; easy enough to make.

[woodbury22uk]

Thought that the delivery of these pairs of Scharfenberg couplers would have been linked to the arrival of the Class 142s. Any update on their likely delivery window, please? Joel Dapol

[woodbury22uk]

And just like magic I received a notification from a retailer today that my pre-ordered ones are in the post to me. Looking forward to trying these.

[woodbury22uk]

For those who have not seen these yet the 2A-000-029 kit contains a pair of close coupler mechanisms and three pairs of Scharfenberg couplers in 3 lengths - roughly 6.5mm, 8mm, 10.5mm. Each of these couplers is made up of two parts - the long coupler shaft and a U shaped cover which clips on to the front of the coupler. I found it easiest to fit these together by removing the long part from the sprue and clipping it into the cover whilst the cover was still attached to the sprue. I also used a little bit of Revell Contacta glue to hold the two pieces together. These couplers will then fit into an NEM socket on a multiple unit - I used a Farish Class 350, and the coupler alone makes a dramatic cosmetic improvement. Couplers on adjacent vehicles clip together with gentle pressure by moving the two vehicles towards each other on the track. I also found they could be separated easily, but did not separate in a moving train. One important caveat is that to use the Scharfenberg couplers to their best advantage the vehicles need to have a close coupling mechanism. The Class 350 has bogie mounted NEM sockets and two adjacent vehicles with the Scharfenbergs effectively have a straight bar from bogie centre to bogie centre which restricts the use of the vehicles to a constant radius curve or an S curve with a long straight between the opposing curve radii.

Which brings me to the raison d'être for the second part of the kit which is a snap together close coupler mechanism which will accept the NEM Scharfenbergs from the kit, or any other NEM coupler like a Dapol Easishunt, or a Dapol dummy knuckle, as well as Rapidos. I will be assembling the coupler mechanism today, but as yet do not have a suitable vehicle to fit it to.

[woodbury22uk]

Joel Dapol Now I have assembled the two close coupler units, I have a question. Does anyone at Dapol have a suggestion as to one piece of rolling stock (other than the Class 142) that they could be fitted to. Seems to me that the overall length of the unit means its use would be limited to vehicles with a very long overhang outside the outer axle. I have looked at British and continental vehicles but none so far has enough space between the outer wheel and the buffer face for close coupling to be effective.