Hornby magnetic couplers

[4472]

Has anyone tried them

[Bigmet]

Not yet! They are on my 'to do' list, along with alternatives from other brands for assessment; but much more urgent stuff is getting in the way!

My plan is to test them as replacements for the Roco pattern close couplers, which are within most of my coach sets with close coupling mechanisms. These work very well once coupled up, but cannot be described as 'autocouplers' (more like 'hand of god makethemcouple') so if the magnetic types function as well wjhen running, there shall be replacement on all the sets that have vehicles swapped in and out for variety. 'Permanent' sets will be left as they are.

[RFS]

I acquired a pair of these when I purchased a Maunsell buffet car. I used them to couple a Hornby class 71 to a Bachmann MK1 set and they worked brilliantly. The one downside is that, being powerful magnets, the force needed to pull the vehicles apart is sometimes greater than that needed to pull the couplings out of the NEM sockets.

I have since converted all my stock using Hunt Elite couplings. This was easy because I was already using a lot of Roco couplings (both standard and the Hornby slightly longer version). The Hunt ultra-close is exactly the same length as the Roco, and the close version is the same as the Hornby. They also do stepped couplings, and I've used these on the Bachmann MK1s to bring their height down to the correct level. Couplings are not handed but they all need to be mounted the same way up.

Coupling height is important: if the Roco, Kadees etc are not quite the right height there is still some tolerance allowing them to work. But magnetic couplings will snap together at a fixed height which can result in derailment issues if one vehicle has been lifted up slightly.

Hunt couplings are 3D-printed I believe and can be a bit brittle. I've had 3 or 4 breakages so far but that's from 20+ packs so far.

I've also disposed of all of my Roco, Hornby Roco and Kadee couplings on Ebay and found that the proceeds from these sales just covered the Hunt purchases so I'm pleased about that.

[stuartp]

I bought a packet of the 17mm ones on spec and I've since bought two more to convert all my fixed rakes. I've not had any issues with different heights, I'm using a pair to couple a Bachman Mk1 to a porthole with a 1mm difference in height, but I suspect that is down to the amount of vertical slop in the NEM boxes. Previously it needed a cranked coupling on the Mk1

On side buffered gangways stock they are neater than all the RTR alternatives, less so on non-gangwayed stock where the lack of screw coupling and crossover of vac and steam heat pipes is much more apparent.

[Bigmet]

...I have since converted all my stock using Hunt Elite couplings. This was easy because I was already using a lot of Roco couplings (both standard and the Hornby slightly longer version). The Hunt ultra-close is exactly the same length as the Roco, and the close version is the same as the Hornby. They also do stepped couplings, and I've used these on the Bachmann MK1s to bring their height down to the correct level...

Very useful dimensions information, as I will be coupling Bachmann and Hornby with each other, thanks for that,

[RFS]

The coupling bars are shiny on one side and opaque on the other. If you're using stepped couplings on the Bachmann MK1s to bring the height down, then all couplings need to be mounted with the shiny side uppermost. I'd already fitted quite a few before I realized this ...

If you try to couple two vehicles where the couplings are not the same way up, they will still couple but the couplings will engage side-by-side rather than end-to-end. This usually does not go well at the first bend!

Also the magnets themselves are very shiny and can stand out somewhat. I've simply darkened the sides with a chisel-tip sharpie. Again, best done when you first take them out of the packet.

[Bigmet]

Have now trialled a few magnetic couplings with pleasing results for my purpose of being able to easily swap in and out specific vehicles in the fiddle yard as trains go through time and the make up alters. Much easier as the magnetic coupler makes and breaks so easily. ('Permanent' vehicles will remain on inverted Roco, with Kadee on all outside ends as auto uncoupling is required to turn trains and work ECS stock in and out of the terminus.)

...On side buffered gangways stock they are neater than all the RTR alternatives, less so on non-gangwayed stock where the lack of screw coupling and crossover of vac and steam heat pipes is much more apparent.

Clearly potential for further improvement here, which is only limited by the imagination of the designers and the willingness of modellers to pay for the product. And if some clever designer chose to abandon the HO NEM coupler pocket for a camming mechanism operating the centre buffer element of the Pullman gangway, we would be cooking with gas on passenger stock...

[centenary]

Have now trialled a few magnetic couplings with pleasing results for my purpose of being able to easily swap in and out specific vehicles in the fiddle yard as trains go through time and the make up alters. Much easier as the magnetic coupler makes and breaks so easily. ('Permanent' vehicles will remain on inverted Roco, with Kadee on all outside ends as auto uncoupling is required to turn trains and work ECS stock in and out of the terminus.)

...On side buffered gangways stock they are neater than all the RTR alternatives, less so on non-gangwayed stock where the lack of screw coupling and crossover of vac and steam heat pipes is much more apparent.

Clearly potential for further improvement here, which is only limited by the imagination of the designers and the willingness of modellers to pay for the product. And if some clever designer chose to abandon the HO NEM coupler pocket for a camming mechanism operating the centre buffer element of the Pullman gangway, we would be cooking with gas on passenger stock...

Interesting. How many different magnetic couplings did you try and could you put them in order of preference?

[Bigmet]

How many different magnetic couplings did you try and could you put them in order of preference?

Hunt and Hornby, borrowed from a friend, and Accurascale 'Dellner' type which I bought on impulse because I liked the look of them. They all worked well, in RTR Pullman gangway coach stock formations (Bach BR mk1 and Thompson, Hornby Pullman cars and Gresley full brake) but it should be kept in mind that these have all been altered, one way and another. The more general alterations: Bachmann, mk1 bufferbeam depth reduced and the earlier types have Keen coupler pockets substituted, later bogies modified for more positive coupler guidance, bufferhead face position modified if required; Hornby, all buffers secured retracted and Pullman gangway covers removed, first versions of Pullman cars with DIY coupler pocket fitted.