Non NEM socket DMU close couplings.

[the weston guy]

I am "restoring" a class 117 DMU and want to get rid of these horrible couplings. I have had a search on the internet but had no look. Kadee couplings could be a choice.

[Zunnan]

Your best bet would probably be Keen Systems, they make a close coupling mechanism (CCM) which was originally produced for older stock. These will probably do the job for the dummy DMBS and the trailer but it will probably not fit to the motorised DMBS due to the cutout in the chassis for the motor bogie; some modification to the coupling on the power bogie to fit a Keen coupler directly (without the CCM) will probably still give it enough so that the adjacent vehicle can still have the CCM fitted and work to an extent.

[SRman]

While not eliminating the horrible Lima couplings completely, my solution many years ago for several 117s, plus a 121 converted from the 117, was to remove the hook and cut one coupling of two adjacent vehicles so that the straight side bars were eliminated, then glue the curved front bar to the straight rear bar. A small notch was filed in the top of the curved front bar to allow easier uncoupling. the remaining hook on the untouched coupling was kinked to shorten it (a sort of "V" section was introduced into the previously straight coupling hook). This has proved reliable over the years, if not particularly elegant.

[Bigmet]

For the intermediate couplings inside the set, if you intend always running it as a fixed formation unit have you considered a completely home made solution? Simple wire 'hooks and loops' work very well for example, and can be made in ten minutes from something like 'florists wire'.

[Bufferstop]

I've close coupled Hornby coaches by cutting off the coupler, drilling a 1mm hole in the bogie outer stretcher and making a coupler bar from paperclip wire. If you make the bent bits at the end biggerthan the gap at rest between bogie and body, but smaller than the gap when the bogie is tilted they don't come out accidentally. Works well for me.