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Ellis Clark	Ellis Clark
Unit 13 Baildon Mills	01756 701451
Northgate
Baildon	Email: ellis@ellisclarktrains.com
Shipley	Web: http://www.ellisclarktrains.co.uk
West Yorkshire
BD17 6JX

Sample supplied by ECT. Reviewed by Peter Scarborough

Ellis Clark Trains have designed and produced a 7mm scale working model of the drophead buckeye coupling used in the British Isles. The couplings, supplied in pairs, are of die-cast construction and chemically blackened. The working drophead functions prototypically using a lift and drop method. As supplied, this is a little stiff but is soon freed in use.

Instead of the usual split pin, the spring and washers to the coupling tail are retained by a rather neat etched steel clip that is certainly a lot easier to remove and reinsert. The couplings have a spring-loaded knuckle tongue and will allow automatic coupling (when raised) but not uncoupling. There is a nicely shaped hook that should accommodate most screw or three link couplings.

They are designed to fit in the standard coupling slots as the real thing and are virtually to scale. Coupling heights will need to be carefully considered though, as not all RTR or kit-built stock is the same. The buckeye will mate with the standard Kadee coupling, as supplied with the Darstaed Mk 1 coaches, but it is smaller than the Kadee. Again, the heights need to be carefully checked.

Ellis Clark Trains have produced a neat plastic moulding to allow the couplings to be substituted on the new range of Darstaed Thompson can replace the Kadees on the Darstaed Mk 1s. The latter cause the couplings to sit slightly low, but some may find this an advantage when fiddling with screw or three link couplings under corridor connections.

In summary, this is an excellent well-designed and robust product that we have probably wanted for a long time. It will enable much greater flexibility when making up and breaking down rakes of rolling stock.