Coupling hook device

Brian Oldroyd pictures by the author.

Reading an article in last November’s issue of the Guild Gazette, I see a fellow modeller Mark Horley found difficulties fitting a coupling hook retaining spring on a Parkside hopper wagon. This reminded me of a simple device I made 4, or 5 years ago, to assist in keeping the compression springs tightly compressed when either bending the hook ends over or feeding a split pin though the hook’s tail on a locomotive.

I decided I needed to make something simple, offering little or no restriction while keeping the springs tightly compressed.

Not a particularly difficult task in normal circumstances, though in tight locations it can prove frustratingly difficult, if the springs can’t be kept clear. The problem I encountered was caused by a vertical frame spacer some 10mm from the buffer beam. The hook’s tail, if that’s what we might call it, also needed shortening some 3 or 4 mm, for the hook to fully seat on the beam’s outer face. A newly positioned hole for the retaining split pin was also required.

Gaining access to feed the pin though the hook within such small cavity proved a nightmare, I needed three fingers and tiny ones at that!

The photographs show the holding device in individual parts and demonstrated in position on a wagon. In use the coupling hook’s tail is fed through the buffer beam, the spring and washer slid on. The slotted end of the device is parted and placed astride the hook either side of the buffer beam the two end tabs drawn together and locked with the screw. The photos tell all! I’ve not provided dimensions as these parts can be made from pieces of scrap etches you may have to hand. The forked ends do need to be long enough to cover the hooks, in the order of 6 to 8mm from the fold.

These only a few minutes to make, not something you are likely to need often but so useful when you do. Readers may also like to compare this with a different device to address a similar need, one which appeared in Gazette Vol 21 No.7 May 2021, page 79.