Kadee couplers Shipley MRS updates

Using Kadee couplers on UK stock

This page shows a few examples of UK stock fitted with Kadee couplings. For a significant proportion of UK stock the advice contained in Model Trains International issues 23 and 24 is recommended. The Model Trains International articles also show how Kadee NEM couplings can be used as a direct replacement for screw or rivet fixed tension lock couplings by the simple task of drilling a hole in the NEM shank.

This first picture shows an how Kadee couplings can be fitted to non-NEM clip fit socket that originated with Airfix but which has also appeared on some Mainline, Dapol and Hornby stock due to the transfer of the Airfix tools between those makes, as well as being utilised on some new stock from each of those manufacturers. The method is outlined in the Model Trains International articles, with a Kadee NEM coupler (18, 19 or 20 depending on the length of the buffers and the radii on the layout) glued into place in the non-NEM tension lock coupling clip fit socket (contact adhesive or a hard plastic superglue are suggested). The coupling clip-fit cover has been removed for the photo but should be retained.

The biggest problem facing the UK modeller is replacing tension lock couplings which are moulded as part of the model or are of non-standard size. The following photos show how some of these can be tackled, although given the wide variety of Kadee couplers they are not necessarily the only solution.

It should be remembered that the Kadee system was designed for the American market, and the longer versions will often be neccesary for British rolling stock due to the presence of buffers. The commonly found Kadee no.5 is principally designed for use on American models and if fitted on British rolling stock the draft box usually has to be fixed projecting from the buffer beam. The unattractive effect of using Kadee no.5 couplings is shown in these two photos of a Triang-Hornby Ferry Van.

In common with many of the long wheelbase wagons in the Hornby range the tension lock coupler is on the end of an exceptionally long protrusion from the unauthentic pivotting wheelset.

Fixing the axleboxes to the underframe and removing the plastic tension lock coupling protrusion as shown by Iain Rice in Detailing and Improving Ready to Run Wagons - Model Railways Illustrated Handbooks No.1 greatly enhances the models.

Apart from length variations, Kadee couplings also come with height differences, centred shank (as with the no.5), underset shanks which raise the knuckle height or overset shanks which lower the knuckle height.

The no.42 and no.47 Kadee couplings are overset / underset shanks of the same length as the no.5

More useful on British stock are the no.41, 46 and 49 which have longer length shanks and the knuckle underset, centred and overset respectively.

The 30 series have the same shank lengths and knuckle heights, for example a 36 is the same as a 46 apart from the draft box, and the coupling and draft boxes can be mixed about such that a coupling from a 36 pack can be used with a draft box from a 41 to make a 46

Kadee also produce a 20 series, which is the 40 series (to which the no.5 belongs), with extra components for use on specific American models and which do not appear to be particularly useful on British models

On Bachmann Bullied coaches a Kadee 30 series can be used, screwed to the underside of the coach body. The 30 series can be fiddly to construct and have a very limited contact area for gluing the draft boxes together.

The older design Kadees (6,7,8,16) are a possible substitute for the 30 series but have an equally restrictive glue contact area and seem less positive in action. Both types really need to be screwed to the model to ensure retention of the lid of the draft box.

As with the Bullieds the Thompson coaches from Bachmann also have the coupling moulded as part of the bogie.

On the Thompsons the tension lock coupling itself is set well away from the bogie frame and the length of plastic protrusion off the Thompson bogie frame lent itself nicely to fitting a Kadee 41 on top - with the draft box glued right back against the bogie frame sufficient vertical movement remains.

The Kadee 41 is a longer version of the popular Kadee no.5 and has the shank underset so raising the knuckle height. In comparison the Kadee 46 has the same long length but the shank is centred on the knuckle as with the no.5. Both the 41 and 46 are extremely useful as they allow the draft box to be fitted out of sight behind the bufferbeam. A further version, 49, lowers the knuckle height but this has less use due to the need to get the shank below the bufferbeam. The following two photos show long 40 series Kadees in use on kit built stock.

The Bachmann Queen Mary Brake van is very tight for space and a 30 series Kadee was tried at one end (photos above) and one of the older (6,7,8,16) types (photos below) at the other end. The fixing screw in both cases was chopped down just to fill the hole through the draft box and to increase the glue contact area with the underside of the model. The draft boxes in both cases protrude and a neater solution might be a NEM Kadee coupler adopted as described for the front of the 8F below
The Bachmann Mk1 coaches have NEM mounts but these are fitted too high. Bachmanns own EZmate couplings have a NEM version that is cheaper than the Kadee types, however the EZmate is fixed with no centring spring and for stock requiring a lot of uncoupling the Kadee NEMs are far more reliable. The EZmate is suitable for coupling Mk1s together as coach rakes tend to be fixed. For the outer couplings on a rake of coaches an EZmate coupling can be adopted in the following manner, and the same could be carried out with the Kadee NEM type:
Cut the loop off and remove the coupling hook from the tension lock coupling supplied with the Mk1. Then drill a hole through the EZmate coupling, as if it was to be screw fixed to a tension lock mount as in the Model Trains International article. The parts should look like the photo below to the left. Align the chopped tension lock coupling under the EZmate using the NEM prongs and drill a 1.6mm hole through the chopped tension lock coupling using the hole in the EZmate as a guide. 2mm tap the 1.6mm hole.
Cut the EZmate coupling off to the rear of the hole drilled in it, and screw it to the chopped tension lock coupling with a 2mm bolt passing upwards.
Using a razor saw cut the protruding portion of the bolt and file down flush with the plastic. Fit the adopted coupling to the Mk1.
If the adopted coupling is too high remove it from the model, unscrew the parts and reassemble with the remains of the tension lock coupling turned upside down.
If the adopted coupling is too low fit an offcut of brass (from an etching) between the coupling and the bottom of the NEM mount. This is useful generally in respect of NEM mounted Kadees and can be seen protruding from the NEM mount in the photo of the adopted coupling fitted to a Bachmann Mk1 coach.
If the EZmate part of the adopted coupling pivots around the bolt, loosen the bolt, apply epoxy resin and retighten.
Metal axles are attracted to permanent magnets and any stock not run in rakes should be fitted with plastic axled wheels.

Turning to locomotives a tender driven Hornby 8F posed an interesting challenge as its front tension lock coupling had not only been removed but the diecast pony frame had been cut back to the wheel with guard irons added.

While a NEM type Kadee could be easily screw fitted to the tension lock mount on the tender the intended use of the loco on an end to end layout caused a need for a front coupling.

This was solved by adopting a NEM type Kadee in the same manner as that fitted to its tender, cutting the NEM prongs off and with the help of plenty of epoxy resin gluing it, with a screw to act as an extra glue contact area, to the rear of the bufferbeam.

The new Hornby West Country and Rebuilt Merchant Navy locomotives pose an equally interesting task. The tender was easily dealt with by use of a NEM coupling in the manner shown at the top of this page (NEM mounts have now been adopted by Hornby). Again a front coupling was needed but while a NEM coupling screw fitted to the tension lock fixing hole on the bogie worked it would not allow for the fitting of the front steps as the swing of the bogie caused the rigid plastic shank of the NEM Kadee to knock the steps off the loco.

Once again it was a long 40-series Kadee that solved the matter. First glue a piece of 20 thou plastic card on top of the bogie between the cast front wheel springs taking care not to get glue on the axle to the front wheels. Then refit the bogie. Now assemble a Kadee 46 trimming off the side screw mounting holes and the front lip on the draft box lid.Once the plastic card is fixed firmly lightly spread some contact liquid polystyrene glue (ie Humbrol not MekPak) on it and the bottom of the assembled Kadee 46. Slide the Kadee 46 into place ensuring that the knuckle is postioned appropraitely taking the buffers into account.Glued on top of the bogie the sprung shank is not strong enough to knock the steps off once they have been glued in place with a strong epoxy resin.

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This page last modified 28 August 2006. 1