Simplified Alex Jackson Couplings

Here is an alternative to standard AJ couplings which are simpler to make and install. As to reliability, they may or may not be as reliable as standard AJs. I cannot make the comparison simply because I have been unable to reliably produce standard AJs to specification anyway; I think!

Because this is a large article, it is not practical to produce this as a Manual sheet or print it in the Newsletter. Thankfully the EMGS saved me the trouble of posting it in full on the forum.

It is posted in Technical Papers, which appear with the Manual Sheets section of the Members Area:

https://emgs.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/TP-9.1.1-1-Simplified-Alex-Jackson-Coupling-ver-1.0.pdf

This partly documents my journey to find auto-couplings that work reliably, are simple to install and do not require the skill of a precision engineer yet are unobtrusive. I found standard AJs especially frustrating, maybe because of all those exhibition layouts where they seem to work reliably yet unobtrusively. It was a bit of a relief to discover that Iain Rice similarly found them difficult. Like him, I have tried several alternatives:

Winterley. Innovative and fantastic for operation. No need for trackwork magnets. Downsides are the difficulty to uncouple mid-rake and they are one-handed. Unfortunately fairly large and thus obtrusive and difficult to install, especially on small tank locos. Fiddly to make.

B&B. Excellent pre-blackened but a bit fiddly. Small and reasonably reliable. But prone to sporadic uncoupling on poor track; that is mine!

Altered AJs (Vincent de Bode’s design). These showed more promise than standard AJs but I thought they were capable of further simplification hence this article.

Imprecise (Iain Rice’s design). Simple but implementing the uncoupling delay function was beyond my skill level.

I have Flippems (the new version of Dinghams) awaiting tests. They look fiddly. But I discover I cannot fit these on my home layout without building new chassis for the Adams Radial and M7 tanks, and that is just for starters. Changing one’s mind after fitment also makes a mess of the buffer beam! They are one-handed. Maybe I will try them on a simple shunting layout dedicated to them, if ever.

If I ever get around to building a small portable exhibition layout, then 3mm scale Sprat & Winkle couplings will be trialled; reliable but obtrusive.

If anyone has any queries on SAJs, then post here. I would be delighted if anyone can offer improvements or further simplifications to these.