Training - Buckeye Couplings

One of the items on my training schedule is to learn about buckeye couplings. This is a bit tricky to schedule for loco crew, because although you will rapidly become familiar with the screw type coupling as soon as you start doing footplate turns, buckeyes are rarely used on locomotives. Shunters and guards, and others involved in making up trains will be familiar with them as they are used on the more recent rolling stock on our railway.

Buckeyes are automatic couplings that can be used to make up trains quickly and easily, without crews having to put themselves in danger, between two vehicles. They consist of a large, greasy steel claw with a moving hook that mates with a similar device on the next vehicle when pushed together. The BR Mk1 coaches on our railway are fitted with both buckeyes and screw couplings; the buckeyes are lifted into place with a shunter’s pole (which avoids you getting filthy) and retain with a horizontal pin - the upermost pin in the picture above. A second pin, with a chain attached, opens the coupling. You unbolt the dividing doors between the two coaches (you can’t get to the bolts when the coaches are coupled) and the two vehicles are pushed together.

You can hear the coupling make up - and if you are standing in the coach you will see it.

Next, from the six-foot you signal the driver for a pull test. The brakes will be on in the vehicle you have just coupled to, so you hook the fingers of both hands together above your head and the driver will pull away from the new vehicle slightly, to ensure the coupling has made up properly.

Guard Michael showed me around the coupling and uncoupling process, on what had been a driver experience day - this was facilitated by Operating Superintendent Peter. Being local, I was able to turn up when the train arrived and Driver Stuart & Fireman Alan kindly waited for me. None of us knew it, but this was to be the last train before the Coronavirus lockdown...