Model Railway Forum

does anyone have amy experience of these couplings, as i am seriously considering them for my wagons and corresponding locomotives. In particular 3mm types, which as i have a space restriction will be used on curves at the inner limit of suggested radius cuves,

I've tried them in the past and they do work well with relatively close coupling possible and are suitable for first radius curves. (The ones intended for 4mm scale). They are relatively easy to fit to 4 wheel wagons and vans. They are more difficult for coaches but not impossible. They just take a little more thought. While on a few locos one may struggle to fit the hooks BUT for the locos you only really need the wire for the hooks of rolling stock to couple onto.
In all they work well. The only reasons why I didn't go for them were that back then I was deciding on which era and region of models to collect (As I had both BR blue, BR green and GWR models so I really needed to make a decision!) and I was a teenager at the time so I had lots of different things going on...

A quick question - why are they called spratt and winkle? Is this some form of slang term?

Could this be your answer

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprat_and_Winkle_Line

Well I never knew that (amongst many others things). So, presumably they had a coupling peculiar to that company? R-

I reckon who ever makes the coupling either just thought it was a good name to use or originally came from that region. Or perhaps they were making a layout of the line and decided to make their own couplings.

Great name though. R-

It certainly is a name you remember.

Walkingthedog wrote: ↑Thu Oct 25, 2018 9:05 am I reckon who ever makes the coupling either just thought it was a good name to use or originally came from that region. Or perhaps they were making a layout of the line and decided to make their own couplings.

The guy who originated the Sprat & Winkle was local (to me) and he was a member/associated with the Mid-Hants MRC in the sixties (Still could be for all I know).
The Spratt & Winkle carried on across Salisbury Plain to Cheltenham via Swindon and was known as the Midland & South Western Junc Ry. The line closed about a week after we moved to Southampton so I've no personal knowledge. Consider this bit of the post as 'suspect' - hopefully LC&DR will pick up on this and correct me if necessary!

Thanks for the explanation everyone.