Buffing plates.

[JZ]

A lot of Southern region stock was fitted with buffing plates below the gangways. What was the reason for this?

[Guest stuartp]

Because unlike a British Standard gangway, which is just there to stop the punters falling out, a Pullman gangway (as fitted to Mk1s etc) absorbs some of the buffing shocks and transmits them to the underframe. Hence on units not fitted with gangways the relevant gubbins (the bit at the bottom) was still needed.

[JeremyC]

A lot of Southern region stock was fitted with buffing plates below the gangways. What was the reason for this?

 

I would assume the stock in question was buck-eye coupler fitted, which only take traction [pulling] loads. When buck-eyes are in use the buffers are retracted so propelling or braking forces are absorbed, on gangwayed stock, by the bottom of the gangway. If there is no gangway a buffing plate is required. IIRC the Glasgow Blue Trains were similarly fitted at the outer ends of the sets.

 

Jeremy

[JZ]

Thanks for the replies. It's something that I have often wondered, yet never asked.

[keefer]

definiately to do with buck-eye fitted stock - if you don't have sprung buffers to provide some damping to the coupling, it has to be through the buffing (or rubbing) plate. presumably as a way of taking up any slack in the couplings themselves.

not just units, either. iirc the 33/1s and 73s had rubbing plates and retractable buffers. the plates only came into use when the buck-eye coupler was used - if the buffers were extended (with collars?) the screw-link was used.

didnt the cl. 90/91s originally have rubbing plates (which were subsequently removed) as they were primarily for use with mk3/4 coaching stock?