DavidBird Posted December 27, 2018 Share Posted December 27, 2018 Apologies if this should really be in the prototype questions thread, but here goes How were points operated on trackwork inset into setts/concrete/tarmac in a cramped industrial environment? I'm assuming that conventional point levers would be vulnerable to damage by road vehicles - even in the era of horse-dawn carts. Was the practice for loco crews to carry their own point lever that fitted in a socket, as happened on municipal tramways, or something else? I'm thinking of starting the Scalescenes Industrial Boxfile layout... Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sulzer27jd Posted December 27, 2018 Share Posted December 27, 2018 I'm sure that the answer will, as always, include the statement "it depends." However, our local dockside railway had the mechanisms in metal boxes which required to be flipped open. The train crew carried a point lever with them. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted December 27, 2018 Share Posted December 27, 2018 And, there were versions where the lever remained attached, but folded down when disengaged. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Corbs Posted December 27, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 27, 2018 I’ll try and take a photo of the levers on the quayside in Bristol next time I am there, they fold down flush with the concrete surface. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Dava Posted December 27, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 27, 2018 Aberdeen Harbour has a wonderful photo archive via the University of Aberdeen. Images 3577-9 show the flush-fitting point lever mechanisms being installed. https://digitool.abdn.ac.uk/view/action/singleViewer.do?dvs=1545908635923~568&locale=en_GB&VIEWER_URL=/view/action/singleViewer.do?&DELIVERY_RULE_ID=10&search_terms=railway&adjacency=N&application=DIGITOOL-3&frameId=1&usePid1=true&usePid2=true https://digitool.abdn.ac.uk/R/34IQ3I2DE3STB598RSMYDA3V3Q4BJXLJ4GPAK5RTGHNTE2GTY1-02026?func=results-next-page&result_format=002 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
doilum Posted December 27, 2018 Share Posted December 27, 2018 Apologies if this should really be in the prototype questions thread, but here goes How were points operated on trackwork inset into setts/concrete/tarmac in a cramped industrial environment? I'm assuming that conventional point levers would be vulnerable to damage by road vehicles - even in the era of horse-dawn carts. Was the practice for loco crews to carry their own point lever that fitted in a socket, as happened on municipal tramways, or something else? I'm thinking of starting the Scalescenes Industrial Boxfile layout... Thanks. Just looking at one of my stocking fillers: Yorkshire's last days of colliery steam. Photo taken at Newmarket colliery shows the shunter walking ahead of the train carrying what appears to be a point lever, as it is too short to be a conventional shunting pole. Colliery sites were often vast unpoliced playgrounds especially on weekends. The temptation to change a remote set of points might have expensive or even tragic consequences onthe next working day. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium BR60103 Posted December 28, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 28, 2018 Canadian version, downtown Kitchener. There was a device like the old Wrenn hand throw (but more compact) mounted between the points and below the surface level. Some sort of cover over so cars could drive (this was in the middle of a main street) -- I'm picturing T shape but + would be more practical. This all disappeared about 50 years ago. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davknigh Posted December 28, 2018 Share Posted December 28, 2018 Modeled examples can be found in articles in MRJ 258 Canada Street inlaid track by Peter Johnson and MRJ 262 Modelling road surfaces by Gordon Gravett. Both very useful IMO as they deal with a variety of surfaces. HTH David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted December 28, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 28, 2018 (edited) Here's one posted in the US Street Running thread: Around 1:40 Keith Edited December 28, 2018 by melmerby 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pb_devon Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 At Devonport Dockyard they were (are) a real menace to maintain as they always were filling up with silt and other rubbish (I am of course referring to the prototype!). The shunter ended up ignoring the lever and used a flat ended bar to push the point-blade over. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon A Posted December 30, 2018 Share Posted December 30, 2018 (edited) Some of my old pictures from Bristol docks. All the dimensions are full size inches. I hope they are of some use. Gordon A Edited December 30, 2018 by Gordon A 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted December 30, 2018 Share Posted December 30, 2018 They apparently don't have long poles/levers here: http://www.railpictures.net/photo/647140/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted December 30, 2018 Share Posted December 30, 2018 From the Robert Hudson 1957 catalogue. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted December 30, 2018 Share Posted December 30, 2018 And related information, also from the 1957 Robert Hudson catalogue. Different styles of inlaid track. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted December 30, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 30, 2018 They apparently don't have long poles/levers here: http://www.railpictures.net/photo/647140/ If you had looked at the video I linked to in post #9 you would have seen that lever being operated. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium BR60103 Posted December 31, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 31, 2018 As an excursion, I've neve seen the "self-reversing two-way" lever in North America. In fact, I first saw it in The Great St. Trinians Train Robbery and wondered for years what was happening. N.A. uses either the Wrenn* style or a vertical pole with a quadrant. * also used on Hornby Dublo 3-rail, I think. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidBird Posted January 1, 2019 Author Share Posted January 1, 2019 Many thanks for all your replies, especially Gordon A for the pictures of Bristol Docks. Gordon, do you have versions of the 1st three photos without the dimensions? If so, I can probably just scale those, print out and stick onto the "concrete" in the appropriate place. Thanks again David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon A Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 Many thanks for all your replies, especially Gordon A for the pictures of Bristol Docks. Gordon, do you have versions of the 1st three photos without the dimensions? If so, I can probably just scale those, print out and stick onto the "concrete" in the appropriate place. Thanks again David Hello David, I will have a look through my pictures on my older computer. Gordon A Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pb_devon Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Here is an Edgar Allen cast iron inset track point lever cover. Just in case you wanted something a bit more decorative. It is 11cm x 119cm. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon A Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 Right, as requested some pictures without dimensions: The toe end of the point: Gordon A Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon A Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 (edited) Now some pictures of an infilled double slip, also at Bristol Docks: Gordon A Edited January 5, 2019 by Gordon A 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidBird Posted January 14, 2019 Author Share Posted January 14, 2019 Here is an Edgar Allen cast iron inset track point lever cover. Just in case you wanted something a bit more decorative. It is 11cm x 119cm. Right, as requested some pictures without dimensions: P1010521.JPG P1010522A.jpg P1010523A.jpg The toe end of the point: P1010529A.jpg P1010530A.jpg Gordon A Now some pictures of an infilled double slip, also at Bristol Docks: P1010512.JPG P1010513A.jpg P1010514A.jpg P1010515A.jpg P1010516A.jpg P1010517A.jpg P1010517A.jpg P1010518A.jpg P1010519A.jpg Gordon A Many thanks pb and Gordon A. They will be very useful, I shall get on with the boxfile soon. Thanks David As an aside, the Feb Model Rail magazine has an article about the Scalescenes boxfile layout, although they have used conventionally ballasted track. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
5050 Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 That DS is interesting Gordon. Any idea of the crossing angles? It looks quite sharp. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon A Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 Sorry Paul, I have no idea as to the crossing angle. You could possible print the google picture and measure the angle: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.4471079,-2.6016346,76a,35y,6.25t/data=!3m1!1e3 Gordon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Traxson Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 (edited) https://flic.kr/p/e9Brsg Castings made in 7mm from patterns made from Gordon's drawings for my Port Wynnstay Quayside layout. I owe you Gordon thanks. Phil T. Edited January 16, 2019 by Phil Traxson 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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