Having begun and almost finished a white metal kit from Duncan Models - Henry - the Shunting Horse...

There was one more kit left to attempt - the Springside Signal Box Detailing Kit... It is all white metal and requires a great deal of time, focus and concentration. It is, I think, well worth the effort - even if its never going to be seen again, hidden in the signal box, once made. It forced me to consider the layout in terms of a working railway. There was research needed into how the signalling systems of the GWR worked - something I knew nothing about when I began... and only precious little more after gleaning just enough information to make up the kit. Signalbox.org proved to be an invaluable resource, they have a photograph of the interior of the old signal box at Sarnau in Carmarthenshire on their site.

http://www.signalbox.org/gallery/w/sarnau.php

It makes for a good starting point. It shows the wheel that operated the level crossing gates and locking levers. Plus a fair bit of the rest of the levers and the shelf of instruments above them... So before beginning the kit I needed to make a full schematic of the layout - not just the part that could be built but the rest that could not be because of lack of space. It would appear that every signal box has a schematic of its particular block above the instrument shelf. This needed to be drawn up in Photoshop complete with signalling... my best guess and hopefully not too far from reality

First I emptied out the plastic bag the kit came in, cleaned the excess metal off the castings and checked the contents - the stove was missing they had included an extra cupboard instead - Springside were absolutely excellent in response and will be sending the missing stove. The signalman does after all need to keep warm and more importantly needs his cup of tea..

Second I needed to figure out how many levers and of what kind were needed. The signal box is the 7mm Bachmann model of Highley Signal Box and is too small for 32 or so levers - it maxes out at 25. This figure allows for two locking levers for the level crossing - Two yellow distant signal levers for each end of the block - a detonator lever (they exist so why not?). 8 points levers in black, 10 red levers for all the other signals the remaining two were for two blue coloured locking levers. There probably should have been more of these but there was not enough space.

Third - having worked all this out I then made up the 25 lever frame from the bits supplied and painted it black. This required some enterprise...

Next - the levers were painted according to the pre-determined scheme and fitted into the frames - this requires great patience - but the levers definitely need to be fully painted before assembly. Springside provide a painting guide but it is best to also take a peek at the real thing and make up your own mind.

Next before gluing in place make sure the lever ends fit in the frame - very important this...believe me

Super glue was used for the fixing - Springside recommend quick setting epoxy but this stuff in this situation does not work well for me. Super glue sets firm in seconds and allows one to zip along fitting the levers - to describe fully how it was done would take pages... But good pre-thought and planning is of the essence.

Once the frame and levers had been completed it was a breeze to do the instruments and instrument shelf, plus all the furniture - notice board, chair, stool, desk, cupboards, fire bucket, coal bucket, clock , telephones etc., and fix them in place in the signal box - which also needed renaming from Highley to Barcoombe.

Springside also supply two forms of equipment for single line working - staff and tablet. Having done further research I opted for the staff system on this occasion. There is a photograph of the equipment on this site.

http://www.mining-memorabilia.co.uk/CumduCollieryKey.htm

And quarter-way down this interesting page..

http://www.davidheyscollection.com/page33.htm

Well once its all painted and put together it looks quite good, feels better - I would reserve good or very good for someone who has a steadier hand and more patience than I..

The kit comes with a signalman - but I preferred the signalman from border miniatures and have used him instead...

If anyone wants to know more about the kit and how it went together - do ask...

P.S. A Dundas-Parkside Kit of a GWR Toad Guards Van has just arrived in the post... Now what on earth possessed me to order that?