The signal box it going to be lit, ergo and interior is required. After looking at several options I went for the Severn Models one.

This is what you get. It's beautifully etched and the detail is amazing. The etch itself was so shiny it didn't need cleaning before soldering. It's brass by the way, the lighting makes it look nickle-silver. There's a very helpful sheet containing instructions and advice on building. The maker is pretty pro-glue, but with my involvement with glue involving sticking to everything in the immediate vicinity I opted for soldering - low temp. Apart from being heartily fed up with signal levers by the time I got to the 24th, the kit went together perfectly. Every fold did, and square was square.

The first. Of many. I fluxed these when half bent (the two halves fold back on themselves) then folded completely. Applying a little solder I nipped the two ends as the solder cooled and they joined up superbly.

Having made the levers, the frame was next. Now, here's a great game : how to ensure the levers all line up nicely... This was, to say the least, a bit of a poser. You have to get them at the right angle and perpendicular to the frame. The lugs help a great deal, but one little wibble and everything moves.

After much faffing about, and a certain amount of Languge, I concluded I could use the other frame to get the spacing right - and then accidentally made a jig (above). Now it was easy - just pop the lever in and solder. Horrah!

The completed is used as a jig for the other side.

No prizes for absolute accuracy, but 9/10 Good Effort I feel.

Next fold up the shelf. I ran solder along all the fold lines as well as the joints, just to be on the safe side. The instruments fold up and go on top. As I'd soldered these I Araldited them in place (I really need to go through my assorted lumps of solder and work out which are low, med and high melt).

Putting the lever numbers on - when you get in the swing, it's easier than it looks. I fluxed the back of the number plate and the lever where it was going, tinned both with a tiny bit of solder, plonked then on and used a needle file and the iron to position them. As this is a terminus and single line, only one block instrument is required. Got a few spares, and the level crossing wheel. May put those on eBay? Just need a stove (found), token machine (found), cupboard and desk (found), clock (not found) and..... the comfy chair (not found). All boxes had one, no one quite knew where they had come from, and they were technically against the rules. Competition to have the scruffiest, but still functional, one was intense. Oh, and a turdis - small boxes didn't do plumbing.

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