Swan Hill Signal Box seems to have been a long time in the making - and it still isn't complete

but rather than let 2022 go without an update on Swan Hill, here are some pictures and notes.

 

 

 

 

Note the 'tilt' under the bottom half row - this allows each row of slates to sit flat on

the row beneath it.  The slates are individually placed (the Silhouettte did the cutting) with

a head lap so there are always two layers under the tail of each slate (so three layers in all).

 

Rear elevation with stove pipe 'lead slate' ready for the stove pipe. No fascia board yet.

'Lead flashings are grey card, shellac'd for a slight sheen.  Guttering is brass U channel, mitred and soldered.  DPs are awol.

 

Components for the cabin walls, glazing and door openings (laid onto drawing for assembly).

 

Assembled.

The framing members are kerfed to take 0.5mm ply slips for more accurate and secure joining

and to provide the glazing frame stops.

 

Bricks & Mortar (2)

The brick base is formed on a 1.5mm mdf box.  The facing all round is regular printing paper (about 80gsm) with the brick pattern printed on it.  That's mounted

to a high quality blotting paper backing (A1 sheets ex Jacksons) with spraymount (3m permanent type) and then the whole lot mounted to card.  Brick

joints are scored as described in "Bricks & Mortar (1)". The paper/blotting paper/card is shellac'd and when dry, glued to the mdf carcass with pva.

The blotting paper is a much better ground for scoring than the plain card used in B & M (1).

 

 

Sample of brickwork from same area and date as Swan Hill.

Vallejo 'concrete' over Vallejo 'grey sand' in progress - an attempt at London stocks as per the sample above.

 

 

Levers are bought-in from Severn Models, not scratchbuilt - the windows are shellac'd Bristol baord, deep scored on the Silhouette (0.75mm thinnest width)

and finish cut with a scalpel: glazing is acrylic sheet from an A1 size poster clip frame.  The 'dark stone' colour is Vallejo (white, flat brown and red leather): foolishly,

I didn't note down the formula for the 'light stone' - I think it's titanium white/raw umber but might be tw/raw sienna: have to do it again with notebook in hand.

I'm probably wrong but it looks like GWR London division signal boxes didn't always have the Staffordshire blue dressings to quoins and openings - I've gone for the

lighter, harder engineering version of a London stock brick for the openings and no emphasis to the quoins at all. 

It's lit by 4no 3mm clear LEDs just under the ridge, suitably dimmed in the control panel.

There's more to add - handrails on the stair, the name board (painted but not fixed yet) a ventilator at the ridge, some  loose furniture,

door handles, fire buckets and, imortantly, the little raking brackets under the eaves.

 

Ah yes, and Happy Christmas to all on RMweb. Thanks for looking in on Swan Hill.