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A Stevens & Sons lever frame , part 1


Dave John

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I have never been entirely happy with the control of points and signals on Kelvinbank. Three way switches allow a signal to be set to on, off or auto. Switches set the points, in auto mode they also control the signals via short timers. It is vaguely interlocked, but not perfectly. All workable but somehow not in keeping with the period feel of things.

 

So. Lanarkshire and Dumbartonshire section of the CR during the Edwardian era. Built in the 1890s. Boxes would have a Stevens & Sons frame. Like this one;

 

 

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Some research on the model frames available showed that none were really what I was after. I only need a frame of nine levers to work Kelvinbank the way I want. The very good ones are expensive and none have that Stevens & Sons geometry, with a lever about 4 “ long. A long lever pulled forward from the vertical rather than an over centre arc.  Hmm, diy time

 

I have never scratchbuilt a lever frame. Starting with the above sketch it seemed like a good idea to have a mess about with a styrene mockup. Here is the third attempt.

 

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I think that is what I am after. The stop block is sprung, gravity doesn’t quite scale. I bought some v4 roller microswitches off some lot called temu, 30 for 5 quid and they seem perfectly ok.

 

Bear in mind that I am not trying to make a scale model of the frame, rather a practical working frame in the style of Stevens & Sons. The lever spacing has to be overscale to avoid getting my fingers stuck.

 

Next stage, cutting nine levers from 2mm sheet brass.

 

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Great project, I really like "proper" lever frames

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Fully mechanical interlocking? Given that electrical switching is needed, to drive the point and signal motors (and control power to track sections?) sticking with electronic interlocking makes sense.

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I'm not sure yet Compound. I have an idea about simple mechanical interlocking but I don't know whether it would be robust enough. If not then I know how to do it electrically. 

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Very tempting to follow your example but I have rather more than 9 levers which put me off a bit and then, like you, I woud be termpted to go the whole hog and look at mechanical interocking. For now (which means indefinitely), I think I'd better stick with switches and relays.  I like the idea of developing a Stevens-like frame but scaled to suit the operator's fingers: very nice. WIll you translate the basic frame into brass/steel?

 

 

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The levers will be brass . I think i will try laminating the frame from styrene, it is surprisingly strong at 3 or 5 ply. 

 

Even if I decide to move up to brass the silhouette cut parts can be used as accurate templates. 

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I had a look at the scalefour frame. I  messed about with some bits of card , but I felt that it was just a bit too small and the levers too closely spaced for me to operate comfortably and easily. Personal view, but I want to be able to use this with my train watching specs on rather than my close work specs. 

Edited by Dave John
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I hereby challenge you to incorporate the toothpicks in the final build! 

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You might find precisely what you want at Scale Signal Supply, though I can’t vouch for the price.  Not pennies I think.


i thought I had contact info, but can’t find it.  Try the Guild Gazette.
 

 

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I had a look, they seem to just do bespoke signals. I think I'll have a go at the diy route, I have been hoarding materials scavenged from various places over the years. 

 

Challenge accepted Mikkel . 

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Dave,

 

you’ll need to speak to Pete Stevenson.  They have castings for the levers, and the frame.  My mate John, who used to own SSS made the masters about fifty years back, and I regularly use a couple of his frames on our weekly running nights.  Fully mechanically interlocked too!

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