Buckingham

Roy, really nice modelling, interested to see the guy being modelled, I assume it is in wire, I was contemplating adding guys to my taller signals, but was thinking of using EZline as they need to be removable with some kind of plug at ground level to retain them. The LNWR generally seemed to use 3 wires on their signals, one out to the side as yours and also one fore and aft, parallel to the track. This is one of the signals that I need to retrofit the guys too. I have two sets for each signal location as I want to have two periods, there is a lower quadrant variant of this one.

Sorry, posted before I could comment, is that also an LNWR wagonsheet on the left of the photo immediately above the trolley loaded with timber? I’m only looking on my phone so it’s difficult to judge.

This had me going, both with the colours and the shadows, the only giveaway is the baseboard joint. Great effort. Dave

Large bin bag of small off cuts /scraps of 50mm Celotex insulation board for use in scenery/ land forming to collect only in location 10 miles from Bedford in MK/ Northampton/ Bedford triangle otherwise taking it to the tip.

Adrian I am always impressed with such fantastic results from such basic materials which I don’t think would ever come to my mind. Always seems to capture a reality so well. David

Ray Try searching for Bodgers of Buckinghamshire, they made the legs for chairs from green wood on a pole lathe, so chairs would be one answer, sorry I don't know how to post a link on my phone. Dave

Adrian I'm always impressed how you are able to turn 'cheap and cheerful' materials into a very effective representation of the real thing. The turntable is looking very good. All the best, Dave

There was a very useful article in the MRC February 1982 about the construction of Bodmin, which although based on GW practice, gave a good understanding of how it is supposed to work. Mike Sargent stated there that "the rodding is carried in rollers on frames at intervals of 9ft when inverted channel is used and 6ft for tubular rodding". Also that it is relatively inflexible so cranks are used to change direction, although large radius curves of the railway variety don't seem to be a problem. The photo in the article appears to show stools about every 5th sleeper, although where there is a compensator it appears to have been reduced to about 4 sleepers gap. Mick's diagram neatly explains the compensator arrangements. Mike Sargent explained that, due to the force required to move the rodding, Ministry of Transport regulations limited maxuimum lengths of rodding to 350 yards. As this length could change by up to 13.5 inches due to temperature and the normal travel of point tongues is about 4.5 inches, something has to be done to stop the point being reversed or the rodding buckling. Hence the compensators do reverse the direction (as observed correctly earlier in the thread) so that the amount of push and pull are balanced, anything over 10 yards is compensated, the crank arrangements may also be used as compensators in some cases.

Meant to include the ground frame, this is made up as I've found no photos but is shown on the signal diagram, based on one in Richard Foster's LNWR signals book. Started from an MSE kit but not a lot of it left! Its quite small. Area by private siding. Dave

Tony Here are some views of the point rodding on Buckingham LNWR (not Peter Denny's/Tony Gee's layout) constructed by my friend Tony and myself from Brassmaster and Colin Waite components using 0.33mm round brass rod, I think it looks the part. Square section material wasn't readily available when we started. Facing point lock The cranks for the crossing points of the track were conveniently boarded over! View the other way So was the section outside the signal box! Rodding runs to the other end of the layout. Another FPL. Trust this is of interest. Dave PS We spoke at the East Anglian Show when you were operating Grantham on the Sunday afternoon and you were talking to Clive Mortimore.

Physicsman is the exponent of what sounds to be the same method on this layout and the developing scenery is well worth a look. http://www.rmweb.co....kby-luneside-2/ Dave

Dave They look very neat for hand turned, do you use a micrometer to check the size or is it all by eye? Dave

I thought chocolate and cream was the coach livery?

Jeff, I really like the way the grass areas are developing, it's the natural variation in both colour and texture that looks so realistic. Dave

Interested to see how you get on with this, the LNWR LQ signals I have to make for Buckingham are also tapered wooden posts and I have Michael Clark's Masokits etched brass tapered post kits which look very similar to do this with in 4mm. David

Jon I've learnt lots about building model signals from following this and Steve's threads, both of you build some cracking signals and it's interesting to see you deal with the various issues that arise. I've just understood this morning how slotted signals work. I've only got 4 simple LQ LNWR signals to build, but I'm going to make it more difficult by modelling 2 different periods, as they were replaced by LMS UQ tubular steel posts in the mid 1950s, so the signals will be interchangeable. I'm presently fitting all the wiring, switches and GF Controls boards before I build the signals so that I can make them work immediately and not have to wait for months doing the wiring. Then there are two ground signals to follow, as long as I can make the simple home and starter signals successfully! This is for a 4mm model of Buckingham LNWR. Please keep doing what you do as it helps me feel that I should be able to make my simple signals work, following the principles you and Steve have established.

Jeff I can't imagine that the real thing would bring in a different grade or size of stone into that area between the tracks as the ballast is there to help spread the load from the rails via the sleepers and then the ballast over the sub grade and needs to be homogeneous. It certainly doesn't give the impression from the photos of a different size stone. The colour is probably a little lighter as it's less likely to have oil, grease, steam etc weathering the bit between the tracks compared to the bits between the rails.

Jeff Here's a few pictures of Brassmaster's point rodding bits on my layout, Buckingham LNWR, started out as a club layout but now mine. Based pretty closely on the real location. We used .33mm brass rod rather than square section, but if you can get suitable square section these days it would work equally well. Fortunately most of the complex areas were timbered over so that is very helpful and the general layout seems fairly straightforward, there was a helpful article in the Model Railway Constructor in February and March 1982 on point rodding for Bodmin North - although its GWR a lot of the details were helpful, there's also a good bit in Richard Foster's LNWR signalling book, too. But it would be best to find out what Midland Railway practice was. This is our intepretation of what should be there and it's almost certainly incomplete or inadequate, but it looks the part, I think. We did it after most of the ballast was laid as it was a bit of an afterthought, it did mean cutting out the areas where each stool sits, howver if you did all the rodding first, you need to be confident you can get ballast or ground material underneath it, especially if you have a number of runs together. My friend Tony did all the rodding to start with, this is one area and then when I had found some photos of the actual arrangement at the Banbury end I plucked up the courage to change it but re-used some of the bits that Tony had already made. This is what Tony did. Includes facing point locks. This is the bit I redid. I discovered the two points for the cattle dock and stub siding had their own lever frame. A longer view of the area I changed. Hope this is of interest and not too many photos. PM me if you want any more information e.g. copies of articles. Dave

Adrian Very effective, the 'Paper Products Cartons' really looks like its standing away from the wall in some of the shots, perhaps because of the slightly darker shadow created, the Metal Box Company slightly less so, but great bit of detail. David

Adrian Really like your modelling style here, takes me back to Superquick models and Superquick brick paper which I used to make my own models as a teenager. Yours look great, but it should really be called Essence of Cardboard Box? Dave

Al What is the source of the post, is it whitemetal or brass? Thanks

Jeff Could you not place a cassette on the baseboard of the downside by stopping the track short by the length of the cassette - you could then have one which you just use as a siding and then replace it by one with a train on when you want to send it onto the Down line?

Yes, the Cauliflower is glazed, I used Plastiglaze filed to fit.

Here is one of my locos with crew, they are whitemetal figures but not sure who from, maybe Dart Castings. The loco is an LNWR 'Cauliflower' from a George Norton etched kit, built in EM.