Jon Fitness

Ah, the old cast whitemetal arms. Since superseded by new etched nickel silver ones. I'll change them both I think.... JF

Another GWR cash register signal done and once again, I've cheated and used a return spring. This method meant a little more leverage is necessary to move the individual flags but it all works. The main lamp and finial are Modelu, The backlight is scratch, The cash register bit is heavily modified MSE and the arms and mechanical bits are Boltons Bits. There's 3 flags, MAIN, SHED and Carr Sdgs., each one with its own servo. It's also the first I've ever done with a backlight to the flags which meant they were printed on OHP. I've tried to photograph the illumination but although it looked ok in the flesh, my camera phone just couldn't cope and it bleached out so these are of the unlit signal. More Soon JF

Now these have been a long time coming and they're still not quite right yet. The LMS design tubular post bracket signals were once incredibly common across the railway network but are disappearing fast as renewals are either done looking like a scaffolders store yard or simply done away with in favour of Lego-esque colour light signals. As a test etch, I had both a 2 doll and 3 doll balanced bracket done and a 2 doll offset one. All include parts for cross shafting and the supports for the lampmans staging. Here's the 2 doll balanced structure which I'll be finishing off shortly. All should be capable of taking 2 different diameters of main post which varied depending on the loading above the bracket. This is a completed offset bracket for a customer which also was requested with a 2 disc ground signal at the base. Again, quite proud of this as all etched items are my own products, even if a couple of mistakes had to be sorted out during the build! These will obviously be altered in the production etches and are of course what test etches are for This next one was basically an updated copy of one I'd done about 10 years ago for Rod Morgan's West Kirby layout using my newer etched arms with a scratchbuilt theatre style route indicator. My most recent ones were two of these GER wooden posted signals with remote arm and spec plate. Both proper wood posts with MSE arms and lamps with Modelu finials and my own etched ladders. Both were lit and servo operated. More soon honest, even if its back to GWR stuff again..... JF

Ummm, I've done it again haven't I? All summer without an update. Anyway here's a signal based update montage.... April's output was LNWR based. These 2 were constructed from Scale Signal Supply kits and were servo operated but unlit. I altered the brackets a little to make a narrower version for a tighter location. May and June's output was the usual GWR or BRW signals. Still the most popular railway's signals The GWR cash register signal was a strange one. It arrived as box of bits from the customer with some exquisitely assembled scratchbuilt bits included which had all been assembled with superglue! I had to carefully pick them all apart and try to reassemble them with solder which wasn't easy. It was necessary though as further soldered construction round them would have made them fall apart. The signal uses an SSS arm, Modelu lamps/finial and the rest is scratchbuilt. The elevated ground signal was mostly scratchbuilt with a few of my own etched bits and a modelu lamp The BR(W) 2 doll and 3 doll brackets I'm quite proud of as all the etched parts are my own products plus the usual Modelu Finials and lamps. All lit and servo operated with superb laser cut ply planks done for me by the wonderful Nikki Wilkes. More in a mo.... JF

That's superb Steve. I have to remind myself sometimes how small these 4mm scale signals are in real life! JF

Stunning work! A beautiful bit of scratchbuilding and they really look "right". JF

Superbly engineered as usual Steve. Lovely stuff JF

Aw Steve, those ground signals are absolutely gorgeous. Beautiful work JF

I think my customer's layout is set in the early 1950's... JF

Its all appreciated Stephen. There's quite a lot of the catalogue printed in David Smith's book too... JF

It certainly does look a little skinny. I may have to look into an etch of GWR subsidiary fittings and arms in the future.

I very much see your point on this! I did look at quite a few pictures but I found several showing slightly different positions. The MSE S I used is all I had in stock and looked right at the time.. I think that was the picture I used eventually....

Believe me, I'd really love to but it would require a complete re-jig to get it right. I can't just re-size it as is because it would become too delicate. I'm a bit too loaded up with 7mm work to start going down the 4mm route I'm afraid.....

So.. Time for an update. I've been busy at the bench and the computer so there's a new etch or two to see.. This is the BR(W) version of the 2 doll bracket for tubular WR style signals It differs from the available etches in that the main post is positioned in between the two dolls. It features fold up construction and marks for punching out the rivets. Also provided is the diagonal T section support. A test build.. So what did muggins then go and do? Use it as a GW style bracket for a customer!! I was tasked with copying several of my previous builds so this centre pivoted one was chosen. I had to scratchbuild the two arms..The basic shapes Then making the bearing bosses.. Adding to the structure Fitting out the structure with LEDs, and Modelu lamp cases and finials. Now here's a little tip for using these LEDs. (Unless I've already mentioned it!!) The latest batch of these warm white 3mm LEDs were very focussed on the tip and gave off almost zero side illumination unlike the previous lot. To make them shine sideways I filed a chamfer on what became both the front and back faces of the LED and lo and behold, the light was deflected perfectly to give a nice diffused light front and back! The finished article out in the sunshine. The decking boards were laser cut for me from .9mm ply by a local friend, Nikki Wilkes.. Next up was a wooden post GWR stop signal with lower shunt arm using scale signal supply arms and a Borg-Rail fold up brass post. Now, this one isn't the same signal as a previous entry but a correction to it. I made a cracking job of getting the previous one wrong. This entailed getting a new Right Handed etch done of the LMS running line to loop bracket as it couldn't just be fitted the other way round and is also 6inches wider than the Left Hand version. That'll teach me to read the customers instructions... My most recent job was another copy of the Severn Tunnel East bracket I originally did for Steve Fay. The main difference on this one is I've used Borg-Rail fold up posts this time instead of actual wood on the first one. Much easier as everything can be soldered rather than glued and the posts are of course hollow so it's easier to conceal wiring. There may be an interesting banner repeater coming up next...(if a banner repeater can be interesting More soon JF

Thanks Steve. I'm never sure how much detail to include!

A link to my usual overlong Youtube videos! This one shows my method of fitting servos to the signals I build... More soon JF

Lovely simple power bogie. Very nice JF

I've produced an etch for the LMS ground signal. I have always struggled with the available cast whitemetal version and this one was designed with buildability, operation and illumination in mind. The open "Lid" at the top will be folded down and soldered once an LED is fitted and working. The test build went rather well, so the production version will be available to buy in about 6 weeks JF

Ah, nice to hear from you! The live steam sounds fun! JF

Now these are a blast from the past! 9 years ago, I started this thread with the intention of building 4 of these Alan Gibson LBSCR coaches. I built and finished 2 of them...... Sooo, its about time I got stuck into the other 2 I suppose The chassis' are complete for all four so "all" I have to do is complete the bodies. As supplied, nothing is provided in the kit to represent the guttering so some lengths of 1.5mm x 1.5mm brass angle were used for this job. Door bumpers were added from 0.8mm brass were. Next to be added were all droplights and a selection of door vents. A selection because a lot of the wooden ventilators were later replaced piecemeal with steel ones as they rotted. So thats all gutters, bumps, droplights and door vents fitted. Next up will be grabrails, hinges and door handles. More soon JF

I'll keep my eye on this one Rod as I have one of his point kits to try. I've never built any form of track before but the kit looks well designed and comes with all sorts of gauges and guides. JF

This is the Parkend signal all done and weathered. All my own etches with Modelu Lamps and Scale Signal Supply Lamp cases. The photos are a bit dull but the weather seems to be unremittingly gloomy down here at the moment... More soon JF

Next up on the bench is an LMS Upper quadrant stop signal. Quite a tall beastie at 35 feet, it features a running line to loop signal bracket and a bonus stop arm for the opposite direction of travel. It will be servo operated and LED lit and uses a lot of my own etchings. The original was at Parkend and fortunately I've been supplied with some useful photographs to assist in the build. Luckily I'd already built the bracket as a demo for instructions and as it's designed to be built as a separate assembly I could just slide it down the main post to its correct position before trapping it on with all the other fiitings. Next up was fitting the etched bolting plates. These are tiny but add much needed detail to what would be a plain structure. The RSU is perfect for this job. I just need to get used to using less solder paste It was then the turn of the LEDs which are soldered to the post as a common negative and the positive wire run inside the post. These are set so the excellent Modelu 3d printed lamp cases just need dropping on after painting has taken place. These are just temporarily fitted for testing. Weight bars, stanchions, handrails and ladders were then fitted. Time for a big cleanup session before it hits the paintshop tomorrow. More soon JF

Certainly sounds like a well designed and engineered chassis, except for the slight alteration to the rear pony truck.

From my largest signal, down to my smallest recent construction. A GWR double ground signal. This is more or less a straight build of the all cast brass SSS kit. I have added micro servos and a couple of SMD LEDs for illumination. Seems to work fine! More soon JF