Jon Fitness
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Posts posted by Jon Fitness
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Another bracket signal but of a company I've never built a signal from.
SECR balanced bracket made entirely from my own etches. it has scratchbuilt trimmers, MSE finials and planks laser cut for me by Nikki Wilkes. The spectacle plates weren't available so I had to get those etched and the brackets are 2 part back to back etches for each side. It's servo operated and LED lit. The LEDs are wired to the servo feed as usual..
More Soon
JF
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Hot off the bench! BR(WR) bracket, all from my own Boltons Bits etches. LED lit and servo operated as usual....
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Thank you all for your helpful pictures and suggestions. After an agonising week of backache, I've managed to complete the bracket signal and get it to work. Fortunately my customer only wanted one route indicator flag to work and didn't need the RI itself illuminated which made things much simpler. The etch for all this will be modified to sort all the problems out when the next batch of things go for etching..
Cheers
JF
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26 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:
It was also an oddity in that the lower part of the post was concrete (without any lightening holes)
Straight post platform mounted signal at Reading -
And here is a photo that includes the baclk of the one that interests you -
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Old_Oak_Common_Yard_geograph-2574255-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg
One showing the structure of the bracket before it was finally cut down (after its use as a colour light signal structure and then its end in even that use -
Embarrasingly I'd already built that OOC signal about 9 years ago!
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On 16/01/2024 at 12:22, Stephen Freeman said:
Both types p48 Great Western Signalling. Reading West
They are indeed, got the book. It's the closet I've got and I wish there were some side on drawings to go with the front on ones on P54.
Hang on though what's that drawing on P59 I hadn't seen before? DOH!
I need to study more diligently.😒
Many thanks for everyone's help. Specsavers next week I think...😵
JF
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11 hours ago, RailWest said:
I've attached a side view of the one which used to exist at Yeovil Pen Mill, although it may well be of course that bracket dolls used a different method than straight posts.
Ah, that's on a straight post but many thanks anyway. Always useful to have piccies!
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8 hours ago, Steve Hewitt said:
Hi Jon,
I can't help with prototype photos or drawings, but my solution in 4mm scale is in this video:
Because it's platform mounted I assume all the weight bars and slotting are in a pit below the main post!.
The route indicator is assembled from a MSE etch, and from memory (its not clear in the photo I'm afraid) I mounted it on a short piece of channel section brass attached to the bracket work so that the operating cranks could line up with the flags.
Hope this helps , but I can't claim its authenticity.
Steve.
Hi Steve, thanks for that! Pretty much how this one will be built now. I'll just have to alter my etched bracket to bring it all in closer to the structure. Out with the Dremel and razor saw now😑
Cheers
JF.
PS, I'll be up at the bus Friday to Sunday if you want to meet up for a pint or something!
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Now then. I know I havent posted anything for a while but I'm in need of a little info if anyone can help me. I've been commisioned to build this signal but in my enthusiasm to get it designed and etched, I've made a bit of a booboo.
I know exactly how a GWR route indicator works and and how it fits to a straight post signal, both wood and tubular types (quite different in arrangement. What I cant work out is how they were fitted to wooden posted bracket signals. I have a few "front on" pictures but no side on ones. I'm presuming a bracket fixture from a small doll but my design pushes the thing way too forward so that the linkages simply won't line up. The arrangement for the wooden post on a straight signal uses the bracket I've had etched but it's all wrong! Was the "cash register" type unit fixed directly to the short doll or...er..well, I don't know!!
The drawing uses a composite of my etch drawings but I hadn't given enough thought to it obviously!
Hoping someone has a useful pic....😬
JF
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There's some interesting stuff on those etches Stephen. Lovely work..
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20 hours ago, steve fay said:
Now at home on St Stephens bank, it was drawn up in 3D based on the drawings from this book but sometimes there is shrinkage when then 3D printed. That said it looks great in place.
Ah, I see it is definitely 2ft diameter...
Ah, I see it is definitely 2ft diameter...
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54 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:
Alas I tend in various matters of its contents to class Mr Smith's signalling tome alongside the egg which the curate received.
Ah!
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5 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:
I don't know the diameter of the housing but the numerals were 18" high on the standard size indicators and were mounted 6ft above rail level (the splitting ones would have had different heights but I have no information for those). The miniature indicators were mounted 3ft above rail level but that is all I know about them.
According to Mr Smiths GWR signalling tome, the frontal diameter of the indicator was 2ft with 13.5" letters/numbers..I think the print I was given was only about 11mm instead of 14mm diameter. They were set on posts about 15ft ARL.
JF
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I forgot this one. A GWR illuminated speed restriction indicator. Its got a 3d printed head and screen provided for the job but I think it's a tad small in diameter. It has a real wood post too and quite looks the part.
JF
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7 hours ago, St Enodoc said:
I cut chevrons from black transfer paper (e.g. patches for wagon numbers), using the end of the arm itself as a template.
Tried that many times but simply couldn't get consistent results. This ways much easier!
JF
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On 20/09/2023 at 15:54, Steve Hewitt said:
Thanks Jon,
I found your bus at the Showground, but couldn't find you!
Steve.
Aww, if I'd seen you we could have had a quick trip down to Whalley and back!
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And tonight I'm on with these...
JF.
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54 minutes ago, LNERGE said:
I saw this and thought of you...
😵 Ooh thats not a fold up etched one!
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More Wellingborough stuff to bring us up to date...
This one is a fair old beast. I'm not entirely sure of its full history but it consists of a tubular post stop, distant and calling on arm with a running line to loop bracket. Behind it is a wooden post with two LMS sightboards attached to it. I'm not sure but it looks to me like the original wooden post had the arms on too but was retained just for the sightboards and a new signal erected in front of it. If anyone knows more about, I'd love to know too!
As usual, almost everything etched is from my own Boltons Bits range with the coloured lenses laser cut for me by Nikki Wilkes. The chevrons on distant signals are always difficult to do so I had some black waterslide transfers done for me by Mark Seward. So much easier!
Cheers All
JF
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Next up at Wellingborough was this banner repeater. It used to have 2 heads on it but in the period modelled it was down to just the one. Being an externally lit one, I couldn't use the 3d printed ones I have so it was back to scratchbuilding again. Fortunately I had an etched front surround left over from a previous job so that was the starting point.
Yes, there's more Wellingborough to come soon...
JF
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Hmmm.
Might be time for a bit of a catch up again..🙂
I've been asked to build some of the signals that survived into the 1980s at Wellingborough station so here we go.
There was a rather home made crossing indicator for the barrow crossing by the signalbox. I had a stencil etched to help me with this one and the end product was very satisfying! I built it into a box on a post that I had to size from supplied photos..
Just next to the signalbox was an LMS BFB post 2 doll bracket which seemed to change configuration a couple of times in the 70s and 80s...Strangely enough, I don't think I photographed it once I weathered it..😒
Next one of the Wellingborough signals was this ex MR wooden post stop and distant with LMS upper quadrant fitted later in life. It retained its MR finial though!
Stand by for another update soon!
JF
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This is so good to hear! I felt awful after hearing what happened last year and to see all those locos returned has almost blown my mind. So happy for you all.
JF
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On 19/09/2023 at 11:07, jazz said:
Starting a new batch of builds with this Chowbent Castings 2 cylinder Stanier 2-6-4. So far, so good. The chassis is assembling reasonably well. (I hope the valve gear runs well, it's looking promising😏)
Quite a rare beast now these Chowbent kits. I've heard good things about them so I keep an eye out for them coming up for sale. No luck yet!!!
JF
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Awesome as usual Steve!
JF
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On 01/07/2023 at 14:11, The Stationmaster said:
Jon I like top one - 3 doll bracket which is an 'almost; Frome South's Up Main Starting Signal although the dolls were stepped on that and the tubular steel version used the final design of bracket structure.
The bottom one, in various forms was quite common although the small bracket arrangement was obsolescent by the early 1920s. However theh Western being the Western had to transfer one to a new tubular steel post signal erected in the mid 1950s because it was the only thing which would fit the site without spending a large amount of money. (But no goods line/siding rings on the arms as it was on a passenger line
Oooh, I'd like to see that tubular one with the old bracket on..🙂
Cheers
JF
Jon Fitness' average 7mm signals workbench.
in Permanent Way, Signalling & Infrastructure
Posted
All interesting answers about the shield. I just fitted them as the various pictures of SECR signals I was working from showed either the shields or the brackets formerly holding them to be fitted. As previously pointed out, the LSWR fitted them too and the practice was carried on by the SR. When I built my first rail built signal I wondered why the plate was on the post until I had that "oooh yes" moment of realisation 😆....