RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted July 18, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 18, 2010 Excellent thread, thanks John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 Can I add my endorsement to the comments above. This really is an excellent and very informative thread. This latest signal model really does look 'the business'. Well done and I look forward to the next thread(s)- did someone mention gantries? Cheers Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted July 19, 2010 Author Share Posted July 19, 2010 Thanks all!. I've learned a lot from contributions while doing this thread and if it's helped a few people to get started building signals, then job well done. Cheers. Jon F Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted August 21, 2010 Author Share Posted August 21, 2010 (edited) Just a quick re-opening of this thread.I'm building a batch of 12 GW lower quads at the moment. As my interest lies more in the upper quad department, and I'd completed 3 of them, I decided I needed a break from them and to do a quick U/Q to lift the spirits!I've wanted to do an LMS BFB (broad flanged beam) bracket for the layout for a while, but wasn't able to find a "H" beam of the right proportions ( a scale 9" X 9" roughly).I bit the bullet and soldered one up from 3 pieces of K&S ¼"strip. It's a tad overscale but I think it looks a reasonable representation of the BFB stem.The signal will be almost against the backscene when on the layout so I could run the wire for the lights down the back of the beam and the support brackets were soldered up from some brass angle I've had in stock for a while.Lamp staging is wooden coffee stirrers. I found some nice thin ones on a market coffee stall. (yes I had a coffee!)BFB posts were introduced by the LMS as a replacement for the lattice stem. They were certainly cheaper to make and maintain but were rather flimsy and needed a lot of guying. Once the larger tubular posts were introduced during WW2 no more BFB's were used.The model shows the same flimsyness but I won't be fitting guy wires (too many ham fisted track cleaners!)Oh well, back to the lower quads! ! Edited May 30, 2015 by Jon Fitness 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethevans1986 Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 Very nice signals Jon. GE Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scale7JB Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Excellent thread! I shall keep this in mind for a (hopeful) future layout.. Thankyou.. JB. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted January 4, 2011 Author Share Posted January 4, 2011 Cheers, I'll be re-opening this thread when I do the signals for Astley Bridge on the Saltney layout JF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethevans1986 Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 I'm looking forward to seeing them Jon. Gareth Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrushType4 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Hi Jon, brilliant tutorial, thank you. I want to follow in your steps, but I'm not sure where to get the White metal castings? Have you any links to any suppliers or is that why you make your own? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsa69 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 I'll be picking Jons brains when it's time to do the signals for my East Lancs themed layout. Now do I go for colour light, semaphores or a mix of both? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted May 27, 2011 Author Share Posted May 27, 2011 Hi Chaps, Thanks for the compliments! The castings I make for myself (from my own masters before anyone asks ) are for the arms, backblinders, brackets and lamps. I prefer the depth of detail on my cast arms and back blinders and as I have made a lot of signals (about 70 so far ) it keeps the cost down. The brackets for things like the LMS tubular post junction and "running line to loop" signals I cast myself as (to date) they are unavailable from the trade. As I put lamps in my signals I cast a simple square lamp box/ bracket with a 3mm hole already in it just to save having to drill holes! I may yet switch to Scale signal supply's cast brass ones as they are easier to solder on to a brass post without damage. Post caps and other fittings I use either SSS or MSE, whichever I have in stock. Things like lampmans staging I build from brass strip with coffee stirrers for the wood work. Etched brass signal fittings and arms and a huge selection of castings are available from Model Signal Engineering and Scale Signal Supply both of whom I thoroughly recommend (usual disclaimers apply!). Mark, Depending on the era, a nice mix of semaphore and C/L signals works well, as the LMS started a policy of fitting colour light distants and IB signals in the '30's. The boxes I worked around Bolton/Manchester in the 70's and 80's all had a mix and some of the C/L sigs were the old round topped variety. Happy days. Jon F. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsa69 Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 Hi Jon, Depending on the era, a nice mix of semaphore and C/L signals works well Early to late 80s, possibly early 90s at a pinch. Bolton Trinity Street and it's approaches is my inspiration and I can definitely remember plenty of semaphores in abundance with some C/L signals on the platforms and scattered here and there. like you said great days regards, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted May 27, 2011 Author Share Posted May 27, 2011 http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/gallery/album/1273-bolton-trinity-street-station-1980s/ Any help? JF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fay Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 That's some fantastic work there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted June 14, 2011 Author Share Posted June 14, 2011 Thanks Steve. Hope to be adding to it soon! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted July 28, 2011 Author Share Posted July 28, 2011 (edited) With the recent changes that have taken place on our layout (new junction layout, inner bi-directional loop and a bridge to replace a tunnel) some new signals will be required.Some of the ex Talacre signals that are languishing in a box in the cupboard will be re-assessed to see if they fit the requirements or can be altered to suit.More importantly, I now have an excuse to build a working banner repeater!I have a kit from MSE in which instructions show how it can be built (with additional parts) to represent a GW version or a Southern rail-built version but an ex-LMS version is what I'll try and build.After consulting my trusty LMS signals book, I've made a start.One thing I'll have to consider is that the real things were operated electrically rather than mechanically, so I either have toDevise a hidden linkage down to a servo under the baseboard.orBuild the kit as instructed with an external linkage at the rear of the signal and hope the position of the signal will hide the linkage.Some head scratching required methinks.More to follow... Edited May 30, 2015 by Jon Fitness Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dikitriki Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Hi Jon I'll be following this with great interest as I wish to build a working LMS banner repeater for Heyside.....and I'm not sure how to go about it! Richard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethevans1986 Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Wire in a tube? Nice to meet you the other week with the Sealand club GE Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNERGE Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 I have plenty here if you need a picture or three. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 (edited) Hi Jon I'll be following this with great interest as I wish to build a working LMS banner repeater for Heyside.....and I'm not sure how to go about it! Richard Hi Richard, the signal will certainly have an Ex LMS flavour about it, but probably won't be a truly accurate model. It should have a ladder front and back so I'll have to extend the base-plate forwards a little. (The post was going to be for a shunt signal but that can wait!) Wire in a tube? Nice to meet you the other week with the Sealand club GE Having built the first bits up Gareth , I'm pretty sure I can fit the linkage inside the main casing and run the operating wire down the inside of the post. I've soldered a bit of tube through the hole in the pivot support to act as a fairly tight bearing. I had to carefully drill the tube out as it was slightly undersize for the 14BA bolts I use as pivots. Hopefully once everything is trimmed all that will show at the back will be a nut on the end of the pivot shaft. There will be a pretty hefty square lamp casing at the back (with working lamp of course) which should hide the end of the shaft. Not yet sure how to get the mechanism working and painted, close the main circular case together, and get glass in the front and back... I have plenty here if you need a picture or three. All pics of an externally lit LMS style banner repeater greatly appreciated!! Cheers JF Edited May 30, 2015 by Jon Fitness Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNERGE Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 All pics of an externally lit LMS style banner repeater greatly appreciated!! Cheers JF Your model looks like a SYX banner. All of mine (4) differ in some way. There may be a little scope to provide another support for the banner pivot looking at mine. Your red dotted line looks like the best way to operate the banner. All mine are electrically lit however one is a converted externally lit version. I do have a new oil lamp for one tucked away somewhere if you need dimensions. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted July 31, 2011 Author Share Posted July 31, 2011 (edited) Had a bit of a go with the soldering iron this afternoon (please excuse the tatty soldering, things got altered as I went along).I widened the front to back gap and found some scrap brass etch for the casing wrapper which I've soldered to the back only for now.Already on version 2 of the operating linkage as the first one involved a pin soldered to the back of the banner. A loop on the operating wire then engaged with the pin but there wasn't sufficient room in there and the wire kept coming off the pin.Version 2, remove pin, clean out hole and put the operating wire directly through the hole.That worked better but I'll have to find some thinner wire (currently 0.6 N/S) as it's a bit too visible!.Hopefully, once I've cleaned all my rather scruffy soldering up, and straightened everything out, I can align the operating wire vertically with the pivot support.Once the front and back glasses are in, the wire shouldn't then cast any extra shadow than the pivot support when the lamp is lit at the back and there won't be any visible mechanical linkage as the rod passes down the inside of the main post. (If you can see what I mean)The drawing I have of an LMS banner repeater size lamp case at the back seems to match a size of square brass tube I have in stock so that should be one of the easier jobs to do.More to follow..JF Edited May 30, 2015 by Jon Fitness 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNERGE Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 Here is one of my banners.. I've posted this picture because of the unusual position of the proving contacts. It is a former externally lit type converted to contain internal electric lamps. There is no evidence of proving contacts having been fitted anywhere else so they would have been visible when it was externally lit. There is the remains of an externally lit banner with proving contacts in this position near Swaffam, Norfolk. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted July 31, 2011 Author Share Posted July 31, 2011 I've posted this picture because of the unusual position of the proving contacts. It is a former externally lit type converted to contain internal electric lamps. There is no evidence of proving contacts having been fitted anywhere else so they would have been visible when it was externally lit. There is the remains of an externally lit banner with proving contacts in this position near Swaffam, Norfolk. Many thanks for that . I've found some 0.3 brass wire for the drive rod which I think does the trick now and I've shortened the pivot rod and bearing. All seems to work so it'll be the lamp case next. I've also now got to find the best way of making a translucent white rear glass! Any ideas? Cheers JF 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNERGE Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 Super looking model. Here's another of mine showing the banner support, cable to lamps and black operating rod.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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