Warren Branch

[Alister_G]

Very good indeed, the attention to detail is brilliant. I wouldn't have even given that a thought.

 

Al.

[chuffinghell]

1 hour ago, Alister_G said:

Very good indeed, the attention to detail is brilliant. I wouldn't have even given that a thought.

 

Al.

Thanks Al

 

I just thought it would add a little interest if nothing else, many platforms appear to have random/redundant holes

 

I've added a stone return in da ole

 

The vertical mortar lines have since been filled to look like one block at the bottom 

[chuffinghell]

That’s it for today

 

Ive been asked if I could go into work tomorrow, I’ve reluctantly agreed as I’ll be in the office on my own 

[chuffinghell]

 

The Dapol signal has arrived but the paint finish is awful, the paint is chipped, cracked and basically pealing off in places.....I assume Dapol have never heard about primmer

 

A normal person would return it for a replacement hoping the replacement would be better, an abnormal person such as my self would scrape off the paint (it practically fell off) take it apart using superglue debonder, sand off the three bands and start again

 

I can be such a pillock sometimes

[chuffinghell]

It kind of defeats the object of buying a pre-painted, pre-assembled signal

 

Not the best paint job in the world but I’ve found that weathering can cover a multitude of sins 

 

And it looks better without those daft rings up the length of the post, plus I’ve removed the vertical flashing.

 

I think maybe I was expecting too much considering the price but then  Dapol tend to cut corners when it comes to removing flashing

[Rowsley17D]

Hi Chris, I gather the rings were to help those in the factory who assembled the signals to get the various bits in the right place. There's at least one thread on improvements to the GWR home including what you have done but not to the extent of a full paint job. Are you going to put a counterweight at the bottom of the post?

 

 

[chuffinghell]

46 minutes ago, Rowsley17D said:

Hi Chris, I gather the rings were to help those in the factory who assembled the signals to get the various bits in the right place. There's at least one thread on improvements to the GWR home including what you have done but not to the extent of a full paint job. Are you going to put a counterweight at the bottom of the post?

I don’t know why they’d be needed as there are location holes in the post for the ladder assembly

 

I didn’t think removing the rings was  an original idea although my reason for repainting was due to the poor factory finish
 

Not sure about a counterweight, I’m going to concentrate more on burying it into the platform ramp first

[chuffinghell]

Managed to get it reassembled with much foul language

 

 

 

Took a while to get it to work again (hence the swearing)
 

I should have cut the rod instead of taking it apart at the bottom really

 

 

 

[Rowsley17D]

Looking good.

[chuffinghell]

Excuse the sketch, it’s been a while since I’ve had to resort to pencil and paper

 

This is how I propose to bury the signal in the ramp

 

Based on @Nick C’s suggestion of cutting a square hole and mounting the signal into the baseboard as normal

 

I’m building two boxes, one that will be glued into the platform and a smaller one glued to the base of the signal with the planking attached so I could (if necessary) remove the signal from the platform as one assembly

 

It might work, it might not but I foresee more foul language this afternoon 

[chuffinghell]

20 minutes ago, Rowsley17D said:

Looking good.

Thank you

 

Although, I’ve just taken a look at @checkrail’s post (no pun intended) and it’s much better than what I’ve done

[Nick C]

16 minutes ago, chuffinghell said:

Excuse the sketch, it’s been a while since I’ve had to resort to pencil and paper

 

This is how I propose to bury the signal in the ramp

 

Based on @Nick C’s suggestion of cutting a square hole and mounting the signal into the baseboard as normal

 

I’m building two boxes, one that will be glued into the platform and a smaller one glued to the base of the signal with the planking attached so I could (if necessary) remove the signal from the platform as one assembly

 

It might work, it might not but I foresee more foul language this afternoon 

 

Way more sophisticated than I'd have gone for, I'd have just mounted the signal through the hole and then added the planking afterwards. Your approach will undoubtedly work better though!

[chuffinghell]

57 minutes ago, Nick C said:

 

Way more sophisticated than I'd have gone for, I'd have just mounted the signal through the hole and then added the planking afterwards. Your approach will undoubtedly work better though!

I don’t know about sophistamacated but I wanted a way to remove the whole assembly....just in case it failed and I had to fix or place it

 

As far as working better that is yet to be proven 

 

Ive gotten as far as building the larger box

 

Ive stopped for a brew and to think inside the box 

 

Edited April 1, 2020 by chuffinghell

[Harlequin]

Hi Chris,

The bottom of the ladder was painted white during the second world war (to improve visibility during the blackout). Before that GWR practice was just black all the way up.

 

Edited April 1, 2020 by Harlequin

[chuffinghell]

2 hours ago, Harlequin said:

Hi Chris,

The bottom of the ladder was painted white during the second world war (to improve visibility during the blackout). Before that GWR practice was just black all the way up.

 

 
opps, I thought it was so you could see it against the black.

 

Thanks for letting me know Phil I’ll look at putting it Amy Winehouse (back to black) tomorrow 

[chuffinghell]

That’s it for today, my brain hurts

 

 

 

Russian doll signal assembly

 

Edited April 1, 2020 by chuffinghell

[Nathaniel]

Really well done for working on your signal. Be more of a touch of your own work than how it should have arrived as. Looking forward to more updates on your layout Chris.

[Harlequin]

Hi Chris,

Small correction to what I said above:

I looked up the reference and, apparently, the bottom 4ft of the ladders was painted white during both the First and Second World Wars (GWR Signalling Practice page 89).

So, you could have white in your period if the ladders had not been repainted since 1918 but black would be safest...

 

[chuffinghell]

26 minutes ago, Harlequin said:

Hi Chris,

Small correction to what I said above:

I looked up the reference and, apparently, the bottom 4ft of the ladders was painted white during both the First and Second World Wars (GWR Signalling Practice page 89).

So, you could have white in your period if the ladders had not been repainted since 1918 but black would be safest...

 

I’ve gone back to black as I didn’t want to take any chances

 

I've mocked up the wooden boards but I think I’ve got quite a lot of fettling to do, I may have to redo them as it looks a bit poo at the moment

 

I think it might be better to use planking without the nail holes maybe?

 

Edited April 1, 2020 by chuffinghell

[Adrian Stevenson]

They look OK to me Chris.

 

As ever you have gone to the nth degree in your workmanship.

 

Cheers, Ade.

[chuffinghell]

8 minutes ago, Adrian Stevenson said:

They look OK to me Chris.

 

As ever you have gone to the nth degree in your workmanship.

 

Cheers, Ade.

Thanks Ade
 

I wasn’t sure about the nail holes in the flooring, I imagine the planks would be long lengths just dropped on place for easier access

 

I'm going to have another look at it tomorrow

 

maybe have a stone/concrete surround with a smaller wooden access hole

 

Edited April 1, 2020 by chuffinghell

[chuffinghell]

It was on my mind so I’ve had a quick play with some strips of plasticard. I think this will look better, especially if I paint/weather each ‘plank’ different shades of light dirty grey

 

 

I prefer the ‘planks’ going this way, and doing individual lengths will make it easier

 

Ignore the black paint, it’s just overspray from putting the ladder back to black (couldn’t be bothered to mask it off)

 

 

 

Edited April 1, 2020 by chuffinghell

[St Enodoc]

Looking good so far. A finishing touch will be to deal with the rather anorexic stripes on the arm. In round figures the stripes should start 3mm from the end and be 3mm wide. Then it will look like a proper signal!

[saxokid]

3 hours ago, chuffinghell said:

It was on my mind so I’ve had a quick play with some strips of plasticard. I think this will look better, especially if I paint/weather each ‘plank’ different shades of light dirty grey

 

 

I prefer the ‘planks’ going this way, and doing individual lengths will make it easier

 

Ignore the black paint, it’s just overspray from putting the ladder back to black (couldn’t be bothered to mask it off)

 

 

 

Coming along treat this Chris...

[MrWolf]

Looking good, signals are something that I will need to tackle on my layout soon and frankly I have no idea what to place where. I have a nasty feeling that I will be digging a hole in the platform too. But this is giving me ideas and construction details.

No need to apologise for the bad language, it comes under the classification of "Task appropriate profanity". It's those words of power we learn from our fathers very early on like when the starter jams again on his Hillman Minx. Go back a few centuries and one of your ancestors will be cursing the pack horse that stops in the middle of a toll bridge or the flint axe whose head keeps coming off.