Comments wanted on this signal box

[TEAMYAKIMA]

OK, I model foreign HO and I was looking for a modern(ish) signal box kit.

 

I found this kit ..................….

 

 

And with a few minor tweaks it does it for me …………………………..

 

 

 

Apologies for the poor photo, but the issue I have which only became apparent once I'd starting making the kit is the steps going up to a raised floor. Now I assume this was something to do when the points/signals were mechanically operated.

 

But to me it looks odd. So I am thinking of buying another kit and cutting off the bottom 10-12mm (the grey part) and so making it level access.

 

Comments please.

 

[Joseph_Pestell]

There are some like that in Northern France and Belgium too.

[Nearholmer]

You sure it’s not a model of an LT shunting cabin?

 

Im sure it isn’t, but it looks so like some that I did a double-take.

 

To me, the step-up looks perfect, but perhaps ought to have a simple ‘bent tube’ handrail.

Edited December 20, 2019 by Nearholmer

[Robert Stokes]

Weren't signal cabins built quite tall so that the signalman could have a good view of train movements all around for some distance.

 

Robert

[The Stationmaster]

1 hour ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

There are some like that in Northern France and Belgium too.

Agree, in fact the original kit looked distinctly SNCB in character.

56 minutes ago, Robert Stokes said:

Weren't signal cabins built quite tall so that the signalman could have a good view of train movements all around for some distance.

 

Robert

Not always.  oddly the model reminded me in some respects of this one in Britain -

 

 

[bécasse]

1 hour ago, The Stationmaster said:

Agree, in fact the original kit looked distinctly SNCB in character.

 

 

I am not certain about it looking like an SNCB/NMBS box as I live too far from a station to regularly travel by train. However the general architectural style certainly could be Belgian, most likely 1950s, and the real clincher is the upright mazout citerne at the rear which is very typical - indeed two reside in my cellar feeding the central heating boiler.

[TEAMYAKIMA]

12 hours ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

There are some like that in Northern France and Belgium too.

 

11 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

Agree, in fact the original kit looked distinctly SNCB in character.

Not always.  oddly the model reminded me in some respects of this one in Britain -

 

 

 

Apologies - I should have said -  yes it is Belgian , Bruges to be exact.

 

I have already built the kit and I will be using it on my Chinese layout and so the only issue is the steps and therefore the raised floor. I want to add it to a platform as in this photo and the concept of the raised floor in that scenario looks a little odd to me, that is the issue.

 

[Chimer]

I'm guessing, but if the space below the raised floor was for point rodding and signal wires, it presumably wouldn't be required with the box sitting on an already raised platform …….

[TEAMYAKIMA]

4 hours ago, Chimer said:

I'm guessing, but if the space below the raised floor was for point rodding and signal wires, it presumably wouldn't be required with the box sitting on an already raised platform …….

 

Yes as the OP that was my thinking but as I'm no expert I wanted confirmation. I am thinking of cutting off the grey concrete layer at the bottom to make it a straight 'walk-in'

 

Paul