Working a double track signal box

[The Stationmaster]

Another thing some  Signalmen with block bells - even on the Western where most had very distinctive sounds - was to 'slug' them, usually with chewing gum () to alter the tone of the bell.  Another trick which one of my Signalmen used regularly was to feel some of the bells after one had rung, easy to tell which one had rung if you did that. 

[Chris M]

This isn't quite correct but hopefully its fairly close. The main thing I have learnt from this is that trying to run a model railway with full bell codes is probably not a good idea.

 

 

[The Stationmaster]

Nicely done but distinctly noisy - a major problems with using block bells or recordings of real ones.  As you probably know a Milk Train ILC? was 1-3-1

[Michael Hodgson]

1 hour ago, The Stationmaster said:

Nicely done but distinctly noisy - a major problems with using block bells or recordings of real ones.  As you probably know a Milk Train ILC? was 1-3-1

Yes, by the time the Warships were about but In the old 1936 GWR book it was 5.

 

There was an awful lot of mucking about with ILC bell codes for non-passenger trains over the years, mostly of course because of greater provision of continuous braking on goods trains.

[The Stationmaster]

Being horribly pedantic it changed in October 1960 so the change predated the appearance of the Hymeks but up until that date could have applied to a train hauled by a Swindon 'Warship' or the first few NBL  D8XX 'Warships' .  But as both train are also carrying post October 1960 headcodes and one is hauled by a Hymek it would definitely be 1-3-1

[Chris M]

17 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:

Being horribly pedantic it changed in October 1960 so the change predated the appearance of the Hymeks but up until that date could have applied to a train hauled by a Swindon 'Warship' or the first few NBL  D8XX 'Warships' .  But as both train are also carrying post October 1960 headcodes and one is hauled by a Hymek it would definitely be 1-3-1

Thanks . If I ever do it again I’ll use 1-3-1. There are plenty of lists of bell codes on the web but the ones I looked at didn’t have the right level of detail to pick this up.

 

I really enjoy having working signals as it adds to the feeling of an event when a train runs through. I thought bells might add a little more atmosphere but, having tried it, I don’t think it does. So for me it was an interesting idea but it’s not for me. I will still love hearing the bells when I am at a station on the Valley but I won’t try to emulate the bells on my model. Yes it’s very easy to do with a smartphone, a sound pad app and a Bluetooth speaker but I would have to run the layout at more like real levels of traffic for the bells to feel right. Although it would be more realistic I want to see more than four or five trains an hour.

 

Still, it was an interesting experience.

[meil]

On 05/05/2021 at 12:38, The Stationmaster said:

Another thing some  Signalmen with block bells - even on the Western where most had very distinctive sounds - was to 'slug' them, usually with chewing gum () to alter the tone of the bell.  Another trick which one of my Signalmen used regularly was to feel some of the bells after one had rung, easy to tell which one had rung if you did that. 

Chewing Gum! Clothes Peg please

[ReTyerd Signalman]

22 hours ago, meil said:

Chewing Gum! Clothes Peg please

I once bought an LNWR block instrument direct from British Rail.  The bell was okay but sounded a little flat.  After much fiddling around I eventually extracted a large tight roll of dark brown newspaper.  Most of it shattered into confetti but it dated from the 1920's!  Can't remember the exact year.

[SM42]

On 12/05/2021 at 13:57, meil said:

Chewing Gum! Clothes Peg please

 

One bell goes ding  the other goes click.

 

I worked one box where the BR bells were very close in sound to me, and being too proud had to run up to the block to listen for the last fading vibrations  much to the amusement of the signalman training  me. 

 

Due to a re-org I ended up at another box before I passed out there. 

 

My new box had some nice distinctly different GW bells. 

 

Next time I went back to the first box I had no problem with the BR bells

 

I apparently  just  needed tuning . 

 

Back to the modelling side,  I think it would be better if the bell sound were scaled down  in volume

After all we only hear the faint tinkle through the open signalbox window.

 

A hint of bells would add atmosphere  rather than distract

 

Andy

Edited May 15, 2021 by SM42

[Chris M]

4 hours ago, SM42 said:

 

 

 

A hint of bells would add atmosphere

Sounds like an aftershave!

 

I might just add a few bel codes to my sound pad to go with seagulls, skylarks, cows, tractors  etc.  I'll not try to play all the correct codes you would hear before you actually see a train as that is just too much dinging, maybe just the odd one or two bell codes when the mood takes.

[Michael Hodgson]

8 hours ago, SM42 said:

 

I worked one box where the BR bells were very close in sound to me, and being too proud had to run up to the block to listen for the last fading vibrations  much to the amusement of the signalman training  me. 

 

Many boxes had only two bells and they were at opposite ends of the shelf, so the direction of the sound can also help. 

 

It seems irrational but with domino instruments close together I find it easier to tell which one rang when I'm further away than if I'm right up close to them.