mikemeg Posted November 25, 2009 Author Share Posted November 25, 2009 Worth it though Mike Cheers Rod, Yes I think it's worth it but then I shall probably only ever build two of these strange devices so I may as well do em right. As ever, Rod, many thanks. Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted November 26, 2009 Author Share Posted November 26, 2009 So with both of these route indicators made and painted then time to install them on the gantry. And, to my great surprise, they fit under the handrail perfectly. Time now to take one of those moody photos; perhaps in the fading light of evening with the last vestiges of sun catching the enamel on the signal arms. Now for the motors on the distants and the main ladder, a final paint and this is finished. Been a long road, this one, but worth it. I don't know about any readers of this thread but, for me, pictures in this light and at this angle just bring it all back, all of those years ago. Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNERGE Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Most impressive. Despite much searching i've come up with nothing other than the one used at Whitemoor. http://gregdash.fotopic.net/p37290396.html I was hoping to find a circuit diagram or similar so i could understand how they worked. I hope, one day, to have a go at getting an ex King's Cross roller blind indicator working. I imagine the technology is similar. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davknigh Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Well done Mike :icon_thumbsup2: You've inspired me to get on with sorting out some signals for my own layout. Happily I have Mick's book and just need to find a location similar to my fictitious one so I can get the right signals for the job. Cheers, David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 So with both of these route indicators made and painted then time to install them on the gantry. And, to my great surprise, they fit under the handrail perfectly. .... Great stuff. Do the indicators work? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted November 27, 2009 Author Share Posted November 27, 2009 Great stuff. Do the indicators work? Sadly no. The prototypes had, I think, three indications on the one for the down slow line (nearest the left hand end of the gantry) and four indications for the down fast line. I did wonder about making these work but there's only so much time left to any of us and so many models to build so compromise was the order of the day. Many thanks for the kind comments. Regards Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted December 9, 2009 Author Share Posted December 9, 2009 So with the gantry all but complete, time now to finish the signal bridge. This thing really was quite a monster though it only had three dolls on it. Anyway, let's take a picture with them both on, just to check the look and feel of the things. The ladder on the gantry still needs its support struts and a final mucky black paint. There's another one also 'on the stocks' just to complete this trio of gantries and the bridge so once that one's in a state to photograph then I'll add that one. The support jigs are now both at a height to allow the operating wires to hang down far enough to allow connection to the memory wire motors (still to be made) which will sit under the baseboards and drive this lot. These support jigs are one offs, each designed for a specific model but they will support the signals when they are removed from the railway for transporting the whole lot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 Well after a brief spell of doing things other than modelling, it's back to the signals and to that signal bridge. Using the methods which were pioneered (at least pioneered for me) on the gantry, then every stage in the construction of the signal bridge should be easier and quicker - well that's the theory. In practice I think this model is proving much easier to build even though it is very much larger. So the balance lever arrangement for the 'slotted' home and distant is made and fitted to the doll with the operating wires made up from fuse wire and also fitted. Just needs the final components adding to the balance lever bracket and this doll can be fixed into the lattice bridge. The balance levers on this structure were aligned in two different planes - the ones on the two dolls carrying distants were aligned parallel to the decking as in the photo; the one on the doll carrying the signal for the movement from fast line to slow line was aligned perpendicular to the decking. Should make the construction of the upper landing, which spanned the three dolls, interesting. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted December 16, 2009 Author Share Posted December 16, 2009 Whenever you build anything from scratch, the advice from those who do scratchbuild is always 'find photos of the prototype; as many photos as possible, from as many vantage points and angles as possible'. I posted a photo of this structure at the start of this thread but I do have many more photos of this thing in my photo collection. This one is probably the best front on picture that I have and, for those who love em, features one of the first EE Type 3's to be allocated to Hull Dairycoates shed. This picture must be almost fifty years old and the diesel locomotive is now almost as much part of railway history as the steam locomotives which it replaced. Interesting to see just how little travel there is on the arm controlling the fast line to slow line movement; it's barely off the horizontal. Sean (Penguin of Doom) will you have/ do you have an EE Type 3 in original BR green livery that we could use to replicate this picture? Cheers Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nortonian Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 Hello Mike, The signals are looking superb. It is reminding me of the fact that I need to do something similar for my Byker Gate layout. I suspect I will be tapping you and Micknich for advice. I was at Levisham last week and took this following photo of the NER bracket. I noticed that the platform handrails appear to be standard to most signals I have photographed, including midland types. I suspect these are made up of standard screwed tube and fittings, ie, elbows, `Tee`s and baseplates. Are they a BR replacement or were they standard parts to many Pre- Nationalization companies ?. Keep up the good work. I need to go through your threads again from the beginning to remind myself how you built the main structures. Kindest Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micknich2003 Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 From what I have read elsewhere the Levisham signal is made up from very few genuine ex NE parts. Certainly the handrails are made from modern commercial fittings, they appear far too "Chunky" for the originals. These (The Originals) by the way were made from 3/4ins "Gas Barrel". I have a c1910 M&H catalogue illustrating all the component parts. Any interested parties contact me direct, they are already scanned. Mick. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted December 16, 2009 Author Share Posted December 16, 2009 Hello Mike, The signals are looking superb. It is reminding me of the fact that I need to do something similar for my Byker Gate layout. I suspect I will be tapping you and Micknich for advice. I was at Levisham last week and took this following photo of the NER bracket. I noticed that the platform handrails appear to be standard to most signals I have photographed, including midland types. I suspect these are made up of standard screwed tube and fittings, ie, elbows, `Tee`s and baseplates. Are they a BR replacement or were they standard parts to many Pre- Nationalization companies ?. Keep up the good work. I need to go through your threads again from the beginning to remind myself how you built the main structures. Kindest Ian Ian, You might like the attached picture for it was an attempt to photograph a model in this same light and from this same vantage point. So as dusk falls slow on a long, warm, spring day the Hessle Station starter stands sentinel, as it has for well over half a century. I'm happy to pass on any experience which I have gained in building these things, as I'm sure Mick will be. Additionally, Mick has one of the best archives of information on NER signalling structures and practice that there is. Cheers Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguin of doom Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 Whenever you build anything from scratch, the advice from those who do scratchbuild is always 'find photos of the prototype; as many photos as possible, from as many vantage points and angles as possible'. I posted a photo of this structure at the start of this thread but I do have many more photos of this thing in my photo collection. This one is probably the best front on picture that I have and, for those who love em, features one of the first EE Type 3's to be allocated to Hull Dairycoates shed. This picture must be almost fifty years old and the diesel locomotive is now almost as much part of railway history as the steam locomotives which it replaced. Interesting to see just how little travel there is on the arm controlling the fast line to slow line movement; it's barely off the horizontal. Sean (Penguin of Doom) will you have/ do you have an EE Type 3 in original BR green livery that we could use to replicate this picture? Cheers Mike Hi Mike. Do you want the split or centre headcode version? It won't suprise you to hear I have both. I'll have to dig them out though, as they haven't seen daylight for some time. They're Lima bodies on VI trains chassis and I'm not sure they're up to the standards of my more recent efforts. Excuses out of the way, you're welcome to use them if you wish.... He heh. That aside, the gantries are looking superb and just like the photo. Once again, you feature the cottages that I see every day whilst walking the dog. Oh for a time machine!!!! Cheers. Sean. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted December 18, 2009 Author Share Posted December 18, 2009 Sean, Many thanks for the comments. Ah a time machine, now wouldn't that be something but it would need to be 'adjustable' so that the user could select the time and period to which they returned. Anyway, in the absence of such devices, all we can do is resort to those treasured black and white photographs of the time. So here's one more from the collection, again taken at this same location but from a different angle. I don't know when this was taken but it can't be after 1963 for this thing was demolished around that time. This picture also shows some of the gasworks and the 1950's drawing office building of Richard Dunston's shipyard. All of this has now gone, though the site of the shipyard still shows some evidence of its former glory. So for all the young trainspotters of the 1950's and 60's perhaps this one's for you. How 'des res' is that house behind the signal bridge - gas works at the back and ship yard at the side and the front? Cheers Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted December 18, 2009 Author Share Posted December 18, 2009 So before I charge off finishing the two remaining dolls, let's just check that the thing 'looks right'. The drawings for this structure were all done from photographs and from using some known dimensions :- Upper quadrant arm length is 5' 3". The 'crosses' on the McKenzie and Holland lattice posts are 18". The handrail on the main decking is 3' above the landing. Even so, unless there is absolutely no parallax or foreclosing on the photographs used to establish dimensions, then it is quite easy to translate a dimension wrongly. When making these working drawings I use all sorts of relative postionings to try and fix the dimensions but it is never an exact science. So the trusty digital camera is the final arbiter; if the photo looks right then the model probably is about right. Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguin of doom Posted December 19, 2009 Share Posted December 19, 2009 Hi Mike. Sorry if this is a bit of a hijack to your thread, but I just remembered I had the model below too. I know its a DMU, but I think I'm right in saying, they might have visited Hessle on rare occasions? He heh. Cheers. Sean. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted December 21, 2009 Author Share Posted December 21, 2009 Hi Mike. Sorry if this is a bit of a hijack to your thread, but I just remembered I had the model below too. I know its a DMU, but I think I'm right in saying, they might have visited Hessle on rare occasions? He heh. Cheers. Sean. Sean, Yes I remember these things - the trans pennine units. Weren't they six car units each with a buffet car? These must have been some of the first long distance multiple units in the country; I know we didn't much like them, especially as they replaced all sorts of things on the loco hauled Hull - Manchester and Hull - Liverpool trains. I guess these are collectors items now? They certainly look very different from some of the modern units! Cheers Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguin of doom Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 Hi Mike. Yes, they were one of the much maligned DMU's but to be fair to them, they helped keep a lot of lines open, (maybe not this particular type though). I remember them at Bridlington, but by that time, they had been mixed up with the class 123's and had lost the buffet cars. This one is a full 6 car set, made from Lilliput ends, enlarged for OO gauge and the sides etc are made from Southern Pride parts. I've never actually run it, but it did used to look impressive stretched out along the Bridlingtopn South block shelf...... Happy days! Hijack over though, back to the project at hand, how are the signals coming on??? Cheers. Sean. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted December 24, 2009 Author Share Posted December 24, 2009 Sean, No need to apologise for adding your picture of the multiple unit, isn't that what this site is all about. Anyway, for anyone who has followed this or any of my threads can I take this opportunity to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year. I am hoping to get this model close to completion over the next few days, progress has been a little slow with the preparations for Christmas. So one last picture for this year with the second doll being equipped with its post cap and the arm. Just the balance mechanism to do then these two tall dolls can be linked up with the pulley wheels. At least this thing used angle cranks on its right hand end where the operating wires dropped to the formation. Cheers Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted January 4, 2010 Author Share Posted January 4, 2010 Just to complete the 'chronicles' of these signal builds, here is the basic drawing, again done from photographs, of the last of this trio of gantries and signal bridges to be built. I have just started the various assembly jigs for this one; as the various stages of building the jigs need to set for some time then this can be done while I complete the signal bridge. This was the up gantry at Hessle Haven and was located only some one hundred and seventy five yards to the east of the signal bridge. Strangely (at least to me) the four tracks, at this point were 'pinched' in from the normal 10', 6', 10' spacing thus preventing the signal gantry from standing between the up fast and up slow (independent). Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted January 6, 2010 Author Share Posted January 6, 2010 By way of a complete aside, any of you out there in cyberland who read this thread (well what else is there to do when you're all snowed up) may have noticed that some of the black and white prototype photos are not quite straight - they are at a slight angle. This was how I received them and stored them on the PC. I've been aware of the rotate feature on my photo editor for some time but, stupidly, I failed to notice that it had the ability to rotate in one degree increments as well as through a full ninety degrees (what was it we used to recommend in our IT Managing days as the last resort of systems support - RTFM; but we never take our own advice!) Anyway, those photos which were not quite straight, have been straightened - probably too far, so they now lean the other way. C'est la vie! Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted January 6, 2010 Author Share Posted January 6, 2010 So, after trueing up those black and white photos, let's use the digital camera for another check. There are various different methods and techniques for adding the arm stop - the device which prevents the arm from returning to an angle below the horizontal. I use a small piece of .3 mm wire glued into the doll and touching the top of the spindle bearing housing on the arm. This does allow a measure of adjustment, simply by bending the wire up or down, prior to its setting solid. To check that the arms rest horizontal, I use the digital camera (how did we do this before the advent of digital photography?). So this is the final configuration of the dolls, none of which are yet fixed. Now to complete the linking of the left and centre dolls. Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted January 7, 2010 Author Share Posted January 7, 2010 So now time to start assembling this thing. With dolls 90 mm and 80 mm high, then any sort of deviation from the vertical and from the parallel will stand out like the proverbial sore thumb. With that in mind then the two dolls 6' 6" apart are the first to be fitted into the bridge; this after all of the necessary linkages have been fitted to the balance levers. I fitted the shorter of these two dolls first, using liquid poly, which gave me about ten minutes to adjust this doll to ensure it is truly vertical in two planes. Once the liquid poly is set and the thing is vertical, then a liberal application of superglue to fix the doll to the lattice girder. After this, the second and taller of these two dolls is then fixed, using exactly the same technique. A final check with the digital camera to ensure that all is vertical and square and then we can move on to the last and shortest of these three dolls. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iak Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Hmmmm... Tasty. The working of these will be interesting to see with this memory wire. Something I've still not got my head around... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted January 7, 2010 Author Share Posted January 7, 2010 Hmmmm... Tasty. The working of these will be interesting to see with this memory wire. Something I've still not got my head around... And me too. I've still got to do the experiments with this stuff to make the motors, though much of this has already been done by my old mate Mick Nich who it was who first brought this stuff to my attention. Cheers Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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