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Scratch-built N gauge colour light signals


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This is something that I have been working on (and off) for several years.

 

The raw ingredients are 2mm diameter 'lighthouse' LEDs that are readily available and cheap (12p each), enamelled copper wire and 1/16 inch brass tube. I also had some CR signals 2m ladders and safety cages.

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Step 1 is to file the cylindrical protrusion of the LED to recreate the shape of the hood. This pic shows before and after

 

Next tie a loop around the anode leg of the LED (the long one) with the enamelled wire, as close to the base as you can, and solder it. The solder seems to break down the enamel at the point where it is contact with the leg whilst retaining insulation along the rest of the wire.

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I have made a jig that can hold 3 LEDs in place so that I can bend, trim and solder the cathode legs to each other.

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Solder the ladder/safety cage to the brass tube. The enamelled wires can then be threaded through the brass tube and I solder the cathode to the tube. Spray the whole lot grey and then paint the front of the LED stack matt black. Before the paint dries, I add a laser cut piece of thin black card as the back-plate of the signal.

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Ubiquitous comparison-with-a-5p-coin pic

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By filing away what is normally the "lens" of the LED, it does make the illumination a little less overpowering, and therefore a bit more convincing.

 

One thing that many of the cheap LEDs have in common - and the lighthouse type, being quite an old design, is no exception - is that the "green" has a little too much yellow in it, whereas the real thing tends more towards blue.

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