Virney Junction - Scenery ongoing

[Ray H]

David

 

This is the second frame I've built using the same kits - the other only had 15 levers! Consequently I had previous experience of making the levers.

 

I had the recommended two pins in a block of wood and lightly tacked the three layers together. I then used a small bulldog clip (or several) to keep the pressure on so to speak whilst I made the joint more positive. I did find the pins kept freeing themselves from the wooden block as I went to lift the assembly so that made the clamping a lot easier.

 

Previously I'd tried to make the permanent join with the lever still in position on the block. I applied some pressure with a blunt instrument to hold them compressed but the more recent method gave a lot better result.

 

The most difficult part was the drop box where come what may it always seemed to resemble a rhombus rather than a rectangle when assembled.

 

I also super glued the handles to the levers this time. 19 of them are securely bonded, I was not so lucky with No. 20 (and it is No. 20 in the frame as well). The glue hadn't held the lever firmly so I needed to remove and reset it. Unfortunately I also managed to remove the "pin" at the top of the etch so I had to drill out the remains of the pin from the handle, drill down from the top of the lever as well and then insert (and secure) a short length of brass rod into the handle and then glue that assembly onto the lever.

 

I had had some previous experience of doing this because I accidentally damaged the three end levers on the previous frame some while back and had to repair them in a similar manner.

[Pannier Tank]

Ray,

 

Thank for your comprehensive reply; it has given me some encouragement to have a go at making my own Lever Frame. I like the method of the initial "Tack" Soldering and then clamping it all together to finish off the Soldering.

 

I wonder what Solder and Flux you used?

 

 I do have a 3 Spare Levers on which I can practice.

[Oldddudders]

Am I being totally churlish to mention distant signals? I accept most of us model a compressed station, and so the distant may be beyond the scenic break - but shouldn't there be a couple of yellow levers in that frame, typically at the outer ends? Or have I missed something?

[Ray H]

Good point (or even [distant] signal!).

 

I've made the perhaps rash assumption that the distant signals are both fixed, so no levers are required - at least that's my story and I'm sticking to it. As it is No. 1 signal is outside the scenic area but I've still included a lever for it.

Edited July 6, 2019 by Ray H
grammar

[Oldddudders]

1 hour ago, Ray H said:

Good point (or even [distant] signal!).

 

I've made the perhaps rash assumption that the distant signals are both fixed, so no levers are required - at least that's my story and I'm sticking to it. As it is No. 1 signal is outside the scenic area but I've still included a lever for it.

As good a story as any! I think when I saw your tall signals with lower repeaters I imagined a route where giving trains a run mattered, and fixed distants don't imply that. But someone will quote a location where just that existed, I'm sure. 

[Ray H]

The frame's lower number home signals were originally going to be just one signal on a tall post with a repeater arm beneath it because of its poor sighting but I chickened out and have the outer home one side of the bridge (and far enough back to allow a train to approach it whilst there are movements at the other end of the station. That's what is now lever 1 - which won't do anything on the layout. Lever 2 is at the toe of the points at the end of the platform and will be on a shorter than average post (if I remember when I build it) to provide sighting under the bridge as a train approaches.

 

At the moment I'm having fun trying to wire up the frame so that I have some route selection. I'm using MERG's CBUS and have a limited amount of space to fit everything as all the electrical connections are along the front edge of the layout rather than underneath it. The inconvenience of this is secondary to benefit of never having to lift the baseboards.

[Ray H]

You wait more than a month for an image then two show up together!

 

 

This picture is looking from the bay platform. There's a private siding to the left of the signal box with the main line (and DMU) to the right of the box. The loco is on the yard headshunt and the van on the right is in the yard. The disc signal facing controls exit from the loop out onto the main and the exit signal and associated trap point from the private siding are also just visible adjacent to the signal box.

 

The signal head that is just visible over the box roof is a temporary marker for the home signal at this end of the station. The station starters are current vying for a place with the water column.

 

 

And here's the station's lever frame with the station behind it. The relays to the right of the frame provide some selective signalling so that one lever can control any one of several signal arms depending on which way the relevant points are set. This also prevents two signal arms on the same signal showing a clear/proceed indication at the same time and stops the wrong arm being cleared for the route which the points are set for.

 

The label below the frame is a reminder to me of where the MERG kit is that the frame is linked to - all the MERG boards are mounted vertically on the front edge of the baseboard frame (as are all the point servos) and are protected by the plywood fascia, several of which are 4ft long. Hence the need for the reminder of the MERG kit's locations.

 

There's currently just 3 signals left to build, each of which will have at least two arms. Don't be surprised if there's another long interval before their pictures appear. 

[Andrew P]

1 hour ago, Ray H said:

You wait more than a month for an image then two show up together!

 

 

This picture is looking from the bay platform. There's a private siding to the left of the signal box with the main line (and DMU) to the right of the box. The loco is on the yard headshunt and the van on the right is in the yard. The disc signal facing controls exit from the loop out onto the main and the exit signal and associated trap point from the private siding are also just visible adjacent to the signal box.

 

The signal head that is just visible over the box roof is a temporary marker for the home signal at this end of the station. The station starters are current vying for a place with the water column.

 

 

And here's the station's lever frame with the station behind it. The relays to the right of the frame provide some selective signalling so that one lever can control any one of several signal arms depending on which way the relevant points are set. This also prevents two signal arms on the same signal showing a clear/proceed indication at the same time and stops the wrong arm being cleared for the route which the points are set for.

 

The label below the frame is a reminder to me of where the MERG kit is that the frame is linked to - all the MERG boards are mounted vertically on the front edge of the baseboard frame (as are all the point servos) and are protected by the plywood fascia, several of which are 4ft long. Hence the need for the reminder of the MERG kit's locations.

 

There's currently just 3 signals left to build, each of which will have at least two arms. Don't be surprised if there's another long interval before their pictures appear. 

Good progress Ray, always nice to see pics of the work done and doing.

[Ray H]

There'l be a bit of a delay in finishing the signals after I went for a little trip yesterday - the alternative caption could be "And I did go to Specsavers" which is true.

 

 

The result is bruises all over the place - Xrays in A&E yesterday failed to reveal any breakages - I already knew that the less than a month old glasses were broken (beyond repair). The replacement pair will take a fortnight to arrive but at least they'll be half price.

 

The bruising around my left eye isn't so severe but my right shoulder and both wrists hurt quite a bit. As someone said to me yesterday "You need to take more water with it"

[Andrew P]

1 hour ago, Ray H said:

There'l be a bit of a delay in finishing the signals after I went for a little trip yesterday - the alternative caption could be "And I did go to Specsavers" which is true.

 

 

The result is bruises all over the place - Xrays in A&E yesterday failed to reveal any breakages - I already knew that the less than a month old glasses were broken (beyond repair). The replacement pair will take a fortnight to arrive but at least they'll be half price.

 

The bruising around my left eye isn't so severe but my right shoulder and both wrists hurt quite a bit. As someone said to me yesterday "You need to take more water with it"

Wow Ray, I don't know about water, I should carry a cushion around with you ready for another fall mate.

[Ray H]

I don't think I'll use that picture for my avatar!

[Ray H]

I've finally managed to crack on with the up home signal.

 

 

A perhaps slightly unorthodox arrangement but this would be the view through the bridge arch as the driver approaches the signal/station hence the sighting board and the low level arm. There is an outer home signal on the far side of the bridge so the driver doesn't suddenly come upon this signal on a falling gradient.

 

Once I've remembered how to persuade (MERG's) CBUS to recognise the signal - one lever to operate either arm depending on the setting of the point just beyond the signal - I shall be able to press on with the next signal(s).

 

Talking of which . . . .

 

 

This is an overhead view of the other end of the station. The loco has run round its train and coupled to it at the foot of the platform ramp. The coaches are berthed in their normal position which enables the platform to safely accommodate a four coach train - we'll forget the fact that the trains are normally only comprised of three coaches!

 

Anyway I was intending to put both platform starting signals on a bracket at the lower end of the platform ramp then I realised that that would position the bay starting signal on the wrong side of the toe of the points. So then I thought the bracket could go at the top of the ramp but no . . .  This would put the loco of a train in the main platform over a loco's length beyond the signal. So . . . 

 

Each platform will now have their own signal on a separate post, the main platform one probably in line with the loco cab. This is all part of a devious plot to avoid something I wasn't relishing because beside the two starting signals there is a shunt signal to control access from the bay platform (on the right in the picture) to a siding. I was struggling to work out how to do that as it requires three servos roughly at the foot of the bracket signal. Now I can have the main signal alone with its servo and the other two signals side by side albeit that one servo may be mounted below the other.

[Ray H]

I finally managed to get the two up home signal arms to respond to their relevant lever although I can't swear that I won't have a similar problem the next time I have to do likewise.

 

Efforts will now concentrate on building what has now become the two platform up starting signals if I can keep my mind away from my latest idea for an O gauge track plan!

[Ray H]

Having lain mainly unused since pre-Covid whilst I dabbled in other things including my O gauge puzzle plank, I've decided to part company with this OO layout and all the stock. Its place will hopefully be taken by an O gauge layout in a new thread.

 

The layout has a new home and the stock is to be sold. There are around 130 items to go which includes 80 vans & wagons (fitted with Kadee couplings), 19 passenger vehicles including bogie parcels vans and 31 locos/multiple units/railbus all dcc fitted with 15 sound fitted using either Zimo or ESU decoders.

 

The freight stock has Kadee couplings fitted whilst everything else except the railbus has tension locks fitted. There's also a selection of both OO Kadee and tension lock couplings

 

That's a lot of trips to the post office