Mid-Cornwall Lines - 1950s Western Region in 00

[St Enodoc]

For various reasons, it's been a quiet week as far as model railways are concerned. However, today I decided to fit some of the signal power modules to the layout so that when their signals get built they can be wired in straight away. I tested the modules first and it's just as well that I did - on one the little capacitor blew up. I've a feeling I might have touched the wrong terminals with 9V from a battery but whatever the cause I obviously can't fit that one until I fix it. I did fit the other four, for the rest of the six signals at Porthmellyn Road Down end.

 

You will recall that, back in April, when I fitted the Porthmellyn Road signal box lever leads and nameplate they didn't turn out as well as I had hoped. I printed out some replacements but had been mulling over how to improve the look. Today I got stuck in, literally, and applied each label to some 40 thou styrene. I cut the lever leads in two so that the top and front parts are separate.

 

After I peeled the old labels off and cleaned up the varnished plywood, I added the replacement labels. I decided to move the nameplate back to its original, temporary, position, as I'd decided it didn't look right at the top, where it was half-obscured by the levers themselves. It also made the levers harder to pick out. Although you can't see it from this front-on photo, the thickness of the styrene gives a good simulation of a proper nameplate, even though the letters have no relief.

 

Next, I think I'll start a couple more signals - the Down Main Home (2/17) and probably the Down Main Inner Home (3/7).

Edited July 17, 2023 by St Enodoc
images restored

[Barry O]

Please move the Shack box.......

 

Good work though.

 

Baz

[St Enodoc]

7 minutes ago, Barry O said:

Please move the Shack box.......

 

Good work though.

 

Baz

You can go off people you know...

 

Anyway, I removed the dead capacitor, checked the circuit and fitted a new one. The output voltage was the same as the input voltage (which it should be) and the smoke stayed in this time, so I tried it with an actuator. All good, so I can fit that module tomorrow. I'll need to make up some more current regulators before I can fit any more modules, which means cutting some veroboard to size, which means getting a new razor saw blade, which are out-of-stock at my local model shop...

[St Enodoc]

20 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

You can go off people you know...

 

Anyway, I removed the dead capacitor, checked the circuit and fitted a new one. The output voltage was the same as the input voltage (which it should be) and the smoke stayed in this time, so I tried it with an actuator. All good, so I can fit that module tomorrow. I'll need to make up some more current regulators before I can fit any more modules, which means cutting some veroboard to size, which means getting a new razor saw blade, which are out-of-stock at my local model shop...

It's funny, isn't it, how sometimes it takes ages to notice things even when they're staring you in the face.

 

I fitted the repaired signal power module today, then just had a mooch around tidying a few things up, thinking about how to build the baseboards for the branch and bemoaning the fact that today should have seen a running session had it not been cancelled due to CoVID-19 (the fourth such this year so far...). As I was doing so, I noticed the St Enodoc station boards crated up on the floor - with six signal current regulators still attached to them. Well, it will be a while until St Enodoc gets modified, and the signals there reinstated, meaning that in the meantime those regulators will be neither use nor ornament. So, off they came and they are now indoors, ready to be fitted to six of the remaining seven power module bases.

 

Consequently, although I got the parts out for 2/17 and 3/7 signals last night, I think I'll build those six power modules first so that the next few batches of signals will work as soon as they're fitted to the layout. By the time all that's done, the shop might have some razor saw blades in stock again.

[St Enodoc]

On 05/09/2020 at 21:15, St Enodoc said:

I haven't found any clear photos of square post fixed distants below a stop arm either.

Found one in a book I'd forgotten I had! "Glory Days: Western Signalman" by Adrian Vaughan (Ian Allan, 2000). On page 31 is a super colour photo, taken by Peter W Gray on 22/8/59, of Exeter West Up Main starting signals. Five dolls on two posts, all wooden, and the three rightmost dolls all have distant arms for Exeter Middle box below the stop arms. The third and fifth from the left have fixed distants as they lead to the Up Relief and Up Middle Platform 4 respectively, while the fourth from the left is for the Up Main Platform 5 and has a worked distant (these three dolls also have calling-on arms below the distants).

 

I can't show it here for copyright reasons but it shows the fixed distant arms covering about half the width of the post, so I don't think I'm too far out, thank goodness!

 

There are photos of a few other places in the book, including some taken from behind, but that is by far the best.

[5BarVT]

I may have a slide of that signal, but it’s buried deep and not scanned yet even if I do.

You sent me scurrying to my Signalling books and there is also a photo in GWR Signalling by Adrian Vaughan, and on of the bracket signal at Carmarthen and both show clearly some post visible.  The official drawing possibly disagrees, but I suspect is to show the vertical dimension not the alignment.  I’ve learned something!  Glad you don’t have to change anything.

Paul.

[Clive Mortimore]

Yo Sainty

 

Excuse my ignorance but I am clueless what you are going on about.

 

Please don't try and explain it my tolerance for learning new things is limited.

[Stubby47]

2 minutes ago, Clive Mortimore said:

Yo Sainty

 

Excuse my ignorance but I am clueless what you are going on about.

 

Please don't try and explain it my tolerance for learning new things is limited.

 

It's like a DMU, but electronic and using signals instead of cutting up coaches. 

[Clive Mortimore]

3 minutes ago, Stubby47 said:

 

It's like a DMU, but electronic and using signals instead of cutting up coaches. 

Ah! That simple. Thank you Stu.

[5BarVT]

2 hours ago, Clive Mortimore said:

Excuse my ignorance but I am clueless what you are going on about.

If it involves me it’s almost certainly to do with Signalling!

Paul.

[St Enodoc]

6 hours ago, Clive Mortimore said:

Yo Sainty

 

Excuse my ignorance but I am clueless what you are going on about.

 

Please don't try and explain it my tolerance for learning new things is limited.

Signals - sticks with coloured bits wot go up and down (or, in this specific case, don't).

Edited September 19, 2020 by St Enodoc

[St Enodoc]

8 hours ago, 5BarVT said:

I may have a slide of that signal, but it’s buried deep and not scanned yet even if I do.

You sent me scurrying to my Signalling books and there is also a photo in GWR Signalling by Adrian Vaughan, and on of the bracket signal at Carmarthen and both show clearly some post visible.  The official drawing possibly disagrees, but I suspect is to show the vertical dimension not the alignment.  I’ve learned something!  Glad you don’t have to change anything.

Paul.

So there are! One at Tondu Ogmore too. As I said yesterday, sometimes some things are hidden in plain sight. Thanks.

Edited September 20, 2020 by St Enodoc

[St Enodoc]

10 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Exeter West Up Main starting signals.

Question for Paul @5BarVT and Mike @The Stationmaster:

 

As these signals were in rear of the box, should they be described as starting signals or home signals (even though they are definitely the section signals to Exeter Middle)?

[Barry O]

Some "T" s and "D"s in the post with some muff couplings..

 

Baz

[St Enodoc]

57 minutes ago, Barry O said:

Some "T" s and "D"s in the post with some muff couplings..

 

Baz

You are a gentleman and a scholar. Thanks!

[St Enodoc]

More under-baseboard fun today, fitting and connecting the rest of the signal power modules that I've made so far.

 

These three are between the lifting flap and the viaduct...

 

...and these six are at Porthmellyn Road Up end (one, for 30 signal, was there already of course).

 

As it turns out, these provide quite convenient groupings for batching the signal construction. Building PM 2/17 and 3/7 will use up four of the seven new modules, which I will follow with three discs - 10/11/21. After that, I'll turn my attention to the Down end, starting with the banner repeater for 6 signal, the Down Main Advanced Starter. That will be definitely be built as a batch of one.

 

Finally for today, I hope this will shut @Barry O up for a while although I suppose he'll start banging on about wanting to see more of the Big Big Train now..

Edited July 17, 2023 by St Enodoc
images restored

[Barry O]

Has it flown off on its own???

When does the Big Big Train layout start to be built?

Baz

[St Enodoc]

Just now, Barry O said:

Has it flown off on its own???

When does the Big Big Train layout start to be built?

Baz

Told yerz...

 

No it hasn't. It got so fed up with being pestered every time it showed its face that it's gone off to sulk in a corner.

 

The Big Big Train will come out next time we have visitors who will appreciate it - but you'll have to behave until then...

[Stubby47]

I'm more intrigued by the size of the box marked 'Duplicate Magazines'  - why would one buy that many repeats?

[St Enodoc]

10 minutes ago, Stubby47 said:

I'm more intrigued by the size of the box marked 'Duplicate Magazines'  - why would one buy that many repeats?

Ah, thereby hangs a tale.

 

When I was building up my complete set of Railway Modeller, Model Railway Constructor and Model Railway News (and its successors), some of my purchases were bound volumes, unbound but complete year sets or random job lots. As a result, I ended up with a large number of duplicates (that's not the only box...).

 

One fine day I'll sort them all out and think about finding them new homes.

Edited September 20, 2020 by St Enodoc

[Stubby47]

You could use them as papier mache scenery.

[5BarVT]

7 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Question for Paul @5BarVT and Mike @The Stationmaster:

 

As these signals were in rear of the box, should they be described as starting signals or home signals (even though they are definitely the section signals to Exeter Middle)?

I don’t (didn’t) know.  The answer is also in plain sight!  A full set of lever leads for the 1959 frame are available on the SRS website.  From the west: Up Home, Up Intermediate Home, Up Inner Homes (the bracket in question).

Second learning point in as many days, thank you!

Paul.

[St Enodoc]

2 hours ago, 5BarVT said:

I don’t (didn’t) know.  The answer is also in plain sight!  A full set of lever leads for the 1959 frame are available on the SRS website.  From the west: Up Home, Up Intermediate Home, Up Inner Homes (the bracket in question).

Second learning point in as many days, thank you!

Paul.

Thanks Paul. We must all be going ga-ga with the way of the world at the moment. I could have checked that myself but didn't. Furthermore, when I did check, after reading your post, I found that the SRS CD I bought for the high-resolution Cornish signal box diagrams includes Exeter District as well as Plymouth. Doh!

 

Anyway, you've confirmed what I thought, having been lectured sternly by Mike on this a few years ago, and the caption in the book is incorrect.

Edited September 20, 2020 by St Enodoc

[St Enodoc]

There are two ways to mount the actuators for a junction signal. In each case, the Ratio signal base plate needs to be stuck to a larger piece of styrene to attach the actuator mounting tubes. The extended base has a hole cut in it to correspond with the slot in the Ratio base plate:

 

Fore-and-aft (left) is my preference as it takes up less space laterally. However, if you need another co-located signal, such as a disc at the foot of the post, then side-by-side (right) is better, as you can mount the third signal (on a separate base) close in front. Not entirely prototypical but, as I've said before, I haven't managed to mount three actuators on one post successfully, so I'm prepared to accept the inaccuracy.

 

Once the tubes are glued in place, the base can be trimmed back to minimise its size.

 

From here, the job follows more-or-less the same process as for the single-post single-arm signals, except that the operating wires come down the outside of the tubes, not the inside.

Edited July 17, 2023 by St Enodoc
images restored

[St Enodoc]

Rather than doing more actual work on the signals, I spent some time tonight drawing up a spreadsheet showing how many signals of what types I will need for each of the three signal box areas on the complete layout. This will help me keep track of progress. I did something similar for points which was extremely useful.

 

The grand total is 65 individual signal structures, which between them will carry some 86 arms. It sounds a lot, and I suppose that it is, but it was nice to realise that almost one-third of those are already built - the 6 built for Porthmellyn Road so far and a further 15 for St Enodoc that I recovered from the old layout. A small subset of the total won't need to work anyway, as they are models of fixed distants of one sort or another (plus two discs, leading to and from the camping coach siding at St Enodoc, which will be static dummies), so that means commensurately fewer actuators and power modules to make.