Jon Fitness Posted July 27, 2016 Author Share Posted July 27, 2016 (edited) Modern colour lights?? 1930's GW vintage don't you know!!! Oh, those are alright; at least the structures are of a traditional type. It's the stuff from the 1960's onward that leaves me cold. I think I was scarred by Preston PSB.! I was just getting into signalboxes and semaphores as a 10 year old and was taken by train to visit my sister in Lancaster for the first time . This would have been early 1972 or thereabouts. Well, I'd never travelled by train between Bolton and Lancaster before as previously my Dad had always taken us by car. The absolute forest of semaphores throughout the journey left me totally bewildered and I just didn't know which window to look out of next, trying to spot all the signalboxes. Preston's gantries had me almost fizzing with excitement and I was probably quite an embarrassment to my mother by the time we got to Lancaster. The return journey was just as enjoyable, spotting things I'd missed on the way there. There was quite a gap before the next visit, by which time things had changed somewhat...Where were all the signals? What were all these weird gantry things with wires hanging from them...? Where the hell were all the gantries and signalboxes at Preston? I'd seen it all just twice and then it was all gone. I didn't even own a camera at that age. I was honestly quite upset at the time which seems a bit daft now I look back on it but can you imagine for instance spending one day at Euston or Lime Street watching Duchess and Princess pacifics then the next time you visit it's all electric locos? Ever since then, whenever a semaphore signal or a lovely old box disappeared, it's place seemed to be taken by one of those hateful colour light things Ooh I need a sit down and a cuppa now! JF Edited August 7, 2016 by Jon Fitness Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted August 5, 2016 Author Share Posted August 5, 2016 Mini update....structure complete and the main paint on. All sprayed, no brushes were harmed in the application of paint. All ready for the main head to be fitted and the route indicator screen to be tried in place. As with the gantry, only one indication will be available (a cheat I know but it'll look ok honest!). A little tidying up then final wiring to a little circuit board will be done. JF 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fay Posted August 5, 2016 Share Posted August 5, 2016 Looks fantastic Jon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted August 6, 2016 Share Posted August 6, 2016 Sorry Jon, had to show you the as good as finished article. This is the just about finished signal for the DCC Demo set up that will be used at exhibitions. It will sit next to a combination of rolling road and track arrangement. The idea being to show what DCC can do and what is involved in wiring it up using available off the shelve items. Hence why the servo is in view rather than under the signal. The light does work but I will connect it via the track feed to minimise the amount of power supplies that will be needed for the set up. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted August 6, 2016 Author Share Posted August 6, 2016 No need to apologize mate, that looks great. DCC is not something I've looked at for operating signals. Is the servo driven from the DCC or is it a servo driver being triggered by a dcc function ? Probably way away from my skill set but Interesting all the same. Cheers JF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted August 6, 2016 Share Posted August 6, 2016 Hi Jon. It's been fun doing this as in some ways it's a bodge job as it started out as a proof bit of work then dug out of the scrap box to use as an exhibition item so it's involved a few techniques that you would not usually use. Anyway. The servo is driven via a DCC ESU Switch Pilot Servo which can be triggered in a few ways. Using a DCC address or in my case one of three options in use at the time. Manual via the DCC Concepts nice levers which I have made up a lever frame from, see my thread about my layout, or by touching the signal symbol on my ESU ECoS or via my PC and RR&Co. It's actually quite simple really. It just sounds a bit complex. If I get chance tomorrow I will do another video showing all the operating options. And another thing, a paint brush was used in this case but no harm came to it. Not a spray can in sight. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Freeman Posted August 7, 2016 Share Posted August 7, 2016 Hi, Any of the servo control boards can be driven indirectly by DCC. Megapoints, GF Controls and MERG can be driven by a suitable accessory decoder operating a suitable relay (MERG board doesn't absolutely need the relay, it's just easier). For relay you might be able to substitute a suitable electronic component(s) if you really wanted to. Megapoints - think you might be able to interface another way as well but never looked at that part of the gizmo. So, in short, you can have simulated bounce with DCC as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted August 7, 2016 Share Posted August 7, 2016 Morning Jon, Here is another video cluttering up your superb thread about signal building but this is about using DCC to control signals. I hope it is of interest to you and I promise I will try to leave this thread alone from now on. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted August 7, 2016 Author Share Posted August 7, 2016 All positive/constructive contributions welcomed! JF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted August 7, 2016 Share Posted August 7, 2016 Thanks Jon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted August 7, 2016 Author Share Posted August 7, 2016 Nearly there with the final colour light. Just a few splodges of paint to touch in where the masking tape pulled a bit of paint off. The head fitted.. A rather scrappy bit of wiring and plug arrangement incorporating the resistors. The main head and the route box are straight LEDs but the little shunt head has a red/green bicolour LED. So, 9volts applied to various terminals... The route box is actually showing this More soon when I can set up a test rig for all the c/l signals JF 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted August 7, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 7, 2016 Is that post painted white or aluminium Jon? It looks very pale in those 'illuminations' pics. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted August 8, 2016 Author Share Posted August 8, 2016 It's most definitely silver Mike! It's just the colour balance struggling a bit in the workshop. I sprayed the whole thing with Halfords grey primer then finished it with Halfords aluminum paint. I'll phot it again in the sunshine later as it looks more natural outside. JF 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Cousins Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 Hi Jon, Good to meet you the other day at the Bluebell, many thanks for posting the spare signal arm, which arrived safely and very quickly, I seem to have lost your email from my address book so hope that you pick this message up. Cheers, Matthew Cousins. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted September 24, 2016 Author Share Posted September 24, 2016 (edited) Just finished another GWR tubular bracket signal. It is almost a mirror image of one I did a few years ago! I think I've got painting distant signal arms sorted at last. Spray the whole front face matt black, stick a chevron shaped mask on and spray with railmatch warning panel yellow. Totally given up on finding a suitable Halfords rattle can for the right shade CheersJF Edited September 24, 2016 by Jon Fitness 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper John Posted September 25, 2016 Share Posted September 25, 2016 Just another average build then Jon, NOT. Cracking stuff as always. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted September 25, 2016 Author Share Posted September 25, 2016 Just another average build then Jon, NOT. Cracking stuff as always.Thanks John :-!Haha! I know I know ! If I've already done one just like it already I don't want to go through photographing the process again. It can sometimes feel like I'm squeezing another one out of the toothpaste tube. Don't want things to become too boring for everyone! Cheers JF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fay Posted September 25, 2016 Share Posted September 25, 2016 Fantastic Jon, there is something very satisfying about a GW bracket signal Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted September 25, 2016 Author Share Posted September 25, 2016 Fantastic Jon, there is something very satisfying about a GW bracket signal I must confess to a sneaky respect for the products of Reading Signal Works. Well designed and engineered, very buildable in model form too. just wish there was a better selection of etches and castings for the various brackets, arms and fittings. Come to think of it, I wish there was a better choice of the above for all signals!! JF 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted September 25, 2016 Share Posted September 25, 2016 Well, speak to Pete Stevenson... I'm sure he could fit a few more in the catalog!!! Best Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted September 25, 2016 Author Share Posted September 25, 2016 Well, speak to Pete Stevenson... I'm sure he could fit a few more in the catalog!!! Best Simon I have, on numerous occasions! I'm always making suggestions about additions and modifications to both Pete at SSS and Andrew at MSE but things seem only to happen at their speed! I'm sure they're busy enough without my "input" Maybe one day, once I retire from the day job, I'll find someone patient enough to teach me CAD so I can make up some etch artwork and I'll become self sufficient I've loads of ideas rumbling round inside the echo chamber that is my head, but getting someone else to translate them into what I need would probably take time/money/ability I don't presently have! Roll on retirement JF 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 So many locos... So little time!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted September 26, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 26, 2016 Just finished another GWR tubular bracket signal. It is almost a mirror image of one I did a few years ago! I think I've got painting distant signal arms sorted at last. Spray the whole front face matt black, stick a chevron shaped mask on and spray with railmatch warning panel yellow. Totally given up on finding a suitable Halfords rattle can for the right shade IMG_4519 (960x1280).jpg IMG_4520 (960x1280).jpg IMG_4521 (960x1280).jpg IMG_4522 (960x1280).jpg IMG_4524 (960x1280).jpg IMG_4525 (960x1280).jpg IMG_4526 (960x1280).jpg Cheers JF Jon, Have you tried Halford's Ford signal yellow? I don't know what it's like nowadays or if the shade has changed but I used some years ago for a ground disc (12":1ft scale) and nobody could tell the difference from Reading's original colour. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted September 26, 2016 Author Share Posted September 26, 2016 Just finished another couple of LMS ground signals. Fitted with SMD LEDs, servo powered and again, on test with the Megapoints board. Not sure that ground signals bounce in real life but this one sure does! A couple of GWR straight post tubies to do then I think it's time for Talyllyn Jc's signals... JF 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted September 26, 2016 Author Share Posted September 26, 2016 So many locos.signals.. So little time!!! There, that's better! JF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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