Jon Fitness Posted October 10, 2022 Author Share Posted October 10, 2022 On 08/10/2022 at 10:30, Stephen Freeman said: Probably the best 7mm scale UQ arms to date. A couple of interesting observations, One of our sons music teachers has a full sized one I was looking at the other day. The red seemed to be the same shade overall but the part usual seen as black had been painted white, I couldn't see the back of the arm so don't have details for that, the operating arm is missing. The other thing is the spectacle retaining rubber (I am assuming that is the material) wasn't red just unpainted black. Of course there were/are lots of variations, just nice to see that detail appearing fo the first time. I'll see I can talk to her next time and get a photo. Thankyou Stephen!. Yes, the rubbers should be black but the weathering process wiped the black off I think. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted November 2, 2022 Author Share Posted November 2, 2022 More Great Westernry or at least BR Westernry has trundled slowly off the bench in the last few weeks. As a match for the previous stop and distant signal, here's the banner repeater on the approach to it... It has 3d printed heads, done for me by Nikki Wilkes and they are of the internally lit variety. Thankfully they didn't actually need lighting this time! This shows the heads with brass tubes for bearings. Normally I would run the drive wires straight up inside but the design of this particular signal meant another method had to be found... The rear access caps were used as a sort of hidden link method. Not entirely convincing but the only workable solution I could think of.. More very soon! JF 6 7 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted November 2, 2022 Author Share Posted November 2, 2022 Using some of my new etches, this is one based on a signal that used to be at Tolcarne Junction.. It uses my own etched fold up post and is LED lit and servo operated... More soon JF 7 5 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted November 2, 2022 Author Share Posted November 2, 2022 (edited) This beasty uses a signal from High Wycombe as its inspiration. All my own etches again with the usual Modelu finials and lampcases. It is servo operated but unlit. An altered large bracket etch Dolls and brackets added The finished article... The planks are laser cut from 0.9mm ply and stained with an enamel wash. The servo stack needed a proper fixing instead of my usual sticky pad method.. More soon JF Edited November 2, 2022 by Jon Fitness Replace missing pix. 5 8 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted November 3, 2022 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 3, 2022 6 hours ago, Jon Fitness said: More Great Westernry or at least BR Westernry has trundled slowly off the bench in the last few weeks. As a match for the previous stop and distant signal, here's the banner repeater on the approach to it... It has 3d printed heads, done for me by Nikki Wilkes and they are of the internally lit variety. Thankfully they didn't actually need lighting this time! This shows the heads with brass tubes for bearings. Normally I would run the drive wires straight up inside but the design of this particular signal meant another method had to be found... The rear access caps were used as a sort of hidden link method. Not entirely convincing but the only workable solution I could think of.. More very soon! JF What did you glaze them with Jon? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted November 3, 2022 Share Posted November 3, 2022 Jon, please could you show us a pic of the underside of the stage? I’m interested in how the steelwork supports the woodwork, and the handrail stanchions! (im a finalist in this week’s “spot the anorak” competition!) atb S 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted November 3, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 3, 2022 15 hours ago, Jon Fitness said: More Great Westernry or at least BR Westernry has trundled slowly off the bench in the last few weeks. As a match for the previous stop and distant signal, here's the banner repeater on the approach to it... It has 3d printed heads, done for me by Nikki Wilkes and they are of the internally lit variety. Thankfully they didn't actually need lighting this time! This shows the heads with brass tubes for bearings. Normally I would run the drive wires straight up inside but the design of this particular signal meant another method had to be found... The rear access caps were used as a sort of hidden link method. Not entirely convincing but the only workable solution I could think of.. More very soon! JF Brilliant job but (I apologise profusely for introducing a 'but') where's the finial guv?😮 Looks like it's been got at by some 'ell of a mess S&T folk who had a dislike for, and jealously of, (G)WR style when it comes to modern semaphore signals😇 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnH Posted November 3, 2022 Share Posted November 3, 2022 Absolutely brilliant work Jon - superb! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted November 3, 2022 Author Share Posted November 3, 2022 17 hours ago, St Enodoc said: What did you glaze them with Jon? I purchased two A4 sheets of coloured filter gels, (I think that's what they're called!) and had a load of spectacles laser cut to the appropriate shapes. These latest centre pivoted arms will need some new shapes done though; I had to hand cut these! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted November 3, 2022 Author Share Posted November 3, 2022 8 hours ago, The Stationmaster said: Brilliant job but (I apologise profusely for introducing a 'but') where's the finial guv?😮 Looks like it's been got at by some 'ell of a mess S&T folk who had a dislike for, and jealously of, (G)WR style when it comes to modern semaphore signals😇 Ah, this one is based loosely on one at Stratford-on Avon which didn't have one... 5 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted November 3, 2022 Author Share Posted November 3, 2022 12 hours ago, Simond said: Jon, please could you show us a pic of the underside of the stage? I’m interested in how the steelwork supports the woodwork, and the handrail stanchions! (im a finalist in this week’s “spot the anorak” competition!) atb S Probably not prototypical but this is how I do it. The supports are bars I've had etched with a 0.6mm hole in each end for the stanchions, one of those little bits to make life easier during construction. Lost count of the number I've hand made over the years and got them almost the same length with holes almost in the right places😒 Cheers JF 9 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted November 3, 2022 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 3, 2022 1 hour ago, Jon Fitness said: I purchased two A4 sheets of coloured filter gels, (I think that's what they're called!) and had a load of spectacles laser cut to the appropriate shapes. These latest centre pivoted arms will need some new shapes done though; I had to hand cut these! Sorry, Jon, I meant the banner repeaters! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted November 3, 2022 Author Share Posted November 3, 2022 22 minutes ago, St Enodoc said: Sorry, Jon, I meant the banner repeaters! Ah, I use a large leather punch for those! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Freeman Posted November 4, 2022 Share Posted November 4, 2022 12 hours ago, Jon Fitness said: Ah, I use a large leather punch for those! I bought a set of 5 (I think) of varying sizes, the smallest being just right for 4mm scale round ones. For 7mm round spectacles a standard hole punch generally works. In 4mm and smaller I sometimes use canopy glue to create the glass and colour in with Tamiya clear paint, though it does have its limitations. If the spectacle is is too large it can be difficult to obviate the bottle glass effect and the Blue that Tamiya use isn't quite right to convert the warm white LED to green, at least not without some trickery. Preferred spectacle glazing is of course Wizards. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted November 5, 2022 Author Share Posted November 5, 2022 On 04/11/2022 at 10:39, Stephen Freeman said: I bought a set of 5 (I think) of varying sizes, the smallest being just right for 4mm scale round ones. For 7mm round spectacles a standard hole punch generally works. In 4mm and smaller I sometimes use canopy glue to create the glass and colour in with Tamiya clear paint, though it does have its limitations. If the spectacle is is too large it can be difficult to obviate the bottle glass effect and the Blue that Tamiya use isn't quite right to convert the warm white LED to green, at least not without some trickery. Preferred spectacle glazing is of course Wizards. I've also got a block type hole/disc punch that ranges from 1/8" to 1". basically a steel block in two halves with steel pins that are hammered down after sandwiching material between the blocks. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted November 30, 2022 Author Share Posted November 30, 2022 Latest updates on the usual selection of WR signals being constructed! A simple early pattern GWR signal. This features my own Boltons Bits etched post and fittings and the first of my early pattern GW arms. The finial and lamp case are Modelu.. This next beast was even more of a challnge than my last banner repeater. Hiding the linkages was a nightmare and the banner heads are illuminated with tiny SMD LEDs glued to the back of the 3D printed heads just below the pivots.. Next up is a fairly standard WR bracket, again featuring all my own etches.. I think I may have been a little heavy with the matt black rattle can on this one but the weather was playing havoc with the paintwork before the sun made a rare appearance.. Finally, a GWR twin disc. I made up the main stand from square brass tube and filed a cap on it. The square lamps are Modelu and the rest is my own etches. More soon! JF 8 7 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitpw Posted November 30, 2022 Share Posted November 30, 2022 1 hour ago, Jon Fitness said: the first of my early pattern GW arms Am I right in thinking these are (i.e. represent) wooden arms? I coldn't see them in Bolton's BIts listings - perhaps not yet available? First rate models, all of them! I looked particularly hard at the ground discs as I have a few to do (when I've completed a signal box which is taking an age to finish). I think I'm relieved I don't need any banner repeaters though! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted November 30, 2022 Author Share Posted November 30, 2022 8 minutes ago, kitpw said: Am I right in thinking these are (i.e. represent) wooden arms? I coldn't see them in Bolton's BIts listings - perhaps not yet available? First rate models, all of them! I looked particularly hard at the ground discs as I have a few to do (when I've completed a signal box which is taking an age to finish). I think I'm relieved I don't need any banner repeaters though! Thank you! Early GW arms not yet available as that arm is one of 3 slightly different versions of the same thing. Just needed to know what details needed improving or making either finer or more pronounced/robust. I think that was the best of the 3. All will be available in the new year along with further improved versions of some of my current range. I might even get round to doing some intelligible instructions 😆 JF 2 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted January 12, 2023 Author Share Posted January 12, 2023 (edited) Greetings All! These two were the final signals of 2022.... This was an old ex layout signal from ages ago which appeared being built in this thread being built! Its an LMS BFB post offset bracket signal. After refurbishment (new arms, backblinds, weightbars and servos) and a bit of paint it went on to a new home. Another BR(WR) bracket signal from my own etches with Modelu finials and lamp cases.... And that's 2022 done and dusted! Cheers and more to follow... JF Edited January 12, 2023 by Jon Fitness 7 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted January 12, 2023 Author Share Posted January 12, 2023 (edited) And away we go into 2023.. This quite a rare beasty (I was sent two of them to build). It is a very early GWR independent ground signal from the victorian era with its modified disc face. As the master was made by the late Adrian Swain it was of course, an absolute delight to build and is now fitted with a servo.. and for no apparent reason, the little cast wheel at the back is rotatable too😁 Something totally different next but that will be a while yet as I have to design the etches... JF Edited January 12, 2023 by Jon Fitness added info.. 7 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted January 13, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 13, 2023 (edited) The little wheel at the back being rotatable was obviously copied from a real one. My photo below shows a later variant of ground signal (inter war design) with the little wheel at the front (which puts it nearest the lever frame which works the signal) and shows how the signal wire goes round the wheel to work the balance weight lever. In this case it looks like the thing has been altered at some time - possibly in preservation but equally possibly before that - as the guide for the detector plunger has been turned through 90 degrees. The wheel could also be arranged at 90 degrees to the position shown in my photo depending on the route of the signal wire run. The design of the inbuilt detector also clearly varied over the years. The original Reading Works photo of the new disc face applied to an existing ground signal includes the little wheel at the rear of the signals - and serving the same purpose as in my photo - but the detection uses a flat bar arranged vertically and presumably working by interference on the bottom of the T piece of the balance weight lever. Very much in the manner of the detector in the ABS kit. I suspect that this arrangement predated the plunger detector. Edited January 15, 2023 by The Stationmaster 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 Mike, photo? atb Simon 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted January 15, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 15, 2023 On 13/01/2023 at 14:14, Simond said: Mike, photo? atb Simon Thank you kind sir - it must be an age thing (in my case, not - I hasten to add - yours). So following that simple reminder, which has obviously worked, there it now is. (Duly pretending it had been there all the time - which it hadn't) 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted January 15, 2023 Share Posted January 15, 2023 1 hour ago, The Stationmaster said: Thank you kind sir - it must be an age thing (in my case, not - I hasten to add - yours). So following that simple reminder, which has obviously worked, there it now is. (Duly pretending it had been there all the time - which it hadn't) Cheers Mike, I’ll have you know that I’ll be 65 in a couple of weeks :( still about 14 in my head though! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted January 15, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 15, 2023 21 minutes ago, Simond said: Cheers Mike, I’ll have you know that I’ll be 65 in a couple of weeks :( still about 14 in my head though! Thank you young fellah, it's always nice to have some help from a youngster. And yes isn't it strange how the age we have in our heads is considerably younger than the reality of the numbers on the calendar (and more interesting as well at times). 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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