RMweb Gold Steve Hewitt Posted October 31, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 31, 2009 It's been a while since my last post on the old RMWeb, so I've managed a little progress on the gantry for platforms 2,3,4, & 5. The Spandrel Brackets have now arrived. I made the masters for Scale Signal Supply and they have been cast in brass for us by Pete Waterman's company. The two sizes of LNWR bracket type S61 (large) for three doll signals, and the type S62 (small) for two doll brackets are available. The large ones used here are handed because of the "T" section bracing. Further examination of the few photo's available of the prototype show a lack of the trussing normally found on this style of LNWR gantry, possibly because of the short span. This saved quite a bit of work, and allowed me to get on and paint the main structure. The next step has been the installation of the fibre optics to each lamp. Six are routed inside each main leg and then around the brackets to the dolls. One sharp bend immediately behind the lamp casting only allows a minimum of light leakage - just enough to hint at a back light. Each cast lamp is drilled through 0.5mm for the fibre, and counter bored at the front to make a slight reflector. The end of the fibre is heated so that it mushrooms, and is pulled back into the lamp front to make the lens. It is retained by the smallest hint of superglue. The fibre runs are tie-wrapped to the doll and brackets etc. just like electric cables on the protype. I'm currently installing the arms and their operating wires. The first six are complete down to platform level. When all are completed the signal will be fitted to the layout to determine the precise location of the necessary sub-board which will carry the twelve servo motors and the two light sources. Following pictures should explain these ramblings. This general view shows the six fibre cables terminating in a brass tube and clad in heat shrink sleeving routed down each main post. The operating wires for the first six arms. In close up. The Rocking Shafts. A rear view showing the fibre optic cables more clearly. Steve. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.C.M Posted November 3, 2009 Share Posted November 3, 2009 Hi Steve, What can I say, but superb. I will be watching this, keep the pics comming. Cheers Peter, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyGT Posted November 3, 2009 Share Posted November 3, 2009 That is great. Some pf Pete's stock is just so fine detailed. Cant fault it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackRat Posted November 3, 2009 Share Posted November 3, 2009 Absolutely gorgeous!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troublesome Trucks Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 What a lovely piece of work,absolutely fantastic, please keep updating with further progress. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyGT Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 How much did this cost you? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 37058 Posted November 5, 2009 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 5, 2009 Absolutely stunning work...... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Steve Hewitt Posted November 5, 2009 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 5, 2009 How much did this cost you? I suppose the quick answer is "not much", but as I haven't kept detailed records I can't be precise. Being a predominantly scratch built model, the bought in components are fairly few. They are etched balance arms, white metal balance weights, cast Adlake lamps, etched back blinders from MSE. From Alan Gibson's range came the etched arms, separate stectacle plates and the turned finials. As mentioned in an earlier post, the cast brass spandrel brackets will be available from Scale Signal Supply. The support posts for the rocking shafts are 7mm scale medium handrail knobs from Eilleen's Emporium. All the rest of the main structure is entirely of brass. I keep a very large stock of brass sections to hand, from which most of the model was built. The sort of thing I mean is 4mm square tube for the main posts, 1/16" tube inside 5/64" tube (for strength) for the dolls, the cross beams are each laminated from 4mm x 0.5 mm brass strip etc. etc. The lighting uses fibre optic cable 0.5mm dia from All Components to carry the light from an under baseboard LED to each cast lamp. More details to follow shortly on how this is installed. The largest component cost will be the servo motors. Twelve are required. These also need a controlling device or system. This could be for example three of the MERG units, which can each control four servos. In our case this will be a bespoke development of hardware and software by another of John's team who has created all the other control systems which Lime Street uses so effectively. e.g the sector plate and turntable controls, the route setting control system and the interface between the two operating positions. N.B. there is more of this layout under the baseboards than you can ever see on view. I suppose when its all completed, the total cost of the materials used will be in the order of ??150. If you work back through it all you can work it out. However, that makes no allowance for the many man hours involved, of which no records have been kept. If you wish to discuss anything about this signal, why not come and see me on my Demo Stand at either the Warley or Wigan shows? Steve. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Steve Hewitt Posted November 9, 2009 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 9, 2009 A little more progress...... Installation of all the operating wires etc. is now complete and the wooden staging has been added. The lights are also working, but not visible in today's bright sunshine! It's off to Lytham for a trial fitting in acouple of days. Next job then will be to install the servo motors and get it all working. The servos are mounted in threes on the vertical supports seen here. The operating wires will be terminated in brass tubes which locate in the "horns" of the corresponding servo. A better view of the stained hardwood staging. Great to have some autumn sunshine. Not a view you'll get again, once its all installed. I hope to get a couple more pictures during the trial fitting later this week. Steve. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyGT Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Wow these are truely amazing Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackRat Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Even without anything else connected to the model, that last pic is so good it could be real! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Steve Hewitt Posted November 11, 2009 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 11, 2009 A little more progress...... I hope to get a couple more pictures during the trial fitting later this week. Well, here we are with a few more pics. John and I spent most of today completing the installation of the sub-board which will carry the twelve servo motors and probably their control unit when its created. First a trial install of the gantry to recess the platform tops ready for the scenic top surface to be applied.... The lamps only just show against the daylight from the window. Is that a bit better? The LED's are only being run on 3 volts here. They will eventually be on a six volt supply, which our experiments later in the day showed to be much more suitable. We just had to see how John's new Duchess looked. This is what we were really doing. The white piece at top-left is the sub-board. It is mounted on screwed bar to set it clear of several point motors. You can just see the end of the two 1" dia. brass foundation tubes protruding some 7.5mm. These locate the signal in the baseboard. The red cables contain the six fibre filaments which route light up to each side of the structure. As I said previously; there is a lot more under the baseboards than you usually see from above. I've brought the sub-board home with me so I can now mount all the servos and make the mechanical connections to each arm's operating wire. More to follow when I can ...... Steve. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Prism Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Wahey! Fulgurex City! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajdown Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Amazing, both above and below board. If I had a hat, I'd take it off to you. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackRat Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Try going for Zero 1!! After all................its just two wires!! lol Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Delamar Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 briliant work as ever Steve cant wait to have a play Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Steve Hewitt Posted November 15, 2009 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 15, 2009 Well, here we are with a few more pics. I've brought the sub-board home with me so I can now mount all the servos and make the mechanical connections to each arm's operating wire. The servos are now all installed on the sub-board, and connected to the operating wires for each arm. The following pics will show what I mean. Sorry about the reflections from the glass table top! View from the front of the signal, servo cables bound together for tidiness. The arms will be adjusted when the servos are set correctly. Rear view with fibre optics connected to LED sources. Clearer view of mechanical connection etc. And the front again. Next process is the servo control hard and soft-ware. Geoff is working on that and I'm looking forward to trying it out with this signal early in December. (No pressure Geoff) In the meantime, I'll have this signal on my demo stand at Warley. That's stand C57 Why not come and have a look and a chat. Steve. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulr1949 Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 In the meantime, I'll have this signal on my demo stand at Warley. That's stand C57 Why not come and have a look and a chat. Steve. I'd love to but unfortunately can't get to either due to other commitments. Perhaps I'll see them operating at some stage in the future. In the meantime, keep up the excellent work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Steve Hewitt Posted November 17, 2009 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 17, 2009 I'd love to but unfortunately can't get to either due to other commitments. Perhaps I'll see them operating at some stage in the future. In the meantime, keep up the excellent work. Liverpool Lime Street was booked for the Kidderminster show in the spring, but this show has been cancelled. Its next public outing will be Manchester in October 2010. By then the gantry should be fully operational. (I hope). In the meantime, I'm likely to have it on my demonstration stand at Wigan in December and then the ALSRM Bolton show in 2010. Steve. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.