Manchester Central, CLC & GN Warehouses & Castlefield Viaducts

[LongRail]

Ron,

 

Good to see you are back modelling and hope you have quick recovery, not posted before on the thread but true lily insperational work

[LongRail]

Opps should have typed

Truly inspirational work

[Kenokie]

Ron said   NOTHING is going to stop or slow down the layout build   , not even threats from SWMBO   

 

Now there goes a very brave man    ....... SWIMBO's who think you are overdoing it at any time during the recovery period can be very dangerous people ... trust me .... I know !!!

 

 

The viaduct window frames look amazing. It looks like the cutting machine is going to become one of those "have to have" aids that can really help to improve modelling standards.

 

Chris

[Ron Heggs]

Raring to go this morning - high winds meant that spraying adhesive outside was not the most practical start to today's modelling.So I moved on to building and fixing the signalling units on the CLC Deansgate Bridge Eastern Gantry

 

This signalling gantry originally was fitted with semaphore signals up until 1935 when the station was re-signalled with electric light signalling and theatre display indicators

 

The theatre indicator units on the Eastern Gantry were single character units displaying the relevant platform number designated for the approaching train

 

The gantry had three theatre indicators, two green/yellow double aspect signal units and two green shunt signal units - In 1958 during a re-signalling of the station the gantry was replaced by one  mounted further east, and the signalling units were replaced by a different arrangement

 

The two shunt signals have yet to be constructed and fitted

 

 

Fair bit of wiring needs to be tidied up - 10 wires per theatre indicator, 3 per two aspect signal and in addition 2 per shunt signal - 40 in total

 

This, the middle road theatre indicator requires its mask fitting

 

A couple of gantry struts have been bent during handling and will be sorted when all this heavy handling is completed

 

Do they all work - of course. Will switch them all on hopefully tomorrow

 

Ron

[Ron Heggs]

Have been scouring through all the photo references to the eastern gantry, and surprisingly or not there were no shunting signals on this gantry, only the western gantry

 

The eastern gantry just requires the addition of a 2 aspect green/yellow signal for the 'B' Up Fast line

 

When I get round to updating the western gantry in a few weeks time there will be three working shunt signals added (Green/S) 

 

The associated Main 3 aspect signal provided the RED aspect

[Ron Heggs]

Just one picture of the quick tie-in for power to the gantry signals -

 

The 'A' road Down Line signals show Platform 2 is the train's/loco's destination, and the yellow aspect indicates proceed with caution, the platform is occupied - possibly by carriages or another DMU

 

The gantry needs fixing in place, the wiring tidying up and terminated in the relevant connector blocks

 

Two of the three theatre indicator circuit boards are in the picture, and will be fixed under the layout in the appropriate accessible positions

[JCL]

Hi Ron

 

I've just caught up with your thread, I'm really sorry to hear what happened, and it's great that you are back in the fray.

 

cheers

 

Jason

[Ron Heggs]

Hi Ron

 

I've just caught up with your thread, I'm really sorry to hear what happened, and it's great that you are back in the fray.

 

cheers

 

Jason

 

Hi, Jason

 

You may be interested in this post as well -

 

The three shunt signals are almost identical to a two aspect signal - An upper green aspect with a lower illuminated S

 

Getting hold of Eckon signals is nigh impossible, and with the highly inflated prices and the unbelievable postage costs to Spain, the time has come to build my own

 

Using the Silhouette cutting machine the parts have been cut for a trial build in 20 thou styrene (what else)

 

The signal face is 9.5mm high and 7.5mm wide, with two 3mm dia holes. The backplate is 8mm high x 4mm wide with two 3mm dia holes

 

The solvent brush picked up some sludge - it is only a trial build and would be painted black anyway

 

The lamp shields are 10thou rolled by hand, so are a bit iffy

 

The green and white LEDs in place

 

The backpiece and spacers are required to get the LED faces just in line with the signal faceplate

Wiring will soldered close to the rear of the LEDs, and at right-angles

 

A temporary S in place in front of the lower white LED

 

Just need to clean up the assembly a little, but the self-build is a goer, and at the cost of 2 LEDs, a resistor and scrap styrene, in lieu of a £15+ outlay

 

With some 24 plus 2 & 3 aspect signals required this is definitely the way to go

 

Ron

[JCL]

Hi Ron,

 

I know what you mean about prices, I could model the Skegness branch in the present day, but I've still been known to pull in a sharp intake of breath when I've noticed those signal's prices. You were saying about the hand rolled hood. These huge photos that we put up show our work two, three, or four times actual size and show discrepancies that you just wouldn't notice in real life. I can see a lot of work has gone into the signal, and it looks just the job!

 

cheers

 

Jason

[Ron Heggs]

You can disguise a lot of discrepancies with black paint. If it looks OK then fair enough - but as scratch builders we know where the faults lie in our work, and we try to do better everytime

 

The work only consisted of 6 pieces of styrene and 2 removable LEDs - the challenge was to build it in a manner which could be repeated easily

 

[Horsetan]

Y'know, every time I stop by this thread, Ron seems to have produced yet another sub-assembly masterpiece "just like that". The dot-matrix threatre indicators are an example of this, as is the ornate styrene "ironwork".

 

The speed at which he works convinces me that he really is a man on a mission, rushing to get it all finished before the Almighty comes calling

 

They say that some people are driven. Ron isn't just driven; he's turbocharged.

[Stubby47]

I think the Almighty called round fairly recently, but Ron probably told him St Peter's Gates weren't up to scratch and not to come back until they were !

[Horsetan]

With an eye to the very long-term future, and without wishing to sound tactless, I do hope the entire layout will be preserved after its creator has gone. The whole thing really should stand as a testament to one man's commitment, to be shown to future generations, especially in the Manchester area.

Edited January 28, 2014 by Horsetan

[the penguin of doom]

He's still here you know. He might be listening.....!

[Horsetan]

He's still here you know. He might be listening.....!

 

...and hopefully he'll be around for a few decades yet! In the long run, we're all dead, but it would be a shame to see a masterpiece like this go into the skip because there was nobody left to appreciate its value.

[Ron Heggs]

Y'know, every time I stop by this thread, Ron seems to have produced yet another sub-assembly masterpiece "just like that". The dot-matrix threatre indicators are an example of this, as is the ornate styrene "ironwork".

 

The speed at which he works convinces me that he really is a man on a mission, rushing to get it all finished before the Almighty comes calling

 

They say that some people are driven. Ron isn't just driven; he's turbocharged.

 

The theatre indicators were actually produced for me whilst I was surveying the possibility of a re-build of the Pearly Gates before having to use them 

 

Ron

[Ron Heggs]

.... and here's me thinking I was slowing down 

 

Looks like I will have to take my pill intake up a gear  

[BernardTPM]

Thought on those hoods - might the slightly thicker aluminium foil be a possible alternative; it should certainly roll better than styrene and keep its shape instead of trying to spring back.

[Gallows Close]

Thought on those hoods - might the slightly thicker aluminium foil be a possible alternative; it should certainly roll better than styrene and keep its shape instead of trying to spring back.

 

Or perhaps styrene tube cut back to form a hood....?

 

Best wishes,

Chris.

[Ron Heggs]

Thought on those hoods - might the slightly thicker aluminium foil be a possible alternative; it should certainly roll better than styrene and keep its shape instead of trying to spring back.

 

 

Or perhaps styrene tube cut back to form a hood....?

 

Best wishes,

Chris.

 

Thanks for your comments

 

My intention is to roll the styrene into a coil around a 1.5 mm dia steel nail, place in boiling water for a few minutes, then plunge it into cold water. A process I am very familiar with. The resulting coil can be cut and easily fixed in position on the faceplate using a 3mm steel rod as a former inserted in each lamp opening

 

Ron

[woodenhead]

You have a technique for everything Ron.

 

You are clearly blessed and the good Lord has a job for you here on earth creating this masterpiece so take your time.

[Ron Heggs]

It's a drawing and cutting day to day

 

Drawing the faceplates, backplates, etc. for the shunt signals, 2 aspect & 3 aspect signals. Then cutting them all out of 20 thou styrene on the machine, and placing them in small containers along with LEDs, and resistors, ready for building when needed

 

A keen follower of this thread has raised an interesting question, which has got me thinking ahead to the re-build of the western gantry

 

This gantry will have three 3 aspect signals (12 wires), three 2 aspect shunt signals (9 wires) and three double character theatre indicators (60 wires) requiring in total 81 wires for full operation of these signals

 

Having thought about the practical options available - the decision is to form a hollow duct 13mm wide and 1mm internal height from brass sheet. This will form the access walkway and support for the signals, as well as providing a suitable location for running the wires. The wire runs will be split left and right to reduce the overcrowding. There may also be an opportunity to accommodate the LED resistors in this assembly and enable a common return for to be used for all the signal LEDs     

 

Building the duct separately from the gantry will mean that the gantry structure will not be subject any loading stresses and mishandling during the build

[ozzyo]

Hello Ron,

 

are you going to use enamelled copper wire for the feeds on the gantry? and then use the brass section for the common return.

 

You may have mentioned this before and I've forgot.

 

Keep up the good work,

 

 

OzzyO.

[Ron Heggs]

Hello Ron,

 

are you going to use enamelled copper wire for the feeds on the gantry? and then use the brass section for the common return.

 

You may have mentioned this before and I've forgot.

 

Keep up the good work,

 

 

OzzyO.

 

Spot on Ozzy

 

Yes. All the theatre indicators use enamelled wire, and the brass duct will act as the common return, that just leaves the 15 LED wires to accommodate, 7 to the left and 8 to the right - decision will be made on the day. Just a quick note - the inside of the duct will be painted to ensure there is no chance of a closed circuit condition occurring

 

Cheers

 

Ron

[jamie92208]

Spot on Ozzy

 

Yes. All the theatre indicators use enamelled wire, and the brass duct will act as the common return, that just leaves the 15 LED wires to accommodate, 7 to the left and 8 to the right - decision will be made on the day. Just a quick note - the inside of the duct will be painted to ensure there is no chance of a closed circuit condition occurring

 

Cheers

 

Ron

I've got a similar though slightly smaller wiring problem to solve with gas lamps for green Ayre. They were suspended ona piece of gas pipe from a junction bos so I planned to use a piece of small diameter brass tube with enammelled wire through the cenre to give me the current path.  Is enammelled wire reliable in such circumstances.  I won't be able to paint the inside of my tube and will just have to be very careful inserting it.

 

Jamie