Grantham - the Streamliner years

[Worsdell forever]

Ah yes, Jonathan likes breaking into goods yards...

 

Don't need to know what you get up to round the back though.

[Flying Fox 34F]

I have to say that the area around platform 1 is looking rather good. It is ironic for me to consider that where the D2 is sat under the canopy, this is now where i occasional reside in one of my capacities as an operator of the Grantham Emergency Panel, which controls the current day ECML from Stoke to Hougham! Mostly recently it was 6 weeks ago. I hope to make it to Nottingham to say hello and enjoy your work. If the shunting moves scare Mr King, i'm game for ago. I like a challenge

[LNER4479]

Thanks Paul,

 

I had the jitters for a moment seeing that you'd made a fresh post; I was half expecting you to say 'that crossover was never there!' etc.

 

Fascinating to know that you occasionally frequent the semi-wilderness that used to be platform 1. There seemed to be quite a variety of huts there 'back in the day' so I hope to get round to portraying one or two in time.

 

Do say 'hi' if you make it to Nottingham - should be able to set up a shunting puzzle or two

[LNER4479]

So now time for a spot of signal construction (always a pleasurable - and occasionally exasperating - aspect of the hobby).

 

The signal in question is the main southbound signal approaching Grantham on the ECML and has a home and distant aspect for the up main through the station and a junction aspect to enter (the newly installed) platform 1.

 

A fundamental problem is that I have yet to find a clear picture of it in my era (ie 1930's). By early BR days, it had acquired upper quadrant arms, as this picture from Dave F's wonderful thread shows (reproducing it here on the basis it is available on this forum if you know where to look - photo by Dave F's father)

 

But what tantalising glimpses I do have from the pre-war era show this signal (and it's compatriot alongside controlling entry into the station from the Nottingham lines) to be somersaults. A picture of the 1906 accident has this signal in the background and shows it to be of a completely different configuration altogether! So in my book that gives me licence to 'have a punt'/fantasise: it's going to be lattice post, in the post-war configuration - but with somersaults ('cos I rather like them!)

 

Here is my drawing, with the MSE parts alongside, showing how the basic shape will be achieved.

 

So out with the 12w Antex (a wonderful piece of kit for detail soldering) and here is the base post being formed. A careful 90deg fold, use the wooden blocks to check, then a simple run of solder down the seam to stiffen it up.

 

This isn't really how you're supposed to do it, but works for me! Get the two halves nicely lined up square and level then a quick tack of solder to hold in place.

 

Now we can run the iron down the outside of the join to fix it in place properly.

 

Not too bad. Only a minimal amount of clean up required.

 

With the upper half of the main post constructed in exactly the same way, waiting to be joined up. I've soldered on a couple of short lengths of 0.5mm brass rod as locating spars to strengthen the join.

 

Here, the adjacent doll post has been soldered up, so now it's time for the bracketry. Not terribly clear, but you might just be able to see that I have sellotaped the parts to the drawing to hold them steady and square whilst the soldered joins are made.

 

Et voila! The three critical items (post, doll and bracket) made up and fixed nice n square.

 

Next task, landing and arms!

Edited November 23, 2013 by LNER4479

[JCL]

I'm in awe!

[Nelson Jackson]

There really does need to be a "wow" button, that is absolutely superb, well done.

[Alister_G]

There seems to be no end to your talents, make that a "Wow" from me, too.

 

Excellent stuff.

 

Al.

[LNER4479]

 Aw shucks guys, it really aint too hard, especially not with well manufactured etched components, certainly not compared with the work required in putting together an etched brass loco body, for example. And you should see some of the signals that SteveatBax puts together (who's been demonstrating at Warley this weekend).

 

Personally I'm in awe of the way Al turns plasticard strip into an ornate footbridge or the way Jason's cutter can turn out a pre-grouping panelled coach. But thanks all the same. It is good to get the encouragement to keep going (as others often remark). Just taking a break giving the signal its white base colour spray

[LNER4479]

OK, so continuing on, here comes the fiddly stuff...

 

With the landing attached (which is the moment when you know whether you've spaced the dolls correctly or not!), here are the MSE etches for the signal parts.

 

This is how small they are! These are the parts for one signal arm

 

40mins later, they look like this, three separate assemblies A,B & C

 

The support bracket is fixed to a post...

 

...and the other two (moving) assemblies placed into position give an instantly recognisable sight

 

Repeat three times!

 

Time to switch irons. This is the low melt iron for the white metal detail parts (lamps and finials)

 

The brass where the parts are to be attached have already been pre-tinned with the regular solder. This is fiddly work (you can try holding the part with your fingers if you're quick, as the iron isn't as hot as the regular one!) but worth the effort.

 

The 'helping hands' keep the whole signal steady as the finials are attached - important to get them straight and square.

 

And now a blast with matt white (enamel) spray to give the whole thing a good base coat (the assembly was checked for imperfections then given a good scrub with soapy water prior to this and allowed to dry)

 

Whilst the paint's drying, need to make up some balance arms...

 

...like so (5 parts to each arm)

 

Signal now looks like this (like it's seen a ghost!)

 

And temporarily positioned where it's going on the layout. The moving parts don't yet hold level under gravity - that bit comes next!

 

The equivalent of five evening's work so far...

 

Next time - getting it all to work!

Edited November 25, 2013 by LNER4479

[Nelson Jackson]

Where did the "wow" button go again LOL

 

superb work, your craftsmanship is amazing, it looks absolutely beautiful and the size compared with the 5 pence is unbelievable. well done.

I can't wait to see her finished.

Edited November 25, 2013 by Nelson Jackson

[fishytrains]

Those signal kits still look very daunting to me. Maybe one day I will feel brave enough to have a go! Not sure if I have the patience though.

 

Mike

[Flying Fox 34F]

A most spendid piece of work. It proves the old theory, when you have the right tools! By the way my apologies if my posts keep giving you the jitters. It was not my intention to scare you! By the way, looking at the maps, there seems to have been a crossover in the area you have put yours.

Inspirational as always

Paul

[Alister_G]

Superb stuff Robert.

 

Without wishing to take away any credit from you, the MSE kits look as though they are really good.

 

I have a feeling I would make a complete bodge of one, but I suppose I ought to give it a go.

 

Al.

[islandbridgejct]

That really is stunning work. Utterly inspirational.

 

Alan

[61070]

The signal in question is the main southbound signal approaching Grantham on the ECML and has a home and distant aspect for the up main through the station and a junction aspect to enter (the newly installed) platform 1.

 

A fundamental problem is that I have yet to find a clear picture of it in my era (ie 1930's). By early BR days, it had acquired upper quadrant arms, as this picture from Dave F's wonderful thread shows...

 

But what tantalising glimpses I do have from the pre-war era show this signal (and it's compatriot alongside controlling entry into the station from the Nottingham lines) to be somersaults. A picture of the 1906 accident has this signal in the background and shows it to be of a completely different configuration altogether! So in my book that gives me licence to 'have a punt'/fantasise: it's going to be lattice post, in the post-war configuration - but with somersaults ('cos I rather like them!)

 

Not a clear picture at all Robert, but this signal's in the 1937 'going away' shot of The Coronation on the Grantham Looks Back DVD (at 29:01).  It's too indistinct in detail, against the bright sky, to be certain whether the arms facing up traffic are upper quadrant or somersault.  However, there does appear to be an upper quadrant arm facing down traffic at a lower level, below the bracket, which is 'off' in the film, .  Would this be a down main distant arm for Barrowby Road?  (edit - on second thoughts probably not, as those distants are under the platform end starter arms; an advance starter maybe?)  ...and would it have been a somersault arm a little earlier in time?  Interesting perhaps, but not intended to influence the modelling - the signal looks superb and 'right' just as it is.

Looking again at this film today there's also a reasonably detailed shot of the entire west side and south end of Grantham North box (pre-relay room) at 28:39.

Again from the film, are the two upper, co-acting, arms of the down main starting signal longer than the arms at low level??

Edited November 30, 2013 by 61070

[LNER4479]

Well thanks folks for kind comments; I didn't expect this particular project to attract quite so much interest (it's only a signal ) - still, gratifying and much appreciated!

So, I'd better crack on...


First of all painting. Nothing too special about painting I guess. Some masking tape is being used to get the chevron on the distant arm as neat as possible.


Next a fiddly - but worthwhile - job: fixing the spectacle plates. I'm fixing these in place with gloss varnish, firstly on the rear to attach the glass (well, coloured plastic!) then round the front edge to 'seal' it, which leaves a covering on the front, which I don't mind (the one to the right of the brush has been so treated). The spectacle plates are quite a distinctive aspect of a somersault.


Here they all are reassembled. Perhaps a little too glossy? Perhaps the flash of the camera has caught it a bit too close up...  


Now to make it all 'go'. The three bent pieces of wire will be the actuating link rods between the arm and spectacle plate (9.5mm long). I wish I could tell you what wire this is but the truth is I just 'acquired' a roll of it some years ago. All I know is that it is springy steel and has got a nice blackened surface (possibly because it's old?!). I've just measured it - 12.5thou. What's that, about 0.3mm? All I know is that it's the ideal stuff for signal mechanisms.


There's the first one (top), showing how it links arm and spectacle plate. The one bottom left, has had its extra 90deg bends added to create the 'tails' to hold it in place and the one to the right has been tidied up, ready to fit.


In place, showing how the arm and spectacle plate now relate to each other. The 'tail' on the arm will get a blob of red pain to disguise it.


View from the top, showing how the link rod sits between the arm and the supporting bracket.


Now we can fix the arms in place for keeps. This is exactly the same technique used for fixing joints on loco valve gear (which I first read about nearly 30 years ago in Guy Williams' seminal book). For those who haven't seen it before, the trick is nothing more sophisticated than a piece of paper! With a hole in it, it sits between the moving surface and the part to be soldered - in this case a small collar from the signal fret. The presence of the paper 'magically' stops the solder from any tendency to run into the moving joint (and solder it solid!) - it also has the very handy benefit of creating a tiny gap to allow free movement. It's very important that all joints move freely as the arms need to return under gravity the way I do it.


A dab of flux and the soldering iron (with just a dash of solder on it) literally just needs to touch the pin and it's done - the parts are so small that it heats and flows in a split second.


Just pull the paper away (it's become soft with the flux/heat) and there we have a working joint. For now, we leave the spectacle plates loose until the next stage is complete.


With all three arms so treated now we move on to the link between the arm/spectacle and the balance weight. More of the steel wire has been bent to it's basic shape. This of course shows up a massive 'cop out' on my part! There should be two 90 deg. cranks to take the linkage across the bracket for an off-set arm like this but, hey, life is a bit short, it works perfectly well like this and can you see it from three feet away? Hey, where are you all going... come back! And it was going so well...  
  

For those remaining(!) you can see this linkage now fitted. With balance weight arm raised (ie having been 'pulled off' from the box, the push action lifts the spectacle plate and causes the arm to fall.


With that done, we can now make good the moving joint of the spectacle plate. Same technique as for the arm. (And I've just realised as I type this that this should have included fitting the backlighter blind. Blast - have to go back and add those later...  )


All three linkages now fitted to complete the working mechanisms on the signal post.


Proof, if proof were needed! A one second exposure captures the movement. Best I can do until the video comes out  

That just leaves the process of actually motoring it up and connecting to the control panel (and interlocking it). The job for the week ahead!

Edited December 2, 2013 by LNER4479

[Nelson Jackson]

Absolutely fantastic, the glass looks really realistic, well done.

[cornish trains jez]

Superb work! I've really enjoyed following this thread, and look forward to seeing more!

Best regards,

Jeremy

[Barry O]

Robert 

have you tried PVA for the signal "glass"? It is easy to do and makes use of a cocktail stick - once dry you can paint the "lens" carefully with any colour paint you want.. will try and get some photos or I can explain at a later date?

 

barry O

[JCL]

It nay only be a signal to you Robert... that really looks great, a work of art.

[LNER4479]

Robert 

have you tried PVA for the signal "glass"? It is easy to do and makes use of a cocktail stick - once dry you can paint the "lens" carefully with any colour paint you want.. will try and get some photos or I can explain at a later date?

 

barry O

Thanks Barry,

 

Have seen the technique described for the front facing 'glass' in loco cabs (which can be a VERY fiddly job with clear plastic) but - no - haven't tried it (yet) for signal glass.

[Barry O]

I'll bring the cocktail stick next time I see you.

 

Barry

[LNER4479]

Mrs4479 says 'waste of a cocktail stick; they're reserved for cheese and wine'(!)

[Barry O]

not if you are re-using it(!)

[fishytrains]

You make the whole process of making a signal look so easy, but I assume it looks that way from a lot of practice and experience over a number of years. Still I guess we all have to start somewhere

 

Mike