Wright writes.....

[Compound2632]

1 hour ago, thegreenhowards said:

 

It's the little details of lineside furniture that have been added to bring it into the 1980s that really make it, along with the well-observed train formations and operation. For once, diesel sound added to the sense of realism, rather than just being oppressive. My secondary school was alongside a goods-only line frequented by 20s in pairs! In the round of the operating sequence I saw, the train pictured above didn't have the road but was brought to a stand at this signal. Such was the illusion of reality, I was disappointed not to see the driver climb down from the cab to use the lineside phone!

 

Of course my hope is that the layout's next owners will back-date it to c. 1905/6, so we could see some Robinson Atlantics in their prime!

Edited May 28, 2023 by Compound2632

[Roger Sunderland]

Hi Tony

The signals look really wonderful but I do wonder why Viessman motors were used to operate them. For years now most modellers have employed servos to operate signals . They are cheap and effective. To see what can be achieved I recommend the thread on 4mm signals, on here, by Steve Hewitt who I consider to be the absolute master when it comes to building 4mm signals.Combined with the correct control gear these signals, like we showed on our Bournemouth West layout can include prototypical slow draw off and bounce on return, which, I’m not sure those with Viessman motors can do. Far more realistic, in my view, than a quick up and slam down.

[t-b-g]

12 minutes ago, Roger Sunderland said:

Hi Tony

The signals look really wonderful but I do wonder why Viessman motors were used to operate them. For years now most modellers have employed servos to operate signals . They are cheap and effective. To see what can be achieved I recommend the thread on 4mm signals, on here, by Steve Hewitt who I consider to be the absolute master when it comes to building 4mm signals.Combined with the correct control gear these signals, like we showed on our Bournemouth West layout can include prototypical slow draw off and bounce on return, which, I’m not sure those with Viessman motors can do. Far more realistic, in my view, than a quick up and slam down.

 

The signals on the M&GN section of Little Bytham are worked by servos, with the electronics supplied by the guys behind Liverpool Lime Street.

 

I have been using their boards or MERG ones for quite a few years now. The only problem I have had is that the arm position can just go a tiny bit out of true for some signals, sometimes, with the MERG boards but it is dead easy to tweak the settings.

 

Edit to add that although TW very kindly credits me with the construction of the MR signals, they were quite well advanced, including the posts fashioned from brass square section by that fine builder of signals and other models, Mick Nicholson, before they came to me. I just had to finish them off, paint them and make them work.

Edited May 28, 2023 by t-b-g
To add content

[Tony Wright]

1 hour ago, t-b-g said:

 

The signals on the M&GN section of Little Bytham are worked by servos, with the electronics supplied by the guys behind Liverpool Lime Street.

 

I have been using their boards or MERG ones for quite a few years now. The only problem I have had is that the arm position can just go a tiny bit out of true for some signals, sometimes, with the MERG boards but it is dead easy to tweak the settings.

 

Edit to add that although TW very kindly credits me with the construction of the MR signals, they were quite well advanced, including the posts fashioned from brass square section by that fine builder of signals and other models, Mick Nicholson, before they came to me. I just had to finish them off, paint them and make them work.

Good evening Tony,

 

As you say, Mick Nicholson did make the posts from brass, but you made the verandas, fixed the ladders and attached the boards themselves. Painting them and making them work (beautifully) as well deserves more than a mention. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony.

 

As an aside, Mick Nicholson also made the signals for Charwelton (mentioned a few posts back). I suppose his having been a signalman on the real railway gives him a great understanding of the subject. His signal work is very good indeed.

[Tony Wright]

2 hours ago, Roger Sunderland said:

Hi Tony

The signals look really wonderful but I do wonder why Viessman motors were used to operate them. For years now most modellers have employed servos to operate signals . They are cheap and effective. To see what can be achieved I recommend the thread on 4mm signals, on here, by Steve Hewitt who I consider to be the absolute master when it comes to building 4mm signals.Combined with the correct control gear these signals, like we showed on our Bournemouth West layout can include prototypical slow draw off and bounce on return, which, I’m not sure those with Viessman motors can do. Far more realistic, in my view, than a quick up and slam down.

Good evening Roger,

 

Viessman motors were Graham Nicholas' choice, having used them on Grantham. 

 

The motors don't have the 'flexibility' of servos, though their action is subtle. As for 'bounce' on return to 'on', a signalman once told me (years ago, in Kiveton Park 'box) that a bouncing signal on return to danger was a sign of a poor signalman (signaller today). His view was that the board should be eased back gently by careful use of the lever; that way wear and tear (or even damage) to the signal mechanism was minimised. My brother and I tried it (under his close supervision) but it required more skill than that of schoolboys; anyway, we were more interested in having seen CLUMBER racing through on the boat train. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[St Enodoc]

7 hours ago, Roger Sunderland said:

prototypical slow draw off and bounce on return, which, I’m not sure those with Viessman motors can do

Viessmann motors are a damped solenoid, so the motion is slow in each direction. As they come, you can't get bounce, though.

[Tony Wright]

Returning to the theme of Bytham's MR signals..............

 

 

In 2016 none was present (though my 'fudged' girder bridge was).

 

 

As was still the case a year later.

 

 

Early in 2018, Tony Gee had finished the construction and temporarily installed them for testing. Though my memory isn't that reliable these days, I think he did all the work on these apart from making the posts (perhaps Tony will confirm this). 

 

 

Later in 2018, Tony Gee returned with the signals painted, and they were then permanently installed.

 

 

And still worked perfectly a year later.  

 

 

And are still working perfectly today. Thank you again, Tony (and Mick).

 

The correct girder bridge certainly completes this scene.

 

As I say, working semaphores animate a model railway as much as the trains.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 29, 2023 by Tony Wright
to add something

[Woodcock29]

All this talk about signals and only yesterday I resurrected a project that had been in the wings for more than 18 months. After building the GN somersault signals for our exhibition layout 'Spirsby'and one home starter for my own layout (that was the trial one to see if I could get them to work!),  I commenced to build a double starter for the bay and main platform on one of the stations on my layout. I've based it somewhat on one of the the signals on the Skegness Junction south of Firsby on the old East Lincolnshire Railway. Its got to the stage where I need to clean it and paint it before I can start  to assemble the arms and cranks etc. Yesterday I added the handrails around the platform. The timber dolls are from salvaged signals from the layout of one of our BRMA members from more than 20 years ago and have been sitting in a drawer for that long awaiting a suitable project. The remainder of the parts, other than the timber post, are MSE components. If I persevere it should be finished within the week.

 

The other project I resurrected yesterday was fitting the rear sheeting around the water filler on the top of Silver Fox's tender - when silver. I'll show some photos of this once its fitted. The curiosity here is that the sheeting on the first four streamlined bow-ended tenders was different to that on the later builds. There were gaps between each side of the sheeting and the turnover of the tender sides. Interestingly I noticed that in a photo of of Silver Fox in later BR period the frame for supporting the edge of this sheeting was still in place even though the sheeting was removed after the catastrophic accident on the footplate on 4491. I've based the sheeting on that I've removed from the tender of my Hornby streamlined 10000 - 10000 seems to have only had this sheeting for not much more than one month after its rebuild.

 

Andrew

[LNER4479]

5 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Viessmann motors are a damped solenoid, so the motion is slow in each direction. As they come, you can't get bounce, though.

They're designed and marketted as 'Stellantrieb für Signale' (Motion drive for signals). They are part of a range of German semaphore signals; if you buy the signal, the motor comes as an integral part of the assembly but you can buy the motor separately. As such, they're quite unlike a simple solenoid motor (eg Peco) as we might use for a point, although they are wired just the same, which does make them simple to install.

 

The action is smooth and almost silent, very effective when it's working correctly. But they have nothing like the power of a solenoid point motor which is where the problem lies - the slightest resistance in any part of the motion (which can include ineptness on the part of the installer - ie, me!) and motor mechanism won't throw effectively, leading to its eventual demise.

 

 

[St Enodoc]

1 hour ago, LNER4479 said:

They're designed and marketted as 'Stellantrieb für Signale' (Motion drive for signals). They are part of a range of German semaphore signals; if you buy the signal, the motor comes as an integral part of the assembly but you can buy the motor separately. As such, they're quite unlike a simple solenoid motor (eg Peco) as we might use for a point, although they are wired just the same, which does make them simple to install.

 

The action is smooth and almost silent, very effective when it's working correctly. But they have nothing like the power of a solenoid point motor which is where the problem lies - the slightest resistance in any part of the motion (which can include ineptness on the part of the installer - ie, me!) and motor mechanism won't throw effectively, leading to its eventual demise.

 

 

That's right Graham. I was given one by an 0 gauge modelling friend, who had found that it didn't have enough guts for a 7mm scale signal. I fitted it to a Ratio ground disc as a trial and it worked fine, once I'd worked out how to stop the end cap falling off (cyano). However, the price was too high for me to consider them for the whole layout, so went for memory wire instead. Were I starting afresh now, I'd definitely use servos though.

 

For completeness, here are the details from the Viessmann website:

 

https://viessmann-modell.com/en/product-range/gauge-h0/semaphore-signals/386/motion-drive-for-signals

[Tony Wright]

Having spent a good part of yesterday helping a beginner build the motion for his first loco kit (with donations going to CRUK), I erected the valve gear for the same class this morning..........

 

 

 

Normally, I leave the motion to the last.

 

This is mine, but can you imagine tackling a DJH A1 as a first loco kit? 

 

The builder is actually doing very well, but required assistance. He'd like to put his name down with the ten I've got already for the soldering/building course I'm looking at arranging for the autumn. I'll keep folk posted. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten.

 

 

[Tony Wright]

Once a month, prior to the usual LB running session, I change the majority of locomotives. Some (because I particularly like them) are used a lot, while others (not that I don't like them) hardly see any use. Last Monday saw these examples in action.............

 

 

 

For obvious reasons, MALLARD is a frequent performer - a month on and a month off and so on. 

 

Could it be that she's racing southwards 20 years to the day she broke the world speed record for steam? Not really, because she sports electric warning flashes, not seen on A4s until 1961,

 

Built from a Pro-Scale kit, Ian Rathbone painted her. 

 

 

As a rule, I put A1s or A4s on 'The Talismans', but this month the fast service is entrusted to an A3, 60111 ENTERPRISE, now on GNR metals after a period on the GC. 

 

Built from a South Eastern Finecast kit, Geoff Haynes painted her.

 

 

Normally (because of my pomposity?), I usually only put locos on which I've built, but who could resist running Tony Geary's DJH A1? 

 

Not normally seen on 'The Queen of Scots' (especially with a ScR headboard), I still think it really looks the part.

 

Now to some locos used far less-frequently.......

 

 

Prior to 1976 (and the introduction of DJH's A1), if one wanted an A1 it was either kit-adaptation or scratch-building. This is a bit of both in the form of 60149 AMADIS.  

 

It's a Wills A2 body with an extended smokebox (turned-down copper central heating tube), a scratch-built central footplate section, Jamieson castings and running on scratch-built frames, with Jamieson valve gear. The Wills tender has been narrowed and the wholly-inappropriate beading removed. At the time (is it really getting on towards 50 years ago?), I was happy with it (and three others), but it's not in the same league as Tony's 60114 (nor is it with any of the other LB A1s).

 

Though not sentimental, I'll still run her from time to time.

 

 

When did the Nu-Cast B16/3 kit first appear? Whenever it was, that's when I built this (yet another) 'golden oldy'. 

 

It runs on scratch-built frames (I've never been able to get cast metal lumps to work!) and has Hamblings' drivers (all that was available in the right size at the time). As such, she tends to slightly hit the tops of the C&L chairs on the points/crossings (the plain track is SMP, which is fine), though nothing impedes her progress. 

 

Certainly, a 'layout loco' of its time.

 

 

Yet another rarely-used loco in the form of this Jamieson B1 (after nearly 50 years, I really should make the front steps!). 

 

Despite her age, she's still a very good runner, but next month she'll be back on a shelf or in a drawer, to be replaced by something far superior.

 

At least these three 'raves from the graves' above are all my own work. 

 

Edited May 29, 2023 by Tony Wright
to add something

[Barry Ten]

My wife and I have just got back from the Netherlands where we had tickets to see the amazing Vermeer exhibition at the Rijksmuseum. It tunns out we were rather lucky as we met a few people who had not managed to book tickets at all, but (for once, and not at all like me) I didn't leave things to the last minute, and booked our exhibition slots back in February. Unfortunately I may well have caught Covid at the exhibition - it was the only crowded space we were in during the whole trip and I started feeling fairly grotty by Friday evening, which made the two-day drive home (via Ghent) more of an endurance than a pleasure. I tested positive as soon as I was back in Wales. Never mind, I've just done a tiny bit of railway modelling so it's not all bad, but I'm very cross with myself for catching Covid after managing not to until now.

[cctransuk]

8 minutes ago, Barry Ten said:

.... I'm very cross with myself for catching Covid after managing not to until now.

 

The sooner we've all had it, the better!!

 

Herd immunity will eventually make Covid no more of a threat than a cold or flu, but the NHS couldn't have coped with us all getting it at the same time.

 

CJI.

[Bucoops]

13 minutes ago, Barry Ten said:

My wife and I have just got back from the Netherlands where we had tickets to see the amazing Vermeer exhibition at the Rijksmuseum. It tunns out we were rather lucky as we met a few people who had not managed to book tickets at all, but (for once, and not at all like me) I didn't leave things to the last minute, and booked our exhibition slots back in February. Unfortunately I may well have caught Covid at the exhibition - it was the only crowded space we were in during the whole trip and I started feeling fairly grotty by Friday evening, which made the two-day drive home (via Ghent) more of an endurance than a pleasure. I tested positive as soon as I was back in Wales. Never mind, I've just done a tiny bit of railway modelling so it's not all bad, but I'm very cross with myself for catching Covid after managing not to until now.

 

Don't beat yourself up about it - my wife avoided it throughout the "main event" despite working on hot wards etc.

 

Then caught it at a job interview at the beginning of this year.

 

Get well soon :)

[Tony Wright]

Looking at those older locos of mine yesterday, I'm struck by the thought of how many there must be I've built from that period (and even earlier) which I no longer own; they've been sold on as better alternatives emerged, which I've built to replace them - various Thompson Pacifics, B17s, K1s and so on. 

 

I dread someone appearing at a show asking me 'Did you build this?, as they present an ancient model. 

 

Which brings me the question, am I unusual in this respect? By that I mean, 'upgrading' models along a modelling journey. Satisfied at the time of building, but, as both ability and product standards improve, inclined to 'dispose' of them for something better. 

 

It's certainly true that in comparison with far superior equivalents, those older locos of yore don't pass much in the way of muster, but at a viewing distance of 3' and more? Should I get rid of them, in the light of current standards? Like these............

 

 

A DJH A1, built by me and painted by Ian Rathbone.

 

 

Another Nu-Cast B16/3, rebuilt by me (including a scratch-built chassis) and painted by Geoff Haynes.

 

 

A B1, made by using a Bachmann body running on Comet frames (painted/weathered by me). 

 

 

 

 

[Dunsignalling]

13 hours ago, cctransuk said:

 

The sooner we've all had it, the better!!

 

Herd immunity will eventually make Covid no more of a threat than a cold or flu, but the NHS couldn't have coped with us all getting it at the same time.

 

CJI.

Even with vaccines it's important not to get complacent. It still kills.

 

Having it doesn't stop you getting it multiple times. A fit and healthy former neighbour of mine has had it at least three times. Once before any vaccine became available and twice while fully vaccinated.

 

I don't think we'll ever become completely  immune to it, but do expect it to become less dangerous for all but the most vulnerable. The trend seems to be for it to get more contagious but milder.

 

For many, it's never been much more of a threat than a cold and despite being 70+, my own (known) dose didn't feel like a big deal. I may also have had it a on a couple other occasions where I didn't feel bad enough to bother obtaining a test...

 

However, what we know about it now is very different to what we feared it might be capable of at the beginning.

 

John

[DenysW]

1 hour ago, Dunsignalling said:

to what we feared it might be capable of at the beginning.

The worst end of the early predictions were that it would kill 250,000-500,000 in the UK, but these were soft-wrapped into predictions of death-rates per infection and infection rates presented separately so only those who could multiply were worried. The BBC stopped tracking it at about 200,000 deaths.  I'd say it had met expectations.

[MJI]

15 hours ago, Barry Ten said:

My wife and I have just got back from the Netherlands where we had tickets to see the amazing Vermeer exhibition at the Rijksmuseum. It tunns out we were rather lucky as we met a few people who had not managed to book tickets at all, but (for once, and not at all like me) I didn't leave things to the last minute, and booked our exhibition slots back in February. Unfortunately I may well have caught Covid at the exhibition - it was the only crowded space we were in during the whole trip and I started feeling fairly grotty by Friday evening, which made the two-day drive home (via Ghent) more of an endurance than a pleasure. I tested positive as soon as I was back in Wales. Never mind, I've just done a tiny bit of railway modelling so it's not all bad, but I'm very cross with myself for catching Covid after managing not to until now.

 

 

You have my full comiserations, I MAY have had it last summer, may have been a really bad cold, caught from work, peak during my holiday. LFT said no, but MAY have been too late.

 

I was told I had it in December, even though VERY few symptoms as I now have chronic fatigue/long covid.

 

Not nice at all, managed to avoid until last year, both times due to cough ridden support people.

 

4 vaccinations as well.

 

Support are now under threat!

[PMP]

3 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

 

Which brings me the question, am I unusual in this respect? By that I mean, 'upgrading' models along a modelling journey. Satisfied at the time of building, but, as both ability and product standards improve, inclined to 'dispose' of them for something better. 

 

Not at all, over the years I’ve upgraded, and both kit and RTR equipment had been disposed of, to replace with new. Not everything has gone, there’s a few that have been kept for personal reasons, but if I feel if anything is no longer relevant to my standards at any time, it’s out the door!

[bbishop]

22 hours ago, Bucoops said:

 

Don't beat yourself up about it - my wife avoided it throughout the "main event" despite working on hot wards etc.

 

Then caught it at a job interview at the beginning of this year.

 

Get well soon :)

I'm a front line volunteer with the ambulance service, avoided Covid for three years, then probably caught it at Chris Foren's funeral.  Bill

[Chuffer Davies]

As previously reported, I have been assisting Paul Craig with the development of a new LRM kit for the J52/53.  My role has been to test assemble the model using the etches and castings supplied by Paul.  

A few months ago I showed the completed first test build of the model in bare metal on WW.  I have now received this back from Ian Rathbone (many thanks Ian) who has kindly painted and weathered the model for me, and thought it would be of interest to followers of Wright Writes.

The model is based upon a loco that was based at Bradford in 1930 which retained its condensing gear despite it being unnecessary for working around West Yorkshire.  The model has been built with High Level CSB suspension, Gibson Wheels and a High Level 1219 coreless motor mounted vertically in the firebox.  In this instance I didn't want to deviate from Paul's primary design principals and so the model has conventional (back scratcher) pickups to the offside wheels with the chassis live to the nearside wheels.   

 

We still have some minor corrections/enhancements to make to the CAD work and I will then test assemble the corrected components before this can go into production.  It will still be a while before this becomes generally available but I think it will be well worth the wait.

 

Frank

[Tony Wright]

48 minutes ago, Chuffer Davies said:

As previously reported, I have been assisting Paul Craig with the development of a new LRM kit for the J52/53.  My role has been to test assemble the model using the etches and castings supplied by Paul.  

A few months ago I showed the completed first test build of the model in bare metal on WW.  I have now received this back from Ian Rathbone (many thanks Ian) who has kindly painted and weathered the model for me, and thought it would be of interest to followers of Wright Writes.

The model is based upon a loco that was based at Bradford in 1930 which retained its condensing gear despite it being unnecessary for working around West Yorkshire.  The model has been built with High Level CSB suspension, Gibson Wheels and a High Level 1219 coreless motor mounted vertically in the firebox.  In this instance I didn't want to deviate from Paul's primary design principals and so the model has conventional (back scratcher) pickups to the offside wheels with the chassis live to the nearside wheels.   

 

We still have some minor corrections/enhancements to make to the CAD work and I will then test assemble the corrected components before this can go into production.  It will still be a while before this becomes generally available but I think it will be well worth the wait.

 

Frank

Superlative on both counts Frank.

 

I dropped off a couple of my locos for Ian to paint today - and had a splendid time; two friends and their wives enjoying a lovely meal, and stimulating conversation. What could be better?

 

When they're painted (not the wives), I'll show them, too.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Chas Levin]

On 29/05/2023 at 09:34, Woodcock29 said:

All this talk about signals and only yesterday I resurrected a project that had been in the wings for more than 18 months. After building the GN somersault signals for our exhibition layout 'Spirsby'and one home starter for my own layout (that was the trial one to see if I could get them to work!),  I commenced to build a double starter for the bay and main platform on one of the stations on my layout. I've based it somewhat on one of the the signals on the Skegness Junction south of Firsby on the old East Lincolnshire Railway. Its got to the stage where I need to clean it and paint it before I can start  to assemble the arms and cranks etc. Yesterday I added the handrails around the platform. The timber dolls are from salvaged signals from the layout of one of our BRMA members from more than 20 years ago and have been sitting in a drawer for that long awaiting a suitable project. The remainder of the parts, other than the timber post, are MSE components. If I persevere it should be finished within the week.

 

 

Andrew

Nice work, Andrew 👋

[Tony Wright]

More valve gear making this morning..............

 

 

On the latest DJH A3 I'm building.

 

The Portescap is second-hand, and old. However, it still runs exceptionally-smoothly and, because of its age, very quietly. 

 

Though I've built a few DJH A3s for customers, there are only four running currently on Little Bytham, only one off which I've built.

 

Here they are...........

 

 

60046 DIAMOND JUBILEE, running with a K's P2 tender, and painted by Geoff Haynes. This is the one I built (60061 is currently building).

 

 

60080 DICK TURPIN. Built/painted originally by Steve Naylor, I renumbered/renamed it, detailed it and weathered it. 

 

Of course, it's out of time with its 1961 German blinkers, but I love the A3s fitted with them; so, Rule 1 applies.

 

 

60104 SOLARIO. An ex-Stoke and ex-Charwelton loco, built/painted by Alan Hammet and weathered by Tony Geary (it was once his property).

 

 

 

 

60106 FLYING FOX. Of the same provenance as 60104, but this one spent some time on Gilbert Barnatt's Peterborough North. Gilbert has gone all RTR loco-wise now (or is heading that way), which suits me fine. Why? Because I now have a loco (among others) which I think is superior to any RTR equivalent. 

 

Of course, there are many more A3s on LB, which I've built from Wills/SE Finecast kits. I think they've turned out all right (witness the one below), but I think the DJH kit is superior (you don't have to narrow the tender for one thing). 

 

 

60062 MINORU. Built by me, painted by Geoff Haynes.

 

Currently, the DJH A3 is not available in any of its guises (I wonder why?).

 

Does anyone else have examples of DJH A3s running on their layouts, please?