A GWR Signal Box for Diesels in the Duchy

[2ManySpams]

Two years ago I started my entry for the 2012 scratch build challenge. I started sourcing the materials, got thinking about windows and drawing it up. Then we did something daft and entered (and won) the layout competition that saw us build Black Country Blues in less than a year. The scratch build competition entry was put on hold and Andy Y merged the posts with the Diesels in the Duchy (DitD) thread. Progress on the build has been slow and gets lost in the massive Diesels in the Duchy thread, so I thought I'd start it again here.

 

So what have I re-re-started to compIete?

 

This:

 

For my own benefit, here's a few links to earlier ponderings on the DitD thread and elsewhere:

 

Intro

 

Craig's photos and a few more

 

Ernie's St B Flickr page

 

Realising the box isn't normal

 

It's a Type 7D..... 

 

Dimension calcs

 

Anyway, as usual the build started by gathering as much prototype information as possible to supplement the dimensions and photos supplied by our tame Cornish signalman!

 

 

These details were converted to some working 'drawings', ok, fag packet sketches and then the sides marked up onto 1.5mm / 60thou thick plasticard:

 

The door and window openings were cut out whilst the walls were all in 'the flat' and then the sides stuck together into a rigid box using MEK.

 

Plasticard structures can be prone to warping as the solvent sets so I've therefore braced the lower rear wall early on in the construction. I've glued 5mm wide strips of 1mm / 40 thou sheet on the inside of the wall vertically and then placed another skin of 1.5mm / 60 thou on top of that. This will be done to all the lower walls once the openings are fully finished.

 

I'm using Southeast Finecast brick plasticard to cover the shell, getting all the tarty brickwork on the box done before the more fragile glazed areas are tackled. I'm using three of SEF's sheets: Flemish bond (FBS403), English bond (FBS402) and their sheet of lintels & arches (FBS411).

 

I started off by placing a 1mm thick by 2mm wide strip under the lower edge of the glazing opening. Then I started working downwards, using the 2mm strip as a datum, using 8 courses of Flemish bond brickwork. This included a purposeful vertical join above the left hand window opening where the box had been modified. The header courses above the windows were cut out of the (very useful) arches sheet. 

 

I carried on working down towards the base of the windows using carefully cut sections of more Flemish bond and then built out the lower section of the base with strips of 1mm thick sheet. These were topped off by SEF English bond - this change in bond was reflected on the real box. 

 

After sorting out the coursing on the corner joins and opening returns my attention then turned the the first floor:

 

[2ManySpams]

Craig (Winterbourne) has been a big help and provided a load of photos and dimensions - something a BR signalman can do that we mortals can't, especially as the site has almost no public access (and is 300miles from where I live!). 

 

First, round the rear, the side that will face the backscene, and will never be seen
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The side facing the platform - or on the layout, the exit to the fiddleyard. This again won't be seen but will be modeled
 

 

 

 

 

The opposite end facing the depot. Definitely seen and modelled.
 

 

 

 

 

And the front face.

 

 

 

 

A shot down the interior stairs.
 

 

 

Craig who operates the box says that the internal stairs are on the RHS, the locking room door on the LHS and the 'facilities' are top left rear.

I had expected the wonderful Western to have built the box symmetrical but it isn't. The spacing of the locking room Windows varies and the box Windows to the top left bay differ from the others.

[2ManySpams]

Back in April 2012 I spent a while working through some dimensions provided by Craig to work out the scale dimensions of the model. First snag is that the Churchward window etches, although a very good representation don't seem to be exactly right for this particular box. Now Craig tells me the current Blazey box (and hence recent photos) has replacement uPVC widows and therefore it's possible that things may have been amended slightly.

So there were two choices. 1. modify the window etches to fit the actual dimensions or 2. subtly tinker with the building dimensions to suit the etches.

As the building will be nearly 4' from the viewing area, I was going to be pragmatic and go for option 2. That would have meant that the frontage length of the building would have been determined by the first floor window length including pillars - giving an overall model length around 1.5mm longer than it should be. Here are the horizontal dimensions that were worked out at the time:

 

This approach really bothered me though and stalled the project for a while. Once Black Country Blues was done with I returned back to this box and decided it needed to be built correctly, with the right window dimensions. The etched brass Churchward ones were ok for the rear and locking room but another source was needed for the main box.

 

The window specs / dimensions needed were:

 

In August a chance discussion with Brian Hanson at Shawplan found me sending him the dimensions of the windows and they were delivered to us at DitD's next show outing. Many thanks Brian!

 

Interestingly, a chance find revealed why the St Blazey box was not 'standard' - it started life looking somewhat different:

[2ManySpams]

July 2013 saw the box looking like this: 

 

 

 

 

 

Lots of work was left to do on the window frame surrounds, guttering and interior but structurally it was just about there.

So now the back history is done with, we can continue with finishing the box...

 

First off, I'm remaking the roof. The pitch ended up too slack and it looks wrong on the box. 

[mudmagnet]

Nice work on the brick Chris, I had never thought about 'splitting' the brick sections to fit around the window arches / door frames. A lot easier than cutting out of one section !

[MikeHemmings]

That is looking great Chris looking forward to see it at the week end.

Mike

[Enterprisingwestern]

Needs lowering and flush glazing.

 

Mike.

[Indomitable026]

Needs lowering and flush glazing.

 

Mike.

 

The terms 'Hunkering' - not lowering....

[2ManySpams]

Needs lowering and flush glazing.

 

Mike.

 

I'm trying to do the flush glazing - any idea what Brian made the window frames out of? I've exhausted my long list of adhesives and solvents and can't find anything that bonds them! As a last resort I'm trying Glue n Glaze (perhaps should have tried that first!)

[Tim V]

A little more contemporaneous with your period....

[Indomitable026]

I'm trying to do the flush glazing - any idea what Brian made the window frames out of? I've exhausted my long list of adhesives and solvents and can't find anything that bonds them! As a last resort I'm trying Glue n Glaze (perhaps should have tried that first!)

Cow Glue?

[2ManySpams]

A little more contemporaneous with your period....

St Blazey Junction 2 August 1978 Vivitar Lens 144-1.jpg

St Blazey Junction 2 August 1978 Vivitar Lens 144-2.jpg

 

Smashing, Thank you Tim

[Enterprisingwestern]

I'm trying to do the flush glazing - any idea what Brian made the window frames out of? I've exhausted my long list of adhesives and solvents and can't find anything that bonds them! As a last resort I'm trying Glue n Glaze (perhaps should have tried that first!)

 

Well, you got there in the end!

 

Varnish.

Klear/Cleer/Kleer/Clear.

Glue n Glaze.

 

Mike.

[Worsdell forever]

I'm trying to do the flush glazing - any idea what Brian made the window frames out of? I've exhausted my long list of adhesives and solvents and can't find anything that bonds them! As a last resort I'm trying Glue n Glaze (perhaps should have tried that first!)

 

I've done a bit of glazing over the years and find that panel pins and putty work well... 

[Indomitable026]

I've done a bit of glazing over the years and find that panel pins and putty work well...

 

Idiot!

[MPR]

I'm intrigued by the window frames - are they etched like the Modelex parts, or have they been laser cut too?

I've run into exactly the same issue over the overall width on my model of Torre box - do you know if they are going to be production parts in the Shawplan range?

Regards

Martin

[2ManySpams]

I'm intrigued by the window frames - are they etched like the Modelex parts, or have they been laser cut too?

I've run into exactly the same issue over the overall width on my model of Torre box - do you know if they are going to be production parts in the Shawplan range?

Regards

Martin

They are laser cut out of various types of plastic (not sure what but solvent doesn't touch them). They were done as a favour in exchange for all the grief the Shawplan guys give us at shows and a small amount of bribery (cake and bottled water at shows). I don't believe they are likely to be produced - I would guess the amount of faff isn't worth the return. As an alternative I can recommend York Modelmaking - they custom made the windows for the other buildings for us. I'm sure that the wonderful, wonderful guys from Shawplan will correct me if any of the above is incorrect! (or if the body-vogue gap is too big)

[2ManySpams]

vogue should read bogie. Bless auto correct on the phone.

[Indomitable026]

vogue should read bogie. Bless auto correct on the phone.

Ha ha, I couldn't work that out, but get it now....

[2ManySpams]

I thought it was some coded Madonna tribute dance

 

Strike the pose Mickey.

[2ManySpams]

I think we're long overdue an update...

 

The brickwork is all painted. I used a new (to me) type of paint - 'artists gouache'. Comes in tubes, it's water soluble, dries quickly and goes to a really nice restrained matt finish. The other point is that it never really seems to go off, so if you don't like what you've done you can remove the paint with water. That's a pro and a con. Makes my normal use of washes a bit more interesting! Has taken ages to get used to the different way of working with the paint. Anyway, another first for me.

 

 

 

 

And the windows... all those for the ground floor locking room (and the back of the box that will never be seen) have been cleaned and primed. They are the few that I was able to use off a standard GWR signal box window brass fret. 

 

In addition, I've trialled the primer on the two different sorts of plastic used for the rest of the windows. The shot below shows the two single plastic ones with the soldered up brass pair. The plastic ones are equally as fine, if not better than, the brass ones. Nice. 

(Yes I know the top left one is bust - it was one of the extra duds supplied for me to have a play with)

 

Think I need to get a can of white spray paint on my next visit to Halfords. 

[2ManySpams]

...and the majority of the time this box will be viewed from 4' away...

[2ManySpams]

And this is the paint scheme I'm going to finish all the woodwork in...off white and black (either that or SR Green).

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/6834840921/in/set-72157629212802745

[gwrrob]

And this is the paint scheme I'm going to finish all the woodwork in...off white and black (either that or SR Green).

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/6834840921/in/set-72157629212802745

 

Now you know what I'm going to say......

[2ManySpams]

Now you know what I'm going to say......

 

Paint it green?