Dapol working signals review

[Richard E]

Having read through all 10 pages (so far) of this thread and having some of these in 2mm I think that Dapol have to be commended for producing these, I certainly was looking for something like this for my layout (still in a gestation period) and trying to find some argument (other than rule 1) to justify colour lights on a pre '48 GWR branch, albeit one that would see diversions for engineering works.

[coachmann]

Any images going to be posted of the new 4mm scale signals anyone....Particularly the LMS variety...?

[SR Chris]

Here's the U/Q home, in use as a starter at Cill. No prizes for guessing where the layout is situated!

 

 

A big thank you to Dapol, these signals are excellent. Looking forward to an SR rail built version - this LMS one will be temporary and replaced a lattice post Ratio signal which had been motorised on a previous layout but was fiddly enough for me to put off re-motorising it for several years. In contrast I had this one installed and working in under an hour!

 

Chris

[Downer]

Just connected up my LMS home and tried it. I have to say, it works as well as it looks. Well done, Dapol.

[bigd]

I had a look at the oo signals at Wigan show.

I was impressed.

By mid afternoon they had only one home signal left.

[coachmann]

Thanks SR Chris....

[tender]

By mid afternoon they had only one home signal left.

At 4:00 yesterday Railroom Electronics (stand 95) had all types on display and another box under the counter. Bought a GWR Home with a view to converting to DCC. Hopefully Southern types will be available in the near future.

Edited June 17, 2012 by tender

[The Stationmaster]

Some Further Impressions

 

I've now done a bit of practical assessment (still not with power but the following might help those interested in dimensions and the like). I've done a test installation on teh module I took down to Taunton - rather craftily I had left space for one of these signals based on what we then knew so things weren't onerous.

 

The surface into which the signal is placed is several layers of corrugated cardboard on top of 5.5mm ply; I simply m,arked a centre 26mm from the nearest rail inside edge and drilled a 6mm pilot hole (which might have been slightly off as it was initially through the cardboard of course) and then enlarged the hole with a 16mm bit as I didn't have one of 14mm. 16mm is still quite a good fit however. And then I planted the signal in the hole - all of which was done in less time than it takes one finger to type this paragraph.

 

The resultant spacing was that the nearest edge of the post was 21mm (= 5ft 3"0 from the nearest inside rail edge) - as can be seen. With my underlay arrangement and no other modification to signal or underlay/ballast it could be sited a bit closer if needed.

 

 

Coming back to details a cruel close-up shows the 'odd' shape of the spectacle plate (almost certainly to simplify moulding and production of course and the arm also appears to be dropping although it .looks far worse in the photo than in reality although the impression is not helped by the signal post being slightly out of square with the base (see note below). And the pic above also shows the 3 superfluous 'ribs' round the post which look as it they might be relatively simple to remove where they aren't supporting other components.

 

 

Whilst we're at the top of the post we'll do a quick bit of magic and turn the signal round to look at the other side. The finial doesn't look too bad from this angle but the odd extension at the right of the back blinder shows up very clearly - to the right of the operating rod although I'm sure I'll find when I power the signal that it does exactly what I'm expecting it to do and it probably won't be feasible to remove it - but if it serves no purpose it will have to go. You can also see the incorrect position of the back blinder but I can't see that worrying many people and i have seen occasional real ones with a bit chopped off (I said occasional). This view also shows up one of the superfluous 'ribs' around the post and the omission which has happened on this side of the signal - has anybody noticed it yet?

 

 

On this signal the post is slightly out of square with the base but no problems as /on permanent installation the base can be packed and then lost under ground cover (I did say permanent!) - for these pics the signal was simply popped into the hole so no packing was put in place. On the other two signals which arrived with me from Cornwall the post appears to be perfectly square with the baseplate. Incidentally the 'droopy' arm can be flicked (very gently) back to horizontal and I think it might be a result of the way the signal can sit in the packaging. Not a problem as all sits well once the planting is done and it's already noted that power operation sits things nicely in place.

 

So not only does it look pretty good but it's quick and easy to 'plant' - and looks even more the part in a railway setting.

[Rugd1022]

Very handy photos those Mike.... I'm wondering now how easy it is to remove the arm, as I'm thinking of MSE replacements arms just to give it a bit more finess (I rather fancy one of those square post homes but am waiting for the WR round post variety too).

 

The ribs on the post shouldn't be a worry, a few minutes with a scalpel and file should sort them out, then a repaint / touch up as necessary.

Edited June 17, 2012 by Rugd1022

[Guest Moria]

and the omission which has happened on this side of the signal - has anybody noticed it yet?

 

Not sure.. 3 things look out of sorts a little..

 

1) railing and frame around platform..

 

2) no counterbalance.

 

3) ladder should be white at base.

 

All of which are easy jobs to do, but is one of those the missing item?

 

Regards

 

Graham

[buffalo]

Well, the missing safety loop and supports above the platform is the most obvious omission. Strange, really as the LMS upper quadrant one pictured near the top of the page has the expected simple loop on the ladder. Neither have the operating lever and balance weight.

 

Nick

[The Stationmaster]

Not sure.. 3 things look out of sorts a little..

 

1) railing and frame around platform..

2) no counterbalance.

3) ladder should be white at base.

All of which are easy jobs to do, but is one of those the missing item?

Regards

Graham

 

The one which really stands out for me is the railing and supports for it on the Lampman's platform - it looks very bare in that area and the ladder and platform are otherwise quite nicely done. And yes - the other two are also omissions but very easily sorted. My intention with the ribs is to do exactly as Nidge suggests and take a sharp cutting instrument to them.

 

I have yet to look into ways of fitting alternative arms - the only real problem with those supplied is the spectacle plate and doing an accurate one would no doubt be a big 'no' (or a hefty price hike?) for mass production. The arm thickness as it happens doesn't look too out of place to me and getting the colours in the right places would make a big difference - wonder if I can still hand paint them as neatly as I did 40 years ago?

 

Overall of course as an RTP signal it's in the same sort of modelling league as an RTR loco and a spot of detailing work apart it would benefit from some subtle dirtying as the white paint tended to not only get grubby, especially by the down rod guides, but also gradually weathered to a very dead matt (see pic below). So definitely a paint job. In the meanwhile my next task - gardening permitting this coming week or two - will be to use the spot I created on the module for photo use as the test ground for all three.

 

The pic shows one which had been modernised with a pressed steel arm and later type of spectacle plate - Twyford East's Up Main Line Home Signal in 1961, note also the white 'sighting board' painted onto the brickwork although the signal has been gone for 50 years and that right hand bridge arch has been rebuilt a trace of the white paint still survives.

 

 

[Guest Moria]

Am really looking forward to receiving my first N gauge one so I can have a play and do a little bit of modelling on it to take it from RTP to a model that I played with , mind you at the speed Hattons manage to get these things to Canada, that may well be next weekends playtime.

 

I think I will be narrowing the baseplate to get it a little closer to the track, won't need much but just enough. Closer to 5'6 than 6 - 7'

 

Regards

 

Graham

[Ruffnut Thorston]

Looking at the "ribs", I am of the opinion that the one with nothing attached seems to be in the correct position to support the bracket for a bracket signal?

[The Stationmaster]

Looking at the "ribs", I am of the opinion that the one with nothing attached seems to be in the correct position to support the bracket for a bracket signal?

 

That had crossed my mind and it might work out for a low mounted one like this

 

 

but I think it might be too low for a normal one that needs to be clear of the loading gauge - like this one

 

[Stubby47]

Completely off topic, but that last photo is superb for track & ballast colour !

[Oldddudders]

Completely off topic, but that last photo is superb for track & ballast colour !

And quite different from what most of us aim for. Those who always urge us to look at the prototype may have a point!

[Trog]

I must admit I was very disappointed when I found out about the push button operation of these signals.

 

I had assumed the control would be by having a simple on-off switch across the third and fourth wires, so an on-off toggle switch would act somewhat like a lever in a signal box.

 

I had intended to provide a form of interlocking by running the loop of wire from the signal to the switch through spare terminals on my point motors, so a conflicting point would hold the signal at danger. I can not figure out how to achive that with the signals as produced, and there does not seem much point in having a working signal that does not mesh with the surrounding railway. So apart perhaps for one Distant on a line running into a long tunnel that I might try to work with a couple of reed relays, I wont be buying any. Which is a shame as I was really looking forward to fitting some to protect my junctions, and was also wondering about how to make a track circuit that would hold the signal at danger while a train was in the section beyond the signal.

 

[NZmodeller]

Hi Everyone,

 

It's not necessary to interlock signals directly as this is not prototypical anyway, the signals operated on their own levers. If necessary you could rig a switch on the appropriate point to only supply power to the signal switch when it is set correctly thereby locking the signal. Also, as facing points required 2 levers to be pulled anyway (one for the locking) you could even incorporate the switch in the sequence of levers on your panel/frame (locking lever=power to the signal motor).

 

Peter

[coachmann]

Droopy GWR signal outside Afon Wen Station, 21st august 1963....

[brushman47544]

And quite different from what most of us aim for. Those who always urge us to look at the prototype may have a point!

 

I quite agree, but how typical is the track colour at that point. Many diesel locos will have been standing at that signal before moving off, at which point wouldn't they have been more likely to shed oil onto the track?

[Oldddudders]

I quite agree, but how typical is the track colour at that point. Many diesel locos will have been standing at that signal before moving off, at which point wouldn't they have been more likely to shed oil onto the track?

Yes, locos are famous for just that - but you might expect a concentration at the signal, with a thinning trace thereafter, and mainly from axleboxes, traction-motor gearing etc, i.e. in a series of parallel lines. What we have here is an even spread of dark, apparently stretching all the way past those 3 stacked dummies in the distance. Would location give us a clue?

[The Stationmaster]

Yes, locos are famous for just that - but you might expect a concentration at the signal, with a thinning trace thereafter, and mainly from axleboxes, traction-motor gearing etc, i.e. in a series of parallel lines. What we have here is an even spread of dark, apparently stretching all the way past those 3 stacked dummies in the distance. Would location give us a clue?

We are somewhat OT of course but location does indeed give us a clue. We are talking a spot where trains are braking so brown muck from brake block dust will be more prevalent than 'out in the country', we are talking a location in diesel hydraulic land (still to some extent) so you get more oil than in DE land, we are talking a location where shunts take place including sets coming off depot and reversing so you get a bit of block dust plus some oil spillage. And finally we are talking Western Region so the colour of the weathering is different from other Regions - particularly the Southern - don't ask me why but that happened (well I know part of the reason but possibly not all).

 

Look at something I've just posted on another thread http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/57713-a-fist-full-of-permits-or-ive-now-got-a-scanner/page__st__25 or indeed a pic of another running line at Exeter taken on the same day as the one in question but operationally a bit different let alone what you can see on the Cwmbargoed branch in that other thread. One day you'll possibly get one of Bodmin Road and then you'll really see some different weathering!

[Stubby47]

What struck me about the ballast colour was the complete and linear contrast between the outer shoulders and the rest of the trackbed - sleepers, rails & stones all a uniform dirty black for as far as you can see.

[Ruffnut Thorston]

That signal is the famous Exeter West bracket, that contolled the entrance to Exeter St. David's Station from the West. The bridge is the River Exe bridge.

 

Many loco moves from the Shed would come to here, before moving back to the station.

 

(I have "pullled off " several of those signals, virtually, in the preserved Exeter West Signal Box, which is now in the Crewe Heritage Centre (AKA "The Railway Age") at Crewe.)