jonathan3005

Sorry for my absence of this topic. Been working on a different layout although ill keep my mouth closed on that one  Thankyou for the info David although i may have to postpone the Scottish trip for the time being with everything as it is. The track above is non scenic but also simply to show how the fiddle yard would link in at the ends. The number of tracks should be discounted on the upper portion. Atm im faffing with working ground signals to try and gain a foothold, unfortunately it didn't go well with the base pinging off into the other room never to be seen again and the other falling pray to my first effort with white metal and ending up with a big (comparatively) melt mark. Not the forum spot possibly but any tips on this will be most welcome.

Jon

Thankyou Keith, Ill add both to the plan. Although its only a trains length from the signalbox by virtue of the layout plan ill add one as i dont fancy trying to automate the latter 

Hi folks, its been a few days and some developments. I bought myself a signal kit, not a very big one i might add. A pair of LMS/BR ground signals from MSE with the intention of automating them. More as a, if i do a job on it i haven't wasted much in the way of funds. Ive begun these however white metal doesn't like my all or nothing soldering iron. So Ive also bought a new soldering iron as a result, although the good folks at Amazon have decided prime means next Tuesday despite it being ordered Tuesday with one day delivery 

The main reason for my post today is that I have a question regarding the plan above. My question is if i were to enter bk5 with the intention of entering bk4 remembering this line is unidirectional. Do i need a shunt signal in the reverse direction to facilitate this? 

Hi Mike, 

               Ive attached my plan as it stands (The only bit WIP is the fiddleyard). I appoligise for the crude graphics but hope it shows my intended plan. The only change is the siding and its shunt block (only for controlling this movement) and obviously the shunt signal. As you can see after the wisdom of Jeremy last night ive amended it to feature a single slip. Your explanation of the locking is most helpful and your diagram has definitely rid me of most of my confusion. Thankyou for your help and it is definitely much clearer.

 Ive finally understood why a single slip would be perfect, why my brain had decided it wasn't viable, your guess is as good as mine. Thankyou for bearing with me. Ill amend my plan to feature a single slip. Do i assume my signalling is now correct?

I picked a double slip as a single wouldn't allow the straight movement from bk1 to bk4 or the route from bk2 to bk3. Forgive my naivety here but there is only a single signal dedicated for movements across the slip. The branch signal at bk2 allowing movements across to bk3. The other routes are straight or are a main route.

Hang on so this could be my lack of knowledge but selectors are only used when signals are required to operate together and not as a safety? 

Thankyou Keith and thankyou also to Mick, Also the more you know Jeremy  

Halfway though writing a reply and another arrives answering my follow on question. My last question regarding this would be to ask how a double slip goes about handling 3 routes with 3 signals as the selectors only allow 2 signals. My example (Defiantly not lifted from my track plan  ) calls for a route from blocks 2 - 5, 2 - 3, 1 - 4 and 3 - 4. 

Cheers again

Jon

Hi there, thankyou for the photos and the name change. I have a feeling they may have changed there official name since 1932 in this case. I knew it was a switch diamond but my question was in my initial post, if the setup from a rodding and locking perspective was similar? As i cant find any photos showing the rodding in any great detail and none of the facing locking on a double slip.  

Forgive the poor watermarked image linked here but the apparatus in the foreground of the image is the selector (I didn't know this until i read the book mentioned) and its directly connected to the lock of the point. From my research this and the detectors im referring to on the points were both additional fail-safes to coexist with interlocking. The detector mentioned preventing the facing point lock being released by the addition of a bar that would depress with the weight of a piece of rolling stock stopping the signalman releasing the lock.

Hi there,
   Im currently looking to build a layout, and aiming to make it as realistic as possible based on the former GWR during the mid-1950s. Because im obviously a bit of a mental nutcase, I intend to run point rodding, signal runs and even install facing point locks. After finally finding the book "Railway Signal engineering (Mechanical)" as part of googles book archival project and reading many parts to further my knowledge, I have begun to understand there is more than i had ever thought happening. However with many things reading this has left me with certain questions, non of which have been helped by reading many articles online. My first relates to facing point locks and more specifically selectors. In regards to point selectors, I understand that this is to lock a signal near the point from being pulled while the point is against it. My question. Is this for every point that the main signal encounters in the block? For example, if the block has a siding coming off it does this also need to be linked to the signal by its selector? The only pictures I can find showing these selectors unfortunately are after they are redundant and simply there by association with the point lock or controlling a ground signal and the second selector laying dormant. Further to my previous question, if a point is at a junction with multiple signals, are addition selectors added to a point to lock additional signals?

My second question is about double slips and there facing point locks. The book mentioned prior shows a diagram of a movable crossing which I am assuming would remain very similar to the setup needed for a double slip adding an additional pair of detectors and splitting the control rod to pull both blades separately instead of in unison? As well as adding additional selector/s. For a little context ive added the diagram below.

Hoping you can help. Thanks in advance.


Jonathan
 

It's safe guys you can come out now its over the thread can resume in peace and harmony, as there is no official date other than between December and January and it is looking less likely of December does anyone expect them in January or are we looking February before we get our hands on them. Cannot wait for mine the first loco i will own of "The Great Way Around". Oh did i say that out loud, I meant to say the GWR.