Steve Hewitt

Hi Clem, That's coming along well. In recent years I've only demo'ed at Warley and decided to call it a day last year. I'll certainly be at Newcastle and Warley this year with the Liverpool Lime Street team, so do come along for a chat if you get to either event. I also try to get to other events such as ExpoEM North, Scalefour North, York, Wigan etc. Please PM me if you want to arrange a meeting. Steve.

Hi Clem, Thanks very much for your kind comments. I'm glad you've found my scribblings helpful, that's the reason I write them! To your specific question: There are two answers, either being equally suitable in most cases. 1. As you suggest, gently ease the Brass Tube out of the Horn - I use a small screwdriver. There will be enough "spring" in the operating wire etc. to allow this. Best done with the servo powered and locked in mid-throw, and the same for re-assembly later. 2. With the servo powered up and locked in mid-throw, unscrew the horn retaining screw and ease the horn off the servo shaft. The Horn can then hang from the operating wire etc. as you remove the signal. As to the "Fit" of the horn on the tube, I aim for an "Easy Push" fit. Absolutely no obvious clearance. I drill the horn 1.6mm by hand, then use a tapered broach to ease it. One twist will usually suffice. Remember, the faster you rotate a drill the larger the hole it produces, so be very careful if using a power drill. Nylon on brass is fairly self lubricating, but I apply a TINY drop of Silicone Lubricant when finally assembling the signal. Don't hesitate to ask for more advice if I've failed to make anything clear. Steve.

And here's the video..... Steve.

Installation of the Street Lamps......... Since returning from Doncaster, John has started the installation of Les's street lamps on Lime Street. Holes have been drilled and temporarily lined with brass tube so the locations can be confirmed and adjusted as necessary: Some new features are to be added to the Faller road system (details later), then the electrics for the lights will be installed. This will include an isolation feature to allow lamps to be removed without causing a short circuit. Steve.

Thanks Jon. Steve.

Continuing...... "At this stage its time to install the servos and check all is working before fitting the stage timbers and the fixed distant arms................" First I made a new "Transport & Test" frame for this signal and the next one or two. This simulates the Layout baseboards and ensures alignment and transferability of the signal with its servos is as straight forward as possible: The signals will travel on this frame and can be tested here before installation. You can see the signals are in the "Safe" position, servos in middle of range, and arms between "On" and "Off". The switch on the GF Controllers ensures the servo position is locked and they won't move when powered up. Here the power has been applied, and the arms adjusted to "Danger". Each arm is then adjusted for its "Clear" position, the timbers and Fixed Distant arms added and the signal is just about complete. That's all for now folks...........(video to follow) Steve.

The operating wires are routed up the right hand main post (adjacent to the track): which requires cranks to transfer the movement to the outer two arms: via the weight bar to the arm: Unfortunately, this means seven connections between the operating wire and the arm - lots of opportunity to lose some motion. The connection to the middle arm is much more direct: We now have: At this stage its time to install the servos and check all is working before fitting the stage timbers and the fixed distant arms................ Steve.

Thank you! From all the Liverpool Lime Street crew, to BRM/Warners for inviting us and their hospitality, and the many visitors who came to see us. A few initial gremlins on Saturday morning (always a risk when you move something as large and complex as this) and things then ran very smoothly. The appreciative comments from the crowd were very welcome, as were the recollections of those who know the area modelled and recalled the scene. It took us until about 8pm to get away from the venue, so we stayed an extra night in Donny. Good journey home on Monday morning, save for the usual motorway delays at 50mph for several miles. Having unloaded the vans at John's, and returning them to Intack Hire of Blackburn, I distributed the team to their residences and got home at 4pm. We're now looking forward to a few months of development work on the layout before our next outings to Newcastle and Warley in November. See you all there?????????? Steve.

Hi John, I'm no expert on prototype practice, but there are some who follow this Topic who will be able answer your question I'm sure. Steve.

A little light on the subject....... Back from the paint shop, the first task is to install the fibres for the signal lamps. I use 0.5mm dia optical fibres to carry the light from an LED to each of the 3D printed lamps. Each of the six fibres is threaded through the signal's lattice and bracket work and into the rear of its lamp. You can just make them out in the above picture but I don't think they are too obtrusive? The fibre is cut square at the front of the lamp, heated with a hot soldering iron - close but not touching - to expand the end to represent the lamp lens. The fibre is bent sharply where it enters the rear of the lamp causing some leakage of light, which represents the "Back-Light". The LED I use is a "Gas Light" from Helmsman Electronics. I think it gives a good representation of an oil lamp. For this test the LED Is powered by a PP3 9volt battery. Next tasks are the moving parts. Time to breathe some life into this signal........... Steve.

All packed up and ready to go (almost)..... On Monday this week John and Brian de-stocked the layout and cleaned wheels etc. They also dismantled the back-scenes and packed the buildings etc. Yesterday Les and John got the Hotel, Station Office Building and the Roof packed in their transport cases. Today Rob, John and I dismantled all the baseboards and loaded them into their transport trolleys. One exception being one board left on a workbench for a point tie-bar to be replaced. Next Thursday we will collect the hire vans and load everything ready for their Trans-Pennine adventure next Friday. See you all at Doncaster..... Steve.

Thanks Dave, That photo is actually of the None-working signal which I'll be building later. I'm not sure of the date when it was decapitated????? Steve.

Making a start..... These signals comprise two Lattice Posts with a third Doll cantilevered out to the right. All the bracket work is made from angle iron. The three Distants are all "Fixed". This is a much better shot: The model is based on MSE Lattice Post and Doll etches: They can be made straight and true by careful folding (I use an 8in Hold & Fold) and soldering together a little at a time. To mount these in a N/S Baseplate, I've turned two foundations from brass bar: These were finished to size with a tapered broach which makes for a good fit on the Posts at the correct location. Note the two posts differ in height by two feet. Having prepared a scale drawing from the photo, the various components were cut to size from brass sections and the signal was assembled to give: From the rear: Clean & polish, a ride in the dish-washer, then thinners bath and off to the paint shop..... Steve.

Not sure but John is coming to the BELMRS open day this afternoon so you can ask him yourself ☺ Steve.

Some excellent service from Hornby..... Whilst we were in Utrecht, our Hornby Scot gave up the ghost. John stripped it down on our return to find a fracture across the part which retains the worm wheel in mesh: On contacting Hornby for a replacement part, he was advised that stock was awaited and they would contact him when it arrived. Last week John spoke with Hornby again and they sent him TWO replacement parts: With the loco repaired, its now on a Running-In turn: Just in time for the pre-Doncaster running sessions, which start on Monday........ Steve.

The first of this batch of Carlisle signals.... This batch will all be for the "Goods Lines", and the first few will be for Rome Street Jct. This photo shows three of the prototype siganls: The two Three Doll Lattice Brackets are almost identical, just the upper ladders seem to be shorter on the one at top right. Each signal has three Fixed Distants, but on the model the signal on the left will be non-working, as those lines are cut short just beyond the signal. The two Discs on the tall lattice post are also being modelled, but only the right hand disc will be working. I'll be starting on the Three Doll Brackets first, of which more later......... Steve.

Happy New Year.............. I hope Santa was kind, and you are fully rested and ready for the next year's modelling. At last I've managed to make the little video I mentioned last month: I've added sound to this one, to try to explain the set-up and operation on the signal. I'm now leaving the Marchwood signals for a while and getting on with some more for Carlisle..... Steve.

Recent progress....... Since we brought the layout back from Utrecht, John has only had the main "spine boards" erected. This has enabled a lot of scenic work to be done on the rear platforms, some of which you might have glimpsed in the background of Les's postings. John has made the Platform Gates for Platforms 2 & 3: The N/S etches were made by Les whilst he was making the Roof, if I remember correctly. Once they were completed, it was time for Peter Goss to make another visit with a crowd of passengers: I hope they all get home in time for Christmas. Best wishes from all the Lime Street Crew, and hopefully we'll see many of you during 2018. Remember, we're exhibiting at Doncaster, Newcastle and Warley next year. Steve.

Thanks Jon. You seem to be enjoying your retirement! All the best Steve.

A little more progress....... Back from the paintshop and the fibre optics have been fitted: Here the LED is being lit by a 9v PP3 battery. The moving parts are next: The Arm, Weight Bar and Crank for the Down Main Starter have been assembled. This assembly can be wriggled into place through the handrails etc. Fitting the Back Blinder on the Arm Shaft and the collar on the rear of the Weight Bar pivot finally locks it all in place. Repeat for the Down Branch Starter and add the Timbers to the Staging to get: A couple of close-ups: Final portrait with the operating wires disappearing below ground to the Servos. The Transport & Test frame will be next, so the Servos can be installed in a mock-up of the signal's position on the layout.... Video to follow at some stage. Steve.

Back from Warley..... Another busy Warley show is now behind us, and how great to meet several RMwebbers face to face once again. Those first two Marchwood signals certainly attracted a lot of favourable comments - thanks very much indeed! I've now assembled the static parts of the Down Starter and given it a ride in the Dish Washer, so it will shortly be off to the Paintshop: More soon... Steve.

Hi Jim, Thanks for posting your enquiry. Unfortunately, you're asking the wrong person. Although I build semaphore signals, I have no professional railway experience, and certainly not enough knowledge to answer your question. However, that being said, one or two of my "followers" might be able to help you. My immediate impression is that all bar one of your signals seem to refer to the "UP" direction, with only the Branch "Home" protecting anything in the "DOWN" direction??? I hope someone can help you, and it may be worth moving your question to its own Topic in that case. Steve.

Hi Chris, Etched lattice work can be a bit of a problem, but the general solution is to make up two "L" shapes first, and then join them together. The early MSE etches, like S0016 I'm using at present has a mirror image of the half post. The problem then is having the fold line on the outside rather than the inside of the second half. Never works like that! I separate the two parts of the "wrong" half, clean up all the edges and make up the "L" correctly. I hold the two parts in place by one hand and tack the end to attach. Carefully adjust the join line and get the 90deg correct, tack the other end. When fairly confident, tack a mid-position. If still OK, run the seam in with a hot iron, plenty of liquid flux and small amount of solder. Joining the two "L" sections is a similar process. Hold in one hand, adjust and tack in place etc. I've had my share of "warped & twisted banana shapes" believe me! The later etches from MSE are much better, being correctly handed, and have staggered "cusps" which help locate the two halves during final assembly. Hope this helps, Steve. p.s. I will probably have some etches of lattice posts with me at Warley ready for a future build. Come along and make yourself known on Stand A71 and we can discuss this further.

Some go Down.

A spot of maintenance...... Between our return from Utrecht, and taking the layout to Doncaster in February, a number of developments, repairs and maintenance tasks have to be completed. The nature of the layout makes access to some areas very difficult if not impossible when the whole thing is assembled. An item which benefits from better access with only the "spine" boards erected is the signal gantry at the end of Platforms 2 to 5. I took advantage of the situation on Friday to check, lubricate and adjust all twelve signals. John also took advantage of the available access to take these two shots of the gantry: Steve.