Steve Hewitt

The next signal will be for the Carlisle project. Another in the Bog Junction area, I believe. I've been sent this fairly hazy photo of the signal required: Just the Home signal at the front of the shot for now, but there is a Distant just about visible above the rear of the loco! That will have to come later. I spent quite some time in the club library looking at photos taken in the Carlisle area for some clearer detail of what's required. Not much luck, but there was an odd shot of lattice post signals on the old NE goods lines to Newcastle which might help. I'm particularlry looking for details such as Lampmans staging, or was there just a ladder hoop? The only clear shot of a similar signal showed just a hoop, so thats what it will be. One taller signal seems to be without a ladder at all, so this probably had a Windlass? (Or a Sky Hook). First job was the post: This is from an Alan Gibson etch, assembled as advised in the packaging. The etching is quite fine and it makes up to quite a delicate model. The arm is also from a Gibson etch, spectacle plate and blade being separate, with five rivets (short lengths of wire) to hold them together: The shaft is from a lace pin. Because the post is so delicate, I mounted the arm bearing and the lamp bracket on a plate made from scrap etch: This plate can then be soldered over a larger area of lattice than would be possible for the two items separately. MSE castings for the finial: The lamp: This was drilled through 0.5mm for the fibre optic lighting which will be added much later. The weight arm and its bearing are also castings from MSE: Brass this time, with supplied weight in white metal. I bought some 100deg solder from C&L at the Watford Finescale show last weekend, and this was the first time I've tried it out. It allows soldering white metal to brass without needing to tin the brass first. The foundation tube for the lattice was turned from a length of 8mm dia brass bar: And the base plate cut from Nickel Silver sheet, marked out and drilled: An MSE etched ladder was built up with .4mm N/S wire on the stiles: So there we are, a collection of most of the components needed: More soon, Steve.

Another great weekend with the layout is over. Many thanks to all at Watford Finescale for your great hospitality. Excellent hotel, good lunches and buffet, constant tea and coffee and a really friendly wecome and send off! The layout ran very well, but we still have a hiatus at the end of the operating sequence which comes round every 2 1/2 hours or so. Correcting this is high on the agenda of "things to do", along with painting and boxing the two new roof sections etc. etc. It was great to meet a few RMwebbers face to face, and I was pleased to be able to show Jason and Dave "behind the scenes". The layout was safely tucked up in the shed by midnight and I was home before 1am. Just got to take the van back to Intack Self drive this morning. Next we'll be making the arrangements for our next trip - Dortmund - for a five day show in April! I hope we can collect a few photos taken over this weekend to put on RMweb. Till then, thanks to all who came to see us, and for your many compliments and words of encouragement. Steve. p.s. Don't forget, the next UK show for Lime Street is Blackburn (in Accrington) in September. http://www.belmrs.org/

Nearly ready for Watford. The van's been delivered and we'll be on the road before 10am tomorrow. Looking forward to a great show. If you follow us on RMweb, drop by and introduce yourself. Steve.

Today, the team taking Lime Street to Watford were all together for layout dismantling and packing, ready for Friday's trip to Watford. Les chose today to bring the new roof sections as seen above, for their "first fit". This little video shows Les mounting the original roof sections which have been seen at a couple of recent shows. He then brings the two new sections in from his car and slots them in place. They fit first time and the excitment of team at the impact of the now completed roof is evident! These snaps also show the completed structure being admired by the team: Les, Ron and John R. Ron Hak is the newest member of the operating team. The North Roof: The South Roof: The now complete roof measures 8ft long by 5ft wide. A total of 40 square feet!. Steve.

Its all moved on since my last post.... All the components were painted and assembled: And here's a video clip of the signal in use: What next I wonder????? Steve.

Les, That's what you call "Getting on with it!". Looking forward to seeing it on Monday................ Steve.

Jason, Without doubt the best advice on signalling requirements will come from one or two of the (ex-)railwaymen on RMweb. My knowledge is limitted to reading books in preparation for making models. Steve.

I think the signal should either be before the bridge, or taller to be seen over the bridge, with a co-acting arm at low level to be seen thru' the bridge when too close to see the sky arm. Alternatively, banner repeater before the bridge, and a shorter signal to be seen thru' the bridge would be OK? Steve.

Jon, I've made a few of these in 4mm scale. I like your use of a tube for the main pivot. The designer expects you to drill right through the web of the main post, where the etched holes are........ It is possible, but ............. Looking very nice. Steve.

Do come round and make yourself known. Its nice to put a face to RMwebbers. Steve.

Main post assembled with balance arm bearings, and planted in the base plate. I've fixed the bracket to the post, and placed the arms to check it looks OK: Steve.

Not really! the paper is only about 25mm wide, so there should always be wheels in contact with the rails. Even the Steam Railmotor, which has the shortest wheelbase, is OK because both bogies have pick-ups. Steve.

Hi Jamie, No, its not a Club layout. It belongs to John Holden, and he is helped by a merry band who all try to contribute their knowledge, skills, experience and TIME to the project. Most of us are past or present members of Blackburn & East Lancs MRS and the layout will feature in the clubs Annual Exhibition on September 7th & 8th at the Hyndburn Leisure Centre in Accrington. See our website for more details: http://www.belmrs.org/ It is also going to Watford Finescale in less than two weeks time, which is why all the operator training has been going on. Steve.

You've got to keep it damp with IPA. As it gets too dry it can be pushed along by the guard irons, but never caused a big problem. Steve.

Not only have we a lot of ballasting to do, we need a large amount of litter! Unless everyone was much tidier in 1947 Steve.

Here is another of my little video clips of the completed signal being tested on the bench prior to shipping: Steve.

No, its known as our "Dynamic Wheel Cleaner". Thin strip of tissue - single ply of cheapest is best. Spray with Iso-Propyl Alcohol, keep it damp. Every train arriving at the sector plate from the station runs over this. Keeps the wheels clean, and we never have to clean the track. We were finding that cleaning the track before a show caused damage. As we never clean it between shows, and it runs without problems, why run the risk of more damage by cleaning it then? The Station Pilot still gets very dirty, as it never leaves the station (except to have its wheels cleaned). For a "Deep Clean" of the stock we spread out a full sheet of kitchen roll over a length of track, soak it in IPA and handball the stock, item by item, over it. Steve.

Here's another video clip I took of Monday's operator training session. In this static view you can see the following tracks, from Left to Right: Down Slow & Fast lines, a Head Shunt, Up Fast & Slow lines, the second Head Shunt and finally the ten storage sidings. These are all serviced by the five road sector plate. At the extreme left of the shot you can see the operation sequence cards being turned over by the operator as each instruction is executed. In the back ground you might hear some banter between the operators, and John giving some tuition to Noel on only his second session as a new operator. Steve

Here we are back in 4mm scale: My next project is a substitute signal for "Holt". This is a Home signal with a bracketed "Running Line to Loop" arm. There's a good photo in "LNWR Signals" and drawings in Jack Nelson's book, so I hope to be able to get it right... Starting as usual with a few components: The two arms were assembled from MSE etched components, that tiny arm has four parts itself! Two cast balance arms in their bearings; back blinders, the smaller one has a crank added; and the crank for the Loop arm. The front and rear ladders with the etched LNWR style top extensions made for me by Les Green. The bracket has been made from a modified Alan Gibson "small bracket" etch. At the outer end is the casting to support the lamp bracket. This is made from a short length of square tube with a N/S rod through it for location in the bracket and the lamp bracket. Jack Nelson's book shows clearly how the Lamp Bracket incorporates the Arm Bearing and this is made from a length of 1/32in. brass tube. All in all there are eight components soldered together in this sub-assembly. This is the base plate for the signal with the turned foundation tube. Soldered, using the butane torch. With the guide tubes for the operating wires and the main location tube added as well. Finally MSE castings for the Lamps and the Finial: Assembly will follow shortly, I hope.... Steve.

Here's the video: Usual problems with obscured views and jostling crowds. You wait ages for the signal to be cleared then a Jinty comes by with its safety valves lifting! Hopefully you can see the relevent bits among the confusion... Steve.

A little diversion to 12in to 1ft scale. The East Lancs Rly introduced a new signal on 1st January. It is a banner repeater on the bracket for the Platform 3 North End starter, which repeats the Advanced Starter that cannot be seen clearly through the tunnel. Unusually, I believe, it is mechanically operated and is slotted with the Starter so both have to be clear for it to show clear. As soon as the starter is returned to Danger, the banner repeater returns as well. A bit of video to follow later..... Steve.

Hi Jason, I've just returned from a quick visit to the East Lancs Rly at Bury, which of course is what's left of the branch to Bacup. On the way I spotted these chimney pots silhouetted against the sky in Haslingden, which is only five miles or so from Bacup. They are on a terrace of houses probably built a little later than the ones you're modelling, but still quite representative. Steve.

Hello Ian, The crimson Duchess you have seen is not one of the regular fleet. It belongs to one of the team and was photographed exercising running rights. You may have seen occasional visits from the future as well, e.g Overhead Electric locos and multiple units have been seen! Some parts of the layout offer a very good location for a "photo shoot". Steve.

Jason, I think they're a great improvement on the plain ones, but would be even better with a square section rather than round. Have you thought of making a Master by 3D-Printing and then have some Resin castings made from that? Just need someone with a 3D CAD package to do the drawing. All the Pillars for Lime Street Station were made by a similar technique (stereo lithography), and I believe Les Green is using the 3D-Printing method for some details for the Hotel Roof. Unit Models did the resin casting of the pillars for us. Steve.

Thanks Andy, The latest changes are certainly a big step forward, but the next development will really complete the task. More details later.... Steve.