Stephen Freeman

Have you looked at UK Model Directory?

Unfortunately some of the images on this thread have gone as a result of the outage but should eventually return hopefully, I have re-uploaded the others. Fortunately they are still viewable "elsewhere" and the youtube links still seem to work.

Unfortunately it seems to be rather worse, as far as I can see all the images on my my thread have gone, that's at least back to 2016. Fortunately the Youtube links still work.

Didn't say it couldn't be done, just not easy. This one is a M&H one, servo mount is by MERG and it just features one smd led attached to the spindle (hollow tube) the other polarity is fed by a fine wire within the tube. When I get time I might do a video but am otherwise occupied at the moment and no I can't see a way of making the weight bar work, so far....

I think I may have seen this before. Not a motorised or illuminated one but as requested.

It must be about 17 years since I encountered one of these. I remember I had to alter it to be DCC friendly, bonding the blades to the stock rails and isolating the common crossings. Apart from reducing the danger of wheels possibly shorting, it also does away with the dubious practice of relying on blade contact for electrical switching. The layout used Tortoise point motors, so the spare contacts were used to switch polarity. Basically the 2 nearest common crossings are switched together, the one furthest away isn't

Following on from the last one, here is how I dealt with a platform mounted signal. Tube cut to length on lathe (easiest way really), signal lamp light wires plug into the small socket attached to the servo mount (MERG). An SMD 1k resistor is mounted on the PCB. The operating rod in this case hooks into the servo horn. The white plug is marked red for positive and goes on the pin with the resistor. The advantage is that only a relatively small hole is required in the platform and no large baseplate for the servo to be surface mounted on.

That's why in the book only small arms are shown on the brackets, they lead to sidings or more usually loops.

If you want semaphores, then a bracket signal is needed (LMR UQ with small arm into the bay). Then you would need 3 starters, up, down and bay, plus a couple of ground signals. It has to be said that the track layout is not typical of the Settle and Carlisle as the Midland, like most other companies, had an almost pathological distrust of facing points. There are some facing points on the line but I don't think any of them were to access a bay platform on the other side. More prototypical to turn the crossover into a trailing one at the other end of the station in my opinion.

covers the Flatbottom version too.

Unfortunately the Peco Pandrols are overscale, Exactoscale Fast track for concrete is more accurate to scale but no individual fixings and they don't do a FB for timber sleepers.

The stainless steel rail looks like the real thing perhaps because it is steel. Normal model steel rail rail always looks a bit grey to me. Now the main problem to me with DCC's ss rail is its maleability. Yes it is more difficult to cut and solder but as soon as you pick it up, it bends, getting it to stay straight whilst working with it is (perhaps) almost impossible. However despite the problems, the finished article does look more realistic. Even HiNi will tarnish slightly and the idea of little or no track cleaning needed is another positive. I just wish they had chosen a better Stainless Steel, there are some "free cutting" ones, which won't deform so easily and are are no more difficult to solder and probably not much more if at all difficult to draw into rail.

Can't help thinkingthe release has been rushed. It is impossible to consider it from the photos in the press release, just too poor in my opinion, they lack detail and too dark and why didn't they use code 82 If Karlgarin can do it why not? Unfortunately the Karlgarin version isn't an easy fit on Peco Pandrols.

A couple of photos, I'll do a teleescopic one later

Just completed some GWR 7mm signals, two of the order already featured. Whilst I am on, I see that there is some interest in how signals are planted. 1) Easiest method is to fix the servo(s) to the base plate 2) Method 1 isn't always possible for several reasons, Hole needed too big ( e.g. 2mm scale) or simply to be able to switch between types of signals. In which case the servos are mounted in an under baseboard frame, the signal base has a square piece of tube which then locates into the next size up, which is then mounted on the frame, thus the signal is mounted telescopically. Operating wires from the signal have a short lengths of brass tubing soldered to them, which then locate over 12BA bolts fixed in the servo horn. The tubes can be slid off the bolts and the signal removed. If the signal has working lights, then the wires are terminated in a miniature socket and plugged in accordingly. A short piece of tubing can also be soldered to the signal base to locate it in the baseboard if needed. I'll do some photos shortly

Here is the nearly finished 55ft GWR Turntable EM Gauge

These are the stanchions I use for the handrails on the GWR handrails, they do them in various sizes, including one suitable for 7mm scale.

Try TSC 920 Flux from Solder Connection. Works for me.

This weekend, I have been working on a scratchbuilt 55ft 4mm scale GWR Turntable. Still some way to go but the well rail is in and the bridge turns freely, so hopefully video and pictures later this week. However, there will be a slight hiatus as I need to get some deliveries ready for collection by the couriers, somewhat delayed due to contracting Covid end of October and then storm Arwen messed me up (don't ask to see a photo of my fingers or indeed how it happened!). Now that the silly season for postal deliveries is over, dispatching them should be less troublesome.

Many years since I built said kit, cannot remember any problems with it whatsoever. I sold it on as I didn't have a use for it. I think I won the original kit in a raffle.

Small turntable based on Yelverton in 7mm scale. Motor/gearbox 12vdc 2 rpm. There are some wheels underneath which run on the rail. Track pickup is via these and the shaft, so there should be no interruption of any DCC sound on a loco. Does need to reverse polarity though of course, there are of course DCC modules for this.

Here is the youtube video

Joints arrived yesterday evening, so hopefully a video later this morning.

Here is an example of the Midland Railway Centre one, revolves very freely and am just waiting for some Flexible joints to arrive so I can add the motor and do a video.

Very much a work in progress (in the raw and still to be cleaned up) and in light of experience, would have done some things differently.