Stephen Freeman

Possibly, no probably not normal bullhead (maybe bridge rail), if it was then the chairs would be L1s (more commonly called Bridge chairs as they sit better on longitudinal timbers, normal chairs would be too wide).

4mm scale GWR/WR tubular bracket signal under construction, just checking the lights are working OK. SMD Leds warm white, Modelu lamp bodies and Wizard for the arms etc. It will be servo controlled when I get around to it.The lamps are painted silver to block any light coming out where it shouldn't do. Lamp bases still need to be sealed to stop light coming through from there but didn't want to do that until all checks completed.

I am familiar with the servo units I take it these are assembled? You will either need 12vdc or 16vac depending on which connections you use. The ac input is on the right if the servo connections are. The dc are next to the control terminals. You will probably need a USB to serial cable to connect the unit to the setting box ie servoset or pc running the relevant program though in the latest incarnations I think you can connect to the servoset by means of some of the pins on the board. I normally use a windows pc running SEMA4 with my own slightly modified firmware which gives a simulated bounce for signals with slight pause to give the impression of a pause ìn the pull. So don't use a servoset just a windows pc To connect a servo, the orange wire is inboard (the control wire), brown goes to the outside pin (common), the red one goes to the centre pin (positive). Having said that I usually connect 12vdc to the right hand terminals (near the servo pins) and so long as it of a smooth regulated nature, works for me.

There are several MERG units - servo control boards, which one do you have? Apart from the Megapoints one, you will probably need to use a setting box or windows PC, there are some simple ones which don't though.

I bought a set of 5 (I think) of varying sizes, the smallest being just right for 4mm scale round ones. For 7mm round spectacles a standard hole punch generally works. In 4mm and smaller I sometimes use canopy glue to create the glass and colour in with Tamiya clear paint, though it does have its limitations. If the spectacle is is too large it can be difficult to obviate the bottle glass effect and the Blue that Tamiya use isn't quite right to convert the warm white LED to green, at least not without some trickery. Preferred spectacle glazing is of course Wizards.

Sad news indeed, I remember meeting Iain over a cup of coffee, when he was the editor of MORILL to discuss myself writing an article for the magazine on the club layout, he had moved on by the time that it appeared in the magazine, strangely enough despite being involved in West of England interests he did have a connection with the NorthWest, for interest one of the many books he wrote featured a photo of the rail bridge at Greenbank, Northwich, which was quite close to where the club was situated at the time. I hadn't realised it until he pointed it out to me. I seem to recall that in his younger days he told me that he did attend the Mid-Cheshire College (not sure of details/capacity) , which was also close by, hence the photo opportunity.

Probably the best 7mm scale UQ arms to date. A couple of interesting observations, One of our sons music teachers has a full sized one I was looking at the other day. The red seemed to be the same shade overall but the part usual seen as black had been painted white, I couldn't see the back of the arm so don't have details for that, the operating arm is missing. The other thing is the spectacle retaining rubber (I am assuming that is the material) wasn't red just unpainted black. Of course there were/are lots of variations, just nice to see that detail appearing fo the first time. I'll see I can talk to her next time and get a photo.

It transfers the action of the point motor to a sliding bar, which connects to the point blades. Full info etc is on their website. You do have to be a member of scalefour these days to buy them. Alternatively you can buy something similar from c&l for 5 times the price and it doesn't have any location for the point motor.

Time for something a bit different. As you might know, Tortoise turnout motors are a bit tricky to get hold of at the moment, whereas the Cobalt ones are more easily obtained. The big advantage of the Tortoise for me was the availability of the Exactoscale Adapter plate. These are still obtainable if you are a scalefour society member, neither EMGS or S7 seem to stock them. It would seem that using them with a Cobalt is really quite easy. You might need to cut away a slight plastic ridge on the plate (if you don't want to use the pad) but that's all. The cobalts come with a self-adhesive pad, which is a snug fit in the recess of the plate, so you don't need any new holes and it brings the motor up to clear the plastic ridge. Easy

Hi, Fumes from superglue are unpleasant and poisonous, think cyanide and/or CS gas. You don't need a press and punch to use rivets at least in limited quantities, a suitable drill for the hole and squeeze in a vice. You can also employ Palatine Models droppers in conjunction with the rivets.

There is (at least in 4mm scale) more than one etch you can use, the newer one (ex D&S) is more prototypical but a little more fiddly as the drive bearing for the assembly is a separate etching which has to be joined to the spectacle, gives a better action though. Wizard have it on their site as S003/03, there is also S003/M for miniature arms .

Here is one I made earlier

In my limited experience, the body castings for Springside are extremely good, but the chassis isn't really up to the same standard (nothing wrong just very basic). I don't know if Slaters still do it but they produced a very good etched kit for the chassis, fully sprung if desired.

Personally I wouldn't use green label at all, too corrosive, phosphoric acid of some variety is to be preferred, though I use a so called no-clean flux these days.

Just one tip, I prefer 100c solder as you don't need to tin first, in fact it doesn't work well if you do.

I used to be in the business of supplying and fitting TCS decoders (only in a small way) and still have a couple units that I never used (keeping them for myself), so having read the instructions a KA1 will work with Keep-Alive ready decoders and most non TCS ones. Any TCS decoders manufactured after February 2012 are Keep-Alive ready. Hope that helps.

Do not talk to us about snakes in France please! Brings back some nightmare memories. Yes we had a whip snake in the roof space and wall once, a bit unnerving but they aren't venomous, possibly worst of all are what pass for grass snakes, they are big, black and show no fear of humans. One of our French acquaintences relations got bitten in the ankle by one, all they could do was chop it's head off (still embedded in said leg) and take her to Ruffec Hospital to have it removed. By the way our property, which we haven't seen in the real, since before Covid (at least we have a monthly gardner to keep the vegetation under control) is in the very south of the Vienne. I thought we were too far north for the really nasty snakes, the same cannot be said for the processionary caterpillars, however we haven't had any fortunately as far as I know. They have even reached the UK now.

I could be wrong but I think Springside will sell you any individual castings, so if the worst happens you should probably be able to get spares.

If they have numbers they are lever operated from the box because they are the lever numbers. just saying...

⁹I have just checked in the book by Michael Vanns on the subject. After about 1870 the signals became lever operated and were not connected directly to the blades. As yours appear to have balance weights this puts them into lever operated era. There were other subsequent modifications carried out over the years. There should possibly be 2 discs either fore and aft or front and side though I think it depends on application. The section in the book is quite short with only a few photos. Looking at the photo the GS you have do not appear correct for your period. The target is painted red and there is only one. In Vanns book there should be one front and back with a third spectacle on the side. As I said before, parts are included in the kit for all the variants and covered in instructions. The lner produced the variant shown by Mike as well, just to confuse the poor modeller.

I have just checked in the book by Michael Vanns on the subject. After about 1870 the signals became lever operated and were not connected directly to the blades. As yours appear to have balance weights this puts them into lever operated era. There were other subsequent modifications carried out over the years. There should possibly be 2 discs either fore and aft or front and side though I think it depends on application. The section in the book is quite short with only a few photos.

Yes you can. The easiest way to motorised them is to join MERG and buy their servo mounts for a rotating application. If you use fine tube and wire you can even implement working lights. Not easy but you can do it. When I am next on the pc I will see if I can find a photo or two.

The late Les Kent ran Haslington Model Shop. He must have a problem with being hacked at sometime in the past as I keep getting emails purporting to be from him, of course they never were. A sad loss, though I know he had been suffering for some considerable time.

Not sure where "here" is but I have sourced Chinchilla Dust in both UK and France so should be available in most parts of Europe, another possibility if you want a black finish is the volcanic sand they sell for reptiles etc

C&L's current offering is different to that previously mentioned. The only ones I would consider using are those sold by Eileens (same as the original ones I think), the actual manufacturer's name escapes me at the moment but many years ago I did acquire a catalogue, not surprisingly for a pattern makers dowel manufacturer, they are from the Birmingham area if my memory serves me right.