Signals in 7mm 4mm and 2mm scales Turntables and Track

[Stephen Freeman]

Just realised I hadn't put this youtube video of a 7mm scale ex GWR Turntable on my thread so here it is:

 

 

65ft turntable 7mm scale scratch built - main parts are copperclad board. overlays are mainly brass strip with rivets/bolts embossed. The transverse girders were from plasticard. The handrail stanchions came from a model boat site (name escapes me for the moment but it is well known and is in the SW of England). Motor gearbox is a very slow running job 12vdc. Power to the rails is from the well rail and spindle. The wheels are ball-bearing races and the bridge revolves on a ball bearing race as well, this makes it very free running. The base is from several layers of MDF. The wells are cut from a hole cutter (small hole) and router (large hole).

[Stephen Freeman]

I have just realised that I don't remember showing these antiquated signals before, though if I have sorry. As a matter of interest the lamps have smd leds, the first one (with black band) has 2 -a green and a red. The other signals have spectacles of composite design from two HR  ones with two arms, the lamps having warm white leds.

 

From memory they were for some Southern based station. The prototype details of such unusual (to me) signals are readily available on the net, if of interest I will try and remember where. The see-saw arms had the red and letters printed on self-adhesive vinyl paper, which I sometimes use for distant signal arms, it's much easier to print them than paint them.

Edited December 21, 2021 by Stephen Freeman

[Stephen Freeman]

Forgot to mention, the posts are probably my usual etched brass hollow ones though could have been from my now exhausted stock of Lochgorm ones. Hollow posts are much easier to hide the wires in.

[Stephen Freeman]

I have just received a fresh batch of signal post etches (7mm scale, I already had some in 2mm and 4mm scales) and decided the best way to check the size of the post at the top was still correct. Best way I thought was to build a signal! Obviously GWR, the arm is MSE as is the glazing, the finial and lamp are Modelu with an 0603 SMD LED. I now have to put it to one side and try to do some other stuff, whilst I wait for the laddering.

[Stephen Freeman]

I have now added a servo to it

 

[Stephen Freeman]

As I see it is a bit out of focus, I will do another take in due course.

[Stephen Freeman]

I have tweeked the settings and done a better video (got the tripod out this time)

 

 

[Stephen Freeman]

Going back to turntables and in particular 4mm scale ones of the GWR type, it is with great saddeness that I note the non-availability of Midland Railway Centre (Kettering) kits. As some will know the bridge part is/was from etched parts and copperclad in the the main. These materials gave adequate dimensional stability. Unfortunately the current fad of everything having to be laser cut from mdf and/or plywood doesn't neither does it lend itself to reproducing the forest of rivet and bolthead detail that the prototypes are endowed with.

 

I have had a go at designing some etched parts in Nickel Silver but the first iteration contains errors and shortcomings but does allow me to make a turntable bridge of a robust nature, properly engineered with the afore-mentioned detail and be structurally sound.

 

I can see some improvements can be easily made, when next I need some parts but in the meantime I will be adding to this story as it progresses. A photo or two shortly.

[Stephen Freeman]

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.

[Stephen Freeman]

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.

[Stephen Freeman]

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

[Stephen Freeman]

Here is the youtube video

 

[Stephen Freeman]

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

[Stephen Freeman]

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.

[Stephen Freeman]

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.

[Stephen Freeman]

Here is the nearly finished 55ft GWR Turntable EM Gauge

 

[Stephen Freeman]

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

 

[Stephen Freeman]

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

[Stephen Freeman]

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.

Edited February 11, 2022 by Stephen Freeman

[Stephen Freeman]

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.

Edited April 21, 2022 by Stephen Freeman

[Stephen Freeman]

I have just put together half a dozen of my etched brass signal posts, these are 4mm scale ones. Being hollow it makes it easy to thread the wires through for working lights in the lamps.

[Stephen Freeman]

I forgot to mention that, whilst quite a lot are GWR, I do build others. Here is a photo of a couple of ex-Midland brackets.

[Stephen Freeman]

Currently progressing a small batch of about 10 of these

 

[Stephen Freeman]

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

[St Enodoc]

53 minutes ago, Stephen Freeman said:

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

Sorry if I'm being dumb here, Stephen, but what is the purpose of the adaptor?