Fat Controller Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 13 minutes ago, Wickham Green said: Probably painted by a fifth columnist so the Luftwaffe could spot it on a dark night. I did wonder.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted November 7, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 7, 2019 On 06/11/2019 at 16:10, TheSignalEngineer said: A lot of information here http://www.pillbox-study-group.org.uk/other-wwii-defensive-structures/arp-sgnal-box/ The (G)WR information in that article is rather confusing to say the least as it doesn't just show ARP style 'boxes but also appears to include some 'boxes which had strengthened locking room walls, for example - Oxford South, Oxford Station North, and Severn Tunnel Jcn West. But it also omits some boxes which had strengthened locking room walls . And at the same time it manages to omit at least one 'box which was a new built ARP type 'box (Hinksey North). On 06/11/2019 at 14:12, tomparryharry said: To be honest, I can't ever remember being inside a wartime Western box. Are there any left? The biggest problem was that they were, for whatever reason, an absolute b*gger to keep clean inside being very prone to dust and dirt from the stove building up on all sorts of surfaces. The LMS ARP design in my limited experience of them seemed to be a lot cleaner inside (The difference might have been down the Signalmen but judging by the GWR version on my patch there was something about the design and material used which made them harder to keep clean.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted November 7, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 7, 2019 16 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said: T The LMS ARP design in my limited experience of them seemed to be a lot cleaner inside (The difference might have been down the Signalmen but judging by the GWR version on my patch there was something about the design and material used which made them harder to keep clean.) One I frequented - Mollington on the Birkenhead Joint - was bl--ding freezing even for most of the summer, and when it wasn't it was bl--ding hot. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted November 7, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 7, 2019 9 hours ago, Oldddudders said: I think the customisation to site is how such designs work, really. Contractors take a plan and adapt as needed. There were a lot of variations available in the original concept design. IIRC they came in four heights, 8', 10', 12' and 14' above rail to the operating floor. The only external difference was the staircase and the number of brick courses. The two decorative rows of Staffordshire Blue bricks were normally in the same place relative to the windows but some bricklayers put the outer layer as a soldier course. Can anyone confirm my memory that the red bricks were Accringtons? The window frames came in two different widths, and I have seen various combinations from three to six along the front. The typical GA I have showed Narrow, 3xwide, narrow, which was enough length for a 50 lever frame. Crewe Coal Yard had six windows including a bay window for better visibility. It had a 65 lever frame. A three window box like the Peco/Ratio sample would be for 25 levers. For those interested in the prototype this is the inside of Town Green in 1990. Town Green Signal Box 1990 by Noted HSG, on Flickr 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted November 8, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 8, 2019 Thread Drift Warning The LMS Type 13 ARP signal box was designed to be resistant to blast but not to a direct hit, like this one by a train at Portobello Junction, Willenhall, in 1974. http://www.willenhallhistory.co.uk/society/portobellocrash2.htm http://www.willenhallhistory.co.uk/society/portobellocrash.htm Incidentally the number of the ICI tank which was at the centre of the action was 666. If you ever go over Noose Lane Crossing you will see a bit of a mound just off the north west corner. There used to be an old pond there. How do you get rid of the debris? The mound hides the remains of the box, including the REC lever frame and gate wheel. It's just behind that chain link fence. 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rue_d_etropal Posted November 10, 2019 Share Posted November 10, 2019 Quote Can anyone confirm my memory that the red bricks were Accringtons? that would be interesting. I have not heard anything locally. Has anyone tried drilling into bricks? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted January 17, 2020 Share Posted January 17, 2020 Arriving in our shop next week: https://www.a2bmodelrailways.co.uk/product-page/ratio-oo-wartime-arp-style-flat-roof-signal-box-plastic-kit-554 https://www.a2bmodelrailways.co.uk/product-page/ratio-oo-wartime-arp-style-flat-roof-signal-box-plastic-kit-554 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted January 17, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 17, 2020 34 minutes ago, andyram said: Arriving in our shop next week: Not the type of box they were showing samples of on their stand recently. (See page 1). The picture you show is the wartime version of the ARP box as in their original publicity, their sample was of Town Green near Ormskirk which was a post-war adaptation built in 1949. I believe that was the last variation of the type and may have been unique. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted January 17, 2020 Share Posted January 17, 2020 36 minutes ago, TheSignalEngineer said: Not the type of box they were showing samples of on their stand recently. (See page 1). The picture you show is the wartime version of the ARP box as in their original publicity, their sample was of Town Green near Ormskirk which was a post-war adaptation built in 1949. I believe that was the last variation of the type and may have been unique. The Ratio 554 is the ARP wartime fact roofed wartime box, which is the subject of this original thread and relates to the pre-production picture I have included in my post. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted January 17, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 17, 2020 Be interesting to see what turns up. The Peco website is as helpful as ever and doesn't even seem to admit its existance yet. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted January 17, 2020 Share Posted January 17, 2020 Yeah, I think I'll wait and see what we are getting. I want one for a BR LMR/WR joint line based near the English/Welsh border. Something like the one at Crewe Bank Shrewsbury. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1724359 Jason 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 The kit has arrived in stock: https://www.a2bmodelrailways.co.uk/product-page/ratio-oo-wartime-arp-style-flat-roof-signal-box-plastic-kit-554 1 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 Now it's gone back to the smaller three window design in the OP as opposed to the five window version in the advertising..... Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 20 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said: Now it's gone back to the smaller three window design in the OP as opposed to the five window version in the advertising..... Jason That is the model. The previous photo was preproduction. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 10 minutes ago, andyram said: That is the model. The previous photo was preproduction. But they are entirely different boxes. One being much bigger than the other. I understand we are getting the three window version, but why release photos of a five window version in all the advertising? Someone at PECO needs to go to Specsavers…. Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 4 hours ago, Steamport Southport said: But they are entirely different boxes. One being much bigger than the other. I understand we are getting the three window version, but why release photos of a five window version in all the advertising? Someone at PECO needs to go to Specsavers…. Jason I have no idea, I am not a representative from Peco. The photo I posted earlier today is the actual model from the packaging and was photographed in my shop today. I am not posting in order to enter any debate, simply to state that the item is in stock and available to order. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 It's fine. I don't mean to shoot the messenger. Just wondering what PECO are up to. They posted one type a year ago which is the same as the OP, then a totally different model which has been used for advertising, then gone back to the original model.... Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted January 23, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 23, 2020 Well I won't be buying, good job one of my friends supplied me with a dimensioned drawing of the five window one they used in some of the earlier publicity. Must measure up how much brick patterned styrene sheet I need before the next exhibition I go to. Oh, must check the bond pattern as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin Brady Posted April 13, 2020 Share Posted April 13, 2020 Good Afternoon, I picked one of these signal boxes up. I have no real need for it but have always been a fan of the ARP style. Anyway the kit went together very well and very quickly. In fact it was a joy to build really. It is now inside ready to be painted and have an interior fitted. Benjamin 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted April 13, 2020 Share Posted April 13, 2020 On 10/11/2019 at 23:41, rue_d_etropal said: that would be interesting. I have not heard anything locally. Has anyone tried drilling into bricks? Back in 82 - as part of the ODM crew converting the Central side signal box at Victoria into the Bridge Engineer's Offices - ISTR drilling holes for conduit saddles was literally "one-bit per hole" due to the bricks being something called "red-faced blues" ……………. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted June 4, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 4, 2020 On 13/04/2020 at 16:18, Benjamin Brady said: Good Afternoon, I picked one of these signal boxes up. I have no real need for it but have always been a fan of the ARP style. Anyway the kit went together very well and very quickly. In fact it was a joy to build really. It is now inside ready to be painted and have an interior fitted. Benjamin The roof is the wrong way round in that picture. Slope should be towards the back. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted June 4, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 4, 2020 On 13/04/2020 at 17:32, Southernman46 said: Back in 82 - as part of the ODM crew converting the Central side signal box at Victoria into the Bridge Engineer's Offices - ISTR drilling holes for conduit saddles was literally "one-bit per hole" due to the bricks being something called "red-faced blues" ……………. In 1966 I was given the job of of putting in two new wallboxes for the rods and wires to go through when the frame at Bordesley Junction was extended. Remove (IIRC) four courses of blue bricks from a solid 14" thick wall at ground level, 27" wide at a time, and insert the cast iron frames without the bricks above caving in. Not too bad once you have a hole right through but getting out the first ten bricks was a pain. I also had to make four holes in the brickwork 1" diameter by 4" deep in an awkward position. They were in a place where only a lump hammer and star point chisel could be used. That part took me about half a day to do, widening them out in three stages. Cutting holes through the concrete floor in the days of hand tools was also a load of sweat and swearing. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin Brady Posted June 4, 2020 Share Posted June 4, 2020 Good Evening, Thank you for saying about the roof, looking at Town Green I guess the stove was moved at some point in its life for the chimney to end up at the front. The box is in its painting stage I shall update with a photo when I have added some fixing and fixtures. Benjamin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dasatcopthorne Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 I'd like one of these but is it possible to have the stairs at the other side please? Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Emily Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 Peco sent me one to build and review. It’s a nice kit and something a little different. Very easy to build with clear instructions so I reckon the perfect kit for a beginner to try their hand at. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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