Chuffnell Regis

[Nick C]

It's under account settings, then Signature, then there's an option to switch them all on or off - at least on the desktop version.

[Graham T]

Thanks Nick - found it.  Now I suppose I should come up with my own suitably pithy signature!

[Neal Ball]

1 minute ago, Graham T said:

Thanks Nick - found it.  Now I suppose I should come up with my own suitably pithy signature!

 

And of course a thumbnail of your favourite Pannier Tank 0-6-0PT in an effort to persuade @Accurascale Fran that they need to go into production ASAP 🙂 

[Graham T]

The signal box is slowly getting closer to being finished.  Still need to add finials, chimney pipe, guttering, and the steps.  I will do some very light weathering too.  I'm not entirely happy with the point rodding, so some of that might end up being re-done I think.  A single straight run from the cranks at the front of the box to the first stools (?) would look better.

 

[Neal Ball]

There’s something odd about the rodding and I can’t put my finger on it 🙁 sorry

[Graham T]

I know, it's not right.  Will have to go, and be replaced with single straight runs.  But that will have to wait until tomorrow I think!

[MrWolf]

I must admit that I did quite a bit of cursing mine and there's only half as many rods. 

Like Neal, I can't think what needs sorting either.

This was my attempt. It seems logical to me as a lifelong oil stained Herbert, but it might well be a howler to a signalling expert. 

The 2mm society did a very informative booklet on signal rodding. Very useful, if only to cure a wobbly card table...

 

 

 

[Neal Ball]

8 hours ago, Graham T said:

The signal box is slowly getting closer to being finished.  Still need to add finials, chimney pipe, guttering, and the steps.  I will do some very light weathering too.  I'm not entirely happy with the point rodding, so some of that might end up being re-done I think.  A single straight run from the cranks at the front of the box to the first stools (?) would look better.

 

I think I have worked it out! The signal box is too far away….

 

The rodding would be closer to the track…. (But would a signal box be on a point?  Where would the staff be handed over?) Plus the rodding would be closer to the box…. Plus of course, it’s unusual to see the rodding as there would be planking above to provide a walkway.

 

I’ve found a lovely site, I could have spent ages going through the photos, but two illustrate the location of box to rodding and then to the track. These are from Wolfhall Junction:  https://davidheyscollection.myshopblocks.com/pages/david-heys-steam-diesel-photo-collection-97-great-way-west-2

 

 

 

Hope this helps.

Regards, Neal.

[Graham T]

2 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

I think I have worked it out! The signal box is too far away….

 

The rodding would be closer to the track…. (But would a signal box be on a point?  Where would the staff be handed over?) Plus the rodding would be closer to the box…. Plus of course, it’s unusual to see the rodding as there would be planking above to provide a walkway.

 

I’ve found a lovely site, I could have spent ages going through the photos, but two illustrate the location of box to rodding and then to the track. These are from Wolfhall Junction:  https://davidheyscollection.myshopblocks.com/pages/david-heys-steam-diesel-photo-collection-97-great-way-west-2

 

 

 

Hope this helps.

Regards, Neal.

 

Useful photos Neal, thanks.

[Graham T]

9 hours ago, MrWolf said:

 

The 2mm society did a very informative booklet on signal rodding. Very useful, if only to cure a wobbly card table..

 

 

 

That line made me chuckle!

[Graham T]

After a bit of head scratching about the signal box location, I've come up with a couple of options.  I did consider re-siting it onto the platform, but that would mean ripping up and re-installing quite a lot of the rodding runs, which I don't really want to do.  So, option A is to move it slightly to the right, and option B to move it slightly left.  Option A would also make a bit more space for the pair of cottages.  Problem with the second option is that it would move the box further away from the running line, so I'm leaning toward option A, but as ever would love to hear others' views please.

 

 

 

I'll also be adding some planking over the rods as a walkway in front of the box.

[Harlequin]

I think ideally the 'box should be next to the main running line, i.e. the line that runs from the country in to the main platform. That allows token exchange to be done more easily and puts it closer to the pointwork and signals it will control. Lengthwise: Usually roughly half way along the array of points that it controls (ignoring the loco release crossover and points within the yard).

 

BTW: Cardigan is an example of a box that is "on the ground" but doesn't sit tight up against the tracks.

 

Edited April 2, 2022 by Harlequin

[Graham T]

Thanks Phil.  My option A (first picture in the post above), is looking the more likely I think.  It's not perfect, but it's the least bad solution!

 

And you've reminded me that I need to order a nameplate - will do that now.

[Graham T]

Order placed.  I'm sure there were variations, but would the normal text have been "Chuffnell Regis Signal Box"?

[Neal Ball]

Hi Graham,

 

Ive had a look through the Vaughan book on signalling and there is nothing about point rodding or positioning the box.

 

However, in the Stephen Williams trilogy there is a useful section in part 3 about rodding starting on page 36 with a good photo on page 38. Do you have these books? There are other very useful photos in the other 2 volumes as well…..

 

 

However, what I saw through the books time and again is the amount of boards over the rodding. If I had to put my finger on what doesn’t look right, for me it’s the crank angles, they look too big. Even in the cover photo above from Fairford the cranks look tiny in comparison. 
 

Sadly I can’t make any comparison to Henley as the photos I’ve seen don’t show the crank angles…. Although there is no boarding in from of the signal box, so that doesn’t help. If you don’t have the books, I’ll PM the best photos for you.

[Graham T]

I'm sure you're right about the cranks, they're probably much too big.  But I don't have either the patience or the skills to build better ones unfortunately.

 

I don't have any of those books, will see if I can find them.

[5BarVT]

Neal is right that in most places you won’t actually see the leading off bed as it will be boarded over for walking on.  And, yes, the cranks are probably a bit big.  But I don’t think it is either of those that is making me feel ‘not sure’.  I think it might be that the rodding splits in two down the middle and my gut feel (i.e. no evidence provided!) is that there would normally be some crossover - point to the left operated by lever more to the right.

Paul.

[aardvark]

On 22/03/2022 at 00:57, Graham T said:

I'm pretty sure that I've read about scale colour - in that the colours on a model should be a few shades lighter than the "true" colour, or they will look too dark.

 

I think I read it was not so much light/darkness but saturation, with distant colours being desaturated compared to nearby colours.

 

You artist types would know more about this than me.

[Gopher]

18 hours ago, Graham T said:

I'm sure you're right about the cranks, they're probably much too big.  But I don't have either the patience or the skills to build better ones unfortunately.

 

I don't have any of those books, will see if I can find them.

Graham I'm always full of admiration for anyone who installs dummy point rodding on their layouts .  I don't have the patience or knowledge.  It fascinates me,  but  find it  messes with my mind.  Plus I'd probably destroy it when I'm cleaning the track.  I love the signal box by the way. 

[Graham T]

12 hours ago, aardvark said:

You artist types would know more about this than me.

 

I wouldn't bank on it!

[Graham T]

As they often do, the little job of sorting out the leading off bed has somehow expanded to pretty much fill any spare time I had today.  None of this is finally fixed down yet, but I think it's starting to look a bit better.  I'll scribe the planking, and add ramps at each end, of course.

 

I also made a chimney out of plastic rod.  Guttering is probably the next job.  Anyone got recommends for gluing Modelu bits together?

 

[5BarVT]

That boarding makes a big difference. 
Well done. 
Paul. 

[aardvark]

9 hours ago, Graham T said:

I wouldn't bank on it!

 

In my typical "I have no idea what I'm talking about" manner, I found this article educational:

 

https://www.bouldercreekrailroad.com/choosing-the-right-color.html

 

[MrWolf]

45 minutes ago, aardvark said:

 

In my typical "I have no idea what I'm talking about" manner, I found this article educational:

 

https://www.bouldercreekrailroad.com/choosing-the-right-color.html

 

 

That's very interesting @aardvark, the pictures and descriptive say what I was thinking in a proper model railway viewpoint, rather than that of a painter.

 

Thanks for sharing that, it's worth everyone reading it.

 

[Graham T]

1 hour ago, aardvark said:

 

In my typical "I have no idea what I'm talking about" manner, I found this article educational:

 

https://www.bouldercreekrailroad.com/choosing-the-right-color.html

 

 

That's a really useful article Aardvark, thanks for sharing it.