Captain Kernow

I've gradually been painting the interior detail items for the signalbox over the last few days, here are some photos taken this afternoon, in all the cruel detail that only a digital enlargement can offer... Most of the furniture still isn't secured, and the floor is yet to be painted. I should finish painting the interior walls first, before much else is done... The fact that the floor isn't painted is very clear in this view, as are the brush marks on the lever frame, although that just won't be apparent when the windows are in. Also, painting of the floor will cover the untidy black around the grate area... Finally, details of the block shelf. I could add a few plungers along the front face of the block shelf, but these won't really be visible from normal viewing angles, so not sure at the moment... There is still some detail to be added, including a signalman, Train Register Book, a couple of 'box-to-box' phones on the wall above the bigger cupboard, a noticeboard and probably a couple of newspapers on the side...

Quality, careful workmanship here, the signalbox is exquisite.

And it will still be the only R-T-R Class 22 available, so I think it will sell by the shedload in any case... The mechanism of the Sentinel is sublime, so yes, I am also optimistic.

Or John, even!

I did! I try!

Fascinating insight into this conversion. I do like this kit (motorised one with the Kemilway chassis back in 1984). Until the Bachmann one it was the only way to get a 76XXX, unless you forked out for a DJH kit. I still think the old Kitmaster mouldings are great, though.

Nice work, Al. The new chassis is excellent and the rest of it looks brilliant as well. Presumably the old Lima body was basically correct, dimensionally?

I will endeavour to find out, although we haven't been told the start date yet.

Nice one! As I understand it, these trains will generally be worked by 66s...

Apparently Colas Rail locos have been seen route learning in South Devon (albeit not by me). Nice to see a smaller freight operator growing their business as well.

Well, this development is actually six months old, perhaps the demand for chipboard is increasing, but I understand that it's a case of the plantation owners seeking cheaper transport and also meeting 'green' obligations etc.

Here's some good news for the railways of South Devon. First, here's a photo of a very cold and neglected Heathfield station taken in January this year: ...and here's a photo of an equally woebegone Teignbridge Level Crossing, taken the same day: What's good about all this is that the line has recently been de-mothballed and is now in operational status again, waiting for the first weekly train of timber to take place in a few weeks time. Colas Rail have got a contract to take timber from South Devon plantations up to Chirk, to be turned into chipboard and the like. The timber will be taken by road to Teignbridge yard and the train will then load and convey it onwards. The operation will be run to Newton Abbot, run round, run to Heathfield, run round and then down to Teignbridge, load up, run to Newton Abbot, run round, and then up north. We are in the process of warning locals that the railway is operational once more and not to be tempted to trespass!

I can see you've been busy, John - very well done and it's looking really good. I think the idea of feeding the track current via the vertical bolts is brilliant, by the way!

Excellent retaining wall - what's the origin of that then please?

I do like the atmosphere in this one!

Yes please, it's always interesting to see and perhaps some of them will see trains again one day?

Well, seeings as the block shelf, with instruments etc. hasn't been done yet, I'm minded to have him in the act of tapping out a bell signal, although that's rather like having a fireman on a loco in mid-shovel.... There are noticeboards and one or two other bits and pieces yet to do. The interior will be illuminated when it's done and the roof attached.

You've achieved some fantastic effects there, Julia. The grass and brickwork weathering is really effective, and I love the backscene - is it watercolour?

Today I've been doing something I rather enjoy - playing around with various bits of plasticard and making stuff from them. Apart from the signalman's ancient 'comfy chair', the other items were measured from furniture in actual signalboxes, including the W.R. token instrument. The token instrument (which will apply to the single line section to Coalpit Heath West Junction), will have some representation of electric tokens added after it's been painted. Finally, as I was taking the photos, CTMK brought in something she's been making today, namely a woolley sheep for a window display in a bookshop. So, if the signalman does manage to have a nap in that 'comfy' chair, he'll have a bit of a shock when he wakes up!

Well, one of the colours had already been thinned, so probably 4:1 (thinners to paint). Be prepared to give more than one coat, though...

Simon - that's very good indeed. The grey livery transforms it. What about lettering the tender?

Robin - it's a combination of individual etched Smiths levers, which are really GW ones, so I cut down the handles, glued into a scratchbuilt lever frame. I was going to use a GW pattern one, but it was just so different from the Midland type. Since making this, I've discovered that the Masokits etched lever frame is a pretty good option for a Midland frame as well, courtesy of Robin Whittle (Barrowroad), who has been building a model of Lawrence Hill Jct signal box.

Yes, I passed it on the train yesterday and remembered our discussion. We'll sort something out. It is a brick structure, I've been reminded, mind you, not a stone one... hopefully not a problem?

Once Railex was over, I was planning to start work on 'Callow Lane' again, and so I've been doing a bit more work on the signalbox. The lever frame has been painted and the main structure of the box has been sprayed with a mixture of Humbrol and Precision cream colours. The box will represent one of those Midland examples that got repainted into Western Region chocolate & cream in the 1950s. I will be picking the main structural woodwork out in a chocolate colour in due course. My prototype example is the box at Painswick Road, Gloucester (on the now closed line from Tuffley Jct to Gloucester Eastgate). The levers are correctly coloured according to the signal diagram for the layout. Here is the box with the sub-roof assembly sitting on top (not yet attached). This consists of the guttering and a sub-assembly for the actual hipped roof to sit on. This had to be shortened, as the original Ratio version is for the longer 4-window box: I'd shortened the sub-roof assembly some time ago, but the spectre of having to shorten the actual moulded Ratio roof assembly was always looming. This is quite a nicely moulded slate roof, and I'd decided that it would probably be less work to carefully shorten that (by 24mm) to fit the 3-window box, as to scratchbuild a completely new hipped roof and cut new slates to fit etc. So, this afternoon I carefully cut one end of the standard moulded roof off, shortened the rest, and glued it back together. When the MekPak is dry, some filling will be required: The bluetak is to ensure the whole thing stays flat as the glue sets.

Thanks everyone for your most helpful suggestions so far. I do actually have the R.C. Riley book, as it turns out (I'd forgotten about it!!), so that's one additional photo. I'll check the other two sources suggested by Jules and Industrial when I get the opportunity and time. Thanks again.