Recreating Leek station signal box

Discussion in 'Line Side Buildings' started by Andy_Sollis, May 1, 2020.

  1. Andy_Sollis

    Andy_Sollis Staff Member Moderator

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    A short post or two of updates on the signal box progress.

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    first up was the walkway. Originally I designed as just brackets and intended to use plasticard for the wall boards. 57520005-89DC-4EDB-9DC4-4DC6E8F3EEBB.jpeg
    But I then opted to try and print the whole walkways as one.

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    Not easy to see, but here is one of the rails for the windows. One for each window.
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    Painting inside. Vellum top, Eau de nil lower and black skirt. Black dado to follow.
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    the track diagram. Scales down on a photocopier.
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  2. Andy_Sollis

    Andy_Sollis Staff Member Moderator

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    905CF799-B158-4F7E-B4AB-31931B9F9A09.jpeg
    First pass of black for the dado rail. The line was done with masking! Honest!
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    An external pic.
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    Showing the box with its floor in (not secured) but highlighting the wear on the floor where the Bobby has been walking back and forth.
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    With the roof sections in place. Need to add some lights soon.
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    Mixed up my own “Biscuit” shade for the windows and woodwork externally.
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    Biscuit windows and gulf red door (Eau de nil green on the reverse)
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    Porch painted in Gulf Red and Biscuit.
    Now for the rest of the building!

    more soon!
     
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  3. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    Painting the interior must have been 'fun' Andy. Working my way through a number of 7mm laser cut buildings presently and adding things like chimney breasts, fireplaces etc to the interiors even though they're unlikely to be noticed (but I know it's there) and the interior painting isn't easy once assembled.
    Keith.
     
  4. Andy_Sollis

    Andy_Sollis Staff Member Moderator

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    Hi Keith,
    Not it presents its challenges, hence why I finally designed it as 4 walls. The floor fits in as do all the extras. The only parts fitted/moulded in are the metal corrugated panel behind the stove, the upper shelves and the flag holders near the front window.

    there is the lever frame to make and paint, with 40’levers. A chair, stove, pipe and cast base, the desk, a storage box, sink, fire extinguisher, two spare lamp burners, the M&H back board, 2 wire tensioners and the track diagram. Finally there is the block shelf instrumentation and the signalman and then 6 windows.

    a friend who’s dad worked the box informed me there were 5 internal lamps, so still a few bits to model…

    And then there are another 2 to print for Yorkie’s Leek Station model and a mutual friend @Fruit. But that’s for another day..

    and no, I’m not looking forward to the brickwork painting, yet somehow, I bet it will be the easy bit!
     
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  5. Andy_Sollis

    Andy_Sollis Staff Member Moderator

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    And I almost forgot, there is a bell and name boards to fit externally.

    however, the name boards may need a reprint as one is thin. I wish I’d cast them in, but it was requested to have them separate.
    More to update soon.

    Andy
     
  6. paul_l

    paul_l Staff Member Administrator

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    Andy

    Very nice work.

    For your black dado, have thought of using black insulation tape, just cut strips to the required width.

    Paul
     
  7. Andy_Sollis

    Andy_Sollis Staff Member Moderator

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    the later versions have been modified with the gap set in the model to paint in to… well, that’s what @yorkie asked for!
    Tape I feel would peel off.

    what I need to look at is the lights. The OO ones were scaled up with new covers but out of stock at Express models.
     
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  8. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    I'm trying to recall exactly how the lighting arrangement was installed in Leek box and to be honest its not easy since it was such a long time ago... 50 plus years now, however what does stick in my memory is that there were three main lights each fitted with standard green vitrious enamel shades shaped like a flat bowl. There was one in the centre ceiling area between the cross bearer wall strap beams then one at each end... I do recall that when I bought Elton Box it surprised me there were only two main ceiling lights and one smaller lamp for the desk... but that was a much smaller box. So back to Leek, there would have been a smaller angled globe down light over the diagram and another similar one over the lectern to aid writing train register entries at night... thus making five in total same as at Ford Green and Folley boxes. There were hooks in the ceiling for paraffin Tilley lamp illumination which dated from the pre electric LMS days ... certainly there weren't any power sockets for kettles, toasters or Belling cookers ... all that stuff came later in the 1970's as we must bare in mind Churnet Line boxes were all on a secondary by pass route (Manchester - Derby) and of low priority for spending on upgrades or mod cons, Spath being the exception and that was only chosen because it was on a lane out of the way if anything went wrong with the workings of the barrier installation. Another interesting feature was the wooden wire conduit cases which were fitted above the window frames from the lightening fuse cases and the exit to pole route all the way round to the front of the box where they dropped down to meet the block shelf brackets before leading onto the block shelf itself. I recall walking behind the back of the frame and having to duck down under the trunking... I think the trunking split into two separate routes for each end of the frame. Without a shadow of a doubt the passenger station buildings were never fitted with internal electric lighting... something us modelers tend to forget that many stations marked up for the chop never had any money spent on them.
     
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  9. paul_l

    paul_l Staff Member Administrator

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    [​IMG]

    Just give him gruel
     
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  10. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    That's just too modern Dundee the candle is fitted with some sort or new fangled metal carrier plate with a finger hook... and presumably you'd need two friction sticks to light it.:avatar:
     
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  11. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    These were known as "Coolicon shades" due to the similarity to Chinese 'Coolie' hats, and were used in many industrial installations and offices too before the advent of fluorescent lighting.
    Keith.
     
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  12. Andy_Sollis

    Andy_Sollis Staff Member Moderator

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    7927C160-59E4-4A9A-9592-8A9AF51F95A9.jpeg

    Painting progresses. The biscuit has been applied.

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    and now the gulf red. Little more to do around the windows, but that’s for another day. I’m quite pleased with the printing crispness as there is no masking on the edges.. and for once I’ve had a steady hand.

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    and back in situe (whilst it dries)

    andy
     
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  13. Andy_Sollis

    Andy_Sollis Staff Member Moderator

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    Painting continues. With the new name boards (I had to make them slightly deeper than the scale print as the letters were too fine to paint.) and the walkway boards for the outside (along with the gulf red window rails which will be one of the last parts to fit.)

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  14. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Superb work Andy and this is a signalbox I remember well, I think these NSR composite cabins were probably the nicest visually looking types on the Knotty system.
     
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  15. Andy_Sollis

    Andy_Sollis Staff Member Moderator

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    Focus has turned initially back to the internals. I was never totally happy with some of the parts so I decided to give them another go.
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    A new lever frame has been reprinted, now with some levers pulled. CBEB9CD9-948B-4063-AA0E-60A02B47EC48.jpeg
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    with a mock up of the insides. Signalman Serrell starts his shift.
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  16. Andy_Sollis

    Andy_Sollis Staff Member Moderator

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    Work on Leek has slowed, sadly for a few reasons… I have an issue with the skin on my finger tips at the moment where it’s gone dry and keeps cracking, so can’t hold a paint brush.

    but it’s not stopped me using a mouse and keyboard so I have been working on a few other models. You may have seen else where the water column and new Hawkseye boards I’ve done for Paul, and also the Cheddleton signal box has come about.
    But there has been some small progress since I last posted, so here are a few updates.
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    a new lever frame with a set number of levers pulled, distant and homes and to the middle right facing point locks.
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    a temporary fitting inside the box.
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    and with the other details. At this point we’re still short of the block shelf and instruments.
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    a view through the window of Signalman Serrill!
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    now with a block shelf, although this has since been reprinted when a test print was done on the 0.025 layer height.
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    just really the stove pipe and telephone on the desk missing.. and the signalmans mug!
    To be continued….
     
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  17. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Super result there Andy and what a whole load of midnight oil got burnt just getting the project this far.:tophat::tophat::tophat::tophat:
     
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  18. Andy_Sollis

    Andy_Sollis Staff Member Moderator

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    And next….

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    not sure what to do for the small desk lights and the diagram light?
     
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  19. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Didn't think the diagram was lit... what source did we discover that info ?
     
  20. Andy_Sollis

    Andy_Sollis Staff Member Moderator

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    Your post #148 above?? three main lamps, a small globe one for the diagram and one over the lectern
     
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