Love Lane, B.R. (E) c.1956-59
- Thread starter Eastsidepilot
- Start date
Eastsidepilot
Western Thunderer
John,
The info. I have available ( most of it's boxed up for the move
) says that originally they were 1'-6" x 1'-0" buffer heads ( oval ), basically a flat top and bottom with radius-ed sides, but later they were fitted with 1'-6" dia. round head buffer heads.
The latter would be more appropriate for our period , I would imagine the buffer bodies are standard LNER coach pattern.
Col.
The info. I have available ( most of it's boxed up for the move
) says that originally they were 1'-6" x 1'-0" buffer heads ( oval ), basically a flat top and bottom with radius-ed sides, but later they were fitted with 1'-6" dia. round head buffer heads.The latter would be more appropriate for our period , I would imagine the buffer bodies are standard LNER coach pattern.
Col.
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
Had a look at the "files", and it appears that the later round buffer heads were fitted to the original long, slender, tapered shanks!
Pete.
Pete.
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
There is still so much to do at Love Lane, and I am very conscious that I have not been pulling my weight of late.
With many large, highly visible projects to bring forward, this latest piece of work might seem a bit frivolous?
Hey-ho! Old dogs and leopard spots I suppose?
The beautifully made signal box is suffering a little from a malady that is not uncommon in model buildings. It is not only very difficult to install glazing without getting traces of adhesive around the edge of frames and glazing bars, thus spoiling the finish, plus the tendency of the clear plastic to scratch and magnetically attract dust and debris, but on the relatively large and multi paned windows of a signal box, the slightest distortion becomes intolerable!
While I admit that I had been clumsy and bungled my initial installation attempts, the temptation under time constraints to say "oh well, that will have to do now" is quite unacceptable. The laser cut openings, sashes and clear material were perfectly accurate, and had rightly been pre painted. Therein lay a problem; as the paint thickness in various places was inevitably slightly uneven the effect of the unequal pressures are starting show. After just a few weeks, the windows are quietly bowing all over the place!
I have therefore decided to ditch the lot and replace all with real glass!
When that job is completed, the interior is likely to be revealed with crystal clarity?! My hope is that it will attract a similar degree of curious attention that the prototype always did for me?
There is not much signal box equipment available in 7mm scale on the market, and even less that isn't of GWR origin, so there is only one solution?!
Love Lane is situated at the end of a double track block, and continues through as a single line token section. What we need are typical examples of the most likely instruments to have been employed:
My choice just happens to be for "Tyers" in both instances...
Firstly, a No.6 Single Line Tablet instrument, complete on it's own cupboard:
Thank you to Robin for measuring up and doing a perfectly precise drawing of one for the purpose!
Some of the finer details have been simplified, or even wilfully omitted, but once painted it will hopefully convey the right "look" of the beastie?!
There was something vital missing though...
Oops, no spare pouches 'n 'oops!
"That's a bit more betterer" - as the saying goes in our house!
For the next task, a Tyers, One-wire Block instrument...
This time it was small enough to make up by simply layering strips of plasticard, rather than having to face boxing up like the former!
A bit crude, and terribly fiddly at this stage...
But it gets worse?
Now it has it's attendant bell box on brackets.
I have made another, and attached it to some conduit fitted behind the No6 as well, but more of that later...!
My hope had been to find some brass rivets of the appropriate size to represent the polished bells, but none were quite right. I could have done a "Bagshot" job of course, but those wretched time constraints have struck again...?!
So out with the plastic rod and the trusty Ronson lighter:
Enough choice for the Tyers, and any others that might be required, plus various plungers and knobs for whatever...
And finally; the mysterious, sprung loaded flippy flappy bit on the bottom section of the cabinet!
The "end of the world" button in the foreground is a grossly simplified version of an attendant box that would be fitted to the front of the shelf immediately below the main instrument.
There's even more of the worse to come...
but I'm saving that for later!
Pete.
With many large, highly visible projects to bring forward, this latest piece of work might seem a bit frivolous?
Hey-ho! Old dogs and leopard spots I suppose?
The beautifully made signal box is suffering a little from a malady that is not uncommon in model buildings. It is not only very difficult to install glazing without getting traces of adhesive around the edge of frames and glazing bars, thus spoiling the finish, plus the tendency of the clear plastic to scratch and magnetically attract dust and debris, but on the relatively large and multi paned windows of a signal box, the slightest distortion becomes intolerable!
While I admit that I had been clumsy and bungled my initial installation attempts, the temptation under time constraints to say "oh well, that will have to do now" is quite unacceptable. The laser cut openings, sashes and clear material were perfectly accurate, and had rightly been pre painted. Therein lay a problem; as the paint thickness in various places was inevitably slightly uneven the effect of the unequal pressures are starting show. After just a few weeks, the windows are quietly bowing all over the place!
I have therefore decided to ditch the lot and replace all with real glass!
When that job is completed, the interior is likely to be revealed with crystal clarity?! My hope is that it will attract a similar degree of curious attention that the prototype always did for me?
There is not much signal box equipment available in 7mm scale on the market, and even less that isn't of GWR origin, so there is only one solution?!
Love Lane is situated at the end of a double track block, and continues through as a single line token section. What we need are typical examples of the most likely instruments to have been employed:
My choice just happens to be for "Tyers" in both instances...
Firstly, a No.6 Single Line Tablet instrument, complete on it's own cupboard:
Thank you to Robin for measuring up and doing a perfectly precise drawing of one for the purpose!
Some of the finer details have been simplified, or even wilfully omitted, but once painted it will hopefully convey the right "look" of the beastie?!
There was something vital missing though...
Oops, no spare pouches 'n 'oops!
"That's a bit more betterer" - as the saying goes in our house!
For the next task, a Tyers, One-wire Block instrument...
This time it was small enough to make up by simply layering strips of plasticard, rather than having to face boxing up like the former!
A bit crude, and terribly fiddly at this stage...
But it gets worse?
Now it has it's attendant bell box on brackets.
I have made another, and attached it to some conduit fitted behind the No6 as well, but more of that later...!
My hope had been to find some brass rivets of the appropriate size to represent the polished bells, but none were quite right. I could have done a "Bagshot" job of course, but those wretched time constraints have struck again...?!
So out with the plastic rod and the trusty Ronson lighter:
Enough choice for the Tyers, and any others that might be required, plus various plungers and knobs for whatever...
And finally; the mysterious, sprung loaded flippy flappy bit on the bottom section of the cabinet!
The "end of the world" button in the foreground is a grossly simplified version of an attendant box that would be fitted to the front of the shelf immediately below the main instrument.
There's even more of the worse to come...
but I'm saving that for later!
Pete.
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
The signal box saga continues:
There are a few more bits and bobs required for what will otherwise be a rather empty blockshelf, and I especially fancied one of these...
A splendid example of Stratford's own in-house lamp shop!
Trouble is, and in a most uncharacteristic moment of time consciousness, I was somewhat daunted by the prospect of making that twurly handle for the top as well as the distinctive knobs and slides on the sides?!
Despite the scale and difference in size of the original I therefore elected to go for one of these instead...
A pretty much bog standard "Blaydon"!
While this particular example is actually a London Transport specification lamp, the main proportions are identical to what had become a BR standard design.
Without further ado, I stretched some sprue to the right diameter...
...and ran a triangular needle file around the end to form the top.
Next, two holes were drilled diagonally into the upward angle and a short length of fine brass wire, wound almost into a full circle and was inserted therein. I should say two lengths really, as the first one pinged off into the ether - as such things are wont to do?!
Finally, another bit of sprue was shaved to a slightly conical shape and fitted to the front of the body, and a thin slither from sheet was added to the back.
OK, so it is a right tiddler that will be barely noticeable, and in retrospect it might not be quite prototypical for the Eastern in 1956...
And the earlier type would have been a shave larger to work on...
so hands up all those of you who think I should have gone for the good old Great Eastern one instead...???
Mind you, it would still be a bit of fun eh, trying to fit an LED?!
Pete.
Sorry folks, I have been a bit reckless and spent the coin now as well...!!!
There are a few more bits and bobs required for what will otherwise be a rather empty blockshelf, and I especially fancied one of these...
A splendid example of Stratford's own in-house lamp shop!
Trouble is, and in a most uncharacteristic moment of time consciousness, I was somewhat daunted by the prospect of making that twurly handle for the top as well as the distinctive knobs and slides on the sides?!
Despite the scale and difference in size of the original I therefore elected to go for one of these instead...
A pretty much bog standard "Blaydon"!
While this particular example is actually a London Transport specification lamp, the main proportions are identical to what had become a BR standard design.
Without further ado, I stretched some sprue to the right diameter...
...and ran a triangular needle file around the end to form the top.
Next, two holes were drilled diagonally into the upward angle and a short length of fine brass wire, wound almost into a full circle and was inserted therein. I should say two lengths really, as the first one pinged off into the ether - as such things are wont to do?!
Finally, another bit of sprue was shaved to a slightly conical shape and fitted to the front of the body, and a thin slither from sheet was added to the back.
OK, so it is a right tiddler that will be barely noticeable, and in retrospect it might not be quite prototypical for the Eastern in 1956...
And the earlier type would have been a shave larger to work on...
so hands up all those of you who think I should have gone for the good old Great Eastern one instead...???
Mind you, it would still be a bit of fun eh, trying to fit an LED?!
Pete.
Sorry folks, I have been a bit reckless and spent the coin now as well...!!!
Last edited:
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
I'll try and get as much done before they come to take me away then?!
Meanwhile, we need a couple of these clunky old Bakelite fella's:
This first one has more or less proved the principal?
I had originally tried to carve the thing from solid, and the result would have been perfectly fine for the lighter and plainer 1960's classic GPO version, but the sets provided mostly by the LNER lasted well into BR days. Quaintly ancient looking telephone equipment seemed to be the norm in all the 'boxes that I had visited over the years!
Ahem! all rather naughty and strictly against the rules of course!
(It is amazing what I got away wiv in me-yoof… though I am not ashamed to admit that I frequently took full advantage of a somewhat late starting and juvenile stature long after my peers had entered their utterly 'orrible phases!)
Yet more sprue stretching provided some slightly tapered round material for the ear and mouthpieces, while the handle portion was shaped in situ on the strip before cutting off and gluing.
Static electricity can generate some interesting effects and a surprising range of expletives when trying to bring the three parts together and apply tiny drops of solvent in precisely the right places!
I found that the only way to regain any sort of control was to wedge the larger mouthpiece into a handy hole in a scrap block!
When this latest is set enough I will drill and add the "flex".
It will give me something to hold on to when trimming and smoothing it down...?!
Another essential item for the 'box was started earlier as well:
This job would be a piece of cake if I had a lathe...
The end of a bit of brass tube was filed off to form a small, thin ring...
which when cleaned up was firmly fitted over a length of sprue.
I had to be careful and leave a slight overlap, thus creating an even lip around the top:
A larger section of yet more sprue was drilled out and cut into a another ring to be a snug fit over the first part.
Some solvent was applied to ensure that the plastic would melt a bit rather than distort or split when being pressed firmly into place?!
After adding a little box for the back, cut square from some sheet...
We have at last a proper little 8'' dial clock to hang on the wall above the train register desk!
Now this is one dial that I am really going to have fun painting...???
Pete.
Meanwhile, we need a couple of these clunky old Bakelite fella's:
This first one has more or less proved the principal?
I had originally tried to carve the thing from solid, and the result would have been perfectly fine for the lighter and plainer 1960's classic GPO version, but the sets provided mostly by the LNER lasted well into BR days. Quaintly ancient looking telephone equipment seemed to be the norm in all the 'boxes that I had visited over the years!
Ahem! all rather naughty and strictly against the rules of course!
(It is amazing what I got away wiv in me-yoof… though I am not ashamed to admit that I frequently took full advantage of a somewhat late starting and juvenile stature long after my peers had entered their utterly 'orrible phases!)
Yet more sprue stretching provided some slightly tapered round material for the ear and mouthpieces, while the handle portion was shaped in situ on the strip before cutting off and gluing.
Static electricity can generate some interesting effects and a surprising range of expletives when trying to bring the three parts together and apply tiny drops of solvent in precisely the right places!
I found that the only way to regain any sort of control was to wedge the larger mouthpiece into a handy hole in a scrap block!
When this latest is set enough I will drill and add the "flex".
It will give me something to hold on to when trimming and smoothing it down...?!
Another essential item for the 'box was started earlier as well:
This job would be a piece of cake if I had a lathe...
The end of a bit of brass tube was filed off to form a small, thin ring...
which when cleaned up was firmly fitted over a length of sprue.
I had to be careful and leave a slight overlap, thus creating an even lip around the top:
A larger section of yet more sprue was drilled out and cut into a another ring to be a snug fit over the first part.
Some solvent was applied to ensure that the plastic would melt a bit rather than distort or split when being pressed firmly into place?!
After adding a little box for the back, cut square from some sheet...
We have at last a proper little 8'' dial clock to hang on the wall above the train register desk!
Now this is one dial that I am really going to have fun painting...???
Pete.
Last edited:
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
This clock will tell the time, and not just be right twice a day? 
Eastsidepilot
Western Thunderer
You 'aint seen the key to wind it up yet !
Tom Insole
Western Thunderer
Quite the upgrade from being written down on a piece of paper.....This clock will tell the time, and not just be right twice a day?
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
I think it is about time to tell a few more tales?
Although this is jumping forward a bit, and with quite a bit of progress going on unreported, I cannot resist the temptation to show the latest bits and bobs for the signalbox:
As our weather this weekend is reminding us of the chill to come, thoughts at home have turned to clearing the fireplace and checking the coal stocks. This brought to mind an essential bit of kit for the comfort of Love Lane signalmen...
Note the enormous and quite distinctive bucket on the hearth in front of the stove in this delightful view of Haverhill Junction Box!
Fortunately, this type of "scuttle" is still widely available, so there are plenty of examples - with overall measurements included - on the web. The only problem was working out how to make one in 7mm scale?
Now for another old trick:
Shape up the end of a short length of Ramin dowel to the inside proportions of the bucket and clamp the resulting pattern in a bench vice, soften a piece of plasticard over a candle flame and wallop!
Admittedly it is a bit of a waste of plastic sheet, as well as getting fingers and thumbs toasted by this process, but the result is hopefully worth all of it?!
A little circle of flat plastic applied to the base - and there it is.
However, there is another problem: The wall thickness looks perfect at the top edge but is way too flimsy to attach the side and carrying handles onto?
I had originally intended to fill the bucket with some genuine coal dust, having discovered that our aforementioned "stock" consisted mainly of same, but that would have made drilling and inserting fine wire a bit of an issue.
Some use was found for a bit of the waste plastic...
Nibbled into a little pile of irregular chunks, dropped in and lightly drizzled with adhesive, the whole lot would set as fairly solid plastic?
Cooking on gas now... though I'm not sure if my recipe will win any prizes?
Allowing it to rest overnight, the final fitting out was a dream:
Looping the wire back to hold the carrying handle has made it temporarily movable - which is just a bit of fun - but it should really be fixed with a couple of drops of cyano for security later?!
Now we only need a companion set...
Pete.
Although this is jumping forward a bit, and with quite a bit of progress going on unreported, I cannot resist the temptation to show the latest bits and bobs for the signalbox:
As our weather this weekend is reminding us of the chill to come, thoughts at home have turned to clearing the fireplace and checking the coal stocks. This brought to mind an essential bit of kit for the comfort of Love Lane signalmen...
Note the enormous and quite distinctive bucket on the hearth in front of the stove in this delightful view of Haverhill Junction Box!
Fortunately, this type of "scuttle" is still widely available, so there are plenty of examples - with overall measurements included - on the web. The only problem was working out how to make one in 7mm scale?
Now for another old trick:
Shape up the end of a short length of Ramin dowel to the inside proportions of the bucket and clamp the resulting pattern in a bench vice, soften a piece of plasticard over a candle flame and wallop!
Admittedly it is a bit of a waste of plastic sheet, as well as getting fingers and thumbs toasted by this process, but the result is hopefully worth all of it?!
A little circle of flat plastic applied to the base - and there it is.
However, there is another problem: The wall thickness looks perfect at the top edge but is way too flimsy to attach the side and carrying handles onto?
I had originally intended to fill the bucket with some genuine coal dust, having discovered that our aforementioned "stock" consisted mainly of same, but that would have made drilling and inserting fine wire a bit of an issue.
Some use was found for a bit of the waste plastic...
Nibbled into a little pile of irregular chunks, dropped in and lightly drizzled with adhesive, the whole lot would set as fairly solid plastic?
Cooking on gas now... though I'm not sure if my recipe will win any prizes?
Allowing it to rest overnight, the final fitting out was a dream:
Looping the wire back to hold the carrying handle has made it temporarily movable - which is just a bit of fun - but it should really be fixed with a couple of drops of cyano for security later?!
Now we only need a companion set...
Pete.
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
I had an idea this evening for something else to aid the signalman's comfort, and it has also given me the opportunity to use up some of the wobbly waste mentioned in the previous post...
First I cut a whole load of these parts from flat sheet:
Not terribly neat at this stage, but there should be sufficient material for trimming later.
Then after notching two corners off each of the larger pieces I glued them together on a lashed up rig to ensure all were set square...
Now here comes the curly stuff... or rather some narrow strips cut from a section of the moulding excess...
At least I can now be reasonably confident that the tops will not spend the rest of time trying to straighten themselves back to flat and destroy the rest of the structures in the process, as indeed plasticard has the unnerving and unerring tendency to do!
They will remain awfully delicate though, so I will leave this little lot to cure for a while before attempting to add the centre back rails and front legs!
There will be two for Love Lane box, plus one for another job (ahem...!) and a spare; just in case I get a bit clumsy and accidently sit on one...?!
Pete.
First I cut a whole load of these parts from flat sheet:
Not terribly neat at this stage, but there should be sufficient material for trimming later.
Then after notching two corners off each of the larger pieces I glued them together on a lashed up rig to ensure all were set square...
Now here comes the curly stuff... or rather some narrow strips cut from a section of the moulding excess...
At least I can now be reasonably confident that the tops will not spend the rest of time trying to straighten themselves back to flat and destroy the rest of the structures in the process, as indeed plasticard has the unnerving and unerring tendency to do!
They will remain awfully delicate though, so I will leave this little lot to cure for a while before attempting to add the centre back rails and front legs!
There will be two for Love Lane box, plus one for another job (ahem...!) and a spare; just in case I get a bit clumsy and accidently sit on one...?!
Pete.
Peter Cross
Western Thunderer
Those chairs and the scuttle are really nice.
Osgood
Western Thunderer
I saw this and thought it might make a useful pairing with the man who manipulates sheets of white plastic.....
1908 Lavatory Station Plan Diagram Drawing London Tilbury Southend Railway | eBay
1908 Lavatory Station Plan Diagram Drawing London Tilbury Southend Railway | eBay