NER Signal Box in 7mm and 4mm

Sprockit

Sprockit

Member
Just thought Thunderers might be interested in this.....

As part of a larger project in 7mm I was looking for a NER signal box kit that would stand up to close scrutiny by being as true to prototype as possible. That's inside as well as out! After a thorough trawl through the market place and a not inconsiderate amount of deliberation and procrastination I've come to the conclusion there isn't anything out there and that I'm going to have to go it alone.

Now. I set to with plasticard and balsa and after various iterations quickly lost enthusiasm and sat on my hands for a while. Then, a few months back, the good lady suggested designing a kit. We'd been praising the new Lego ranges' instruction booklet my 5 year old is steaming through; even through it's notionally aimed at 7 - 14 year olds and 'what ifs' started being bandied about.

So that's where it has all started. We've now decided to take a belt and braces approach to producing a kit of the highest order; a 26 lever NER box based on the Melton (East Yorkshire) prototype. Well I say based, it will be that box in 7mm with tolerance allowed for personal choice of cladding.

Thanks to Mick Nicholson we have some actual measurements/ drawings and detail photos to work from.

JRM77 21 250282 Melton Lane.jpg IMG_2359.JPG IMG_2366.JPG

There's still some fettling to do but hope to have pre-production kits for approval in both scales in the next week or so. If the sale of some top line kits can cover my production costs I'll be happy, and plug a gap in signal box availability.
 
Dog Star

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
Magic... so neat and tidy.

Please tell us about how the box has been constructed, materials, techniques... particularly the windows :bowdown: .
 
Sprockit

Sprockit

Member
Thanks! Sure,

The locking room sub frame if you like is made from MDF, everything else is high grade 'plasticard' in effect. The laminar approach is taken with respect to details such as the window frames, allowing precision in the relief work. The 'glass' panes will need to be individually inset by the modeller in 7mm, a complete sheet in 4mm. Spoiling myself really I've got some real wood laser etched with floor boarding for the box's floor. The roof will be removable allowing detailing of the interior to be carried out. Interior detailing kits to NER, LNER prototype will be injection moulded and follow on from completion of the main kit.

I wanted this to be as good as I could get it both from a prototypical standpoint but also from the enjoyment someone will get from building it. This will include, for example, creating exploded diagrams to aid construction rather than verbose narrative instruction which requires some knowledge of phrases and terminology which to the beginner can be a little intimidating.

It's the little things, you know, the change in brick bonds, guttering arrangements, convincing door casings and doors. It's these areas I've focussed on. All in all, this will (hopefully) be an immensely satisfying build project, to the highest degree of accuracy for someone with a basic modelling skill set. My original professional background is in communications, so I need to get this aspect right!

IMG_2364.jpg
 
Dog Star

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
Sprockit said:
The 'glass' panes will need to be individually inset by the modeller in 7mm...

I wanted this to be as good as I could get it both from a prototypical standpoint...
Click to expand...
Your intention to have individual panes for the windows rather cries out for Laser cut material.

As for being as good as possible, only bettered by a GWR prototype ;) .

regards, Graham
 
Sprockit

Sprockit

Member
'As for being as good as possible, only bettered by a GWR prototype ;)'

Booooom!

Most aspects of the kit are laser cut and etched; I'm hoping the modeller will rough up the edges to the required degree, metaphorically speaking.

Now off to see the chaps and continue scribing York stone flag pavement on Millicent Street. 'Taxi for Wass'.
 
Broad Sword

Broad Sword

Western Thunderer
Best of luck with this venture Alex, something to fall back on if your taxi business is not so successful. "Taxi for Wass, here please"!
 
D

delticfan

Western Thunderer
I messed about with a scratch built s4 box a few years ago and gave up! I am so pleased you have done this, I will be a definite customer. This may sound greedy but how easy would it be to "stretch" it to an eight window box from the six you have designed, I think I may be talking myself into buying two kits to make one!
 
Sprockit

Sprockit

Member
I think you'll be the first to bash the kit! On reflection we're going to be following more general prototype arrangement for the NER and arrange the locking room windows symmetrically and do away with the close signal viewing window above the doorway which was peculiar only to a few boxes. Though we may leave it on the sprue as an option.
 
D

delticfan

Western Thunderer
There seems to be many variations on the basic design - can't wait to bash the kit! The NER / LNER seems to be hard done to when it comes to permanent way models so well done.
 
Sprockit

Sprockit

Member
Many thanks!

A friend mentioned looking at other line side buildings and NER/LNER peculiarities in that vein. We'll see how this goes.....!
 
JimG

JimG

Western Thunderer
micknich2003 said:
By adding windows etc, it should be possible to build any NERly "S4" designed signalbox, and including this one, the biggest ever mechanical signalbox, world wide.
Click to expand...

Mick,

Was that one long single frame or several smaller ones in one building?

Jim.
 
micknich2003

micknich2003

Western Thunderer
The locking frame was 300 levers in length, but only contained 295 levers, there was a five lever gap in the middle of the frame, a common practise at all the larger NERly 'boxes.
 
Sprockit

Sprockit

Member
Well I'll apologise for the photography in advance but here are some shots of the box (amended) now in 4mm. You'll see the locking room windows are symmetrical to the running line elevation and guttering and drainpipes are in situ. As per the 7mm box the interior is finely laser etched, marked and cut to include details such as beamwork, picture/instrument rails, fire opening, sliding windows, opening doors, flooring etc. Again the idea is not to skimp on quality and volume of detail. I'm currently arranging frets and writing construction copy; all instructions for the build will be aided by exploded diagrams (my nod to plastic kit manufacturers, er, but then again that's what this is!). Well slightly multimedia I suppose: the drainpipes are brass cored so they stay in the position they're bent to and as per the 7mm box the carcass/sub-frame at ground floor is MDF. I'll hopefully have a dummy kit of each scale to work through by next week to prove the instructions.

IMG_2394.JPG IMG_2390.JPG IMG_2396.JPG IMG_2391.jpg IMG_2395.JPG IMG_2398.JPG
 
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