With regret, I have decided to stop building operating signals to order but I will supply signal kits.
After my birthday in early May when I turned 74 and after much deliberation, I decided that I wouldn't build any more signals but just supply signal kits. I realised that I hadn't been able to do much for myself in the hobby over the previous three and a half years and this is evident with the drop off of Bylong blog posts as well. I had started several modelling projects but they were stillborn when I had to get back to the signals.
The signal kits have the brass castings cleaned up of sprues, holes all drilled, and small operating wires bent up except for the long 0.015" steel ones from the counterweight lever to the bellcrank or linear servo but this is covered in the instructions.
White and black water slide decals are supplied for the stripes on the signal arms as well. These decal small stripes are already cut around the stripe, just remove the clear excess around the outside when wet, then apply the stripe.
The bases are 3D printed for either the bellcrank type or the type for the small linear servos. I even have narrow versions for placing between tracks that are too close together.
The signal range has posts with up to 3 signal arm positions although I did do a one-off signal with four arms down the post with linear servos.
For more unusual signals I can supply posts pre-drilled to accept castings for the signal arm mounting bracket, the lamp, and the counterweight bracket for 1, 2, or 3 counterweight levers. To match the number of counterweight levers there are extra pulleys available for the bottom of the post. I can supply the posts pre-drilled for these extra fittings as required. 3D-printed drilling jigs were designed for this purpose.
A jig is supplied to assist in the placement of the safety handrail prior to soldering the uprights.
The signal lamps have been designed to accept a 0402 SMD (surface-mount-device) LED into a hole at the rear of the lamp which allows the light to shine out through a hole in the lens at the front. One LED wire can be soldered to the brass signal and the other could be glued to the rear of the post and pass through a printed hole in the base to an appropriate value resistor.
Signal assembly instructions can be found in the Links list above and to the right of this post.
SIGNALS BRANCH PRODUCT LIST
CODE ITEM Comment
1 27 ft
Timber Signal
2 23 ft
Timber Signal
3 Left
Timber Bracket Signal
4 Right
Timber Bracket Signal
5 Distant
Timber Signal
6 18 ft
Timber Signal
7 16 ft
Timber Signal
8 27 ft
Home and Distant Timber Signal - ALSO CALLED - 27 ft 2 Arm Timber Signal
9 23 ft
2 Arm Timber Signal
10 23 ft 3
Arm Timber Signal
11 18 ft 2
Arm Timber Signal
12 RH Offset Timber Bracket Signal
13 Underslung Timber Bracket Signal - Yet to be done
14 Steel
Tube 27 ft Signal
15 Steel
Tube 23 ft Signal
16 Steel
Tube Left Bracket - Tall
17 Steel
Tube Right Bracket - Tall
18 Steel
Slat Left Bracket Signal + 4th Post Side + Handrail + Small Wheels (2) * Long
Leg Wheel castings (design change from short leg wheels)
19 Steel
Slat Right Bracket Signal + 4th Post Side + Handrail + Small Wheels (2) * Short
Leg Wheel castings
20 Signal
Arm - 39 inch
21 Signal
Arm - 36 inch
22 Signal
Arm - 30 inch
23 Signal
Arm - Distant
24 Signal
Arm - Siding
25 Signals
Arm - Shunt Ahead
26 Signal
Arm - Wrong Road
27 Signal
Arm - Calling On
28 Ladders
- 21' Standard with Cast Iron base
29 Ladder
- 18' Post - Round Top
30 Ladder
- Medium - Round Top - Used on Steel Slat Bracket Signals primarily
31 Ladder
- Short - Round Top
32 Signal Arm Lamp
Blind - This casting no longer used -
Replaced by No. 34
33 Signal Arm Fine Lamp
Blind - With crank
34 Signal Arm Lamp
Blind - Fine with top cut-out
35 Signal Lamp
Cap
36 Counterweight
Lever
37 Counterweight
Lever - With Crank - Used on Steel Tube Bracket Signals
38 Timber Bracket
Signal LARGE Cast Iron Bracket
39 Timber Bracket
Signal SMALL Cast Iron Bracket
40 Timber Bracket
Signal Bellcranks
41 Signal
Ladder Cast Iron Bases
42 Signal
Finial - as used on signal post castings
43 Steel
Slat Lower Quadrant Dolly Set of 6 Types
44 Steel
Slat Lower Quadrant Dolly - Type 1
45 Steel
Slat Lower Quadrant Dolly - Type 2
46 Steel
Slat Lower Quadrant Dolly - Type 3
47 Steel
Slat Lower Quadrant Dolly - Type 4
48 Steel
Slat Lower Quadrant Dolly - Type 5
49 Steel
Slat Lower Quadrant Dolly - Type 6
50 Steel
Slat Mid Bracket Signal + 4th Post Side + Handrail + Small Wheels (4) * Long
leg Wheel castings
51 Steel
Slat Upper Quadrant Dolly - Type 1
52 Steel
Slat Upper Quadrant Dolly - Type 2
53 Steel
Slat Upper Quadrant Dolly - Type 3
54 Steel
Slat Upper Quadrant Dolly - Type 4
55 Upper
Quadrant Signal Arm (Type 1) and signal arm small 'donut' retainer
56 NSWGR
48 Class Handrail and MU Connector Posts (2 Sets of 4 parts)
57 LH
Offset Timber Bracket Signal
58 Mid-Post
Timber Bracket Signal -
Yet to be done
59 Set of
Timber Signal Fittings - Signal Arm Pivot, Lamp and Bracket,3 types Pulleys,
Counterweight Lever Bracket, and Special longer Counterweight Lever
60 Ladder
- 27' Timber Post Round Top
61 Ladder
- 23' Timber Post Round Top
62 Ladder - 16' Post Round Top - Yet to be done - Cut down 18' round top ladder
63 LH
Small Fabricated Bracket+Bent C/weight Lever+C/weight Lever Bracket+Light
Blind+Dead End arm
64 LH
Small Cast Iron Bracket+Bent C/weight Lever+C/weight Lever Bracket+Light
Blind+Dead End arm
65 RH Small
Fabricated Bracket+Straight C/weight Lever+C/weight Lever Bracket+Light
Blind+Dead End arm
66 RH Small
Cast Iron Bracket+Straight C/weight Lever+C/weight Lever Bracket+Light
Blind+Dead End arm
67 35'
Co-Acting 2 Arm Timber Signal - Designed on a signal once at Moss Vale
68 LH
Small Fabricated Bracket+Bent C/weight Lever+C/weight Lever Bracket+Light Blind+Wrong
Rd arm
69 LH
Small Cast Iron Bracket+Bent C/weight Lever+C/weight Lever Bracket+Light
Blind+Wrong Rd arm
70 RH Small
Fabricated Bracket+Straight C/weight Lever+C/weight Lever Bracket+Light
Blind+Wrong Rd arm
71 RH Small
Cast Iron Bracket+Straight C/weight Lever+C/weight Lever Bracket+Light
Blind+Wrong Rd arm
72 2nd Set
of Timber Signal Fittings - Finer Finial, Finial w/Base, Bracket Small Steps, Small Platform,
Large Platform, Double and Triple Counterweight Lever Brackets, Triple Pulley.
73
74 Fassifern Tall Double Home Signals Parts and McKenzie and Holland timber signal parts for two other smaller signals on Toronto branch side of Fassifern station platform - Available 11 August 2024
Here are examples of some of the signal types I have previously built and can supply as kits. Note, this is not the full range of signals available, see the list above.
Single and double arm 23' Timber Posts
18' Timber Post Signal with bellcrank base
27' Timber Post signal with bellcrank base
Cooma Steel Slat Bracket
Here is an example of one production run, I think this one took longer. :-)
Another recent production run.
Here below is the most recent signal added to the range, guess what and where.
OK, this is pretty easy, it is the UP Home signals at Fassifern that both have co-acting signals due to the signal sight line being obstructed by a road bridge. There is also a McKenzie and Holland left Bracket low down on the outer post. The double linear servo base shown in the picture below will be a three-linear servo base, it was just a quick print as a trial.
And here below are a few things to think about for the future.
Brass telescopic tube posts with all the rest in the picture being brass castings that will slide onto the post for easy soldering with a small gas flame and solder paste (both available from JayCar). The operating rod for the Upper Quadrant signals will be run up through the base and tubes, exiting out a longitudinal hole adjacent to the signal arm. The small lower 'repeater' spectacle plate on the UQ signal second from the left below with the oil lamps has been designed to work as well (we will wait and see when I get the first brass castings).
These photos above are just a selection of signal kits I can supply, please contact me with any questions at:
rpilgrim@bigpond.net.au
If you contact me initially by Messenger I will request that you continue by email as that is where I keep all correspondence, so best to just use email.
- One Arm 27', Distant, 23', 18', and 16' Timber Post Signal Kit - $60
- One Arm 27', 23', 18', and 16' Timber Post Signal built and painted - $100
- Two Arm 27', 23' 18' Timber Post Signal Kit - $70
- Two Arm 35' Co-Acting Timber Post Signal Kit - $75
- Three Arm 23' Timber Post Signal Kit - $80
- Timber Post LH or RH Bracket Signal Kit (2 Arms) - $110
- Timber Post LH or RH Offset Bracket Signal Kit (1 Arm) - $100
- Steel Tubular Post 27' or 23' One Arm Signal Kit - $60
- Steel Tubular Post Left or Right Hand Bracket Signal Kit - $100
- Steel Slat LH or RH Bracket Signal (2 Arms) - $130
- Steel Slat LH or RH Offset Bracket Signal (1 Arm) - $120
- Steel Slat Mid-Post Bracket Signal (2 Arms) - $130
- Steel Slat LH or RH Bracket signal (3 Arm) - $140
- Brass Signal Arm, Lamp Blind, and Counterweight Lever replacements for Shapeways plastic signals - $6 a set:
- Upper Quadrant Signal Arm - $3
- Ladder - Short with Safety Ring at the top - $6
- Ladder - Medium with Safety Ring at the top - $6
- Ladder - Tall with Safety Ring at the top for 16' and 18' posts - $6
- Ladder - 21 feet long with Cast Iron Base - $6
- Upper Quadrant Steel Tubular Dolly Posts - $3 each
- Lower Quadrant Steel Tubular Dolly Posts - $3 each
- NSWR 48 Class Handrails and Multi-unit Connectors (Trainorama) - $12 for one 48 Class.
