Model Railway Forum

Get yourself a head magnifier BB. I wear mine all the time in the railway room. You don't need your glasses then. Probably best thing I ever bought for the hobby.

The lantern on the branchline platform starter signal is now working. Having fitted the fiddleyard "Home" signal, and it all worked straight out of the box, doing the same with the platform signal and then the lantern not working, the signal operation did work, left me a bit frustrated. I just happened on a thread on RMweb about these Dapol signals, that suggested the polarity of the power affected the lantern operation, but not the actual operation of the signal itself. Initially I swapped the polarity at source, bad idea - the fiddleyard lantern went out and the branchline came on. So back to square one, and just swapped the polarity right under the branchline signal, and it's now all working. With a bit of thought I should have realised the LED's are polarity sensitive - stupid boy

The only thing which is still a minor problem, is that the branchline platform signal operates as soon as power is applied whereas the fiddleyard signal does not. This means that as the signal is switched via a Cobalt Digital iP point motor, you find the signal says go, but the point is not as it should be - easily rectified - but a nuisance.

IMG_0962 by Barry Clayton, on Flickr

Station scene looks great Barry as always........I am also playing around with platform signals at the moment, but of the colour light variety..........trying to figure out how to incorporate an automated sequence, but at the same time still be able to override this and return the signal to danger if the point is against it.........have some enquiries out with one or two companies for advice, as it is primarily a programing issue.

Working signals are but a dream for me.

Look good on Wykeham,

Thanks for the comments Richard and Steve. The problem with the branchline platform signal with point operation, is that as the picture depicts, the signal is at red, and the point is set in the correct position for a train approaching the platform. For that train to then leave the station, to set the signal to green I have to change the point, which would then be against the direction of travel. I may have to re-think this signal and just have a push-button on the control desk. Whereas the fiddle-yard exit signal is perfect - if it's red, a train is approaching the fiddle-yard, if it's green, a train is leaving the fiddle-yard - there is a curved point just inside the tunnel entrance turning the single entrance track into a double mainline at the exit. Barry

I'm with Steve M, working signals are but a dream, but agree the scene looks so good.

That! Lance Corporal Jones, is a Merchant Navy Class Locomotive! (Wykeham c.June 1942 - 21C 7 was shedded at Salisbury at this time).

IMG_0965 by Barry Clayton, on Flickr

I have not done much on the layout lately - so I've just installed about six feet of Hornby fencing (I watched Ebay for cheap deals). I pre-drilled the board for each post and attached the fencing using superglue - the fencing is rigid once the glue goes off. The downside is I now have all this fencing to paint

IMG_0978 by Barry Clayton, on Flickr

Wykeham Station is getting a sandwich bar. The colour needs toning down a little, but with someone behind the counter, and a few coffee cups on the counter, and a couple of customers will add a little realism. I came across this accidently on Ebay, described as rare - it is dated 2012.

IMG_0983 by Barry Clayton, on Flickr

Very nice BB. You will need those head magnifiers to make the coffee cups