The Potters Orchid Railway

[Peter Butler]

No weedkiller here either.... too many dogs and watercourses.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Does any one know any one at
North Pilton Works
I was wanting to buy a kit of three Semaphore signals for sampling.
but the webpage seems a bit messed up and has changes each time I visit
http://northpiltonworks.com/pack-3-semaphore-signals

the shopping page tells you that to ship over seas you have to first contact them, which is only a contact form, (no email address) and I have submitted three times in 4-5 weeks, yet to receive a reply.

Sigh!

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

I ponder signals
- I want lower quadrant simple working Semaphores,
- I can illuminate the lamps with an LED
- I am not after exhibition scale detailed signals, however approx the correct size.
- Tough enough that the can be left outside for a few weeks at a time.
- Suitable for wire in tube operation.
- Minimal assembly required, I will be in the Red Room and or gardening.

It seems I am failing on discovering a commercial that is available.
Tenmillie might be the go and I might get a sample sent to look over. But I will have to bring them in every night, the storms here and the Bush Turkeys will make a mess of them

[tom_tom_go]

There is someone on eBay that makes signals from Plastikard every now and then and I have one that has been outside all year.

They are a bit crude though but will not rot outside.

[daan]

Instead of weedkiller or herbicides you could lay down big pieces of cardboard and bricks on top. It shields off the sunlight killing the weeds and the cardboard will desolve after a several weeks outside. Then it's up to you to get other plants in before the weeds turn back. Quite effective, but you have to be patient for a few weeks and it doesn't look that pretty for a while..

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

The contractors "Modratec" delivered the 12 lever fully interlocked frame for the Orchid house loop just in time for Christmas.
The staff gather around and ponder the work required to install all the cabling. The Signals and Telegraph committee are yet to put their signatures to the signals contract but to be honest they have been busy with other railway chores to give this much attention.

[Big Jim]

Very nice.
Very, very nice.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

The loco shed roads are being laid, cut and to be screwed down tonight.
That completes the laying and track crew were left with just over 400mm of SM32. so the estimating went spot on.



The mob next ponder the signalling and location and set up of the interlocked Modratec frames, laying the cables and then terra forming by the great Slartibartfast will commence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGcBmlDTcHo

While the track laying was underway at "Potters Junction" MAM was throwing a pot.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Having a break from the machines last night after the solid weekend of cross head making for the steamer, I turned my attention to the http://modratec.com/ lever frame and the connections to the points and signals. I am intending to use solid 1.10mm stainless wire, running through "Shimano" bicycle gear cable casing with casing caps that have rubber seals in the casing caps. The casing casing can be bought in 50m roll. It will be buried and routed through the plastic drain conduit passing under the track bed where required. I also will attach wire to carry current to the signal lamps. The connections to the signals and points will be in brass, still sorting out how I attach the connection bits to the sleepers. If one was making the track work, then you could add long sleepers at the point toes when required just like full size. Oh well. In the next life in another universe I will hand make my own track

[Peter Butler]

During the past Summer (only recognisable by the fact the rain is warmer) I fitted bike cable operation to two points which are beyond reach. They have no levers fitted as I wanted trains to trail through switching the blades themselves.
The first has a simple crimped ring attached to the cable and popped onto the Peco tie bar 'peg'....

IMG_4634.JPG (201.62 KiB) Viewed 6051 times

The second had to be a clamp system as the 'peg' had snapped off ......

IMG_4632.JPG (179.77 KiB) Viewed 6051 times

Both work very well having the cables flooded with oil to keep them smooth in operation.
I know these will offend your critical engineering eye and are only there to show how your idea might be achieved, I'm sure you can improve on this!

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Peter, those actual photos are what have inspired me to use the Bowden cable type of operation, I saw these pics before on your railway's thread.
I had to decide to either go the simple route and be happy, or, what the eff, the full interlocked lever frame. MAM said, you will only build one railway so do a "Proper Job".
I am using the roll of casing and stainless 1.10mm solid wire so I can cut all to length and have interrupted runs of up 5 meters from the lever frame. (Signal Box)
I intend to use "Slick Honey" https://buzzysusa.com/, it is trade secret brew and it is smeared on the wire as it threaded in, it is used by top shelf bike mechanics on cables as it does not dry out. The caps on the casing have rubber rings in them to assist with sealing.
For a couple sets of points I want to make the connection easy to release from the point blade tie bar so one can have simple continuous operation with the trailable points on the loops. Meanwhile I am still painting the Round House kit signal that I have, (only have one) and it will be used as the starter home from the loco shed roads and sidings but it will be my test signal at the Orchid house loop, with the first 12 lever frame. The remaining signal kits are on order from Wizard. When the Orchid house loop is operational with signals and power supply wires installed for lights etc, then terra forming can begin and I also then I start on the 24 lever frame at Potters Junction, while I make my steamer in the Red Room and work full time.I have looked into https://riksrailway.blogspot.com.au/201 ... gnals.html for inspiration with the LED lamps, I am ignorant of electrical matters so a trip to Jarcar to buy LEDS and stuff is soon.

[Peter Butler]

Thanks for the full explanation, good to hear you have it all worked out, although I'm not surprised to hear it! Following with interest....

[IrishPeter]

Using Bowden cables for a couple of the more awkwardly situated points on the Skebawn and Castleknox is an idea I have been toying with for a while. The other possibility is some sort of twin wire arrangement. As I am working in the comparative dry, the rust consideration is not quite so powerful. Twin-wire control of points was something that was done in Australia usually to control long loops without the need for a signal box at both ends.

Peter in Va

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

The S and T design staff of the POR has worked last night from the chook scratchings (pencil drawings/sketches) onto a thought process CAD assembly drawing for an approach of the prototype point connection mechanism. Two bits of brass, a bit of drilling and milling and one thread for the stainless wire pinch screw. Batch production will be done when the final working drawings from the prototype is tested and sorted. A stainless pan head screw (red bit in the drawing) will fasten the the assembly to the concrete track bed with a plug. Drilling will have to be reasonably accurate for the plug but I will have lateral leeway of 1 to 2mm. May have a go at knocking up a test this weekend. More will be revealed as the making process hits the POR workshops

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

The POR has not received much attention as the staff have been occupied at the Llewellyn Locomotive works. While listening to the ODI the S&T department gave some thought to the lever frame and cabling.





1.20mm stainless wire inside Shimano gear cable casing.



Meanwhile at Potters Junction there was some glazing going on



Some thought to the terra forming was applied, using what ever scrap was laying about to give an idea.







One day this will all look tidy like the upper terrace.

[jim@NAL]

looking great

[ge_rik]

Impressive as always. I must admit that the landscaping element of this hobby is one of the attractions for me. Nothing like a bit of digging and concreting to put other things into perspective.

I believe Winston Churchill used to do a bit of bricklaying on his 'days off'.

Rik

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Slartibartfast who is contracted to do the POR terra forming had asked the directors of the POR for a supply of interesting rock, no doubt influenced by his previous awards for the Norwegian fjords.

Many wanted $100 for a pile of round boring stones, pfftttttttt, then MAM sourced a supply of free rock 20 mins drive away. So on a hot and very humid Sunday morning we investigated.
YAY!
A source of interesting rock was to be had by the tons, it was the mother lode and the supply is limit less.
Three trips in the station wagon and we had moved 900kg of rock.

MAM found what she calls "The Hero Rock", so it was a slog for me to carry it on my own, at least it was down hill, anyhow I am most impressed with it. I am sure it will meet Slartibartfast's approval.
We have a place in mind for this next to where the MVL under arch bridge will be which we will discuss with him.
It will be the foundation rock that the gorge will be built from.


We carried the big rocks and placed them on the wall to save lifting from the ground later.

[philipy]

Lovely rocks, especially the big one. I envy you having a free source, my line has many fewer rocks than I would like simply because I cannot justify the shipping costs.

[4MT]

Just like to say what an interesting thread enjoying the progress you are making with the garden layout and getting the family involved. Wallace and Grommet seem to be enjoying their foreman roll within the build will be watching with interest.