The Potters Orchid Railway

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

After being seconded to the Llewellyn Locomotive Works the staff are now devoting some of their attention to S & T department. Signalling and installation of the interlocked frames at "Orchid Loop" is being considered along with the LED cabling.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Saturday was 6 solid hours of shunting at Gympie.
Sunday was working on the prototype signal attachment for the POR. There will be 20 signal posts on the POR and I am trying to make a reliable method and quick method of installation and removal. LED lamps as well so I have small connectors that I am trialing. Scale appearance is of little concern, it is reliability and function that I seek. Later this week I am on my reciprocating Steam ticket course.
Living the dream.

[invicta280]

Great progress on an impressive line. I like the point switching method.
In that climate I bet if you turn your back for a day the weeds will be up round your ears.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Great progress on an impressive line. I like the point switching method.
In that climate I bet if you turn your back for a day the weeds will be up round your ears.

Thankyou. The weeds are grim here until we get the landscaping done, which might happen this summer but I think realistically that is 12 -18 months away. I am not sure of the point activation set up yet. I might make a crank to have the pull/push stainless wire run parallel with the track, I need to give this more thought. First signals, points and light wires, then the frame installed at the Orchid loop (MAM's Orchid house is on a higher level above the loop, hence the name.) . Waiting for the MVR under arch bridge. Then the terra forming at the Orchid loop up to the gorge. Then repeat all again at Potter's Junction (MAM has a small shed there where she does her pottery) . Then the final walking path and garden and an awning to sit under , to look at the gorge and bridge and sip nice reds, beers and smelly cheeses and share tall tales to all that are present.

[ge_rik]

Marvellous bits of micro engineering. Must be satisfying to be able to apply your cycle production expertise to a novel use.

Rik

[FWLR]

Just read your thread and like others, I LOVE IT…the building of the track work has been so impressive. Oh how I long to be able to have a more permanent line. The winding track is brilliant and now you are putting those huge stones there, it will give people the impression of a mountain side track meandering along it’s edge.

Brilliant line, looking forward to a video or two of you’re rolling stock.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Just read your thread and like others, I LOVE IT…the building of the track work has been so impressive. Oh how I long to be able to have a more permanent line. The winding track is brilliant and now you are putting those huge stones there, it will give people the impression of a mountain side track meandering along it’s edge.

Brilliant line, looking forward to a video or two of you’re rolling stock.

Thanks, the rocks are just plonked about to get an idea, we are a long way from Terra Forming the railway. I am working on my loco build ( Llewellyn # 1 in the steam threads) and along with that my involvement with full size heritage railways means it will be a long and slow progress till our trains are running. However I have a couple of local acquaintances that have expressed interest in running over the POR. As soon as the stars and planets align this will happen. We have run a little battery loco around a few times.

[IanC]

Thanks, the rocks are just planked about to get an idea, we are a long way from Terra Forming the railway. I am working on my loco build ( Llewellyn # 1 in the steam threads) and along with that my involvement with full size heritage railways means it will be a long and slow progress till our trains are running. However I have a couple of local acquaintances that have expressed interest in running over the POR. As soon as the stars and planets align this will happen. We have run a little battery loco around a few times.

It's not a race. Better to take your time and do it once. I am enjoying the progress of your railway and Llewellyn build. A permanent railway is my aim. Loco building is beyond my (virtually non-existant) skills. I am planning to build some modular boards and the nearest I get to building locomotives will be kits and modifying ready built locomotives. Like you I also volunteer on a full sized steam railway too.

Ian

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Mark 2 Prototype Point actuator. Much better than the Mk1. The M2.5mm screw binds all securely to the sleeper. The crank has a 1.00mm bush in it. A few tweaks to the dimensions and the working ones for the two Orchid Loop points are underway.

[philipy]

That is a brilliant idea for the crank base plate locked into the sleeper, I must remember that for the future. I currently only have a couple of actual Peco points with the hollow sleepers but it might be possible to cut a slot in the bottom of a solid sleeper to achieve the same effect.

[tom_tom_go]

Looks great and as it's brass you could chemically blacken it so it will not suffer paint chips or discolour in the sun.

[FWLR]

You will need to “Patent” that idea…..

Seriously, that is a well thought out idea and like you say it looks a far more sturdy lever….Brilliant.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

You will need to “Patent” that idea…..

Seriously, that is a well thought out idea and like you say it looks a far more sturdy lever….Brilliant.

Thanks every one. I like the chemical black idea, I have never done this so I may give it a go for kicks and giggles. I expect the Brass to oxidise under the blackening and our harsh sun and rain will work away on it. It will be interesting to see how it fares.
As for my idea, well I actually was inspired by a photo of some one else who had used a screw and crank on the sleeper. I saved the photo for later reference. I reworked the idea so as to use quality bicycle gear cable casing with its plastic ferral that has a rubber sealing ring in its end, the 1.10mm stainless wire, bought via ebay. I am yet to have the frame installed and all hooked up. It takes just as much or more time thinking it through than making it. The crank ratio is such to get the throws correct. Points are 4.50 -4.60mm and the lever is 8.00mm and to also one has to allow for lost movement. Actually a little bit of over movement so one can elongate the a hole-slot to get the correct amount of movement. The frame end will have a bicycle frame gear adjuster to take up or loosen slack as well. This is all to be inside a Pendle Valley Goods Shed resin kit. The signal boxes are too small for over scale Godzilla hands and to also fit in the battery supply for the LED lamps.

Now I am surprised that in the 16mm world there is not a complete semaphore signalling system on the market for garden railways, considering the range, investment and effort that goes into the other aspects of the scene. I must admit I give some idle thought to this while doing some dull filing etc, but I am flat out with my hobby large and small. (currently doing my steam engine ticket and stuff at the Mary Valley Rattler railway which is soon to start operations again. First trains were down the branch last weekend. ) I would get a tool made for the base and cable stopper to shoot the wax and do these as stainless steel investment castings, 2.5mm thread for the crank pivot and bush. Laser cut the cranks, and produce the little crank bushes. The Shimano gear cable casing is available in a boxed roll, cut to length with casing cutters and the ferral caps are also Shimano. Then the interlocked or non interlocking Lever frame will be the hardest part as Harold at Modratec is trying to slow down. I would make the base so one can reverse it for left and right input wire direction and maybe the base adaptable to fit a servo. The signal kits ? maybe the Pendle Valley offering but I think also an option of a simpler more robust one with LED lamp installed might have value. Also a mass production base with a quick release method of removing the signal from the base is needed. But I can assure you, I will not be the one starting this off unless an investor approached with a lot of gold coin to tempt, bribe me to move from my hobby to an aspect of professional expression.

[philipy]

Fascinating idea, but it sounds expensive and I'm not sure how many actual customers you'd get, tbh. I have a suspicion that anyone who would aspire to that level of detail/realism would probably prefer to build their own anyway.

[tom_tom_go]

I like it when you use bicycle parts in your work, it reminds me of my first job as a kid working in a local family bike shop - happy days!

[FWLR]

I really do like the way you think though, it does help me and others also I suspect, to think of ways to improve our own lines.

[IanC]

IMHO the reason there isn't a signalling system on the market is that many UK narrow gauge lines don't have signals, or it they do they are minimal. Interesting idea though, which might be transferable to other scales and gauges.

Ian

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

IMHO the reason there isn't a signalling system on the market is that many UK narrow gauge lines don't have signals, or it they do they are minimal. Interesting idea though, which might be transferable to other scales and gauges.

Ian

Fair enough.

[ge_rik]

When I made my signals, I speculated about ways of operating them. I did wonder about using a mechanical system, but I want my signals to be removable as I think they would be susceptible to damage if left out continuously. If there was some way of having a mechanical system which enabled the signal to be slotted into it and the removed, I think it would be a winner.

If anyone has the skills, expertise and imagination to invent such a system then you must surely be the chap with the yellow jersey (to adopt a cycling metaphor).

Rik

[FWLR]

How about selling the idea———patent to a company for them to build. I am sure once they have seen your comprehensive way of doing things, they would snap your hand off.

Just a thought…..