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- With the release of a new range of colour
light signal options, we hope to continue expanding the
range.
- Coming soon -
- Feather signal
- Crossings lights (2 and 3 bulb options)
- Ground Signal
- As they say "watch this space"
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| New
Four Wheel Truck So
what is so special about this truck?
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| This truck can be adapted to run on
both ground and raised tracks. It is our intention to
build a small batch in fully finished state offering
adaptable side skirts for raised tracks and running
boards and body for ground level running. The longer wheelbase means that this truck is
restricted to larger radius corners but that isn't a
problem at most clubs.
If you can't wait for a finished truck
I have a few frames welded and can get a kit ready at
short notice.
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| NEW ENGINES in
2008 |
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| As well as a
planned batch of 5 Quarry Hunslets, we do have another
locomotive planned for release. We have chosen a
continental style diesel locomotive for our next model. I
can't say too much as I think this engine could spark a
lot of interest and I would hate to for one of our
competitors get the edge on us. This
will be our first venture in to fibre glass moulded body,
but with complex curves it is the only practicable
option.
As soon as we get the mould produced we
will publish details.
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Middleton
Garden Railway - NEWS
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| After our May open day
with our new signals in place, it soon became evident
that the proposed lever frame would be impossible to
operate with a train fequency of 3-4 trains a minute.
Well it might have been possible but you would need to be
pretty fit. |
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| We actually had partially
constructed the lever frame with five levers in place. It
only had five so it could be moved in to position as with
so much steel involved it was getting too heavy to move.
The design even allowed for interlocking to be used on
our crossing and bottom set of pionts. While the design was a reasonable success, the
shear size and effort required to operate it would be too
much. It was with sadness that we put this frame on ebay
and sold it for a huge loss.
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| Looking on the internet
for miniature lever frame information, I found a
fantastic website devoted to Westinghouse power frames. -
http://www.wbsframe.mste.co.uk/newsite/index.htm Having contacted Westinghouse and ruled out that
option, it was decided that if we wanted a miniature
lever frame we would have to design and build one.
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| A trip to the Chingford
Model Engineering Clubs signal box provided the rough
dimensions and style to produce our own frame. While
Chingford have opted for a electropneumatic system with
electronic interlocking, we opted for a mechanical
interlock system. |
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| While the orginal
Westinghouse frame is modular on individual levers I have
designed ours to work in banks of four. On our first
example lever 2 (points) can only be moved with the other
3 levers at red. Only the correct signal levers can be
set. I still need to work on
electrical connections and the lever handles, I will
publish more details as and when progress is made.
I am working on a bank of 12 levers for
our box which will give me a better idea of prices later
should anyone be interested.
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Hopefully for our May open day we will
have the lever frame up and running along with block
bells and track circuiting. If you think the block bells
on the left were expensive then think again. Bought the
pair on Ebay for £10. They are
not true block bells but rather old BT external telephone
bells, but they work well when tested. Plan is to offer
communication with our bottom station so drivers can tap
in which route they want.
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