Scalefour Forum

Looking through the stash of kits is an old MSE signal kit to be used. Being from a past era, its not so refined so, I thought of placing it in the Fiddle Yard, thus the Bobby on the other side of a hill / tunnel can indicate that the line is clear to go. An advanced or outer Stop signal, if you like.

It has a 'paddle' as you may know, which forms an easy means for removal; and a simple method for wire & tube operating. Sounds fine on the face of it. But do people know if it works OK. Or modified it in by some clever means.

Grateful if you can share your experience, or grieve with these old kits.

Thanks - Steve.

124 views, and not one comment. Do P4 people not get round to making Signals, or is this site just a viewing gallery for most ?
These plates have been around for about 30 years. Does beg the question.

Is there not someone who's been there and done it. Having read MRJ from day one, there are a lot of contributors of the past issues with such knowledge, and also members of this Society. Yet do not participate on this site. Yet other modelling sites I visit there are always an average of 20 responses, including experienced players. Some threads run into 100's of posts; yet I've seen posted pics of fine models on this site, that must have taken up to a year to build, but not one compliment or comment. Does beg another question.
Not very inspiring for younger visitors. Or does apathy set after you've been doing it for the 40 years, with a need to press the Refresh button.

Steve.

Hi Steve

Do you feel you need people to tell you something is nice or do you already know yourself? Yes that happens on other forums where as you say some threads run into hundreds of posts but you struggle to find a gem in the huge sea of dross and irrelevance. I know which one I prefer but speaking personally I'd say this forum is not critical enough, feedback is how we improve while being told something is nice doesn't help much, if people didn't think it was nice they wouldn't post it would they?

To answer your original question, sorry but I've never seen one. 30 years ago I was 9!

Cheers

Jim

Jim is right. (Other than being born in 1974 which is an exceptional year ) I too have not come across the base plates. I have built a number of signals and I used Mark Tatlows method of driving with servos. Mark will no doubt provide the link to his thread.

Steve can you put up some photos of what you are discussing, it will help to see what you would like to discuss.

I might contribute if I knew what you were talking about. Jim's made a good point - do you want help with this or just a chat? If it's some help, then I echo what Doug has asked - may we have some photos, please?

I've made plenty of signals.

I've never used MSE products for signals. I've scratchbuilt them (only kit products were Colin Waite arms).

I did read your original post, but couldn't add anything meaningful, like I can't add anything relevant now.

beachboy wrote:124 views, and not one comment.

People will normally only respond to a query if they are able to provide information that is helpful. In this instance it looks like no one has had any experience of the item in question. Apathy does not come into it, lack of knowledge may do so.

Terry Bendall

It looks as though these kits predate even us oldies...

Has the OP contacted MSE/Wizard directly? It's very much a one man band, not a daunting multi-national, and I've always found the proprietor, Andrew Hartshorne, to be very helpful. His web site is at http://www.wizardmodels.co.uk

Ian

If it's kit SM5 then it is still listed, but no illustration that I can see on the site.
Not something I have used either.
He now does a bracket for Servos if you want motorised operation, I have a couple of those on my pile of kits in waiting!
Regards
Keith

I have one in the hidden recesses of my bits box that I built a long time ago.

The idea was that the paddle worked to provide some form of "bounce". This was all before servos.

If you hang on a little while MERG are producing a 3D printed servo mount for signals (1, 2 and 4 way). Or as Keith says MSE do their own servo mount in brass.

regards

Alan

DougN wrote:.......... I used Mark Tatlows method of driving with servos. Mark will no doubt provide the link to his thread.
.

Steve,

I can't help with the MSE base plates I am afraid, as I am not familiar with them.

I use servos to control my signals and you can see pictures of the baseplate arrangement either in my Highland Miscellany thread (pages 2 and 3) or in the article I wrote for Rail Express which is repeated on the CLAG site (viewtopic.php?f=91&t=1345&start=25 or http://www.clag.org.uk/tatlow-signalling.html).

The concept is to make the baseplate as small and as descrete as possible, so it is only fractionally larger than the servo (and I have found some new smaller servos, so there will be an update to come on my workbench in time).

On Portchullin I have one signal where the servo is not directly connected to the operating wire - instead the operating wire is weighted and rests on the servo's horn arm. It is the most troublesome signal I have, as the weight does jam from time to time when the layout is transported. I won't use the technique again.

Interesting. Post a negative comment, and people reach for the K-Board.

Jim. I feel its good to be complementary, because it encourages people to come back to produce more, and the effort has been worth while. A basic management skill.

David. Bizarre - I could not regard this site as a chat line.

Terry. I can prove you wrong - but its not my remit here.

OK My camera is currently not working. And I will let this subject go.
Thank you to the others for thought.

Can I ask why you think railway modellers need to be managed?

It's not so much that people respond to a negative comment but since you asked I merely saw it as people responding to your question as to why they haven't answered.

Cheers

Jim

Looking at my copy of the MSE signal construction book for something else I noticed an illustration of this 'paddle'. So for those unsure what was being discussed, here it is.
Conceptually similar to Peco's plastic signal base, they use a bit of string to pull on the crank, but it could equally be pushed by a wire as in the illustration.

Regards
Keith

grovenor-2685 wrote: I noticed an illustration of this 'paddle'

This system was used very successfully for the signals on Pulborough and i think it still has some merits.

Terry Bendall