Stretcher bars detailing question

[Julian Roberts]

I 've been looking at the Forum on how to make stretcher bars and am very grateful for the ideas there, and for the help already given me by some folks (Allan, Chris).

Does anyone have knowledge or photos to help on this?

I am making a crossover - not for my own layout but for the WS4mmG layout Calderside's exchange sidings extension. This crossover, in an imaginary Scottish location near Lanark, on the ex-Caledonian Railway, in the 1950's, consists of a pair of turnouts, the first is where the line to the exchange sidings leaves the main line, and the other routes trains (in the opposite direction) either to the headshunt or back to the main line.

My question is, what stretcher bar details would be realistic? I have the Society etch for such detailing, and the Ambis one.

The main line turnout would have a Facing Point Lock - but would the other one of the pair?

Below is a pic of the first turnout with a general impression of details - it doesn't have everything, most obviously a lock etc, and the first stretcher bars, but I reckon the latter aren't particularly noticeable by their absence - after all the existing layout has no such detail at all anywhere! So this isn't a headbanging "getting it ALL right" exercise, it's more about a kind of 'impressionist' Monet or Degas style detailing! More important is that such detailing doesn't detract from running reliability, but hopefully, if anything, improve it by giving a bit of protection to the blade ends ( and yes, it is all electrically sound, with bits of pcb in the important places!) The drive is temporarily coming above decks from the plastic sleeper, to test out whether this works in practice, driving the blades from there - it seems to on the workbench.

And below that is a second turnout with the most basic necessity, stretcher bars - and a place for an operating rod to be fixed. So would that be all that is needed for the second turnout (after all it will be operated with one single lever from a groundframe), or might there be various extra locking appendages there too?

I daresay there are all sorts of faults with my modelling (it's my first go!) but just for now I've got about a week to put in any extra detail that really ought to be there, given what there is so far. That will be much more difficult when the points are fixed down on the baseboards.

I'd be most grateful if anyone has any photos of the details of an actual location.

2016-10-23 10.52.05.jpg

[grovenor-2685]

Generally there would only be a facing point lock for points run over in a facing direction by passenger trains.
So you should only need to add a representation of the lock on the first point where you have already put a lock stretcher sort of*.

*The lock stretcher needs to pass through the lock body so you want a straight one, not the one with a depressed centre that you have used. The depressed ones are usually used with switch machines where the actual lock is in the machine.

The other stretchers and detector rods do look rather good. If there is a local signal reading over the facing points then there would be a mechanical detector inserted in the wire run. With a GF and the signal worked from the box some distance away there might be an electrical detector.
Some pictures of FPL (with protective cover) on this page, fairly well down.
Regards

[allanferguson]

Chris Gough of this parish has built a beautiful, working, FPL on Cadhay, complete with treadle bar, and I'm sure could be encouraged to give a description.

Allan F

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3774&hilit=cadhay&start=75

[Julian Roberts]

Many thanks Keith and Allan

That information is just what I needed Keith and those pictures just the kind of thing I was looking for. I think I may just put a cover over the whole thing rather than altering that lock stretcher detail (and unsoldering the whole lot!), thus I may not need to model the actual lock as well...can I get away with it like that?
In the design plan the box is remote with a local ground frame, I believe. As I said it's not going to have every last detail...maybe when we have track down and proven to work I may return for some cosmetic detailing help.

Allan, Chris has already been most helpful.

[grovenor-2685]

can I get away with it like that?

I would.
Regards