Templot Club forums powered for Martin Wynne by XenForo :

TEMPLOT 3D PLUG TRACK - To get up to speed with this experimental project click here.   To watch an introductory video click here.   See the User Guide at Bexhill West.

  • The Plug Track functions are experimental and still being developed. Some of the earlier pages of this topic are now out-of-date.

    For an updated overview of this project see this topic.   For some practical modelling aspects of using Plug Track see Building 3D Track.

    The assumption is that you have your own machines on which to experiment, or helpful friends with machines. Please do not send Templot files to commercial laser cutting or 3D printing firms while this project is still experimental, because the results are unpredictable and possibly wasteful.

    Some pages of this and other topics include contributions from members who are creating and posting their own CAD designs for 3D printing and laser-cutting. Do not confuse them with Templot's own exported CAD files. All files derived from Templot are © Martin Wynne.
  • The Plug Track functions are experimental and still being developed.

    For an updated overview of this project see this topic.   For some practical modelling aspects of using Plug Track see Building 3D Track.

    The assumption is that you have your own machines on which to experiment, or helpful friends with machines. Please do not send Templot files to commercial laser cutting or 3D printing firms while this project is still experimental, because the results are unpredictable and possibly wasteful.

    Some pages of this and other topics include contributions from members who are creating and posting their own CAD designs for 3D printing and laser-cutting. Do not confuse them with Templot's own exported CAD files. All files derived from Templot are © Martin Wynne.

facing point locks

Quick reply >
Location
Powys
I recently joined the Newport MRS and on asking if there was anything I could contribute to one of their layouts (mid 1950s ex GWR branch line terminus) it was suggested that I could do three covers for facing point locks. Seemed an easy task until I looked deeper into the subject! It was considered that track circuiting would have been unlikely, so I'll have to make the lock bars as well (considering the quality of the point rodding that has been installed). A couple of the points are very close together where a simple set-up will not be possible and it could be that I'll have to have one (or two) fitted to switch and closure rails. I've failed to find photos or drawings of such an arrangement and I wondered how the necessary flexibility of the lock bar would be catered for (loose heel switches would seem to be particularly problematic). Looking for inspiration I came across a photo of Blaenavon that shows some similar complexity - at first glance there are two lock bars, one being very short, however a club member turned up the signalling arrangement for the station that shows the split lock bars were operated by a single lever (that locked both points).

Can anyone help answer the following questions?
1. Could lockbars be attached to flexible switches?
2. Would a split lock bar be used with loose heel switches?
2. How were the operating linkages arranged with such a "split" lock bar?

Thank goodness I'm not expected to make the lock bars actually work!

=============================================================
Newport MRS layout: https://www.newportmrs.co.uk/abergavenny-blackbrook - Templot was used for the planning.
Photo: clip from plate 82 in Monmouthshire Eastern Valleys by Mitchell & Smith attributed to P.J. Garland/R.S. Carpenter.
 

Attachments

  • DSC05032a.jpg
    DSC05032a.jpg
    2 MB · Views: 103
_______________
message ref: 4704
Hi Andrew

This has been raised on RMweb, with a few photos of detection bars at Birmingham Snow Hill, unfortunately a lot of the photos have not been restored since the change in service provider. From memory ( not necessarily correct) that the detection bar is articulated, but broadly similar to a straight one.
 
_______________
message ref: 4705
Hi Andrew

This has been raised on RMweb, with a few photos of detection bars at Birmingham Snow Hill, unfortunately a lot of the photos have not been restored since the change in service provider. From memory ( not necessarily correct) that the detection bar is articulated, but broadly similar to a straight one.
Thanks Phil,

I failed to find anything while searching on my iPad but trying again today on the PC I was instantly lucky and I think I found the post you remembered - it led to https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrbsh1367.htm that shows a rather fascinating arrangement within a tandem: it looks as though the lock bars were flexible. I'm not sure about how to do that in 4mm scale...
 
_______________
message ref: 4709
Hi Andrew,

Glad that you turned up the photo and it proves that at least a couple of brain cells still work.

I can't help, with how to replicate them, though. I hope that if you come up with a plan, you will post it here.
 
_______________
message ref: 4713
Back
Top