KSE Signalling Project

  ...you're sure of a big surprise! The previously prepared girders (which will support the frame) were moved into position, so as to triple check the vertical dimensions. These sit on top of the block pillars that Bob and his team built into the box in the very early days of its construction! With a little chipping away, dropped mortar was cleared off the top of the plinths, and the two girders lifted into position. These support the frame in the box, with the lever quadrants sitting just above floor level upstairs. Hopefully! The drive from the frame drops down onto the floor of the locking room, which is secured to the lengths of rail that were set into the structure at the very outset of the project. Thus, everything is (eventually) tied together to prevent movement between different components, which would lead to all sorts of problems! The frame will be bolted to the girders, which in turn will be fastened down to the pillars. One of the next posts will cover the fastening of...

The blog has been quiet for a while, but that doesn’t mean nothing is happening—far from it. The work being done has simply been out of sight or not particularly noteworthy. For the past two weeks, we’ve been digging deep holes for the support posts of the access platform leading into the signal box. The steep bank, where the signal box is set, consists of loose, friable soil, meaning we’ve had to dig deep until reaching firm ground for the foundations. We’ve also been burying the trunking that will carry the electric cables, which will power the vast array of signalling apparatus yet to be installed. Meanwhile, ‘Delboy’ has been tucked away in the depths of the locking room, making final wall repairs before applying a scratch coat of waterproof plaster. So, there you have it—lots of work with not much to show just yet. However, we’ve now assembled all the components of the access platform, and the steps are currently being made. They’ll be appearing soon! We have an incredible team on...

Why, yes! Thermal expansion of point rodding! After many months as a pair of bench legs and a bit of a hollow in the ground, the steel bench top (a repurposed former soleplate) was bolted down to the legs and the 2 compensators in turn, bolted to it. The compensators change the motion of the rodding from being a 'push' to a 'pull' along the length of the run. This, as has been mentioned before, is to achieve the same amount of 'push' as 'pull' in the overall length of the rodding. So, if the temperature increases, causing the rodding to expand in length, the compensator takes up this expansion, but it does not affect the position of the point blades. (We will try to produce a video to show this in the future). As you have seen from previous posts on this very blog, a lot of components for the rodding runs have previously been cleaned up and painted. The value of this work cannot be underestimated when it comes to installation! We simply grabbed items ...

The semi-permanent web of scaffolding that has shrouded the box for so long has at last been removed revealing this 1860’s signalbox in all its glory. A sight anticipated for so long by all those of us who yearn for the sights and sounds of days gone by. Much remains still to be done in the finessing of the structure with Tim and the team beavering away amongst a mountain of rods, bell cranks and pulleys – all beautifully refurbished and awaiting installation. Preliminary work has already begun on the entrance steps and the wheelchair platform (which will be accessed from the back of the ‘box from the new footpath) that will provide all our disabled visitors with direct entrance to the ‘box enabling them to witness the workings at first-hand. As you can see from the ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures, we have come a long way since we started and, although winter is slowing us down as usual, I hope to report further progress and pictures very soon. S&DR Signal Box - In Original Condition...

Just a quick post this time before Christmas: the first step towards putting the NER Central Division frame into the signal box! Having produced various drawings after lots of measurements in the early days of the project, we finally offered up the first components to the floor joists to check everything fitted nicely before we got too carried away. Here we see Steve and Matt offering up a single quadrant, with the two brackets attached. These brackets both steady the frame and support the floor over the locking trays. Bob looks on in despair at our interruption to his work! He should be very content indeed, having built the box to suit the frame perfectly! We were trying to ascertain the exact level for each component, so that it all ties into the floor seamlessly. Once the remaining internal scaffolding comes out, we will be setting up the stanchions on the girders, so everything must end up at the correct height!

As the signal box rebuild comes on apace, the time nears when the lever frame is required! As you will no doubt have seen, the rear section of the floor is going in, but that leaves a gaping hole to the front. Where the frame sits, and supports the rest of the floor. Along with various other components we require (Central Division signal parts, rodding connections, cranks, LNER ground signals...), we have been cleaning up parts of the lever frame and painting them. There are 4 (vertical) stanchions, with 3 large horizontal castings that fasten them together at the base. These 3 large castings support the lever pivots, which in turn hold the levers themselves... The work sees wire brushing, sanding and wiping down with degreaser (not necessarily in that order) prior to painting in primer, and then a grey enamel finish. This is for all the items below the floor level, and allows everything to be kept clean easily. A lighter colour also makes the most of the light available, to make it ea...