KSE Signalling Project

With our multisize handmade bricks (Photo 1) leading us a merry dance, we persevered in the sweltering heat of a Stainmore summer, laying the inner and outer courses of the three-course-thick walls (Photo 2). The next task will be to fill in the middle course and then install the damp course. We have not yet been able to do any more work on the lead-out bench as we await the rails on which it will sit. These are due imminently and will then be cut to the required length and fitted. I am sure that once I get my head around laying a straight course of bricks with three different lengths, two widths and a variety of thicknesses, we will proceed apace. Thank you all for your contributions, and watch this space.

The laying of a couple of hundred bricks over the last few days has, at last, seen the walls of the Junction 'box rise to ground level. The site is so awkward to access and get materials to that much of our time is spent preparing to lay bricks rather than actually laying them. However, work is finally underway, with plenty to think about. While we wait for the support rails for the lead-out bench to arrive, we have several tasks to complete. We need to prepare and build the bench access slots in both sides of the building, together with small cable access slots at ground level at each end of the structure. In addition, we need to install the stone step for the locking room doorway and, of course, fit a damp-proof course six inches above ground level. Only then will we be ready to continue laying the remaining 17,000 bricks. Watch this space.

Following on from the work to connect everything up, we finally managed to control No.7 points from No.7 lever! The various photos show the contorted 'out-and-back' nature of the rodding run, with the video showing each stage of moving the points. When setting everything up, and joining the rodding, time was taken to position each crank, correct for the mid-stroke of the lever itself. The point rodding was then cut (with an angle grinder) and had holes punched for bolting together, with connections or fishplates. Jonny gets to grips with the rodding punch just outside the signal box. Only a temporary link between the lever tail and the vertical crank was put in: we are now having some made and bushed to better suit the scheme. There is some more work to do, in order to get a tidier lead out, which will involve some customised bending of rodding connections to get the heights correct. This is important as we need to squeeze signal wires underneath the rods, without rubbing on th...

Following on from the previous posts, when the rodding comes out from the box, it needs to turn through 90° to meet the rodding run. To accomplish this, we bolt cranks, securely, to the lead out bench timbers.  Whilst this *OUGHT* to be simple, sadly it wasn't... two of the crank bases needed to land above the rails that support the lead out timbers. Fortunately, there was enough room to swivel the bases, and use the securing bolts that we had previously installed, to also secure the bases! This did lead to a slight discrepancy with the alignments, but we can correct this once everything is bolted down by heating and carefully bending the forged connections. We're only talking about 3/16"! (These show the work to align the rods as best we could: working from the vertical cranks in one direction, and the pre-installed rodding run in the other) The rods will all come out at the same (high) level, which allows all the signal wires to sit below them. The higher base (for No.9 ...

The point rodding runs were planned out very early on, but as I've referenced previously, sometimes reality hit home, hard! A lack of space to actually do what we'd planned led to a few alterations along the way, one of which actually reversed the direction of travel for the rodding when the lever was to be pulled. This meant we had to correct the direction underneath the box, at the point where the lever pulls up, and the rodding has to move horizontally. This is achieved by having a vertical crank, and more specifically, which way around it is sited... Vertical crank: Option A is the standard positioning which we had planned for. Option B is the location we had to adopt in order to change the direction of the rodding to match up properly. Space underneath the box is especially tight, and the optimum position for the vertical cranks was found to be where the end was in mid air, thus unable to be bolted down. Fortunately, Rob Murray had an offcut of heavy steel plate which I re...

The previous post dealt with the first half of the lead out bench. I am pleased to report that the remaining two timbers have now been fastened down, using the same technology!  Dave had chance to make further hook bolts, battling the wind whilst welding! Will and I then tackled the assembly: this time we placed the bolts in position between the rails, packed underneath to keep them raised in position, and dropped the timbers on top. We then just needed to shuffle slightly until the bolts slid through the holes! We shall probably use this method on the junction box, as it worked out pretty well! With everything bolted down solidly, we then looked again at what was required ON the bench, and where!