The Wheels On The ....Err... Benches ... Go Round And Round!

Well, as a matter of fact, a large proportion of the flat wheels we have in stock actually DON'T go 'round and round'. They're seized with rust after many years of storage in various places. 


So, work is required to free them up, to dismantle them for cleaning, checking over, fitting grease nipples and painting, before they can be used.


So what exactly do they actually do?

The wheels allow the wires from the levers to the signals themselves to 'pull' around corners... from the signal box to the signals, logically the best route would be a dead straight line. But there is track in the way, other structures and the need to avoid trip hazards and keep the wires together. So, when you set out a run, sometimes you have to take the signal wires under the track, and turn through 90° to get to the correct signal, possibly via mechanical detectors (more on these soon...).


You have already seen we have installed various wooden benches for these wheels. The wire joins end on to a length of chain for a short distance, where it goes round the wheel. This will make more sense soon, as we begin to install them!


For now, a propane torch, drifts and persuasion have been the order of the day. Next will come the cleaning and painting, possibly some new spindles, before reassembly.

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