Model Railway Forum banner
Cancel

St Albans South Signal Box

Jump to Latest Follow
181 - 200 of 240 Posts
John Webb

· Registered
Joined
·
4,554 Posts
Discussion Starter · #182 · (Edited by Moderator)
Rather belatedly, some pictures from the September Heritage Open Days:

Model of a "Great War" armoured Simplex running on 7.25 inch track in the car park outside the box.

5inch gauge model of a Midland Railway Johnson-designed loco.

My colleague giving one of the 30 or so demos.

To more recent items; two major projects under way.
Connecting the point to a resited Ground frame

The area around the point and ground frame cleared for work to start.

The base of the ground frame in its new position.

The point with new tie-bar and operating rod made by a couple of our members.

Tea-making under better cover

Seen here being completed in January 2014 is our 'Tea Shelter'. This was an improvement on the lightweight gazebo we had to put up every open day, but still had its problems, particularly in windy weather.

We've now ordered a purpose-built shed to replace the above shelter, so we've had to take the old shelter down.


The shed arrives on site end of November. The wires on the right have now been tidied up - they are 12volt cables supplying LED path lighting round the site.

John Webb
St Albans South Signal Box
 
John Webb

· Registered
Joined
·
4,554 Posts
Discussion Starter · #183 · (Edited by Moderator)
Well, our new Tea Shed is now on site. A couple of pictures leading up to its erection today, with some photos of this happening.
The concrete base as laid:


Note the large 'Location Cabinet' (LOC) - this houses our incoming electricity supply and has to be moved before the hut is erected, but leaving the electrics in place to be housed within the new shed. Here it is being lifted out of the way:


Here the contractors have started work:


And the completed shed - the makers even did the valance for us:


Interior view:

The electricity-bearing board has been fixed to the front wall of the shed and a temporary light fitting installed so we can see what we're doing when we're fitting out the shed.

I'll be posting next year's Open Days separately in the next week or so.

Regards,
John
 
John Webb

· Registered
Joined
·
4,554 Posts
Discussion Starter · #186 ·
Our last 2018 Open Afternoon on the 9th December saw 72 visitors come, bringing the total of visitors for 2018 to 2,426. This was a little bit below 2017's record of 2,709 visitors.

We carry on preparing new items for display in 2019, including finishing the move of our ground frame, and furnishing the 'Tea Shed'. Photos on display in the museum area will be moved to the Tea Shed and leave us room for assembling the (half) locomotive cab display on the ground floor of the box in due course for visitors to experience a 'footplate ride' in semaphore signalling days.

John
 
John Webb

· Registered
Joined
·
4,554 Posts
Discussion Starter · #187 ·
The resited Ground Frame and the Narrow Gauge point at the end of 2018:


In January we had a stand at the Chiltern Model Railway Show at Stevenage:


Next Open Afternoon is this Sunday (10th Feb), 2-5pm!

John
 
Richard Johnson

· Just another modeller
Joined
·
9,967 Posts
#191 ·
***Actually Julian it will... I use our forum on Firefox every day. I think your FF image issue is local to you :)

regards, Richard
 
Save Share
Reply Quote
Richard Johnson

· Just another modeller
Joined
·
9,967 Posts
#193 ·
*** ?? It was OK from day 1 of Focus forum - and was tested on Firefox using earlier versions as well as the current one.

To stay "on average" for our users, all of my browsers are left pretty well at default settings, so I still think it may have been a problem more local to your computer.

regards, Richard
 
Save Share
Reply Quote
John Webb

· Registered
Joined
·
4,554 Posts
Discussion Starter · #194 ·
Remarkable start to March - we had 250 visitors today to our Sunday Open Afternoon - more than double the previous Sunday afternoon best of 120 in February last year!

Recent works include the resumption of fence preservation:


Replacement of flexi-track curves on the garden railway with 'set-track' curves to improve running:


And the start of refurbishment of the 1970s Colour Light Signal demonstration, running since 2011 and in need of some works.
Seen here are preparation works to reuse the Location Cabinet that once held our incoming main supply - we're forming a concrete base with pipework to connect to the cable duct behind:


Next opening dates are 6th/7th April - "The Big Weekend" - with extended opening 10am-5pm. See www.sigbox.co.uk for location details etc.

John Webb
 
John Webb

· Registered
Joined
·
4,554 Posts
Discussion Starter · #195 ·
REMINDER - Extended Opening This Weekend - Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th April, 10am - 5pm!

Spring planting in the garden:

This was once on the Harpenden - Hemel Hempstead branch, about halfway between the two towns.

The resited Location Cabinet:

with two of the signals that will eventually be controlled from it.

John
 
John Webb

· Registered
Joined
·
4,554 Posts
Discussion Starter · #196 ·
What a weekend - 1,197 visitors over the two days - a new record attendance on such an occasion. Still have to clear up, but we're resting until Wednesday - and hopefully dryer weather for putting our tentage away.

John
 
John Webb

· Registered
Joined
·
4,554 Posts
Discussion Starter · #197 · (Edited by Moderator)
Test picture:


I'd be grateful if someone could tell me if this photo is visible or not, and which browser they are using. Tried posting using Microsoft Edge under Windows 10 on my new laptop, and can't see anything! although the image statement is there. Can't see any other previously posted pictures either!

Recent events at the Box include:
Narrow-gauge tipper wagon to go with our point installed last year.
Completion of permanent wiring in our "Buffet" (posh word for Tea Hut!) giving fixed lights and power.

And last week we took part in the inauguration of a History Board at St Albans City Station (Waiting Room, Platform 1) showing the 'Timeline' of the station and its railway, in the presence of Mr Voss, CBE, Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, Mrs Janet Smith, the current Mayor of St Albans, and Mr Tom Moran, MD of Govia Thameslink. They all came across to the signal box where we had a short Act of Remembrance to dedicate our WW1 memorial now permanently displayed in the garden, the three VIPs laid wreaths, all accompanied by representatives of the Royal British Legion.

See http://www.sigbox.co.uk/sigbox/news/news_2019.eb for the details and pictures.

Regards,
John
 
John Webb

· Registered
Joined
·
4,554 Posts
Discussion Starter · #200 ·
Thanks Julian! Clearly a browser settings problem (possibly under 'Security'?) to intercept Image links, I think.
(The children's parents did give us permission to use their images, I hasten to add!)

Regards,
John
 
181 - 200 of 240 Posts
About this Discussion
239 Replies
23 Participants
Last post:
John Webb
Model Railway Forum
A forum community dedicated to Model train and railway owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about collections, displays, models, styles, scales, motors, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
OO Gauge & 4mm Scale DCC On My Layout The Station Concourse Tracks, Layouts & Scenery
Top