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| Widnes | Widnes Vine Yard Signals
The signals for Widnes Vine Yard have been built in the United States by WFRM member Tony Sissons. They are based on prototypes found at Chester which were installed in the early 1980s most were commissioned in May 1984 when Chester PSB took control of Chester station and its approaches although some had been temporarily controlled from the old boxes. This page will expand to have full photos of all the signals and their prototype inspirations however at present they are the basis of magazine articles and hence we are presenting some small images to entice you ! - note the current photos were taken before the signals were lit - a process which is currently underway (11/05) The signalling for Widnes is to modern practice - one of our members is a senior manager in a design office. The position light shunt signals will also be of modern design and photos of these will appear once we have mounted them on the layout.
The profiles Straight Posts These comprise : the Bay starting, Up Main Home, Down Main Up Home (bi-directional line), Branch Up Home - these four signals are identical 3 aspects with shunt signals and a stencil. Yard starting - as above but shorter post Branch Down Starter - as above but no stencil, simply a shunt for the Tanhouse siding - watch for the Freightliner hauled tanks which are the only train to get this signal. The Up main starter - plain 3 aspect - will also display a flashing yellow aspect if certain routes in the fiddle yard are selected.
The Bracket This signal is modelled on CR93 and CR95 which form Up Platform 7 and Up Fast signals at the Birkenhead end of platform 7 at Chester - we have added some bits, notably the multiple feathers. The telephone number was a real number - for Ditton Junction No.1 signal box !! (now abolished). The internals for the feathers were built by Mike Turner and supplied to Tony, in the USA, as a working item, Tony then incorporated these into the finished item.
The feather under construction by Mike Turner, back in April 2005
The LEDs are 0.8mm surface mount jobbies obtained from Richard Johnson (of DCC concepts Australia) via John Russell of Bromsgrove Models. Initially these where a special order and as such we had to purchase a load (300 actually!) because they are a bluish white rather than the golden white that they normally supply. The golden white looks wrong for signals but the blue white is spot on for signal 'lunar white'. They now available as a standard item due to our initial interest.
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Last updated : January 21, 2008 10:28 [Photos] [Wiring] [Signals][Our Version of History][Trackplans][Cabin][SSP]
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