Well, it has been a very busy year with a bit of modelling thrown in. The early part of the year was taken up with cleaning up the build instructions for the various HO NSWGR semaphore signal types in the Signals Branch range, and uploading them to make them available to the modeller. Along with this, I uploaded all my signal related STL 3D print files to Thingiverse. The files cover various signal bases/mechanisms, bending jigs for signal operating rods, drilling jigs, etc. These files are for free download to make it easy to build the signals when John Dersch of Ornamental Castings will launch them onto the hobby market. As I understand, John will have HO NSWGR Lower Quadrant timber post signal kits available at the Epping Model Railway Club Exhibition at Rosehill Racecourse 24-25 October 2026.
The build instructions for the various signal types can be found here.
The various STL 3D print files for the signals can be found on Thingiverse here.
While the 3D files are free, there is an option to financially thank the designer (me) but I don't think anyone has done so yet. :-)
Once the signals work was out of the way, that dreaded household job called gardening presented itself in the form of a long high hedge alongside my driveway that I had let get out of control. It had grown higher by 1 - 3 metres. Sorting this out took about 3 weeks, mainly due to needing to empty the two green bins three times. I was helped by my two grandsons, how useful they have become now that they are older teenagers.
The hedge was followed by various repairs around the house where my eldest grandson, who is an apprentice carpenter came in handy. He enjoyed it, and it was good experience for him.
In between all this I managed to get into the layout room to complete two modelling projects that I posted about in October 2024.
The first project was to finish the Lloyds Turret Tender kit , add a QSI Titan sound decoder, a keep alive, attach it to a Eureka Models D50 Class and rewire the marker lights for the more independent operation that I posted about in this post, and in another post here.
After doing this rewire for a third time I have to say that I really think I punish myself, as it is very fiddly, but worth it.
Here are a few photos of the build.
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| 3D CAD mock up of the tender interior and fit of the parts |
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| 3D printed chassis with speaker enclosure, it is very full of equipment |
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| Artwork for Tender Bogie pickups |
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| 5268 on the turntable at Cassilis |
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| 5268 simmering quietly in the sun at Cassilis loco depot |
The artwork for the tender bogie pickups was designed for the pickups to be laser cut in 0.2mm phosphor-bronze sheet. The small cuts in the corners of the pickup are to allow accurate 90 degree bends to be made to stand the fingers up, and slip onto the bogie bolster, with one tab on one side being left flat for the wire to be soldered to it. The pickups were screwed to 3D printed tender bogie bolsters that allowed pickup on all wheels of the tender.
The second project from October 2024 was to finish off the scenery on the Wollar wheat silo siding extension which is shown in these photos.
Rosehill Exhibition
If you are going to the Rosehill exhibition then do check out the Ornamental Castings stand and have a chat to John Dersch about the Signals Branch NSW LQ and UQ signal range to encourage him to keep casting the various signal types and to keep them available in the hobby which was my intent.
As a taster, here is the last signal I built before selling the Signals Branch range to John Dersch.
Yes, it works and I am very happy with it, a good way to finish.
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