Project 16 - More Roding, Ballast & A Water Crane

I mentioned previously how fiddly the Colin Waite brass etch point roding roller frames were to assemble so, I was not  excited about continuing the work. Nevertheless I must have been in a good frame of mind (excuse the pun) because I quite enjoyed it this time, almost therapeutic. A warm summer evening with only bird song breaking the silence may have helped.

I have not studied the technicalities of real world point roding installation in any great detail and have not, for example, included expansion cranks for the rods. My aim is only to give an impression of  track side fittings. I am now well over the peak of laying the rods with just two runs left to install for the exit turnouts of the up and down sidings.

Ballasting has been applied to the 3 way turnout and single slip on the mainline and a water crane planted next to the barrow crossing. I have seen no evidence of water cranes in use at Crewkerne, certainly not in the 1960s but, there was a water tower at the station albeit without a tank in this period. Having reinstated the tank on the model it seemed logical to fit water cranes.

To Part 27


To Part 1.