Just how efficient were the LMS at repainting signal boxes?

Evening all,

Been a bit grotty this weekend, so didn't manage to get to the group meeting yesterday, but the weekend wasn't a total write off modelling wise as I managed to make some more progress with Lightcliffe signal box.

The walls are just about finished, and the front and end walls have now been affixed to the sub-base (which will eventually be hidden by the platform). The window cleaner's balcony and protective railings have been added to the front and toilet end wall as well (the balcony appears to have been extended around the corner onto the door end wall when the staircase was moved sometime after 1938 but whilst the staircase ran down the side of the end wall it stopped at the end of the front wall.

The internal floor has also been completed with the lever frame painted up and basic furniture added but needs toning down a bit and then the internal walls need painting and some detail adding.

There are a few minor things that need tidying up but otherwise I'm almost ready to apply some primer ready for painting. Thing is though, I'm still not sure what colours to paint it in. The layout's set in the 1930s but I quite fancy applying a bit of modeller's licence and painting the box in L&Y colours and pretending that the LMS painters have been busy elsewhere and haven't quite got to Lightcliffe yet!

Will have to take some soundings on that methinks ...

Anyway, here's a few more progress shots including some cruel close ups to show the window cleaner's balcony (very fiddly to do and the cause of some rather choice language this afternoon).

Further progress on Lightcliffe 'box

OK ... really just a series of build photos showing my rather laborious construction techniques.

Front wall panels with lower windows ready for fitting after holes have been opened out.

And with windows fitted.

Rear wall, massively over height for the moment. The box was built on an embankment and was lower at the back than it was at the front, but I haven't been able to find any photographs of the rear of the box yet and the drawings I've been working off are for a standard L&Y box.

Beginnings of the door end wall.

Window frames being assembled.

Basic door end wall complete (staircase to be added).

Trial fit of end and front walls.

Toilet end wall.

Finials - two for the main roof and one for the toilet roof - made out of 0.75mm square rod with a Ratio top and a 0.76mm solder ball on the bottom).

Toilet roof tiled using slate slips cut into 2mm squares and with finial affixed.

Lever frame under construction.

Staircase fitted to door end wall (mix of Plastruct and scratchbuild and very fiddly).

And another trial fit of the front wall and the door end wall.

Next job is to get the interior done and then it's on with the roof.

See you next time.