Semaphore Signalling

This ‘hands-on’ course is aimed at those with little or no previous experience of semaphore signal construction. It will give an introduction to basic techniques and allow you to go on and tackle more involved projects.

Nice, ‘ready to plant’, working signals available from the trade only cover basic types so for more complex subjects, building from scratch is the only feasible way.

To help you start this tutor Karl Crowther will help you build a single post semaphore signal in 4mm scale. There will be a choice of round or square post type, upper or lower quadrant to suit your own particular preferences. The basic parts will be provided (e.g. posts, arms, finials, lamps, ladders), though you can bring your own if you so wish (see the side panel for suppliers). You will be shown how these basic techniques can be extended to more complex bracket signal arrangements, together with ways of getting illumination to the signal lamps.

There are several ways to make signals work. There will be a session devoted to these including the use of servos. On hand will be suitable servos for you to experiment with and the electronic modules to drive them. For the Autumn Weekend, all participants have access to MERG kits whether members of MERG or not. Details are circulated before the Weekend.

You will need to have some experience witha soldering iron. Although the course is an introduction, some of the work will be quite intricate and fiddly by its very nature. Karl will of course be on hand throughout the process to give help, guidance and encouragement as your signal progresses.

Although the course will be working in 4mm scale the techniques are readily adaptable to other scales. Should you wish to work in a different scale, that will not be a problem, but you’d need to bring along your own components to work on.

If you have any queries about the course, please use the ‘Get in Touch’ page.