Thanks Alistair....much appreciated....👍 Cheers Gromo

Thanks Richard, Yes it`s a bit of a process to make it happen, but that`s the deal when you decide to build your own. The first one is always the hardest one to build and from that you learn better techniques and methods which in turn speed the process up a bit. The old been there done that method. Cheers Gormo

G`day Josef, Thank you for your comments. The mechanical systems are very reliable once you have them installed. A friend of mine who exhibits generally small layouts , nearly always does wire in tube for the points. The reason being reliability.......he does not want to be tracing electrical faults or replacing burnt out solenoids at an exhibition. They are also very cheap systems to use. Stay safe Cheers Gormo

Thanks Mike, Cheers Gormo

G`day Simon, Thanks for your comments and information about the history of the line. Cheers Gormo

Thanks John, That`s very nice of you to say that. Just keep pushing mate. All the best Cheers Gormo

Thanks Zahid, To build the system on top of the board would require much finer smaller parts and too much trouble for my old eyes. It`s working now and I will leave it as it is. Thanks for your suggestion. Cheers Gormo

Thank you very much!

Thanks Peter Cheers Gormo

G`day Peter, Sorry......I`ll behave myself.......well maybe not.? Wire in tube is good for short straight runs, however the wire does move a bit inside the tube, which translates to " play " in the system, which translates into excessive, inconsistent movement at the lever end. The rods ( coat hanger wire ) behave themselves and give a much more reliable result. Cheers Gormo

G`day Gary, Thank you so much for your kind words Cheers Gormo

Thanks Alan Cheers Gormo

Thanks Sid, Yes I`m pleased to say that it works very well and practically maintenance free. No electrical gremlins to worry about because it`s all mechanical........a lot of work though putting it in. Cheers Gormo

Thanks Dinmore Cheers Gormo

Thanks Peter, Cheers Gormo

G`day Ralph, Sometimes I wondered to myself why I bothered.....but when it`s done you forget all that. Cheers Gormo

Sorry Cheers Gormo

G`day Barry, Thanks for your comments. Your system sounds good. My friend Gary exhibits small planks from time to time and he favors wire in tube, simple mechanical operation because that`s one less thing he has to worry about when he`s demonstrating his layout. It`s also easy to fix / adjust if you`re out and about. Cheers Gormo

Thanks Michael Cheers Gormo

G`day Miles, Well this system is full on if that`s what you want......there are also more simple methods on the net if you research it. All the best Cheers Gormo

Thanks Muso Cheers Gormo

G`day Les.......lol Yes mate.......as I said to Jim Ross up above......" nobody told me I had to conform "....lol So Les....I`ll just muddle my way through and bend a few rules as I go........let`s face it, it`s not real life.....it`s a model railway......an artistic interpretation of reality and it`s not hurting anybody in the process......so no apologies from Gormo Stay safe Cheers Gormo

G`day Richard, Yes a contentious topic here......but as I said to Jim Ross above....nobody told me I had to conform. I think that`s the philosophy in model railways, especially if we think fictional or freelance. So I invoked Rule#1 on my railway....." My railway, my rules " ...lol Stay safe Cheers Gormo

@@greatchesterfordjunction Rule number 1... It's your railway and you can model and run what you like :)

@@greatchesterfordjunction Incidentally, I live in Essex, though London born and bred.

@@dickygeemusic Absolutely.!!!....lol Cheers Gormo

@@dickygeemusic Very nice, Last time I was in Essex was 2013. I stayed in Great Chesterford for one night. It had changed a little since my visit before that but was still pretty much the same. My Great Great Grandfather came from Great Chesterford and a long line before him also. He worked for the railways there. His son, my Great Grandfather came out to Australia in the 1800`s and he got a job and worked for the railways here in NSW. His son, my Grandfather, carried on the tradition and worked for the railways here as well.My Grandfather was one of the lucky ones who had a job right through the Great Depression. The railways had to keep running. So you see Richard, it`s in my DNA, I can`t shake it off......lol Cheers Gormo

G`day Dave, I must admit, it`s a pleasure to use the system even though it`s been there so long now that it`s become part of the furniture. The maintenance is practically zero. I have done I think two or three adjustments on three points in about five years of use. It`s very much a set and forget system. Cheers Gormo

G`day Paul, Yes.....the system requires some thinking outside the box when it comes to obstacles in the path of the rods......but every problem has a solution. You could use my basic levers with a rod / wire connected between the lever and a slide switch to activate the SEEPS. Cheers Gormo

G`day Bill, Well initially you would think so, but as it turns out, you get too much play in the cables which increases the throw required at the lever by too much really. Also you get inconsistent results depending on whether the cable is straight or whether you have a curve in it. I did really serious development on this system with loads of testing and the connecting rods gave me the best results, plus it`s prototypical in a crude sort of a way. Cheers Gormo

G`day Ray, The wire in tube method had too much play in it, especially over a long run, which translated to too much throw required on the levers. That`s why I went with the rods. I have used the probe and stud method many years ago and it works fine, but I decided to do something different this time. I do have Peco point motors in my hidden fiddle yard as the manual system was not practical there. Cheers Gormo

G`day Greg, Thank you for your kind words mate, but I`m no genius, I`m just persistent.....lol. The movements are fairly easy to devise when you implement a strategy. You work out an ideal place for the lever frame and then start adding the links to the points starting with the point furthest away from the lever frame and gradually work your way through the points until the closest is the last to be connected. Underneath my boards looks really complicated and quite confusing, but really it`s just simple systems and lots of them. So when you keep adding simplicity on top of simplicity eventually when you look at it, it`s complexity to the uninitiated. Cheers Gormo

G`day Frank, Happy New Year !! I have three point lever frames at the moment......one more to make. Each frame controls points on a stand alone baseboard......in other words, if the baseboard were to be removed, it has no effect on the rest of the layout. I plan routes for the rods to travel to each point trying to avoid overlapping other rods. So a clear path for each rod is desirable. If it can`t avoid overlapping, I put a U shaped bend in the overlapping rod. I would estimate a ten lever frame and connections would take me about a week of part time work. I guess there`s more work involved to install a manual system, however it is much more cost effective than an electrical system. The other bonus is that it is virtually maintenance free and very reliable. My first frame has been in use for about 8 years now with only about two minor adjustments. I hope this has been helpful......all the best Gormo

@@greatchesterfordjunction Hello and happy new year to you Gormo , thanks for your reply, that all sounds very informative. I am toying with thr idea of using cables made from wire and plastic tubing This would reduce the need for bell cranks to change the direction of the rods ,( only an idea) im just beginning to build my layout so hopefully i can incorporate the cables into the boards as i build . Well thats the plan ! Thanks again for the reply, all the best Frank

@@unclefranko2452 Hello Again Frank, Do some testing with your cables first. I tried that idea many years ago and found that a bend in the cable and wire allowed the wire to move excessively within the cable on the bend, resulting in not enough movement at the point tie bar. There is a wire and cable system used by aircraft modellers that might be worth looking into. Sorry don`t have the details but apparently there is no play in that system. Cheers Gormo

@@greatchesterfordjunction Hi Gormo ,thanks mate you could be right about the movement in the cable Ill definitely look in to that . Ill see if i can find some info on the model aircraft cable, thanks for your advice ill keep you informed of the progress. Many thanks Frank

G`day Jim, Simple answer....nobody told me I had to conform...lol My railway is fictional with real place names.......that`s all.......my family heritage is from Great Chesterford in Essex so I thought I would use the name in my model railway to remember my ancestors. Cheers Gormo

Hi Gormo, I spent 20 years in Uttlesford, which is the local council area where Great Chesterford is; I was living just south of Stansted Airport, in a village called Takeley. I have been through Great Chesterford a number of times. Long hot summers there. Did you know Essex gets less annual rainfall than the Sahara Desert? Though I suppose you must be used to extreme conditions at times in the Antipodes. Thanks for sharing your layout. It’s enjoyable and inspirational. Jim

@@jimross623 G`day Jim, No I did not know that about the rainfall......strange.? If you are familiar with Great Chesterford`s station, you will see why I decided to go freelance. I find it one of the most unattractive station buildings I`ve ever seen.....but there you are....I`m sure it`s very practical.? Yes we have extremes here and they are becoming more extreme with the influence of climate change. Forty plus Celsius in summer is now more common and frequent than it used to be, however our winters are mild compared to the UK. Cheers Gormo