Operating Signals, Points and Level Crossings

This fascinating, well-illustrated and informative book presents a straightforward guide to points, signals and level crossings and provides all the information that railway modellers need in order to get the trains on their layouts moving effectively. The history of semaphore and colour light signals is outlined and the implications for modellers is clearly explained. A variety of different types of points, signals and level crossings is then illustrated with detailed instructions describing how to make them work. Simple, tried and tested mechanical and electrical methods used by modellers are explained together with modern electronic approaches, which are described in a way that enables them to be easily understood. The reader is taken step-by-step through various projects, and diagrams and photographs are provided throughout, including wiring diagrams for frogs, signals and level crossings. AUTHOR: Clive Heathcote has been interested in railways since he was a boy and, as a graduate engineer, has designed electronic equipment used by South African and British Railways. Today, however, he is only involved with model railways. Indeed, for the last twenty years he has been the proprietor of Heathcote Electronics and has designed a range of innovative products for railway modellers that has enabled them to run trains on their layouts both realistically and automatically. Annie Anderson plays an active business role in Heathcote Electronics. She did a degree in psychology, has run an advice centre for MIND and has worked as a lecturer in psychology in several UK colleges. Annie has drawn half of the diagrams in this book and has ensured that the technical jargon that it contains can be easily comprehended. 156 colour diagrams and photographs