Llangollen Railway. Corwen Signal Box

We are currently restoring the former Weston Rhyn signal box for use at the new Corwen station.
We are short of a few of the brass rollers for the sliding windows. Does anybody out there have any or know of a supplier, failing which we'll have to get them made new.
The box will hopefully be moved from Carrog yard & craned onto the new build locking room
in the next six weeks.

Bob.

 

We had that issue with Broadway box, but eventually found some.

Have you tried the rollers from sash windows?

 

Good try, but it's not quite the right type. They need some with a slot, as it runs along a sharp edge.

 

It only cropped up today when our joiner was surveying what was needed.
We could investigate the sash window rollers, but the metal runner is only 3mm thick.
In answer to Martin, I was thinking it was about 1992/3 when we recovered the box.

Bob

 

You could almost use the wheels from the older type of BR Mark 1 through door which used an inverted U shaped channel and brass wheels.

 

What is the base made of at corwen?, doesn't look like red/blue brick.

 

Looks like breeze block to me.

Maybe there will be an outer skin of red/blue brick?

Keith

 

The locking room is concrete blocks, sitting on a concrete base under which is a storage room built off the base of the embankment.
The concrete blocks will be clad with boarding machined to the same profile as the existing box.

Bob.

 

So why was the decision taken for concrete blocks? The original base at Weston Rhys was brick, The corwen signal box was also brick.

 

Why bother with an item that wont be seen.
Timber cladding.
I am fairly certain that if blocks had been available when built originally that bricks would not have been considered.

 

Ironmongery Direct do a range of Sash Wheels. Different sizes and different materials.

https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/search?searchtext=sash wheels

 

Screwfix do a "Sash axle pulley" - see https://www.screwfix.com/p/carlisle...ed-brass-117mm-x-42mm/9191p?_requestid=418383 which might be suitable?
But the "Ironmongery Direct" linked to above is a wider range and a lot lower in price!

 

Screwfix are alright, but only for items that pass through the door quickly. A few of us have a Corporate trade card with them so, we 'make do' where possible. Toolstation probably has a better range but will only set up accounts for Schools, Public, or Governmental bodies.

Whilst I've never had occasion to purchase from Ironmongery Direct [yet], they are highly rated within various trades. Their catalogue is probably easier to follow than their website, and is free upon request.

Getting back to the previously mentioned, Mk1 Compartment/Through door. The wheels are on ball bearings and, after 50/60 years, will invariably exhibit some 'resistance'. Once I get them moving with a bit of lubrication, I then 'introduce' them to a wire wheel in an angle grinder. Spinning them up to about 2000 rpm for a couple of minutes, gets them 'singing' and certainly clears out the 'carp' whilst polishing the bearings for the next half decade.

 

I doubt it, signal boxes were built in brick with English bond for strength because the walls had to support the massive weight of the frame and a double skin of modern brick doesn't have that kind of strength. I hope they don't make the same mistake they made with Glyndyfrdwy box where they built it with a concrete floor at ground level like it was a house or something, that is what prevents them from operating the gates with a mechanical gate wheel.

 

1991