I have not actually picked up a modelling knife or soldering iron for a couple of weeks now; largely because I got a bit of a bug for sorting out the etch artwork.

I have now completed, I hope, all of the artwork I will need for all of the signals that will be required on Glenmutchkin.  Indeed, it should do all the signals I and just about anyone else ever needs for any scheme based on the Highland era!!!!

I am fortunate that I have a couple of an 1895 McKenzie & Holland catalogue and a further partial copy from a bit later.  I have also been provided with a number of really good drawings of bracket signals from M&H, prompted by my ramblings on the web.  This has given me with a pretty good handle on how they were constructed and I can draw up rather more comprehensive (and a little more specific to the Highland) artwork than are available form any of the other sources.

So this is what I have come up with.  Firstly, an etch of all of the arms, balance weights and a track mechanism for raising the lamp to the top of the post (I think this was peculiar to the Highland):

and then an etch that includes the large brackets used for the multi-doll signals and all of the support brackets and landing.

and this one is the smaller bracket; used on twin doll signals:

I have been recommended to use PPD as a first port of call for etching, so they have been winged off tonight.  Lets see what a week or so brings us…………..

As this is now out of copyright, an article by OS Nock on the Highland’s signals from the Model Engineer might be of interest too – it may even show what I am trying to make in the etchings a little more clearly.

And for my next task, I am going to have another bash at the water column and the finial; more on this when I think I have been successful!