Bertram Heyn Point Signal and Lever

[idlemarvel]

I just installed a “Weichensignale” Wn 1/Wn 2 mechanical point signal on my indoor layout, a kit from Bertram Heyn
https://modell-werkstatt.de/

I have had a few of his kits/models over the years and found them to be very good, realistic, to scale (IIm) and well engineered. The point signal is no exception. They can be turned by a standard LGB or PIKO point motor. There are left hand and right hand versions, and a choice of bases so you can operate them with a motor, or manually with a point lever, available separately. I got a left hand model with base to operate with a point motor, part numbers 5911 and 5918.

https://modell-werkstatt.de/turnout-point-light-left

https://modell-werkstatt.de/adapter-plate-for-switchpoint-light-power-unit

The point signal comes as a brass kit. It is quite easy to assemble. The instructions are in German. The nuts and bolts are quite small and it would be handy to have a miniature spanner or similar but I managed with flat nosed pliers. The vertical rotating post is held in place on a brass baseplate using two locking nuts. Assemble this before you bolt the brass base plate onto the plastic base. It’s a bit tricky getting the right tightness to allow the post to rotate freely without wobbling too much. The post as supplied is the “tall” version where any wobble is very noticeable (top picture). You can cut the brass post down with a fine hacksaw to “standard” height which is what I did.




The post is hollow so you can thread a cable through to fit a light if you wish. There is translucent plastic inside the brass light box which is too narrow for a standard LGB bulb so you would need a small bulb or LED. (Heyn does one, part number 5913.) They can be painted with standard enamel paints.



I also have his manual point lever with weight (part number 5902). This comes ready assembled in plain brass with a plastic base.

https://modell-werkstatt.de/turnout-lever-local-railway-for-lgb-turnout-small-distance-2



(Before anyone says it, yes the weight should have white facing down when the point is set to turnout.)

I am very pleased with both items. They are more expensive (about €20 a piece) than the LGB or PIKO weichenlaterne but far more realistic IMO.

 

[Alec K]

I just installed a “Weichensignale” Wn 1/Wn 2 mechanical point signal on my indoor layout, a kit from Bertram Heyn
https://modell-werkstatt.de/

I have had a few of his kits/models over the years and found them to be very good, realistic, to scale (IIm) and well engineered. The point signal is no exception. They can be turned by a standard LGB or PIKO point motor. There are left hand and right hand versions, and a choice of bases so you can operate them with a motor, or manually with a point lever, available separately. I got a left hand model with base to operate with a point motor, part numbers 5911 and 5918.

https://modell-werkstatt.de/turnout-point-light-left

https://modell-werkstatt.de/adapter-plate-for-switchpoint-light-power-unit

The point signal comes as a brass kit. It is quite easy to assemble. The instructions are in German. The nuts and bolts are quite small and it would be handy to have a miniature spanner or similar but I managed with flat nosed pliers. The vertical rotating post is held in place on a brass baseplate using two locking nuts. Assemble this before you bolt the brass base plate onto the plastic base. It’s a bit tricky getting the right tightness to allow the post to rotate freely without wobbling too much. The post as supplied is the “tall” version where any wobble is very noticeable (top picture). You can cut the brass post down with a fine hacksaw to “standard” height which is what I did.

View attachment 239133
View attachment 239134

The post is hollow so you can thread a cable through to fit a light if you wish. There is translucent plastic inside the brass light box which is too narrow for a standard LGB bulb so you would need a small bulb or LED. (Heyn does one, part number 5913.) They can be painted with standard enamel paints.

View attachment 239135

I also have his manual point lever with weight (part number 5902). This comes ready assembled in plain brass with a plastic base.

https://modell-werkstatt.de/turnout-lever-local-railway-for-lgb-turnout-small-distance-2

View attachment 239132

(Before anyone says it, yes the weight should have white facing down when the point is set to turnout.)

I am very pleased with both items. They are more expensive (about €20 a piece) than the LGB or PIKO weichenlaterne but far more realistic IMO.

Dave, thanks for this review - it will come in very useful indeed!

 

[Zerogee]

As far as I know, Bertram Heyn will most likely be coming over for the Llanfair show again this year - he seems to have done very well there the previous two years he's attended.
Because he can't bring everything he makes (in particular, he doesn't seem to bring much, if any, actual track) it is worth contacting him well in advance of the show and placing a pre-order with him - that's what I did last year, when I wanted some of his "Radius 0" track and a couple of his feldbahn point conversion kits...... this year I'm very tempted to order one of his lovely new little O&K diesel kits that run on a Piko motor block!

Jon.

 

[65 1057]

"Before anyone says it, yes the weight should have white facing down when the point is set to turnout" -
It depends - In scale 1:1 "Black down on earth" indicates that the point is in it's default position, and may be locked.
Important when you finished shunting back & forth - you have to leave the yard where every point shows in a defined direction (saftey reasons).

 

[idlemarvel]

"Before anyone says it, yes the weight should have white facing down when the point is set to turnout" -
It depends - In scale 1:1 "Black down on earth" indicates that the point is in it's default position, and may be locked.
Important when you finished shunting back & forth - you have to leave the yard where every point shows in a defined direction (saftey reasons).

Thanks 65 1057 , I bow to your local knowledge!

 

[PhilP]

As far as I know, Bertram Heyn will most likely be coming over for the Llanfair show again this year - he seems to have done very well there the previous two years he's attended.
Because he can't bring everything he makes (in particular, he doesn't seem to bring much, if any, actual track) it is worth contacting him well in advance of the show and placing a pre-order with him - that's what I did last year, when I wanted some of his "Radius 0" track and a couple of his feldbahn point conversion kits...... this year I'm very tempted to order one of his lovely new little O&K diesel kits that run on a Piko motor block!

Jon.

Jon, Do you have a link please? - I am languagely challenged!

 

[Zerogee]

Jon, Do you have a link please? - I am languagely challenged!

Do you mean a link to the loco, Phil, or just to Heyn's site in general?

Loco: https://modell-werkstatt.de/ok-loco-mv-9-housing-construction-kit

Site homepage: https://modell-werkstatt.de/

Jon.

 

[PhilP]

T'was the loco.. Thanks Jon, lot's to spend money on!

 

[Henri]

Oh love these details!!!

 

[Buryhillsteam]

Will these work with PECO G-45 points

 

[idlemarvel]

Don't know about PECO but they do work with PIKO G points and point motors.
Are you referring to the point lever or point signal or both?
I have no experience of PECO trackwork but if you can use LGB point motors to drive PECO points you should be okay.
You could try sending an email to Bertram, his English is good and he is very helpful in my experience.

 

[Buryhillsteam]

Thank you. I was meaning the manual point lever, as my railway is not electrified running on steam and is away from a convenient power source. The PECO point levers I have found to be very difficult to get to work reliably. So I was thinking these would be a good alternative.
I will email Bertram.

 

[65 1057]

Thanks 65 1057 , I bow to your local knowledge!

Grazie mille! Just found as a piece of evidence:

 

[idlemarvel]

I recently purchased another switch lantern from Bertram Heyn, an RhB model this time
05916 Weichenlaterne RHB
Die Modellbau-Werkstatt Bertram Heyn: Alles Schöne für die Gartenbahn. Weichenlaterne RHB
along with an adapter to fit the lantern to a point motor
05918 Adapterplatte Weichenlaterne-Elektroantrieb
Die Modellbau-Werkstatt Bertram Heyn: Alles Schöne für die Gartenbahn. Adapterplatte Weichenlaterne-Elekroantrieb

The adapter is a new design, much simpler than the predecessor, but with a few drawbacks.
You can see them both in the picture below, new on left, old on right.



With the new design you get both a left and right hand version, with very little in the way of instructions, but the pictures on the website make it fairly obvious what to do. The old design was "handed" so you had to order the correct one, and there were detailed instructions (in German).

You have to chop the parts provided with the lantern quite a lot to work with the new design, and you don't need many of the parts provided. In particular you have to trim the bracket off the brass base, and trim the "fork" attached to the lantern post to fit. Do this fork trimming gradually as if you go to far it will jam. One of the downsides is, as far as I can tell, there are no instructions or guidance for this. Another downside is the old design left the point motor intact, the new design requires you to remove the downward facing pin on the point motor draw bar on the side that is not driving the point, and screw a bolt in the end of the drawbar pointing upwards. The third drawback is that the old design provided a full 90 degree rotation, the new one only about 80 degrees, but that may be my construction technique as a lot is "left to the reader" to work out, as mentioned earlier.

In summary the new design is simpler and cheaper than the old design (which had the same part number 5918) but beware of the drawbacks mentioned above.

The website is here:
Die Modellbau-Werkstatt Bertram Heyn: Alles Schöne für die Gartenbahn