Under normal circumstances I wouldn't fit loco lamps as I tend to use my locos for all sorts of trains and would constantly need to alter the codes for the type of train being hauled. However, @Dr Al has made such a great job of my 4MT http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=27336.msg500425#msg500425 c/w lamp irons and I saw @Les Nehrlich at a show yesterday with lamps on his locos and anm coming round to the thought they add nice detail.
Les recommended Springside as a source and I see they do GWR and BR types but has anyone used them or any others?
Note - owing to shaky hands and squinty eyesight please, no suggestions about making/painting my own
Tail lamps are not an issue as I would just fit those to 'last in rake' brake vans and coaches etc

This is not my greatest photo but these are Springside lamps.
To my eye ever so slightly over scale but they look ok

I also use Springside lamps on locos and brakevans. The ex GER section, which I model, also used disc headcodes until near the end of steam-I use B+H Enterprises Southern discs for this, with the tiny etched handles filed off.

I attach the lamps by either drilling a hole in the bottom (difficult) and gluing over existing lamp irons; superglue gel if not; and 0.3mm brass wire in the sides or back as appropriate when using them as tail lamps.

I think it makes the scene more realistic-Springside include headlamp classes with the castings-but tail lamps are a bit problematical on exhibition when we shunt trains and run them in the opposite direction without turning the entire train...........

If you find any steam or diesel locos on James St layout, they are probably mine; I have even been sad enough to change some diesel 4-character headcodes to actual trains on the ex GE section.

Best of luck.

HTH

Martyn

I'm not so fond of wire for mounting them. I think it was Noel Leaver on the ngauge email group who suggested it years ago but small staples are brilliant for lamp mounts as they are hard and come with a nice pre installed 90° angle

I use double-sided adhesive tape for attaching lamps to buffer beams.

Best regards,


Joe

Do you frequently change the lamp codes, Joe, and, if so, does the tape cause any damage to paintwork?
I was wondering whether Tacky Wax or Blu-Tac would suffice

Quote from: Newportnobby on April 22, 2018, 09:32:05 PM
Do you frequently change the lamp codes, Joe, and, if so, does the tape cause any damage to paintwork?
I was wondering whether Tacky Wax or Blu-Tac would suffice

I use tiny pieces of tacky wax.
Keeps the lamps happily in place.

Another user of the Springside lamps. They also do "LMS" as well as "GWR" and "BR" (LMS in Black or White; GWR in Red or White)

One thing to bear in mind: GWR lamps fitted with the brackets to the side of the lamp, LMS and LNER lamps fitted with the bracket to the Rear of the Lamp and the bracket were at 90 degrees to the GWR orientation, so fitting a GW lamp to an LMS/LNER loco or vice versa would result in the lamp shining sideways!

BR standard locos seem to have GW orientation if originally allocated to the Western region, otherwise the LMS/LNER orientation.

ModelU 3D are now producing N gauge lamps

https://www.modelu3d.co.uk/product-category/detailing-components/loco-rolling-stock-lamps/

Quote from: Newportnobby on April 22, 2018, 09:32:05 PM
Do you frequently change the lamp codes, Joe, and, if so, does the tape cause any damage to paintwork?
I was wondering whether Tacky Wax or Blu-Tac would suffice

Hi Mick.
No, I haven't changed the lamp codes in over 10 years. Don't know about damage to paintwork but any adhesive residue should be removable with lighter fuel.

Hi Newportnobby,

There is a good and detailed section in GWR Goods Train Working vol 1 by Tony Atkins that covers all of the head lamp codes and tail lamp codes for goods trains. A most informative read; its where I found out that the GWR red head lamps were phased out from 1936 onwards in favour of the white ones.

Hope that helps somewhat.

Twinklekev.

There is a short piece on headcodes here;

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/gansg/3-sigs/bellhead.htm

If you ever get time, the whole of this website makes interesting reading on railway operations-with some examples of N gauge models from the author's collection.

Whilst I found tacky wax OK for home use, it wasn't strong enough to hold lamps in place when the locos were in transit to or from exhibition. I have also used Noel's idea of small staples.

Update 26/12/18; the quoted webpage has been shut down by its server. The whole website has now been moved to;

http://www.igg.org.uk/rail/




Martyn

I know I can buy ready-made N-scale lamps from various sources, but I want to make ones from scratch using a 3D printer so I install my own fibre-optic lighting without having to drill them. I have various photos of prototypical lamps to work up a 3D model, but I'm looking for the spec and/or diagram for the actual full-size dimensions. Failing that, I'll buy a full-sized one on eBay and get my trusted steel rule out...