The Radaramp: A niche key particularly useful for UK railway-using disabled people who use disabled toilets and ramps – this key operates RADAR locks AND railway ramp locks.
tl;dr
Download the Radaramp key’s .stl model file, and get it printed in steel from e.g. Craftcloud (dimensions in mm) – but be prepared, it works out about £35 per key, + postage from China…
Radaramp key model
Disabled people travelling on the railway need a RADAR key for access to accessible toilets at stations.
All wheelchair ramps used for accessing trains are locked up with T-keys (Carriage, Bell and Heater keys.) Sometimes railway staff forget their key. It can be useful to have one’s own to lend to them.
There are existing, Creative Commons models of the Radar key by George Tempest, and of the T-key by “Dar01”. I took the two and put them together into one model. The Radar key replaces the Round end of the T-Key – I have never seen the Round end used for anything. I’ve then added a keyring / lanyard loop.
Download my Radaramp combination RADAR and T-key model file.
Getting them printed in Steel – 316L by SLM Selective Laser Melting, using CraftCloud3D (dimensions in millimetres), has resulted in a particularly niche but useful tool.
NB: to quote Dar01:
If you (use the T key) and don’t have authorisation to do so, you will possibly/probably be committing an offence.
. . . and before some Gammon type gets upset, the real thing is readily available online on sites like eBay and even from the mainstream railway suppliers for very little money. If you want one, just buy the real thing … and also this won’t breach any security of the railways (those who know will also point out that other common tools can be used to open these locks and the really secure stuff no longer uses these keys to open).
I bought my own T-keys from Rivval without any verification, also from Longleat Safari Park back when they sold random railway kit (I have no idea why!), also I’ve made my own from a budget T-key adapted with the aid of a jewellery file. Also I can see at least two on sale right now on Ebay…
Hex bit models
A disabled friend finds keys easiest to operate with her existing hex bit holder. So I created a printable 3D model of a RADAR key with a hex end, and of a Carriage / Ramp key with a hex end. (dimensions in millimetres)
They are made by combining the models of the Radar key by George Tempest, of the T-key by “Dar01”, and of the Hex Bit by lbrown_napa.
These Hex bit keys can also be printed at Craftcloud. Don’t make the mistake I did of “saving money” by printing them in Aluminium – you want them to be steel in order to be ferromagnetic and thus to stay in the bit holder.
Files on Printables.com
Files for all three models are also available in my collection on Printables.com.
License
All of my blog is Creative Commons licensed. However in order to comply with the licences of the constituent models, all model files above are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.
