Gilberdyke Modernisation (Real Railway)

[iands]

Hi all,

 

The Selby/Goole route to Hull passes through Gilberdyke Junction. Gilberdyke (formerly known as Staddlethorpe) is currently controlled (in the main) by semaphore signals, as is much of the route between Gilberdyke and Ferriby. Suffice to say that Network Rail is undertaking a modernisation project in the area that will abolish the semaphore signals on this route - Ferriby to Gilberdyke resignalling - which will see all current signal/gate boxes closed and control transferred to York ROC.

 

As Gilberdyke is not too far from me, I thought it might be a good idea to start, what may turn out to be a short(ish) thread, to record the signalling changes that will occur over the next few months. I'll try to photographically record as many of the semaphore signals as I can before they disappear for ever, and hopefully with one or two trains.

 

One or two of the photos I'll use may already have been seen in other threads that I have responded to, but I'll try to keep any repeats of these to a minimum.

 

Hope this thread will be of some interest and I will try and visit some other locations between Gilberdyke and Ferriby to capture the signalling changes on this section of route. On that note, if anyone has a request for a photo of a particular signal (or signal box etc.) let me know and I'll do my best, but as I'm not working on this project, all photos will be taken from publicly accessible locations.

 

Here goes, I'll start with a few photos I took in February 2013 (I can't believe it is almost 5 years since I took these, seems like only yesterday).

 

Looking along the Down Main from platform 1 at Gilberdyke. The nearest signal is G45 (Gilberdyke's Down Block signal) and O9 (Oxmardyke's Down Distant signal). Note the Up Main and Down Main will become the Up Hull and Down Hull under the resignalling scheme.

 

In the Up direction, rather than a 'bracket' signal, two separate posts are provided for G7 (for the branch towards Goole) and G13 for the Main towards Selby. Note that even back in 2013 "modernisation" had already started, a GSMR Mast and REB can be seen the other side of the bridge oh, and a satellite dish on the signal box!!??!!

 

Looking at the back of G52/O9R (the branch from Goole) and G46/O9R (the Main line from Selby)

 

A close up of G7 and G13.

 

Another shot of G45/O9 and in the near distance O10 - all 'off'.

 

G52/O9R and G46/O9R from the 'front'.

 

On the 'Main' looking in the Selby direction, G14 on the Up, and the rear of G48 on the Down. G48 might be of some particular interest to modellers. At some point in its recent history it has been replaced with a bottom two-thirds modern (H&S inspired?) structure with a more 'traditional' looking top third. When I took these photos there was an engineering possession on the Up/Down Main towards Selby, hence the "red lights" in the four foots. I took some more shots of this signal today and I'll post them when I get them sorted.

 

That's all for today but I'll post some more in a couple of days time. I did go out today with the camera with the intention of taking "one or two" more quick photos. I was out for just over an hour and managed to take 152 photos (yes, 152, it's not a typo). I'm not sure how I took that many, I guess I was just enjoying myself. Needless to say they will take a bit of time to sort out the best ones but I'll do my best not to stall too long before I post again.

 

Regards, Ian.

[Market65]

Hello, Ian. I was on a train to Sheffield, from Hull, earlier today, and saw some of the work. I was thinking to myself, that it, sadly, won’t be long now before the semaphores are gone, leaving only those at Bridlington. Also that this subject would, probably, make a good subject for my Photos of East Yorkshire thread, which I’m aiming to cover all things related to railways in East Yorkshire.

Anyway, you’ve taken some excellent photos, which, hopefully, will be of historical importance in future years for everyone’s benefit.

 

So thank you for starting this thread. I will visit it regularly with much interest. I hope to take photos of my own - indeed, there are some already in my East Yorkshire thread.

 

Very best regards,

 

Rob.

[iands]

Hello, Ian. I was on a train to Sheffield, from Hull, earlier today, and saw some of the work. I was thinking to myself, that it, sadly, won’t be long now before the semaphores are gone, leaving only those at Bridlington. Also that this subject would, probably, make a good subject for my Photos of East Yorkshire thread, which I’m aiming to cover all things related to railways in East Yorkshire.

Anyway, you’ve taken some excellent photos, which, hopefully, will be of historical importance in future years for everyone’s benefit.

 

So thank you for starting this thread. I will visit it regularly with much interest. I hope to take photos of my own - indeed, there are some already in my East Yorkshire thread.

 

Very best regards,

 

Rob.

 

Hi Rob,

 

Many thanks for your comments. As you say, sadly, the semaphores will soon be all gone. When I started my railway career (just over 44 years ago), whilst a lot of colourlight signalling was in use back then, there was still plenty of semaphore signalling around. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but it is now I wished I'd had the foresight to invest in a camera all those years ago.

 

I've been enjoying your 'Photos of East Yorkshire' thread, but I haven't got through it all yet. Again, it is a fascinating historical record of railways in this part of the world and many thanks for producing such great photos. Although I didn't get too many opportunities to visit Hull and the surrounding area in my career, I have been fortunate to visit a few of the places you mention.

 

Although I've not got through all your thread yet, I've not come across anything of Bubwith or Broomfleet, have you any photos of these locations? I have a photo of each location that I bought from Collectors Corner many years ago. I'm not sure of the copyright laws with regards to posting on RMweb, they are both marked on the back "(copyright symbol) Douglas Thompson Distributed by: Robert Humm & Co, Station House, Stamford, PE9 2JN". If you would like a copy (I've scanned them for my own benefit) I can send to you via a PM if interested.

 

Regards, Ian.

[31A]

Thank you for putting these pictures up, Ian.  It is a route I was familiar with through work until I retired from the railway a few years ago and still travel as a passenger occasionally.  I'll be sorry to see the semaphores and signal boxes go, but that, I suppose, is progress.  Please put more pictures up as and when you're able to!

[iands]

Thank you for putting these pictures up, Ian.  It is a route I was familiar with through work until I retired from the railway a few years ago and still travel as a passenger occasionally.  I'll be sorry to see the semaphores and signal boxes go, but that, I suppose, is progress.  Please put more pictures up as and when you're able to!

Will do Steve, thanks for the feedback.

 

Regards, Ian.

[iands]

As it is awful weather here today, it has given me a bit of a chance to sort out a few photos I took yesterday ready for posting during next week, which I'll start to post on Monday.

 

Just 4 photos for today taken in November last year when I quickly called in at Gilberdyke for about 10 minutes or so. Managed to actually take photo of a train as well!

 

In terms of the infrastructure not a lot appears to have changed since 2013, except a GSMR sign (displaying the signallers GSMR terminal number) has appeared on G13, a 70 mph speed board for working "wrong line" over the Down line (towards the Selby direction), and a few grey and yellow boxes in the cess.

 

In this shot you can also see the "base" for one of the new "lightweight" signals. The "base" looks like it has been "piled" into the ground, similar to some of the GSMR mast bases. I believe this signal will be "facing road" to control movements over the Down line in the "wrong direction" (refer to 70 mph speed board in above photo). If I understand correctly, bi-directional signalling is not being implemented over the Down line, but this signal (and I also understand there is one further down the line for reading "wrong direction" over the Up line) will merely control movements over the line for "single line working". Therefore it will be "one train at a time" in the wrong direction (unlike bi-directional signalling that allows for more than one train at a time in the wrong direction). 

 

A close up of the new signal base. Gone are the days when you spent 2-3 days (depending on ground conditions) digging a hole, bracing some long fixing bolts into the correct position/depth, then filling said hole with concrete. A lot quick these days, but not half as much fun!

 

Just a close up of signal G7 and G13, with the GSMR sign.

 

That's it for today. I'll post a few more photos through the coming week which will indicate how things are changing, at Gilberdyke, albeit at what appears to be a leisurely pace (at the moment).

 

Regards, Ian.

[Oldddudders]

Full marks for recording the doomed signals. 

 

40 years ago I would occasionally be Relief SM at a station in East Kent where there was an Assistant SM. Every third sentence from him would start with "When I were in Gilberdyke...." where he'd been some sort of manager. Chris Green (think NSE) was Area Manager Hull at the time. I did wonder why Les had come south, because it hadn't made him any happier!

[Market65]

Hello, Ian. Again those are excellent photo's, and they remind me to get, quickly, to Bridlington, and get, as much as I can, the semaphores that are left there recorded before it is too late. I have some photo's of them.

I look forward to more tomorrow. And am I right in thinking that most of the remaining signal boxes will be closed down and demolished too?

 

I have just found some photo's of Broomfleet. If you would like, and they are my own photo's, I can post them here - I may or may not have posted them in my East Yorkshire thread.

 

Best regards,

 

Rob.

[iands]

Hello, Ian. Again those are excellent photo's, and they remind me to get, quickly, to Bridlington, and get, as much as I can, the semaphores that are left there recorded before it is too late. I have some photo's of them.

I look forward to more tomorrow. And am I right in thinking that most of the remaining signal boxes will be closed down and demolished too?

 

I have just found some photo's of Broomfleet. If you would like, and they are my own photo's, I can post them here - I may or may not have posted them in my East Yorkshire thread.

 

Best regards,

 

Rob.

Hi Rob,

 

Under this resignalling scheme, as far as I'm aware, the following SBs/GBs will close: Saltmarshe, Gilberdyke, Oxmardyke, Broomfleet, Cave, Crabley Creek, Brough East, Welton and Melton Lane. I assume they will all be demolished, whether that happens straightaway, or if some will linger on a while (as structures at least) I'm afraid I don't know.

 

Yes, please add any photo's you may have of anything between Gilberdyke and Ferriby, it will all add to a record of this section of line.

 

According to this weeks weather forecast, Thursday should be a reasonable day (at least dry even if a little overcast), so my current plan is to explore further east of Gilberdyke and take a few more photos, capturing as many signals, signal boxes etc. as I go, and work towards Melton Lane and Ferriby over the coming weeks.

 

Regards, Ian.

[waggy]

I might be wrong but isn't there a signalman who works at Gilberdyke box on RM Web, his name escapes me James ?

[phil-b259]

 

Under this resignalling scheme, as far as I'm aware, the following SBs/GBs will close: Saltmarshe, Gilberdyke, Oxmardyke, Broomfleet, Cave, Crabley Creek, Brough East, Welton and Melton Lane. I assume they will all be demolished, whether that happens straightaway, or if some will linger on a while (as structures at least) I'm afraid I don't know.

 

 

NR policy is to demolish ASAP by RRV machine - frequently with things like lever frames still intact at the time, unless the box is a listed structure.

 

They do this so they don't have to (i) get extra possessions to go back and remove stuff (ii) To prevent ongoing liabilities in keeping the structures safe and not presenting a target for arsonists say, the latter being particularly important where the structure is close to running lines and any incident could disrupt train services.

 

So the moto is go and get your pics now - because if you wait all you will probably end up seeing is a pile of rubble.

Edited January 21, 2018 by phil-b259

[micknich2003]

Staddlethorpe Junction Up Homes, c1910. What was once taken to be here for ever and very rarely photographed, one hundred and ten years on, no matter how insignificent it may appear Photograph it, with today's "Digi's" it costs nothing. As an aside, I have never seen a photograph of Staddlethorpe East signalbox, it lasted until 1968, someone must have recorded it.

r

[micknich2003]

I might be wrong but isn't there a signalman who works at Gilberdyke box on RM Web, his name escapes me James ?

James has moved on. For what it's worth, I was signalman at Gylberdyke November 1983 to November 1989, and then I too moved on.

[iands]

NR policy is to demolish ASAP by RRV machine - frequently with things like lever frames still intact at the time, unless the box is a listed structure.

 

They do this so they don't have to (i) get extra possessions to go back and remove stuff (ii) To prevent ongoing liabilities in keeping the structures safe and not presenting a target for arsonists say, the latter being particularly important where the structure is close to running lines and any incident could disrupt train services.

 

So the moto is go and get your pics now - because if you wait all you will probably end up seeing is a pile of rubble.

Hi Phil,

 

Yes, I am aware of the "demolish ASAP" policy, I'm just not aware if any of the SBs etc. have listed status (like Howden) or any are up for preservation. Perhaps I should have explained it a bit better.

 

Regards, Ian.

[iands]

Staddlethorpe Junction Up Homes, c1910. What was once taken to be here for ever and very rarely photographed, one hundred and ten years on, no matter how insignificent it may appear Photograph it, with today's "Digi's" it costs nothing. As an aside, I have never seen a photograph of Staddlethorpe East signalbox, it lasted until 1968, someone must have recorded it.

rSTADDLETHORPE c1910.jpg

Hi Mick,

 

Many thanks for sharing this fantastic photo. It is interesting to see the subtle changes that have taken place over many years. As there are only two through tracks at Gilberdyke now, do you know which platforms were moved/rebuilt, was it both? The reason for asking is that the foot bridge is still in the same place and was only fairly recently replaced.

 

Regards, Ian.

[micknich2003]

Ian, the Slow lines were taken out and the platforms widened to match the former Fast Lines, the Down Slow first and the Up Slow three weeks later. I have the exact details, and by chance I was signalman for both events.

[iands]

Ian, the Slow lines were taken out and the platforms widened to match the former Fast Lines, the Down Slow first and the Up Slow three weeks later. I have the exact details, and by chance I was signalman for both events.

Many thanks for the info Mick, much appreciated.

 

Just going back to Staddlethorpe East signal box, I know that at York there was an Eastern Region photographic unit who used to go out and regularly photograph a lot of the infrastructure (as well as trains). I'm sure in the archives there will be a photo of Staddlethorpe East. I used to go and visit the photographic unit on occasion (they were on the ground floor in West Offices below us) and there were always 100's of photos about from all over the region on all manner of topics. A few years later I was in the "plan room" looking for some drawing negatives and someone else happened to be in there pouring over a stack of signal box photos. He was sorting out pictures of signal boxes in the Kings Cross area (I remember looking at a photo of Belle Isle signal box at the time) for someone who had requested information as research for a book. I'm not quite sure what happened to all those photos (there must have been 1000s), they may have gone to a collector/dealer, or they may have gone to the NRM archives. As it happens, the wife and I are planning a visit to the NRM later this week. I'll enquire if they have the ER photo archive and see if any copies are available for sale.

 

Regards, Ian.

[eastwestdivide]

Looking at the useful Historic England map at

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/map-search?clearresults=True 

 

it seems the only listed railway structures on the routes between Selby/Goole and Hull are:

Howden station and signalbox,

the Goole and Selby swing bridges,

and stuff in Hull itself.

Edited January 22, 2018 by eastwestdivide

[micknich2003]

Ian, off the present topic, but I'm also looking for views of York Locomotive signalbox, the back wall in particular, this is for a 7mm modelling project.

[iands]

Ian, off the present topic, but I'm also looking for views of York Locomotive signalbox, the back wall in particular, this is for a 7mm modelling project.

Hi Mick,

 

I'll make some enquiries in the NRM archive. Hopefully we will get to the NRM on Friday, however, I broke a tooth today (drinking coffee would you believe!) so our visit will be dependant on any visit(s) required to the dentist.

 

Regards, Ian.

[Market65]

Hello, Ian. I'm sorry to hear about your broken tooth and I hope it is not too painful. I have the Broomfleet photo's from two years ago, which include Cave crossing, and I hope you will find them of some interest and use.

 

 

Best regards,

 

Rob.

[iands]

Tonight's offering, a few of the photos from Saturday. It was a cold, murky, drizzly day so apologies if the quality is a bit suspect. The odd train or two as well, it was quite busy for the hour that I was there, and remarkably for somewhere that is not on a significant main line (compared to what it used to be like) there was quite a variety of traction.

 

 

That's all for tonight, hopefully some more tomorrow.

 

Regards, Ian.

 

Edited January 22, 2018 by iands

[iands]

Tonight's offering, a few of the photos from Saturday. It was a cold, murky, drizzly day so apologies if the quality is a bit suspect. The odd train or two as well, it was quite busy for the hour that I was there, and remarkably for somewhere that is not on a significant main line (compared to what it used to be like) there was quite a variety of traction.

 

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That's all for tonight, hopefully some more tomorrow.

 

Regards, Ian.

Apologies, I was going to add some text to the photos but it seems technology got the better of me tonight so I'll just leave the photos as they are. I'll try and do better tomorrow!

 

Regards, Ian.

[31A]

Remarkable on that long straight line how far away you can see oncoming trains, especially with modern headlights!  In places they dip in and out of view as they rise over the waterway bridges.

[iands]

Hello, Ian. I'm sorry to hear about your broken tooth and I hope it is not too painful. I have the Broomfleet photo's from two years ago, which include Cave crossing, and I hope you will find them of some interest and use.

 

IMG_20160228_131239 - Copy.jpg

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Best regards,

 

Rob.

Hi Rob,

 

Thanks for adding the photos, a very nice pictorial record that I hope to emulate in the next few weeks. Surprisingly the tooth isn't hurting at all (famous last words!), its just the rough bit rubbing on my tongue a little.

 

Regards, Ian.