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Ketton Signal Box


TravisM
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I’ve finally decided on a location that will fit the space I have in my spare room and that being Ketton signal box.  Originally I had grandiose plans of having a large shed assembled in my back garden complete with power, lighting and a up to date representation of Peterborough railway station’s platforms 5,6 and 7 plus the avoiding line.  Big enough to run reasonable length train and not too big to overwhelm me.

 

It all went wrong when I lost my job due to a stroke, so with that and my other disabilities, the grand plan has now flown out the window which has left me with the spare bedroom.

 

 I must admit that I stumbled upon Ketton signal box by accident and pleased that it could be modelled reasonably well within my size limits, it was in a cutting and the entrance/exits to the fiddle yard could be easily disguised with trees and foliage.  Also I liked the idea of small country road protected at the level crossing by barriers and flashing lights, a semaphore signal as well as MAS, so went out and purchased a Ratio Midland signal box, interior and Dapol motorised LMS home signal.

 

Imagine my dismay when I saw that the prototype signal is a lower quadrant, not a LMS upper quadrant.  Does anyone know when and why this was changed?

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It’s still in operational use and I believe there’s no plans to replace it and several other signal boxes along the line in the near future.  I just thought it would be nice to model one in use in the current era.  Maybe I should just use the LMS upper quadrant signal and plead ignorance lol.

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The MR signal is definitely still there, I live in the village!

 

You don't say what period you are modelling.  The original station was a very beautiful stone affair, the main part of which stood on the north side of the line by the crossing on the Peterborough side. All that remains is the goods office which is next to the red 4x4 in the photo above. I think the station was demolished in the late '60's.

 

John.

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You'd be off to a flying start with the Ratio Midland signal box kit, which is almost just right for Ketton - the main point to note is that Ketton has weatherboarding on the ground-floor panels whereas the Ratio kit represents the later type with lapped boarding. If the signal dates from 1896, my guess is the signalbox does too; it's the right style and the Midland did a lot of renewal of first-generation signal boxes around that time. I imagine their signal engineers weren't expecting their second-generation work to last quite so long! It's amazing how many Midland signalboxes do survive, given their all-timber construction. Is it just that the Midland had a lot of secondary lines that have been low down the pecking order for renewal?

 

Rather nice lattice footbridge in the distance, too.

Edited by Compound2632
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31 minutes ago, John Tomlinson said:

You don't say what period you are modelling.  The original station was a very beautiful stone affair, the main part of which stood on the north side of the line by the crossing on the Peterborough side. All that remains is the goods office which is next to the red 4x4 in the photo above. I think the station was demolished in the late '60's.

 

John.

 

Hi John,

 

I did say that I’m modelling the present era and I’ve already got the Ratio Midland box and interior kits.  I’m thinking of fudging the semaphore signal as I’ve got a Dapol motorised LMS but the prototype signal is now a lower quadrant instead of the upper quadrant the Midland would have used.

 

I think the station closed in the early 60’s and demolished several years later.

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2 minutes ago, jools1959 said:

 

the prototype signal is now a lower quadrant instead of the upper quadrant the Midland would have used.

 

 

To be clear, the lower quadrant signal is a standard Midland Railway one that has somehow escaped being replaced by an LMS tubular-post upper quadrant.

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7 minutes ago, Andrew Young said:

The lower quadrant is original Midland, probably the last of its kind on the network, the upper quadrants are the latter LMS/LMR replacements.

 

Ketton & Collyweston

 

Andrew

 

Looks like I’ll have to do some bodgery to get a lower quadrant signal on the Dapol LMS post......hummmmmmm

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The Midland signal is rather key to the interest of the scene! If you want to use a Dapol signal rather than building from parts, the square-post Great Western signal might be a better starting point than the LMS tubular post - at least the post is the right shape and the signal moves in the right direction! It might be possible to change the arm on the Dapol signal for a Midland pattern one; certainly it should be straightforward enough to change the finial.

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I’m wondering if I get a Dapol GWR square post lower quadrant signal, try and find a secondhand Ratio LMS signal and transplant the finial onto the Dapol signal, would that work?  As my modelling skills are reduced due to Arthritis in my hands, so I think it might be the easiest option.

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The ratio kit is for a tubular post, so it is just a round cap and won't fit the square post.

Here is the wizard models page for Midland signal parts https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/?s=midland+signals&post_type=product there are more bits in a general Midland search: https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/?s=midland&post_type=product

 

And look heres the kit you need for that proper signal: https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/shop/signals/s4km5/

 

Andy G

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On 31/05/2019 at 17:46, uax6 said:

The ratio kit is for a tubular post, so it is just a round cap and won't fit the square post.

Here is the wizard models page for Midland signal parts https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/?s=midland+signals&post_type=product there are more bits in a general Midland search: https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/?s=midland&post_type=product

 

And look heres the kit you need for that proper signal: https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/shop/signals/s4km5/

 

Andy G

But the point Jools1959 is making is that kit bashing isn't really his forte due to arthritis. Surely the best way for him would be to use a GWR lower quadrant Dapol signal and then replace the finial and possibly the arm, MSE (Wizard Models) do the parts but even doing those alterations might be a bit tricky with arthritis. Unless, of course, someone local is prepared to help the OP out.

Edited by Richard E
typo
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After much thought, I’ve decided to keep with the Dapol LMS lower quadrant signal as it’s to much faff to modify it.  I know it won’t be correct but I think as I’m having to make loads of compromises, I think it won’t make much difference but still look good.

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We're very lucky that the signal is still there, as there was a plan, quite a few years ago, to replace it with a colour light. Luckily , that plan never came to fruition!

 

I visited the box a couple of years ago and made some lovely pictures of the signaller at work. If anyone is interested , these, along with many other signal boxes/signallers can be found in my new book. Follow the link below for details.

 

www.chimewhistle.co.uk

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