Last days of semaphores at Lowestoft

[Adam1701D]

I decided to kill two birds with one stone  last week and pay a visit to Lowestoft to see the semaphores in acrion for the last time and also sample the Class 755 FLIRT units.

 

Great to see the contrast between the shiny, new 21st century DEMUs and the mechanical signals - all now going.

 

[Pete the Elaner]

I took a trip out to Brundall with a friend last year because it has many unusual features.

 

It still has its gated level crossing

It is still using semaphores

It has staggered platforms...with a footbridge.

 

ANy one of these would not be out of the ordinary, but all 3 together are.

Its most unusual feature is that the platforms are staggered the wrong way around (usually platforms are staggered so the train clears the level crossing before stopping. At Brundall, trains pass the crossing after stopping at the station, causing the gates to stay closed to road traffic for longer).

As an added bonus, we found the colour light signals had been installed but were covered over.

[Bucoops]

I can't believe they have skipped it all - there would be plenty of people willing to buy the bits. Can't remember where I saw the photo but it shocked me.

[Reorte]

Knew I should've taken a trip around there, preferably whilst the 37s were still running. Too late now

[Pete the Elaner]

1 hour ago, Bucoops said:

I can't believe they have skipped it all - there would be plenty of people willing to buy the bits. Can't remember where I saw the photo but it shocked me.

I can. It is easier to deal with 1 company to take the lot away rather than sell it off piece by piece.

That's not my opinion, but that of the contractors employed to clear the old equipment away.

[russ p]

I went down with the snowploughs was hoping to get some photos with the 37s and semaphores but they asked to come straight back.

Sidings seem a bit odd with a little spur opposite platform 4

[TomE]

I’ve spent a fair bit of time on the Broads around here and the semaphores were always part of the charm. Such a shame they’ve gone, along with the loco hauled services. At least Reedham & Somerleyton swing bridges are still there! 
 

 

Tom. 

[TheQ]

12 minutes ago, TomE said:

I’ve spent a fair bit of time on the Broads around here and the semaphores were always part of the charm. Such a shame they’ve gone, along with the loco hauled services. At least Reedham & Somerleyton swing bridges are still there! 
 

 

Tom. 

yeah, quite often with NR refusing to open them / maintain them so that can open all year round, as they are legally required to do..

[phil-b259]

2 hours ago, Bucoops said:

I can't believe they have skipped it all - there would be plenty of people willing to buy the bits. Can't remember where I saw the photo but it shocked me.

 

The official answer is NR do not want to have to take lots of little possessions later on for component recovery - they already have to shell out a fortune for TOC compensation + replacement buses during the the installation and commissioning phases. NR are also concerned that if things are left to rot they become a liability and may fail (structural collapse, vandalism, etc) and consequently they want redundant assets gone ASAP.

 

What this means is stuff gets removed ASAP with no regard to further use - signal posts are cut through with gas axes and allowed to fall complete with all signal fittings attached while buildings will be demolished with no attempt to strip out any of the fixed fittings first.

 

All this stuff then gets dumped into skips for 'recycling' - by which they mean metal parts sent for melting down etc as its going to be too trashed during the removal process to be used for railway purposes.

 

If by some miracle stuff does somehow survive, the next battle is with NRs equipment disposal branch who have a reputation for being extremely bureaucratic / unhelpful to the Heritage movement when it comes to resale (not donation) of stuff.

 

Meanwhile ordinary NR front line staff are threatened with dismissal for donating equipment themselves - ostensibly in the name of preventing the odd rouge p-way / s&T types selling scrap rail / cable themselves for personal gain. (yes it does happen occasionally)

[TomE]

2 hours ago, TheQ said:

yeah, quite often with NR refusing to open them / maintain them so that can open all year round, as they are legally required to do..

 

2018 was the first year I've had to have Somerleyton bridge open due to high water levels and and taller boat than usual. 2 blasts on the horn and the fancy new LCD screen indicated a 10 minute wait so we moored at the new floating pontoon on the south side. The sign even counted down until the bridge opened after 37 top & tailed service had passed over. Seemed to work pretty well, but I know they have problems with expansion when the temperature is high & the bridges not wanting to budge.

 

 

Tom. 

 

[08221]

4 hours ago, phil-b259 said:

 

The official answer is NR do not want to have to take lots of little possessions later on for component recovery - they already have to shell out a fortune for TOC compensation + replacement buses during the the installation and commissioning phases. NR are also concerned that if things are left to rot they become a liability and may fail (structural collapse, vandalism, etc) and consequently they want redundant assets gone ASAP.

 

What this means is stuff gets removed ASAP with no regard to further use - signal posts are cut through with gas axes and allowed to fall complete with all signal fittings attached while buildings will be demolished with no attempt to strip out any of the fixed fittings first.

 

All this stuff then gets dumped into skips for 'recycling' - by which they mean metal parts sent for melting down etc as its going to be too trashed during the removal process to be used for railway purposes.

 

If by some miracle stuff does somehow survive, the next battle is with NRs equipment disposal branch who have a reputation for being extremely bureaucratic / unhelpful to the Heritage movement when it comes to resale (not donation) of stuff.

 

Meanwhile ordinary NR front line staff are threatened with dismissal for donating equipment themselves - ostensibly in the name of preventing the odd rouge p-way / s&T types selling scrap rail / cable themselves for personal gain. (yes it does happen occasionally)

 

Understandable about selling equipment from sites because of possessions, etc. but its sad that they won't give individuals the chance to buy items post removal.

 

I approached NR to purchase some equipment when they removed the semaphores from the Walsall to Rugeley line a few year back - got told that the didn't deal with individuals. At least a lots of the old signals went to the Chasewater railway for use there  

Edited February 4, 2020 by 08221
spilling mistook

[beast66606]

Signals down at Acle and Yarmouth (Reedham also long gone now)

 

Now only are the signals going from Lowestoft but the platform line approach tracks are missing at the moment !

 

Disposing of them is not easy, they are not light and none are particularly old or significant so not wanted by preserved lines - a couple from Yarmouth have been preserved - the miniature shunt ex the carriage sidings with the route indicators is one, can't remember the other.

[TomE]

29 minutes ago, beast66606 said:

none are particularly old or significant 

 

I would imagine the oldest/rarest/most significant on the line are the two LNER concrete posts at Somerleyton?

 

Tom.

 

 

[beast66606]

3 hours ago, TomE said:

 

I would imagine the oldest/rarest/most significant on the line are the two LNER concrete posts at Somerleyton?

 

Tom.

 

 

 

Indeed - And the one I mentioned (mechanical route indicator)

[phil-b259]

4 hours ago, beast66606 said:

Signals down at Acle and Yarmouth (Reedham also long gone now)

 

Now only are the signals going from Lowestoft but the platform line approach tracks are missing at the moment !

 

Disposing of them is not easy, they are not light and none are particularly old or significant so not wanted by preserved lines - a couple from Yarmouth have been preserved - the miniature shunt ex the carriage sidings with the route indicators is one, can't remember the other.

 

Stuff doesn't need to be 'old' or 'significant' to still be useful to the Heritage movement.

 

For example a used semaphore arm (+ fittings) would be useful to fit to a more 'period' looking post - while other bits like point rodding, wire wheels etc. would be a godsend to an startup heritage railway / preservation site.

 

For that top happen however requires careful 'dismantling' not 'demolition' tactics to be used

 

If you fell the structures with gas axes as though they were trees  - drive RRVs over point rodding etc then its not going to be much good for reuse.

 

At the Bluebell they wanted redundant 'signal machines' to power electrically worked signals - but because of NRs slash and burn removal policy they couldn't get any - despite a good number being made surplus by various resignalling schemes over the past few years*. They have now developed an alternative using a Clamp lock point power pack + ram and seeing as NR don't bother repairing said power packs you would have thought it would be a nice gesture for NR to donate broken ones for the Bluebell to repair + use themselves - but no, NR simply skip the old packs for metal recycling and threaten anyone who wants to do a good turn with dismissal if anything else happens to them.

 

Edited February 4, 2020 by phil-b259

[big jim]

I have been quite lucky to have driven to Lowestoft A few times from both Norwich and Ipswich directions with IM trains, some of the old semaphores around Lowestoft and oulton broad were a right pain to see at night!

 

 

Shame to see them go but that’s progress! 

 

[beast66606]

The semaphores at Lowestoft have been carefully removed today for preservation.

Lots of point operating components have also been saved.

[tetsudofan]

Was visiting Lowestoft on the Hastings Diesel last year, sure I took a picture of the semaphores but can't find it at the moment but, at least, did find a picture of the Thumper about to leave:

 

 

We were about 30 minutes late into Lowestoft delayed by swans on the line between Norwich and Lowestoft:

 

 

We had to wait until Mum, Dad and Family crossed the line.....

 

Keith

 

[phil-b259]

18 hours ago, beast66606 said:

The semaphores at Lowestoft have been carefully removed today for preservation.

Lots of point operating components have also been saved.

 

Glad to hear it.

 

Shame NR didn’t take the same approach in Sussex with the Coastway East and Arun Valley schemes where trashing as much as possible seemed to be the order of the day.

 

Mind you, having a week or two to perform the changeover rather than 3 days does make a difference I guess.

Edited February 9, 2020 by phil-b259

[Broadsman]

Nice piece on Radio Norfolk today in their "Last Victorians" series about the re-signalling:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p088fgz5

Starts about 02:40 in.