Signalmen with Crossed Legs

[Wheatley]

23 minutes ago, iands said:

IIRC it wasn't until the late Railtrack era (but could have been early NR era) that Blea Moor SB was connected to mains water supply. 

I believe so. It was still receiving cans in 1994 as I was accidentally responsible for buying the most expensive fridge on Regional Railways. The request was reasonable enough, "please can we have a fridge big enough to keep the water cans cool in summer", and I even managed to get the PW to manhandle it off a passing 156 after Rumbelows in Penrith declined (not unreasonably) to deliver it. It was all going great until we plugged it in and discovered that the box domestic supply was only 3 amps. You need an awful lot of cable to run a new 13 amp spur from Ribblehead station to the box. 

Edited April 18, 2020 by Wheatley

[Clive Mortimore]

Back in the 80s I knew a chap who was a relief signalman and he told me about a time he was on duty at Fambridge which was then the passing place on the Wickford to Southminster line. The station toilet was his port of call, just it happened to be out of use. So he called control and asked could he pop home to go to the loo? He was told yes. He lived just outside Clacton.

[Wheatley]

Dodworth, 1987. The legendary Eddie Dobson modelling the latest i  signalman's uniform (ill-fitting trousers) in front of the Belfast sink and home made draining board. The yellow shelf above it was made from a car numberplate. 

[dvdlcs]

18 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

More than one train register has carried a note explaining a delay - either in responding to block bells or clearing the road.  "Signaller in toilet" would almost always be accepted without question provided you hadn't been caught out of the 'box on other business.  

 

I was going to ask - if a signalman needed to leave his post / the box for a call of nature would he inform the boxes either side that he was "going offline" or would he, knowing the traffic pattern, wait for a suitable gap and hope that nothing unscheduled happened while he was away? And if there wasn't a suitable gap in traffic ... ?

[The Stationmaster]

6 minutes ago, dvdlcs said:

 

I was going to ask - if a signalman needed to leave his post / the box for a call of nature would he inform the boxes either side that he was "going offline" or would he, knowing the traffic pattern, wait for a suitable gap and hope that nothing unscheduled happened while he was away? And if there wasn't a suitable gap in traffic ... ?

If he needed to go he would have to go.  Hence various train delays explained away by the good old  words of 'Signalman in toilet' - some Signalmen must have had very weak bladders judging by the number of times that one cropped up

 

But in my experience in some areas almost everybody would be nattering away on the 'bus (omnibus) 'phone circuit anyway so they would know what was where when with no need for 'outside' intervention.  In my view the 'bus lines were one of the best features of the 'old railway' because you needed to get in touch quickly with a signal box or group of signal boxes it only took one call and you were speaking to them especially if there was a lot of chatter going on.  Far better than one of those fancy dial 'phones where all you got was a meaningless 'engaged' signal.  When I moved to a new post in 1974 one of the first things I had done was to get a 'bus circuit 'phone installed on my desk so I could easily contact most of my signal boxes (none of which had internal dial 'phones anyway).

[SHMD]

This is such a rich source of modelling inspiration, for those of us building Signal Cabins, with special attention being given to form and function of the job away from the levers.

 

I study each photo posted here and, for example, in the above shot of Eddie Dobson, you get a good view of the instruments on the block shelf in the mirror by his left ear!

Thanks to all contributors whether photographic or anecdotal.

 

I'm now off to build a "Belfast" sink...

 

 

Kev.

 

[Ian Smeeton]

Multi Tasking.

 

 

Water can AND token exchange at Glenwhilly on the Stranraer Line. 1981 ish

 

Regards

 

Ian

[Phil Bullock]

1 hour ago, SHMD said:

This is such a rich source of modelling inspiration, for those of us building Signal Cabins, with special attention being given to form and function of the job away from the levers.

 

I study each photo posted here and, for example, in the above shot of Eddie Dobson, you get a good view of the instruments on the block shelf in the mirror by his left ear!

Thanks to all contributors whether photographic or anecdotal.

 

I'm now off to build a "Belfast" sink...

 

 

Kev.

 

 

Absolutely! As the water can activity at Abbotswood took place on the side of the train away from the viewing public on our layout when someone (please!) makes a Class 120 DMU a line on the sound chip might be something along the lines of.... clank clank... Heres your ration for today, dont drink it all in one go! And dont p*ss in the empties again.....

[SHMD]

Any one else spot the point rodding and signal wire between the DMU and the platform in Ian's phot above?

 

 

Kev.

(Now I need to make a couple of green and white water cans too!)

 

[SM42]

Found a couple more photos

 

Kidderminster Jn circa 1996.

 

Internal steps at far end. Toliet on the right, door just past fire extingiushers. Belfast sink, Baby Belling and shaving mirror just visible on the right

 

Up line signals all off, KJ8 (down section) still off for train just visible in platform

 

 

 

Next up Lichfield TV Jn's leap of faith toilet arrangements.

 

Yes it's that black thing next to the door. A place you didn't linger

 

Andy

 

 

[caradoc]

In something of a contrast to the waterless boxes, at Blair Atholl, until quite recently, the railway supplied water to, as well as the box, station, shed etc, over 200 local households;

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/5319392.stm

 

Occasionally a local resident would phone Control to report a loss of supply, and if the Controller involved was not aware of the situation the response was 'what is that to with the railway, phone Scottish Water'. But it was indeed our responsibility !

 

[iands]

Re the toilet facilities provided at signal boxes, here are a few examples from my archive where the toilets have been provided on the same level as the operating floor.

 

Barnsley Station Jnc SB

 

Blankney SB

 

and Rauceby SB

 

A couple more examples to follow.

[iands]

... and here they are.

 

Lincoln High Street SB

 

and finally Ulceby SB.

[NorthEndCab]

Melton SB about 3/4 years ago, showing the cooking facilities. 
 

Also featured a rather comprehensive library on a homemade shelf.

 

Toilet facilities IIRC are the station ones which are worth a trip to use. I think it was at one time the First Class waiting room when Melton was on the mainline, and

features a single toilet and sink in an ornately Victorian room about the size of a squash court.