Signal Box Photos

[Tim V]

Just rescanned these pictures of Frome North in 1975, showing its location on top of the embankment.

 

[Poor Old Bruce]

An excursion to Scotland on 15 March 1983. The first one is Caledonian, the rest are G&SWR.

 

Logan Road, Motherwell

 

Newton Junction, Ayr

 

Ayr Harbour Juctn

 

 

Irvine

 

and Kilwinning Jct

[iands]

Love the large arched window in the lower part of Newton Junction 'box. Wonder how many comments that would raise if modelled? 

[Michael Hodgson]

31 minutes ago, iands said:

Love the large arched window in the lower part of Newton Junction 'box. Wonder how many comments that would raise if modelled? 

Almost makes it look like a cathedral - First Church of Christ the Locking Fitter! 

I suppose there must have been an intermediate floor above the arch window for access to the locking.

There is evidence of bricking up on the end wall, the entrance has been moved to the other end?  

Where's the railway in relation to the box - is that concrete structure a road overbridge across the line?

[Wickham Green too]

I don't think I've seen any other British 'box with chamfered corners like Ayr Harbour Jn. ...... looks rather Germanic ! 

[iands]

47 minutes ago, Michael Hodgson said:

Where's the railway in relation to the box - is that concrete structure a road overbridge across the line?

I think so, on closer examination in the bottom right corner of the photo you can just make out the top part of a lineside loc through the "shrubbery", suggesting the track is well out of sight. 

[Michael Hodgson]

4 hours ago, Wickham Green too said:

I don't think I've seen any other British 'box with chamfered corners like Ayr Harbour Jn. ...... looks rather Germanic ! 

I can't think of any with all 4 corners chamfered like that, but there was the odd one which had one corner at an angle because of proximity to a level crossing.

 

Some of the SR "art deco" boxes had rounded corners, such as Deal.  Some had rounded corners at the operating floor level but with a rectangular relay room underneath.

 

[Oldddudders]

Mechanical frame. I think I spent a few days training on it in 1974, before moving on to Sandwich, where I was passed out. 

[Poor Old Bruce]

21 hours ago, Michael Hodgson said:

Almost makes it look like a cathedral - First Church of Christ the Locking Fitter! 

I suppose there must have been an intermediate floor above the arch window for access to the locking.

There is evidence of bricking up on the end wall, the entrance has been moved to the other end?  

Where's the railway in relation to the box - is that concrete structure a road overbridge across the line?

 

I Googled 'Ayr Newton Junction Signal Box' and found some more pics.

[62613]

That one of Deal almost looks French to me

[beast66606]

Brandon
11/05/2021 (Tuesday)
Brandon signal box, Opened 1931, LNER, 40 levers, closed 17/08/2012 when Cambridge PSB took control of the level crossing and connections

[Oldddudders]

4 minutes ago, 62613 said:

That one of Deal almost looks French to me

Obviously the influence of being between two Cinq Ports - Sandwich & Dover!

[bike2steam]

I'm making a slightly modified version of this 'box for my new layout;-                   

[Poor Old Bruce]

Some LNWR boxes

 

Stechford Shunt Frame, 7 March 1983

 

 

Edge Lane Junction, 2 Feb 1982

 

Diggle Junction, 10 April 1982

 

[Ian Smeeton]

Just wondering.......

 

I believe there are .about 850 boxes left.

 

How many have you all managed to capture? And how many more to complete the current list?

 

The Network Rail list is here:

 

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Compendium-of-Signal-Box-Opening-Times.pdf

 

I am sure that I have an Excel earlier copy, which would save counting them up.

 

I'll have a shufti and get back to you.

 

Regards

 

Ian

 

 

[beast66606]

2 hours ago, Poor Old Bruce said:

 

Edge Lane Junction, 2 Feb 1982

 

 

 

Edge Lane Junction
22/03/1981 (Sunday)
Edge Lane Junction signal box, closed 21/01/1987 (after an arson attack)

 

Edited May 14, 2021 by beast66606

[LMS2968]

Had many a cup of tea in there!

[beast66606]

7 minutes ago, LMS2968 said:

Had many a cup of tea in there!

 

Pulled many a lever in there !

[Mike_Walker]

2 hours ago, bike2steam said:

I'm making a slightly modified version of this 'box for my new layout;-                   

Where was it?

[AY Mod]

3 hours ago, bike2steam said:

I'm making a slightly modified version of this 'box for my new layout;-                   

 

12 minutes ago, Mike_Walker said:

Where was it?

 

Although the building has been extended and restored it's still there - https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.6268477,-2.046379,3a,75y,101.03h,92.58t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sp_ete0dbWY4nNiXNzkAfrQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1

 

A well known spot on the Holly Bank / Hilton mineral line.

[bike2steam]

19 minutes ago, Mike_Walker said:

Where was it?

Sorry, should've said. It's Bursnip Road crossing, Essington, near Bloxwich, on the colliery branch from the South Staffs, Cannock to Walsall mainline to Hilton Main colliery, Wolverhampton. The signal box was a combined building of signal box, and offices of the, long gone, Holly Bank colliery which was just across the road from the 'signal box'. I built a model of the Essington branch junction signal box for my last layout, which was only about half a mile from Bursnip Road 'box, for traffic onto the main-line. My step-dad was, at one time, a colliery engineer at Hilton Main.

Edited May 14, 2021 by bike2steam

[AY Mod]

15 minutes ago, bike2steam said:

Sorry, should've said. It's Bursnip Road crossing, Essington, near Bloxwich, on the colliery branch from the South Staffs, Cannock to Walsall mainline to Hilton Main colliery, Wolverhampton. The signal box was a combined building of signal box, and offices of the, long gone, Holly Bank colliery which was just across the road from the 'signal box'. I built a model of the Essington branch junction signal box for my last layout, which was only about half a mile from Bursnip Road 'box, for traffic onto the main-line. My step-dad was, at one time, a colliery engineer at Hilton Main.

 

Just for others here's a copy of the area with the red X marking the crossing and the relationship of the branches in the area from one of my annotated references with your junction being at the top right of the map.

 

[Mike_Walker]

19 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

 

 

Although the building has been extended and restored it's still there - https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.6268477,-2.046379,3a,75y,101.03h,92.58t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sp_ete0dbWY4nNiXNzkAfrQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1

 

A well known spot on the Holly Bank / Hilton mineral line.

Thanks Andy and bike2steam,

If I passed there today I'd never have guessed.

[Tim V]

OK, it's not a signal box, but a blockpost but to celebrate 70 years of preservation on the Talyllyn, here is Pendre. The frame was originally locked for signals - as evidenced by the spare levers.

 

[The Stationmaster]

On 12/05/2021 at 17:39, Tim V said:

Just rescanned these pictures of Frome North in 1975, showing its location on top of the embankment.

 

If I had a quid for every time I signed the TRB (or had a cuppa) in there I would be considerably better off.  And always a nice warm place to go on a cold day despite being on top of the bank .