Signal Box Photos

Poor Old Bruce · November 23, 2021

Bellwater Junction, again 8 Aug 1979. If I'd known I could drive up to it, I would have paid a visit at half term but the OS map suggested (to me at the time anyway) that it was in the middle of nowhere. Hopefully there'll be another time.

Should have come before East Ville by rights but not to worry.

Mike_Walker · November 23, 2021

I'm Endeavouring to identify the Jag. :scratchhead:

uax6 · November 23, 2021

Was that picture taken during single line working? The flag man standing next to the points?

Andy G

Tim V · November 23, 2021

Maespoeth Junction (Corris Railway) 2013,

Llanwchllyn (Bala Lake) 1975, 2016, interior 2002.

Eccles90 · November 24, 2021

On 16/11/2021 at 16:55, iands said:

Today's selection.

Pollington. A HB & GC Joint Rly 'box which I think dates from about 1913. It may have started life as "Snaith & Pollington". @micknich2003 will correct me if I've got this last bit wrong.

Harrogate South. An NER 'box of 1897. Didn't seem to get photographed much, perhaps due to its location, but more likely because of its less than photogenic design and appearance.

Winning. Another NER 'box of 1895. At the time of the photo, permissive block working was the order of the day between Winning and Freemans Crossing (haven't checked if "permissive block" is still in use today). The first engine + van (65855) is taking the route towards Bedlington North with Class C head lamp. I presume the second loco will take the other route towards Marcheys House/Ashington (with what looks like Class D head lamp). There are at least four on the footplate of 65855 with what appears to be some instructions being passed to the signaller.

Winning-Freemans is standard Absolute Block now, has been for some time, BR penguin instruments are the order of the day, 1 train every other day. I believe it’s not being removed as part of the B&T passenger upgrade so may survive a while yet.

Poor Old Bruce · November 26, 2021

On 23/11/2021 at 10:48, uax6 said:

Was that picture taken during single line working? The flag man standing next to the points?

Andy G

It was indeed Andy. That's why I couldn't get a better picture of the box.

Poor Old Bruce · November 26, 2021

Today's photo is Old Leake, GNR, 8 Aug 1979

russ p · November 26, 2021

On 23/11/2021 at 09:21, Mike_Walker said:

I'm Endeavouring to identify the Jag.

It's Morse!

LNERGE · November 27, 2021

On 23/11/2021 at 10:48, uax6 said:

Was that picture taken during single line working? The flag man standing next to the points?

Andy G

From the position of the crank i'd say the crossover was laying reversed.

LNERGE · November 27, 2021

On 26/11/2021 at 08:02, Poor Old Bruce said:

Today's photo is Old Leake, GNR, 8 Aug 1979

Poor Old Bruce · November 27, 2021

Next box along towards Boston was Maud Foster, GNR, 8 Aug 1979

DOCJACOB · November 27, 2021

More up to date image of a box local to me.

Pretty sure it’s “listed” and reinforced against blast damage WW2

Nearby is saved piece of bridge shot up by visiting German WW2 aircraft too.

Edited November 27, 2021 by DOCJACOB
Punctu

Poor Old Bruce · November 28, 2021

Just noticed that I have missed Sibsey, GNR. Here it is on 8 Aug 1979

This box is still with us, or at least it was on 28 October this year.

No fancy mechanisms here, the Bobby was physically walking the gates to and fro across the road.

iands · December 1, 2021

A hand full more 'box photos to post once I've double-checked locations and I've catalogued them correctly.

In the meantime, not quite a signal box, but somewhere where train movements could be controlled from that may be of interest. During the early days of the East London Line project (2006/2007), we had lots of "site visits" to have a look at the existing infrastructure to determine how/where we needed to integrate/interface with existing infrastructure. This rather shabby and forlorn looking building is (was?) New Cross Gate Relay Room.

It housed the NXG Interlocking, as well as the NXG Emergency Panel, which could be "switched in" during emergencies, e.g. if "control" was lost from London Bridge or to manage movements during engineering possessions etc. This photo shows the layout before the remodelling to accommodate the ELL requirements.

DOCJACOB · December 3, 2021

Couple more from Lincolnshire

Barnetby East and Appleby (Lincs) to avoid confusion

Poor Old Bruce · December 4, 2021

Back to the GNR Skeggy line on 8 Aug 1979. Almost in Boston was Grand Sluice.

Oldddudders · December 4, 2021

On 01/12/2021 at 22:09, iands said:

In the meantime, not quite a signal box, but somewhere where train movements could be controlled from that may be of interest. During the early days of the East London Line project (2006/2007), we had lots of "site visits" to have a look at the existing infrastructure to determine how/where we needed to integrate/interface with existing infrastructure. This rather shabby and forlorn looking building is (was?) New Cross Gate Relay Room.

It housed the NXG Interlocking, as well as the NXG Emergency Panel, which could be "switched in" during emergencies, e.g. if "control" was lost from London Bridge or to manage movements during engineering possessions etc. This photo shows the layout before the remodelling to accommodate the ELL requirements.

Those emergency panels were an unfamiliar feature of the LB scheme when first introduced, and saw little use, I think. ISTR being trained on the Parks Bridge panel, and it was a simple case of being on the phone with the signalman and obeying his instructions. A good idea whose time never really arrived. When we had a major failure of NKE interlocking in Aug 1983, it was power to the interlocking that was lost - due to a major cable fire - such that the emergency panel was of no use.

31A · December 4, 2021

4 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

Those emergency panels were an unfamiliar feature of the LB scheme when first introduced, and saw little use, I think. ISTR being trained on the Parks Bridge panel, and it was a simple case of being on the phone with the signalman and obeying his instructions. A good idea whose time never really arrived. When we had a major failure of NKE interlocking in Aug 1983, it was power to the interlocking that was lost - due to a major cable fire - such that the emergency panel was of no use.

They were also provided on the GN as part of the 1970s King's Cross Resignalling, although as you say, I don't know how much they were used, or whether they're still there. Much more recently, in the course of my duties I was able to visit a much more modern one at Greetland Junction; the local Ops Manager was showing us boxes in his area and switched it on for us. It was interesting to watch the panel indications responding 'hands off' to what the remote signaller was doing.

iands · December 4, 2021

From memory, most of the remote relay rooms on the ECML Kings Cross - York were provided with emergency panels. They were a useful tool for the S&T technicians when determining which signal(s) had a "first filament" failure. The signals were usually grouped into about 6 or so for first filament failure alarms. Sometimes a signaller would work out for himself which signal had the FF failure, but most would just report which group was showing an alarm, leaving it to the S&T to do the checking.

Michael Hodgson · December 4, 2021

1 hour ago, 31A said:

They were also provided on the GN as part of the 1970s King's Cross Resignalling, although as you say, I don't know how much they were used, or whether they're still there.

They were used in anger when the Power Box had to be evacuated in 2006 because of fire in a building nearby which contained acetylene cylinders. It took the fire brigade a couple of days before they could declare the place safe again. The problem was that that it needed more people to staff all of the emergency panels than were needed for normal operation.