Signal Box Photos

[Rugd1022]

A few of mine taken whilst at work : Bedford St.John's, Bardon Hill, Croft Sidings, Forders Sidings, Bescot and Washwood Heath....

 

 

 

 

[Coach bogie]

Another 'leaning' box, this time at Fiskerton between Newark and Nottingham. Of note is Fiskerton's distant on a wooden post (located at nearby Rolleston Crossing). Picture taken in 2018. All replaced now I believe.

Sorry for landscape image. I cannot find how to correct it.

[ikcdab]

These are all mine..During the early 1980s i took many pictures of westcountry boxes, inside and out. I have only scanned a very few, i am open to requests if there are any between Westbury and Cornwall i might have...Hele and BradninchAthelney

Bruton

Castle Cary

Drump Lane

Hawkeridge

Pinhoe

Roskear Junction

Somerton

Stoke Canon Crossing

Tiverton Junction

[Tim V]

St Blazey, with a certain Captain seated at the end.

[Tim V]

The same Captain a tad younger 9 years earlier in Bradford Junction.

[Tim V]

An even younger Captain admiring Blue Anchor in 1975!

[D826]

Superb images IKCDab - thank you for posting.

 

Lovely western region boxes  - particularly like Bruton and the austerity design at Castle Cary, to replace the one disassembled by the Luftwaffe.

 

You don't have any images of Exeter's three boxes (incl Cowley Bridge, - 4 I suppose with Central), Dawlish Warren box, and the beautiful box at Dawlish with the cut away to clear the up platform.  Dawlish station has never looked the same without it.  Mind you, I still fondly remember the timber platelayers hut with its little brick chimney up by the Langstone Rock.  (I have an ordnance survey driven illogical pathological hatred of the Langstone Rock being referred to as Red Rock - my family will tell you it's an old git thing) !

 

Cheers and Merry Christmas all you RM webbers *

 

Matt W

 

*who fuel my hydraulic, rail blue, Western in the 70s, and railways generally in the 70s memories.  Fantastic website.  Love it.  A cheerful two tone on Desilux air horns to you all.

 

Edited December 19, 2020 by D826

[ikcdab]

4 minutes ago, D826 said:

Superb images IKCDab - thank you for posting.

 

Lovely western region boxes  - particularly like Bruton and the austerity design at Castle Cary, to replace the one disassembled by the Luftwaffe.

 

You don't have any images of Exeter's three boxes (incl Cowley Bridge, - 4 I suppose with Central), Dawlish Warren box, and the beautiful box at Dawlish with the cut away to clear the up platform.  Dawlish station has never looked the same without it.  Mind you, I still fondly remember the timber platelayers hut with its little brick chimney up by the Langstone Rock.  (I have an ordnance survey driven illogical pathological hatred of the Langstone Rock being referred to as Red Rock - my family will tell you it's an old git thing) !

 

Cheers and Merry Christmas all you RM webbers *

 

*who fuel my hydraulic, rail blue, Western in the 70s, and railways generally in the 70s memories.  Fantastic website.  Love it.  A cheerful two tone on Desilux air horns to you all.

 

yes i have most of those...will scan and upload later.

i have colour slides and b/w. I was very much into 3d at the time and many of them are in stereo pairs so you can see in 3d with an appropriate viewer...

if i dont do it, remind me.

Edited December 19, 2020 by ikcdab

[Rivercider]

Here are a couple of views of Exeter Central 'B' which closed in 1970.

Corrected name as Exeter Central A was the larger box at the east end.

 

Viewed looking down from Queen Street 20/.12/14.

Viewed from the up platform 28/8/13

 

cheers

Edited December 19, 2020 by Rivercider
correction to box name.

[Rivercider]

In recent years I have made a number of visits to Okehampton, here is the signal box from various angles.

6/7/17

 

21/7/2019

20/3/19

16/7/17

5/6/16

26/6/16

 

cheers

 

 

Edited December 19, 2020 by Rivercider
spelling and additional image

[D826]

17 minutes ago, Rivercider said:

Here are a couple of views of Exeter Central 'A' which closed in 1970.

 

Viewed looking down from Queen Street 20/.12/14.

Viewed from the up platform 28/8/13

 

cheers

Should have said Kevin, memories of the ex southern lines in North Devon also give me a lot of pleasure. 

 

Forgot the smaller box up at Central- I was thinking of the big old box up at Howell Road Bridge.  So I suppose there were 5 boxes in the vicinity of Exeter.

 

Always thought Barnstaple Junction box was a beaut- even when the line to Town and and Vic Road was truncated, Barney Goods Yard still had plenty of interest.  Who couldn't love a 25 on Ball Clay or Milks ?   Anywhere Fruit Ds and Siphon Gs went has to be good, doesn't it.

 

Compliments of the season to you sir.

 

Best regards

 

Matt W

 

 

[Rivercider]

24 minutes ago, D826 said:

Should have said Kevin, memories of the ex southern lines in North Devon also give me a lot of pleasure. 

 

Forgot the smaller box up at Central- I was thinking of the big old box up at Howell Road Bridge.  So I suppose there were 5 boxes in the vicinity of Exeter.

 

Always thought Barnstaple Junction box was a beaut- even when the line to Town and and Vic Road was truncated, Barney Goods Yard still had plenty of interest.  Who couldn't love a 25 on Ball Clay or Milks ?   Anywhere Fruit Ds and Siphon Gs went has to be good, doesn't it.

 

Compliments of the season to you sir.

 

Best regards

 

Matt W

 

 

I have not got a decent photo of Exeter Central 'A' box - later after 1970 just named Exeter Central. 

It does appear in this dodgy instamatic snap looking over the wall.

08479 on local trip pilot duty passes Exeter Central signal box 15/5/79.

 

Set P464 passes Exeter Central signal box (formerly Exeter Central A until 1970). 11/3/83

 

Being an Exeter bauy I too have happy memories of the railways of Devon. My grandad was a relief signalman on the SR Exeter District for much of his career.

 

How many boxes were there in Exeter? Exeter West, Exeter Middle, Exeter Riverside, there was one on the goods avoider too. Exeter City Basin, Cowley Bridge. Exeter Central A and B, Exmouth Junction, and Topsham is within the city limits. Have I missed one, does Pinhoe count?

 

Happy Christmas to you too.

 

cheers

Edited December 19, 2020 by Rivercider

[Tim V]

Attractive box at Barnstaple. Seen here in 1976.

 

[Rivercider]

This photo has previously appeared on the North Devon thread, but is appropriate here.

 

Crediton signal box 31/10/83.

 

While searching for the above photo I found another scanned photo of a WR box in the 1980s.

 

Holesmouth Junction was one of five mechanical signal boxes in the Avonmouth area that had survived the Bristol MAS scheme of the late 1960s/early 1970s. By this date Holesmouth was only open as required for traffic to or from the PBA (Port of Bristol Authority) Avonmouth Docks. On this day 6Z35 a trial load of fertiliser from Ince and Elton was due to arrive for the PBA Chittening Estate. 5/10/83

 

cheers

Edited December 19, 2020 by Rivercider
spelling

[Poor Old Bruce]

Five from 1984

 

Navigation Road

 

Hale

 

Altrincham North

 

I need help with this one but it's in the same neck of the woods as the others. Edit, We have to thank Beasy, who tells us it's Deansgate Junction.

 

Skelton Junction

Edited December 21, 2020 by Poor Old Bruce

[beast66606]

23 hours ago, Poor Old Bruce said:

Ketton 1984

 

Kennett

[Poor Old Bruce]

Thanks for that Beasty, as Captain Mainwaring would say, "I was waiting for someone to spot that."

 

Now need your expertise on the un-named one in today's post.

[beast66606]

24 minutes ago, Poor Old Bruce said:

Now need your expertise on the un-named one in today's post.

 

Deansgate Junction

Edited December 20, 2020 by beast66606

[LNERGE]

On 19/12/2020 at 09:59, Poor Old Bruce said:

 

 

Wood Ditton 1984

 

 

 

 

 

Wood Ditton was a crossing keeper job that hung on for a bit after the line was singled. It had an indicator to show when a train was about linked to the tokenless block circuits..

 

 

 

 

Edited December 20, 2020 by LNERGE

[Oldddudders]

I like pics of indicators. They remind me of a 1967 conversation in Rules & General Section, Central Division.

 

John had been out inspecting crossings, prior to submitting schemes for AHB conversion. This was pre-Hixon, of course, and the programme was in full swing. He had been to Pevensey Sluice.

 

John : "The crossing-keeper insisted on showing me his indicators."

Mike : "Did you show him your indicators, John?"

 

John was a fine photographer, whose collection is now held by the Bluebell, I believe. Mike, Deputy Head of Section, lived in Tunbridge Wells, and shared a surname with the proprietor of a respected model shop in the Royal Borough. 

[Mike_Walker]

Here's a few of the lamented Banbury 'Boxes.

 

Banbury North Signal Box, a GWR Type 7b 'box built in 1900. It contained a 95 lever frame at the rear which replaced the original conventionally located at the front in 1957.

 

 

 

 

The immaculate interior of Banbury North Signal Box showing the rear mounted frame installed in 1957 when the area was remodelled.

 

 

The old diagram from Banbury North Signal Box preserved in the 'Box.

 

 

Block instrument for Down Relief from Banbury South in Banbury North SB.

 

Banbury South Signal Box, a GWR Type 7d 'box built in 1908. It contained a 60 lever frame and small NX panel to control the Aynho Junction area.

 

 

 

 

   

 

Permissive Block Instrument for the Up Goods Line from Banbury North, Banbury South Signal Box.

 

  

 

The last surviving Spagnoletti block instrument on Network Rail at Banbury South Signal Box for the Down Relief from Banbury North.

 

 

The NX Panel in Banbury South Signal Box controlling Aynho Junction and interfacing with Marylebone IECC and Oxford PSB.

 

  The 5-bar interlocking frame in Banbury South Signal Box. 

 

All taken during a visit by members of the Swindon Panel Society, 12 April 2014. Both 'Boxes closed just over 2 years later.

 

 

 

Edited December 20, 2020 by Mike_Walker

[Rivercider]

I have visited Topsham many times over the years from the 1960s onwards.

In recent years I have photographed the box a number of times.

 

Topsham had originally been the end of the double track section from Exmouth Junction, but after rationalisation became the only crossing place on the branch. Barriers had replaced gates some years previously, and the box would close in 1988, it was later rented out as office space. Taken 11/3/83.

 

Here are three views from 2013.  

Topsham signal box 9/4/2013

 

cheers

Edited January 22, 2021 by Rivercider
spelling

[Tim V]

Hele & Bradninch in 1981

[Tim V]

Toddington in 1979

[Chris Turnbull]

I've had an enjoyable browse through some of my photos and have found a couple more for your delectation.

 

 

Thurston box taken on 24th September 1970.  Taken into the sunlight unfortunately but it was either that or no photograph at all.  I had always thought that Thurston would make a good subject for a model and had obtained the trackplan some time previously.  Before I went off to university I cycled over to Thurston to take a few shots.  Many years later my dream was fulfilled:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP0m9lwUcxM

 

 

This is the box on the LNWR side at Sandy on 8th April 1969.  The train is lifting track on the Varsity Line .  The platform to the left is where us trainspotters were banished to in its heyday.

 

Chris Turnbull