Signal Box Photos

[Poor Old Bruce]

Basingstoke (I don't know if it had any subtitle or not), LSWR, 24 July 1987

Edit: @4069 tells us it used to be Basingstoke West

 

 

and some time in 1988

 

Edited June 28, 2021 by Poor Old Bruce

[Oldddudders]

That Blazingsmoke box would have been decommissioned on 20.11.1966, when the new panel box opened. It is always nice to see redundant sound structures finding new uses, as is apparent here.

[Michael Hodgson]

Any idea why there's a big 4 on the brickwork, and a 3 on the adjacent relay room?

[Wickham Green too]

That might be blindingly obvious if we knew what 1 & 2 were on ! 

[4069]

That's Basingstoke West, which became Basingstoke B in 1956, and closed in 1966.

 

The 3 and 4 probably mark mileages (48 m 3c and 48m 4c): most of the Southern has markers for each chain, if you know where to look.

[Nick C]

Looking at the distances between them, and the 5 on the next structure, I suspect it might simply be car lengths for the adjacent carriage siding? 

 

All long gone now, as are most of the buildings behind - now a bunch of blocks of flats...

[Wickham Green too]

Well, there's only 2&1/2'' difference between a chain and a Mk1 over coupled gangways so the jury will probably have to remain out over this !

[Poor Old Bruce]

Another one that should have some sort of suffix, a GWR box seen at Reading in 1988.

Edit: Response after just a few minutes from @Mike_Walker that it's Reading Middle

 

 

 

If that's supposed to be a fire escape ladder at the left hand end, it's a mighty big step at the bottom!

Edited June 28, 2021 by Poor Old Bruce

[Mike_Walker]

Reading Middle.

[Moxy]

7 minutes ago, Poor Old Bruce said:

 

If that's supposed to be a fire escape ladder at the left hand end, it's a mighty big step at the bottom!

 

If your signal box is on fire, you won't care about that mighty big step!

[Dunsignalling]

1 hour ago, Poor Old Bruce said:

Another one that should have some sort of suffix, a GWR box seen at Reading in 1988.

Edit: Response after just a few minutes from @Mike_Walker that it's Reading Middle

 

 

 

If that's supposed to be a fire escape ladder at the left hand end, it's a mighty big step at the bottom!

If you went hand-over-hand down the last few rungs, there'd only be a foot or two left to drop. It was presumably made that way to stop would-be intruders climbing up it.

 

John

[Michael Hodgson]

2 hours ago, Poor Old Bruce said:

If that's supposed to be a fire escape ladder at the left hand end, it's a mighty big step at the bottom!

 

I thought it was wooden signalboxes with one wooden staircase that had the Health & Safety lot up in arms.

[Moxy]

42 minutes ago, Michael Hodgson said:

 

I thought it was wooden signalboxes with one wooden staircase that had the Health & Safety lot up in arms.

 

Yes, that makes sense, but I don't think that would be the only reason.  Reading Middle is quite a tall box, so if a fire breaks out in the internal staircase, then the signalman would need a way of safely getting out.  I wouldn't fancy jumping from that height!  Can't find the pictures at the moment but I'm sure they are on this thread somewhere, the ex LNWR boxes at Stockport are similar construction (brick bases) and I think some of them have vertical fire escapes at the opposite end to the wooden stairs.

[Dunsignalling]

46 minutes ago, Michael Hodgson said:

 

I thought it was wooden signalboxes with one wooden staircase that had the Health & Safety lot up in arms.

Though that one presumably had an internal, boxed-in wooden staircase, which is potentially more hazardous.

 

John

[Poor Old Bruce]

Two anonymous Southern boxes I'm almost sure about, from 1988 (it was almost half a lifetime ago!).

 

Dorking, (Edit: Not Dorking but Gomshall, thanks to Oldddudders et al) on the SE&CR route between Redhill and Guildford, but not an SE&CR design

 

 

 

 

 

and Guildford. (Edit: Wrong again, actually South Croydon Junction. Thank you @4069)

 

Edited June 30, 2021 by Poor Old Bruce
Correction

[Oldddudders]

I'm afraid Dorking is actually Gomshall, with Bill McAlister's caravan park in the background. Gomshall worked/works with Betchworth over that section.

 

EDIT: The box opened on 26.10.41, its predecessor having been a Luftwaffe victim.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 29, 2021 by Oldddudders

[Wickham Green too]

4 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

I'm afraid Dorking is actually Gomshall, with .......

.... a pair of London Country RFs lurking in the background.

[Moxy]

9 minutes ago, Poor Old Bruce said:

Two anonymous Southern boxes I'm almost sure about, from 1988 (it was almost half a lifetime ago!).

 

Dorking, on the SE&CR route between Redhill and Guildford, but not an SE&CR design

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gomshall is an ARP box, built in the 1940's, referenced in this link. http://www.pillbox-study-group.org.uk/other-wwii-defensive-structures/arp-sgnal-box/

[Chris116]

Two ARP style railway buildings are still standing at either end of Putney Bridge Station on the LUL District line. I believe the one nearest to the river was for use against any invading forces while the other one was for signalling. I will try to photograph both of them in next few days to put on here. 

[4069]

I think "Guildford" is actually South Croydon Junction, which was operational from 1953 to 1984. 

[Oldddudders]

9 minutes ago, 4069 said:

I think "Guildford" is actually South Croydon Junction, which was operational from 1953 to 1984. 

Absolutely correct.

 

EDIT : And of course, Guildford never had a 'glasshouse', going straight from the LSWR AB boxes to the new panel in April 1966.

 

 

 

Edited June 29, 2021 by Oldddudders

[2251]

On 28/06/2021 at 09:34, Poor Old Bruce said:

Another one that should have some sort of suffix, a GWR box seen at Reading in 1988.

Edit: Response after just a few minutes from @Mike_Walker that it's Reading Middle

 

 

 

If that's supposed to be a fire escape ladder at the left hand end, it's a mighty big step at the bottom!

 

 

Is it not Reading Good Lines West rather than Reading Middle?

[Mike_Walker]

Yes, it is Reading Goods Lines West.  Forgot about that one!  Apologies.

[Poor Old Bruce]

21 hours ago, 4069 said:

I think "Guildford" is actually South Croydon Junction, which was operational from 1953 to 1984. 

 

21 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

Absolutely correct.

 

EDIT : And of course, Guildford never had a 'glasshouse', going straight from the LSWR AB boxes to the new panel in April 1966.

Thanks guys, I had guessed Guildford because previous photos had been in that area. The following photo, however, was North Pole Jct so really could have been anywhere in between.

[Poor Old Bruce]

Two with name boards in situ! On the SE&CR Guildford to Reading line, seen in 1988.

 

Aldershot

 

 

and Ash Vale Junction