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Annett’s Key? No - Key Token Block.


Nearholmer
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Firstly, is this one?

 

Secondly, can anyone suggest an origin for it?

 

I’ve just rediscovered it in my junk stashes after 40 years, and having just consulted the chap who gave it to me all those years ago, he has no idea where it came from, although the fact that we both worked on the southern region at the time might be relevant.

 

Maybe somewhere this is still a section ‘blocked’ until I return it!

5827FC5C-3B6B-4E74-B8FE-6802CF582CEB.jpeg

Edited by Nearholmer
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That's posh ... not seen a 'Yale' one like that. The Annetts key that I remember was a lot bigger and the key part of it was straight cut as per an old fashioned mortice lock key / mechanism, just scaled up. It was a hefty iron thing about 10" long, an inch thick shaft with a half-round solid 'D' on the end to turn it. The lock box that kept it was mounted on a tubular metal post (possibly a former signal post) a few hundred yards along a single line 'long siding', the remains of a once much longer branch line singled and cut back. The 'box released it electrically so you could withdraw it by leaning out of the cab of the 08 having drawn up directly alongside. Mounted high up the pole out of reach from the ground to discourage local mischievous types from attempting to interfere with it. Mind you, the second you withdrew it from its keyhole, you discovered just how heavy it was - at full stretch of arms reach.

 

It then allowed you to unlock a ground frame part way along the former branch to get into an intermediate siding serving a goods terminal. The other customer was a works at the far end of the branch which was simply entered by way of a hand point, not needing the Annetts key.

 

 

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In the latest SRS journal (Spring 2021), there is a very informative article entitled Single Line Token Configurations. The "Key" in the photo looks very much like a Railway Signalling Co. design in origin. If you could find out which lines on the Southern were operated under the key token system (presuming it is from the Southern), might identify, or possibly narrow down, where it was used. I presume the "C" identifies the key token "configuration".

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Many thanks. Key token block was widespread on the southern, so only a true aficionado would know from where, I guess.


Given that it was given to me by a guy from Tunbridge Wells, it’s possibly from one of the single lines that closed in that area in the 1960s (or Grove Junction to Tunbridge Wells West, which was still open at the time!).

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A little while ago I posted pdf copies of some BR Eastern Region maps I rescued from a skip approximately 20 years ago. One interesting point about the maps is that they show which single lines were operated under the key token system, and which type, e.g. No.6, No.2, etc. Now if we could only find similar maps for the Southern............

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/forum/76-modelling-musings-miscellany/

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  • Nearholmer changed the title to Annett’s Key? No - Key Token Block.

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