Signalling !

[The Stationmaster]

Nice shot there Mike - and it's a good example showing the mix of the old, the slightly less old, and the new all in one frame... old GWR canopy, slightly less old BR era colour light signal post, and new LED signal heads!

 

I'd love to have the space to do a Thames Valley station justice in 4mm, either something based on one individual station, or a mish mash of all of them set 'somewhere west of Paddington...'

This is a poor (low definition scan, needs to be redone) view of more or less the same scene in 1961 - even from this you can see, I hope,  that it has changed a bit  

 

[Rugd1022]

Lovely image that Mike - oozing GWR / WR charm

[Guest jim s-w]

Looks like a Peak to me Andy.

 

 

Thanks for sharing your photos, excellent stuff.

 

Its both - Enthusiasts call class 45 Peaks but railwaymen often called them Cromptons. 

[Guest Phil]

Its both - Enthusiasts call class 45 Peaks but railwaymen often called them Cromptons. 

 

touchy one really. The class 45s with Crompton electricals were known as Cromptons and i am sure a good few railwaymen would have described the "Derby Brushes" similarly.

 

"

[flyingsignalman]

Llandrindod Wells box, on the Central Wales line, taken on sunday 23/6/1985

 

 

 

 

 

Note that the name on the diagram states it is a GF even though it was a block post and crossing place.

 

The frame appears to have been relocked and the working levers concentrated leaving levers 13 -17 spare. It has also been "Westernised" slightly.

 

My sketch of the diagram (the box was closed and this and the internal views were obtained by squinting through the window), the dotted line on my diagram was still extant but not on the box diagram.

[Eggesford box]

Some shots at Deganwy taken on Saturday 21/06/1986

47 477 0821 Newcastle - Llandudno

[Merfyn Jones]

Some shots at Deganwy taken on Saturday 21/06/1986

Deganwy 01.JPG

Deganwy 02.JPG

Deganwy 03.JPG

Deganwy 04.JPG

Deganwy 05.JPG

Deganwy 06.JPG

Deganwy 07.JPG

Deganwy 08.JPG

47 477 0821 Newcastle - Llandudno

Deganwy 09.JPG

 

Not changed a lot at Deganwy apart from some new barriers.  The last pictures shows where the signalmen used to park their car, but it had to be up against the wall. Train drivers were used to seeing one there.  One day one of them was not up to the wall and the pride and joy of one got hit !  Afterwards forever the description of a Lotus was 'Left On Track Under Sprinter'

Merf.

[Eggesford box]

Reminds me when I had not been long working at Abergavenny and earlier in the day I had put a long welded train away in the back siding in the yard, much of which was obscured from the signalbox by a line of sheds. Later in the day one of the per way came up the box wanting to know what had happened to their cars. Thinking it was a wind up I went out of the box to look. One of the per way had parked their car to close to the siding, the train had clipped it and pushed it into the other cars parked next to it.

Not changed a lot at Deganwy apart from some new barriers.  The last pictures shows where the signalmen used to park their car, but it had to be up against the wall. Train drivers were used to seeing one there.  One day one of them was not up to the wall and the pride and joy of one got hit !  Afterwards forever the description of a Lotus was 'Left On Track Under Sprinter'

Merf.

[The Stationmaster]

Reminds me when I had not been long working at Abergavenny and earlier in the day I had put a long welded train away in the back siding in the yard, much of which was obscured from the signalbox by a line of sheds. Later in the day one of the per way came up the box wanting to know what had happened to their cars. Thinking it was a wind up I went out of the box to look. One of the per way had parked their car to close to the siding, the train had clipped it and pushed it into the other cars parked next to it.

Serves 'em right.  I seem to recollect that the BR Vehicle Driver's Handbook required us not to park within 8 ft of a railway line (wonder where my copy has got to?).

[Eggesford box]

Yes, fortunately the damage was slight. I suppose he parked his car without to much attention, after all 'they never put anything back in this siding'. I suppose the guard should have checked as well. Gave me a bit of a start as I walked around the corner as the leading wagon was a Lomac and the very first impression was that the wagon had rode up onto the car.

 

Not quite the same but what happens when you forget there is a short connection back to another siding and you do not check the handpoint.

Abergavenny Sunday 21.04/1985 47 349 6Z10 Severn Beach - Heysham

Both taken on the same date. The accident had happened the previous Saturday night and nothing to do with me this time!

[The Stationmaster]

Yes, fortunately the damage was slight. I suppose he parked his car without to much attention, after all 'they never put anything back in this siding'. I suppose the guard should have checked as well. Gave me a bit of a start as I walked around the corner as the leading wagon was a Lomac and the very first impression was that the wagon had rode up onto the car.

 

Not quite the same but what happens when you forget there is a short connection back to another siding and you do not check the handpoint.

Abergavenny 01.JPG

Abergavenny Sunday 21.04/1985 47 349 6Z10 Severn Beach - Heysham

Abergavenny 02.JPG

Abergavenny 03.JPG

Both taken on the same date. The accident had happened the previous Saturday night and nothing to do with me this time!

Always a problem when shunting double ended sidings - mind you when they're that short it ought not to be!    But usually the re-railing is easy - if you know how to do it, I once watched two NCB blokes re-rail a string of three wagons that were in that sort of position, took them about 20 minutes to get the whole lot back on the road using a Bullwinch.

[uax6]

Some photos from the inside of Thetford Signalbox, taken back in 2008 when I was training:

 

Didn't take any external photos, and I'm sorry that the piccy of the points handle in the box on the shelf is a bit blurry......

 

Andy G

[The Stationmaster]

I find it very interesting to see that there is sequential locking between the DM Home and the IB Home - sort of variation on a Home Normal Contact on the block circuit - instead of just proving the track circuits clear to the overlap of the IB Home.

[uax6]

Yes, it felt very odd pulling off higher up the frame and then coming back for the IB... Sad that this frame is now just scrap metal waiting to be recovered and melted down.....

 

Andy G

[Tim V]

Combe Junction 08/05/75.

[uax6]

Here's some shots of my present box, Littleport:

 

 

The last shot shows a 379 on mileage accumilation running, 15th May 2011. Also note my little run around!

 

Andy G

 

 

[Merfyn Jones]

Here's some shots of my present box, Littleport:

 

DSC04026.JPG

DSC04027.JPG

DSC04028.JPG

DSC04030.JPG

DSC04042.JPG

DSC04047.JPG

 

The last shot shows a 379 on mileage accumilation running, 15th May 2011. Also note my little run around!

 

Andy G

 

And if you put that loveley Morris on a modern layout, somebody would say ----------

[Tim V]

There seems an inability of modellers from a later period being unable to use older vehicles on their models.

 

Here's a pre 1970(?) vehicle!

[LNERGE]

Here's some shots of my present box, Littleport:

 

DSC04026.JPG

DSC04027.JPG

DSC04028.JPG

DSC04030.JPG

DSC04042.JPG

DSC04047.JPG

 

The last shot shows a 379 on mileage accumilation running, 15th May 2011. Also note my little run around!

 

Andy G

This lurks in my collection..

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pwayowen/7562529746/in/photostream

 

One day i'll get it into use with my simulation of Ely North Junction..

[uax6]

I often wondered what the layout was before resignalling, does anyone have an image of the board before single-ing? 25 no-longer exists in the frame (removed by the locking fitters for a spare lever) and the det placers have long since gone. Strange to think that in 1986 Sandhill was still gates, as that road now is very busy, as is the station crossing. In fact the station crossing is the only one across a public road that I've not had some idiot drive into the side of a train! (I seem to get these loonies on my shift!)

 

Andy G

[Eggesford box]

Sssh,

thats tempting fate!

[LNERGE]

Having seen the video and just how much of the train had got over the crossing before the camper van ran into the side of the train i'd say anything is possible.

[uax6]

While waiting for the train service to get back to normal last night I took some internal photos of the Littleport box (again!), so that there is a better record.

So heres a guided tour:

 

This is the updated track diagram. It was updated as telephones were added to Poplar Drove UWC:

 

Now a trip along the block shelf from left to right (Sorry about the first image being blurry, I'm not good with cameras!)

 

This shows the domestic 240V power alarm, the two first filament failure alarm boxes. On the front edge is the emergency release buttom for the gates, the signalbox in/out switch, the lamp in indicator for L4R signal (distant co-worked from L4 lever) and the indicators for L4 signal:

 

Now the block bell to Downham Market, Up road non-stopping button lamp, Bypass AHBC control panel. On the front is L5 and L6 signal repeaters and the up road non-stopping button:

 

This is the barrier phone box, which is now disconnected, followed by the signalmans unit of the CSR.

Under is the keys for the bypass AHBC hut, the emergency block switch to Downham and the coat hook:

 

Next up is the CSR console, with Sandhill AHBC box next to it, under is the backlock lamp and the CSR console.

 

From Sandhill box we move to the down road non-stopping button lamp, TPWS fault indicator units (L22 and L4 signals) acceptance lamp. On front is down road non-stop button, L20 points indicator, Sandhills hut keys, L22 signal repeater:

 

The Cambs PSB emergency alarms box, and the bardic, on the front is L22 signal repeater again, L24R lamp in indicator, L24 signal repeater and CA308 lamp in indicator.

 

These are photos of the frame:

 

And the new Train Describer:

 

Hope these are of interest?

 

Andy G

 

 

[glasspusher]

Here's some shots of my present box, Littleport:

 

The last shot shows a 379 on mileage accumilation running, 15th May 2011. Also note my little run around!

 

Andy G

I love your 'little runaround'  my dad had one when he worked for the firm. Many happy memories of trips (illicit) in that during the school hols. :-)

[beast66606]

I've edited glasspushers post to remove the links to the images, no need to duplicate them (not a criticism gp, just "best practice")

 

As my editing of posts has attracted attention from my nemesis (who has very little understanding of how forums work) I thought I'd better remind people that I'm a moderator of the WFRM area and therefore have the ability to edit posts - nothing untoward, it saves Andy having to deal with the day to day running of the sub forums - there are quite a lot of us "sub forum moderators" around and the big bad beast cannot edit posts outside of the WFRM area (aside from my own of course). I certainly wouldn't use it to alter the meaning of anyone's (despite the claims, I think he's thinking of someone else) - I simply remove links when they are duplicated to keep the thread(s) small, and speed loading for those on slow connections (like me)

 

Sorry for the waffle but when people misreport things they sometimes need reminding of facts - but it's nice that others are reading this area, perhaps they may learn about signalling whilst looking for any excuse to prod me.