Swinton (Manchester) Station/Signal Box Photos

[benjy83]

Hey guys,

 

Bit of a long shot (and long post!) this one, but...

 

I was wondering if anybody had in their slide/photo collections any pictures of Swinton station, Swinton goods yard or Swinton/Swinton Goods Yard signal box(es).

 

Signal Box

 

I have a picture of the signal box in a book (Lancashire and Yorkshire Signalling by Tom Wray) however it's a tad grainy. The box was built at the time of the line opening in 1887. It was a Railway Signal Company Type 4 box. It was closed in the 60s I believe.

 

Additionally, could anyone advise of what width the board cladding the signal box would have been? I'm guessing ??ft, which would translate into 2mm... correct me if I'm wrong!

 

I also have no clue about colour schemes (I'm looking at building my own boxes when I've practised enough!!). Obviously it started off as LYR, then LNWR, LMS then BR(LMR). I'm thinking of placing my layout in either the 50s or the 80s (even though it was closed, I'm using a little artistic licence ) so what would the most appropriate colour scheme be? I'm think LMS (Maroon/Cream) for the 50s and Brown/Cream for 80s, but not 100% sure.

 

Station

 

I live in Swinton, so getting pictures of the existing station buildings isn't much of a problem. They're a lovely sandy yellow colour of brick - I've not seen it used for buildings in many other places... The canopy is still there, so I can work this out... the only problem here is the buildings that existed on the station in the 50s.

 

I have a photo from the LYR Society, but it's at an odd angle, and apart from the Gent's and platform surface I can't see much of the other buildings! I know there was a waiting room and probably offices. Again any help in this area would be appreciated. I think all the buildings on the Pendleton-Hindley line were of the same design. I just can't find any plans/further photos anywhere. The LYRS were very helpful and provided an excellent copy of a photo of the goods yard, in it's rundown 60s twilight, with the track lifted and buildings in disrepair.

 

As always, any help or advice is always appreciated. I'm just starting out with a layout, after many years of waiting (and daydreaming!) until we moved into a house which could accommodate it! I'd like to do things 'properly' and as close to the prototype as I can manage, given my current lack of skill though, the results might not be as good as I hope!

 

Ben