Hooton

[beast66606]

Regarding the modern looking signal box at Hooton, I'm guessing this isn't actually used to control the signals? I thought everything was done from Sandhills?

 

The box still looks in use but is it just a Network Rail office now?

 

The Portacabin did indeed control the signals / points - when the line was between Rock Ferry and Hooton was resignalled Bromborough was abolished but Rock Ferry, Port Sunlight and Hooton remained, although Hooton South was replaced by the portacabin Hooton. Port Sunlight was closed and Rock Ferry took control of its area, fringing with Hooton at Bromborough Rake. When Sandhills came along and Rock Ferry was abolished the fringe between Hooton and Sandhills remained in thr Bromborough Rake area, In the last few years Hooton was recontrolled and it's area put onto a new workstation in Chester PSB so Sandhills fringes with Chester at Bromborough Rake.

[Siphon208]

The Portacabin did indeed control the signals / points - when the line was between Rock Ferry and Hooton was resignalled Bromborough was abolished but Rock Ferry, Port Sunlight and Hooton remained, although Hooton South was replaced by the portacabin Hooton. Port Sunlight was closed and Rock Ferry took control of its area, fringing with Hooton at Bromborough Rake. When Sandhills came along and Rock Ferry was abolished the fringe between Hooton and Sandhills remained in thr Bromborough Rake area, In the last few years Hooton was recontrolled and it's area put onto a new workstation in Chester PSB so Sandhills fringes with Chester at Bromborough Rake.

 

Re Hooton North Box:- I know this went in the early 70's ('74?), Was this here just to manage the junction for the West Kirby branch, and a siding or two? I've not seen much information on the North side of the station!

[billy_anorak59]

On 23/04/2018 at 16:08, Siphon208 said:

 

It would be interesting to see a larger version of that pic!

 

Hi Dean - yes, it's been a while!

 

At the risk of taking the thread way off topic, a larger version of the picture is attached, as requested - Town Station in the distance:

 

 

...plus a view across Mollington St to the Blackpool St boxes from the Hinderton Road side - the boxes can be seen mid-Centre, between the two ash towers.

 

Now, back to Hooton!

Edited July 22, 2022 by billy_anorak59

[Siphon208]

Hi Dean - yes, it's been a while!

 

At the risk of taking the thread way off topic, a larger version of the picture is attached, as requested - Town Station in the distance:

blackpoolSt2RES.jpg

 

...plus a view across Mollington St to the Blackpool St boxes from the Hinderton Road side - the boxes can be seen mid-Centre, between the two ash towers.

8H - Panorama1.jpg

 

Now, back to Hooton!

 

Virtually all of this has gone now- all that remains is one of the bridges over Blackpool street- the exterior wall of the  coking plant, and the coke tips on the embankment. Even the gasworks has been flattened, for a new housing development!

[beast66606]

Re Hooton North Box:- I know this went in the early 70's ('74?), Was this here just to manage the junction for the West Kirby branch, and a siding or two? I've not seen much information on the North side of the station!

 

December 1973 North went. There was a quite a big yard at North and it also controlled crossovers between the fast/slow lines (and West Kirby when still open).  Hooton was also unusual in that the Stanlow trains reversed (ran round) on the fast lines between North and South boxes - ie on the main lines - so it played it's part in those moves too.

 

Hooton North was a 90 lever frame.

[beast66606]

Virtually all of this has gone now- all that remains is one of the bridges over Blackpool street- the exterior wall of the  coking plant, and the coke tips on the embankment. Even the gasworks has been flattened, for a new housing development!

 

The bunker of the new - but never opened - BR Blackpool Street also remained in the underovergrowth

[Siphon208]

December 1973 North went. There was a quite a big yard at North and it also controlled crossovers between the fast/slow lines (and West Kirby when still open).  Hooton was also unusual in that the Stanlow trains reversed (ran round) on the fast lines between North and South boxes - ie on the main lines - so it played it's part in those moves too.

 

Hooton North was a 90 lever frame.

 

is there any other info on this side of the station- photos, or track layouts?

[flyingsignalman]

Here are two diagrams of Hooton North and South Jcn boxes at their fullest extent, post WW2.

 

 

 

One showing the layout at Hooton (South) as at 25/11/1983, before it was replaced by the panel box in May 1985.

 

[Siphon208]

Here are two diagrams of Hooton North and South Jcn boxes at their fullest extent, post WW2.

 

Hooton North diag 002.jpg

 

Hooton South Jcn 002.jpg

 

One showing the layout at Hooton (South) as at 25/11/1983, before it was replaced by the panel box in May 1985.

 

Hooton South Jcn 014.jpg

 

Amazing- never realised that there had bee this much trackwork there0 only just beginning to find that out!- I like the 1950's plan, just out of interest, did the sidings next to the slow lines heading to/from Chester go when the West Kirby branch closed?

[beast66606]

Amazing- never realised that there had bee this much trackwork there0 only just beginning to find that out!- I like the 1950's plan, just out of interest, did the sidings next to the slow lines heading to/from Chester go when the West Kirby branch closed?

 

No they lasted much longer, into the early 1970s

[flyingsignalman]

The Up and Down West Kirby lines were first to go, in about 1964.

The down sidings at South and North Jcns were then connected using the track in platform 6 (Down West Kirby).

 

Next, the down fast was taken out of use early 1968 so that Port Sunlight station could be remodelled (Signal 3 at Hooton North Jcn was fixed at danger).

The downside sidings were done away with about 1970/71.

The slow lines from Ledsham Jcn to Hooton South were taken out of use early October 1972 after Ledsham Jcn closed.

 

The up fast (by now renamed up goods) was taken out of use late 1973 and shortly after Hooton North was abolished. Hooton South then assumed control of the entire station.

 

By the time I started working there as a Box Lad in November 1975, siding "X" had been taken away. The next removal was the Ballast Sidings (unused since a class 40 spread the road in late 1976) in about 1978.

In October 1978 the layout was remodelled and the frame at Hooton South was reduced from 128 levers to 80 levers.

At that time, the sections of the slow lines marked on the earlier diagrams "Out of use" were retained in case of need for stabling sidings for (future) electric trains.

But in May 1979 a derailment at Ellesmere Port, that damaged about 1/4 mile of track, resulted in their lifting to provide sleepers for the resultant repair work.

Edited April 27, 2018 by flyingsignalman

[Banger Blue]

That’s some brilliant info / diagrams.

 

I moved to Little Sutton as a young lad,from Scotland, in 1982 (my Dad was originally from Ellesmere Port & my Mum from Birkenhead) so Hooton is very familiar to me.

 

Thanks for starting this thread, love to see anything (photos, operational info, documents) relating to Hooton (and the surrounding lines) especially from the early part of the 80s.

 

Keep ‘em coming!

 

P.s as mentioned above always thought Hooton would make a great layout and is on my “if I had the space and the money list”