Shunting Frame

[Ray H]

My O gauge layout will be incorporating one of the Peco ground level signal boxes primarily to cover a servo.

 

Puzzel Yard only uses three points on the scenic section and is supposed to represent a rural truncated branch line. The suggestion is that the aforementioned signal box has been downgraded to an enclosed shunting frame.

 

I have bought the add-on Peco kit that provides the components for the interior of the signal box.

 

I appreciate that things like the lever (frame) will have been left with the colours of the unused levers becoming white. I'd also guess that the stove might remain. My question is what else would have remained?

 

I know that Tring had an enclosed shunting frame although I don't know whether that was always the purpose of the box or whether it too had been down graded at some time in the past - I believe it was only ever a shunting frame from the mid 1970s which is when I first noticed it when commuting.

[The Stationmaster]

Tring had a brand new shunting frame at the time of WCML resignalling if my memory serves me well.  But there were a number of previous signal boxes down graded to shunting fames on the WCML resignalling.  What they had inside I think really depends on their purpose because some were staffed for at least part of the day because they were also used as a cabin for the Shunter(s) and probably other grund staff.   I suspect that the frame would usually be shortened in order to reduce drafts.

[Ray H]

Thanks Mike.

 

It certainly makes fitting out the interior a bit simpler!

 

I recall Tring did look in good nick when I first saw it but it never occurred to me that it was relatively new although I suppose that had I thought about it a bit more there were probably two boxes pre-electrification, one for each of the two junctions either end of the station so the shunting frame's facilities would probably have been incorporated in one of those two boxes.

 

 

[Pannier Tank]

Ray,

 

Have you seen this document:- http://www.signallingnotices.org.uk/scans/2191/text.pdf  ?? It's dated July 1964, so Tring was probably replaced, as Mike says, when Watford and Bletchley PSB's came on line.

[Grovenor]

The Tring set up is on the Watford numbering plan, the SF controlled the north end of the carriage sidings.

[Ray H]

David/Keith

 

Many thanks. I found the document that David linked to yesterday and Keith's drawing is interesting (once I worked out that I didn't need a magnify glass to view it !

 

Both are interesting. However, the real reason for the enquiry was simply to try to ascertain what would be likely to remain in a structure down graded from signal cabin to shunting frame.

 

Would the frame size actually have been reduced or would the unused levers simply be disconnected and be painted white? I would have thought that things like the clock and stove would stay together with the cupboards and the like simply to keep the costs of the conversion work to a minimum. Would the changes stretch to, for example, having the instrument shelf over the frame completely removed (officially) or just the instruments being cleared off the shelf?

 

I'd guess that any single line working instruments would be removed assuming that they weren't still required for the method of working in force after the conversion. Would retention of the instrument require any special staffing or could the senior shunter (or similar) be left in charge of the instrument working?

[SM42]

My vague recollection of the inside of Stechford shunt frame (on the outskirts of Birmingham, the former Stechord No 1 SB) were that the levers remained, the block shelf remained with some rudiementary indication apparatus, some of the low wooden lockers and basic sanitary ware. 

 

There were a lot of white levers and some may have been removed before I ever got to visit.

 

I photograped the outside but unfortunatley I don't recall ever doing an internal shot.

 

Andy

[The Stationmaster]

There were two frames in buildings at Tring although the Carriage Sidings Frame at the south end was referred to as a ground frame but on the relevant notice it is drawn using a signal box symbol in the same way as the shunting frame at the north end on the Up side.  I'm reasonably sure - although it is a long time ago - that the Carriage Sdgs frame was in a small new building (hence the use of the symbol on the drawing) although with different controls from the one classified as a shunting frame at the north end.

 

I can very clearly recall - from regularly passing the site -a new shunting frame type building at the south end of one of the stations in that area being commissioned as part of the Watford scheme and the relevant notioce indicates it was Tring (as does my memory - but it was a long while back!!)

[Ray H]

Thanks Mike.

 

The thing that sticks in my mind from way back when was the GPL at the side of the up slow which appeared to be cleared for moves into the up slow platform as well as into the then goods loop which is now effectively the up slow platform.

 

I think there was a further track alongside the goods loop. I don't recall a "box" just north of the slow line platform which is shown on the diagram that Keith posted earlier. However, I think I remember the point work shown in Keith's diagram because it wasn't as clear cut as the recent arrangement.