Signal Box Photos

[beast66606]

On 29/03/2021 at 09:41, Poor Old Bruce said:

Thanks Billy. I'm just left wondering how I got it so wrong (but then it was 40 years ago!).

 

Confirmed - as you already know - as Hooton South (it was known as Hooton South until replaced by the portacabin in May 1985)

[beast66606]

On 28/03/2021 at 18:11, 4069 said:

There's a photo at https://www.flickr.com/photos/ingythewingy/7938623142  with a very full caption which explains that the box at Aughton Road was built in 1928, replacing an earlier structure. At that time the LMS was still building boxes to pre-grouping designs, but it's not clear why a Midland design was used on an ex-LYR line- it's likely that the parts of a redundant structure of the right size  just happened to be available at the time.

 

 

The Liverpool area had a few strange boxes ...

 

Aughton Road

Tuebrook (on the Bootle bramch of the LNWR)  - the box was replaced by another Midland style box (in the 1950s this time)

And Aintree Sorting Sidings - pure LYR but an LNWR box appeared in the yard ca 1954, replacing a LYR box.

 

To date no reason for any of the above has come to light.

 

It wasn't unusual for the LMS to complete schemes which had been started - or planned - pre Grouping - Ellesmere Port gained 5 "LMS" boxes which were actually LNWR designed but opened in 1925, other such replacements / resignalling exist.

[LMS2968]

Don't forget Exhibition Jct in Edge Hill, very much LNWR territory with another Midland box in it.

[beast66606]

12 minutes ago, LMS2968 said:

Don't forget Exhibition Jct in Edge Hill, very much LNWR territory with another Midland box in it.

 

That was the other one which wouldn't quite come to my mind ! - cheers.

[Nick Gough]

5 hours ago, Wickham Green too said:

Might that have been its original name ??!?   -   can't think of a good reason to have something called 'Frome' at Didcot otherwise. 

Frome Mineral Junction was the original name and the box has also been altered back to 1870s condition to match:

https://didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/article.php/412/signal-and-telegraph-display

 

Edited March 30, 2021 by Nick Gough
Unwanted smell chucker

[Poor Old Bruce]

ECML today. Moss, between Doncaster and Selby in April 1979. North Eastern Railway.

 

 

 

 

There were quite a few minor but manned crossings which must have seen very little road traffic. This one is Dormer Green.

 

Barwick

 

and this one where the label has disappeared. Any offers for a name?

Edit - Thanks to iands who tells us this is Balne Low Gates

Edited April 1, 2021 by Poor Old Bruce
To add name of Balne Low Gates and correct the entry for Dormer Green

[iands]

1 hour ago, Poor Old Bruce said:

ECML today. Moss, between Doncaster and Selby in April 1979. North Eastern Railway.

 

 

 

 

There were quite a few minor but manned crossings which must have seen very little road traffic. This one is at Henwick Hall

 

Barwick

 

and this one where the label has disappeared. Any offers for a name?

I'm fairly certain that the last one is Balne Low Gates. My first day on the railway in 1973 was with the Selby (South) lineman whose area extended from Selby Canal Jcn to just south of Shaftholme Jcn. Had a few months with them before moving to a stint with the York-Malton lineman. Happy days. 

Edited March 31, 2021 by iands
Spelling

[great central]

On 24/01/2021 at 19:56, great central said:

A couple taken today, we were running Nottingham-Sheffield via Beighton due to engineering works.

Won't be long for this world unfortunately, much evidence of resignalling, I'm told it may be going live in March.

 

Beighton station box, although the station is long gone.

 

 

Woodhouse junction

 

 

 

Finally for here, Woodburn Junction, western access to Tinsley yard and the start point of the remnant of the Woodhead route as far as Deepcar.

I have a couple of things to post in the ghost in the machine thread later.

 

 

Went into Sheffield via Beighton and the resignalled section.

Beighton box has gone, also Woodhouse junction I think, it was still dark.

Woodburn junction portakabins are just closed up.

[Tim V]

Blatchbridge Junction 1980 and Clink road Junction 1978 at each end of the Frome avoiding line. Both opened in 1933, when the avoiding line was instated, and abolished 1984.

[Wickham Green too]

Must be time we paid another visit to the emerald isle ........ and a few other places : - 

 

Killarney ; Tralee & Killarney Railway ; 8/5/87

 

Lingfield ; L.B.S.C.R. ; 8/9/87

 

Lingfield ; L.B.S.C.R. ; 27/9/87

 

Mallaig ; North British Ry. ; 17/9/87

 

Shoeburyness ; L.T.S.R. ; 28/11/87

 

Castlerea Station ; Great Northern & Western Ry. ; 10/5/90

 

Limerick Junction South ; Great Southern & Western Ry. ; 12/5/90

 

Tipperary ; Waterford & Limerick Railway ; 12/5/90

 

Tipperary ( interior ) ; 12/5/90

 

Portrush ; Belfast & Northern Counties Ry. ; 14/5/90

Edited September 2, 2021 by Wickham Green too

[Poor Old Bruce]

Thank you to iands for identifying Balne Low Gates crossing cabin.

Can you help with these two please? Still on the NER between Doncaster and York in April 1979.

iands tells us that this one is Riccall South, looking south.

 

and this is Brayton, looking north

 

Some I can identify (two of them 'cos they've got name boards on them!).

Balne, an LNER(?) design

 

 

 

Henwick Hall

 

and Heck

Edited April 2, 2021 by Poor Old Bruce
Adding names to the first two pics thanks to iands

[Johann Marsbar]

The New Dereham North box on the MNR in 2010...

 

 

Hebden Bridge in 2011....

 

 

 

[iands]

1 hour ago, Poor Old Bruce said:

Thank you to iands for identifying Balne Low Gates crossing cabin.

Can you help with these two please? Still on the NER between Doncaster and York in April 1979

 

 

Some I can identify (two of them 'cos they've got name boards on them!).

Balne, an LNER(?) design

 

 

 

Henwick Hall

 

and Heck

Yep, no problem. The first one is Riccall South, looking south towards Selby, and the second one is Brayton looking north towards Selby. 

[Harlequin]

Have you noticed that very often in the period photos, especially in Bruce's wonderful shots, what appears to be the signalman's personal transport is parked alongside the box?

 

Sometimes a bicycle but more typically a car. They are characteristic of the era and they make a connection with the man on duty at the time.

 

The Austin Allegro parked alongside Balne above is a great example. I wonder what shade of brown it was?

 

[Mike_Walker]

2 minutes ago, Harlequin said:

Have you noticed that very often in the period photos, especially in Bruce's wonderful shots, what appears to be the signalman's personal transport is parked alongside the box?

 

Sometimes a bicycle but more typically a car. They are characteristic of the era and they make a connection with the man on duty at the time.

 

The Austin Allegro parked alongside Balne above is a great example. I wonder what shade of brown it was?

 

Rust.

[N10]

On 15/12/2020 at 08:41, Wickham Green too said:

Reverting to Stockton - nearby is Heighington ; 5/10/19 : - 

My school days mate's father was signalman at Heighington, and the crossing gates were operated by a wheel inside the box

[iands]

3 hours ago, Poor Old Bruce said:

Thank you to iands for identifying Balne Low Gates crossing cabin.

Can you help with these two please? Still on the NER between Doncaster and York in April 1979

 

 

Some I can identify (two of them 'cos they've got name boards on them!).

Balne, an LNER(?) design

 

 

 

Henwick Hall

 

and Heck

Interesting photos, thanks to Poor Old Bruce for sharing. Just realised the interesting angles the photos of Heck, Henwick Hall, Brayton and Riccall South are taken from, I'm assuming from a train (DMU?) - was it a normal service train or a special?

[46011]

5 hours ago, Harlequin said:

Have you noticed that very often in the period photos, especially in Bruce's wonderful shots, what appears to be the signalman's personal transport is parked alongside the box?

 

Sometimes a bicycle but more typically a car. They are characteristic of the era and they make a connection with the man on duty at the time.

 

The Austin Allegro parked alongside Balne above is a great example. I wonder what shade of brown it was?

 

 

Looking at the photos the registration number is GHB754N, which according to the MOT checker website is/was a gold “Rover” Allegro first registered in November 1974, so less than five years old by the time the photos were taken in April 1979. Plenty of life in the old girl yet! Mind you, it’s no longer on the road.

[Poor Old Bruce]

20 hours ago, iands said:

Interesting photos, thanks to Poor Old Bruce for sharing. Just realised the interesting angles the photos of Heck, Henwick Hall, Brayton and Riccall South are taken from, I'm assuming from a train (DMU?) - was it a normal service train or a special?

 

They were taken from normal service trains Ian. I must have some notes of the day somewhere but not readily to hand. Certainly the down train stopped at Selby which suggests that one may have been a DMU.

[Michael Hodgson]

17 hours ago, 46011 said:

 

Looking at the photos the registration number is GHB754N, which according to the MOT checker website is/was a gold “Rover” Allegro first registered in November 1974, so less than five years old by the time the photos were taken in April 1979. Plenty of life in the old girl yet! Mind you, it’s no longer on the road.

 

The All Aggro was a dreadful car.  I had one that had to be pushed off the car ferry at Newcastle because it wouldn't start, and I had to have the cylinder head off it 3 times just on the drive home from there to Peterborough.   

[Poor Old Bruce]

Selby North, NER, 5 April 1979. Heading North

 

 

and heading South

 

Nearer to Doncaster, the line changed to Great Northern so different style of boxes, same date.

Arksey

 

and Bentley Colliery

 

not far out of Doncaster, on the Leeds line, was Skellow, again GNR, on 6 April 1979 with what looks like a shed for an inspection trolley.

Edit;- according to the RCH Junction Diagrams, which I should have looked at earlier!, Skellow was not on the main line but on a triangle of the freight avoiding line towards Stainforth. The line from Wakefield to Doncaster and Stainforth was the West Riding and Grimsby Joint Railway owned  by the GNR and GCR.

 

 

 

 

Just realised it's coming up to the 42nd anniversary of that trip! 

Edited April 3, 2021 by Poor Old Bruce

[iands]

11 minutes ago, Poor Old Bruce said:

Selby, NER, 5 April 1979. Heading North

 

 

and South

 

Nearer to Doncaster, the line changed to Great Northern so different style of boxes, same date.

Arksey

 

and Bentley Colliery

 

not far out of Doncaster, on the Leeds line, was Skellow, again GNR, on 6 April 1979 with what looks like a shed for an inspection trolley.

 

 

 

 

Just realised it's coming up to the 42nd anniversary of that trip! 

Apologies for being pedantic, in your first photo today the 'box on the left, just before the swing bridge, is (or was) Selby North, just to differentiate it from the three "other" Selby signal boxes. 

[Poor Old Bruce]

20 hours ago, iands said:

Apologies for being pedantic, in your first photo today the 'box on the left, just before the swing bridge, is (or was) Selby North, just to differentiate it from the three "other" Selby signal boxes. 

 

No apology necessary Ian. Thanks for your input to get things right.

[Poor Old Bruce]

Still around Doncaster, in August 1979. The origins of the boxes are based on the RCH Railway Junction Diagrams 1915, reprinted by David and Charles in 1969.

 

Doncaster C, GNR

 

Doncaster North, BR(?).

 

St. James' Jc, where the GCR line from Conisburgh and Mexborough met the GNR

 

Marshgate Goods, GCR, looking a bit the worse for wear.

 

 

and Bentley Jc. GCR

 

[Tim V]

On the Cambrian Coast. Barmouth South 1978, Harlech (GW) 1987, Criccieth and Pwllhelli 1978.