Signal Box Photos

[LNERGE]

[Michael Hodgson]

I like the black sighting board for a distant

For some reason the ladders and safety rails on that one don't seem quite as intrusive as on some other modern semaphores.

[Michael Hodgson]

2 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

I am delighted to see modern-image semaphores, which, as said, provide a long-life signal at much less cost

 

I too am delighted to see them but it remains to be seen whether these will actually have a long life.  I would say don't hold your breath.

 

Some such signals have already been replaced as part of resignalling projects and the policy of controlled the entire network from a handful of "ROCs".  Aside from whether that's a good idea or excessive centralisation, there are new bosses every few years who have to make their mark so periodic political consideration is given to the overall public image.   It's why we've had the Modernisation Plan,  premature scrapping of perfectly serviceable steam locos, the Corporate Image, privatisation, sectorisation, Network SouthEast etc.  The railway industry is all too aware that every time there's any sort of incident in semaphore territory, whether related to signalling or not, they will be slated by the moronic mass media for "Victorian methods".  Unfortunately semaphore is the same image as the BR stale cheese sandwich.

[Tim V]

Rather strayed from a signal box thread but Ho Hum. How about this replacement of I think the last square post signal on the WR at Yeovil PM.

In 2008.

Same place in 1998.

And to keep the post 'on thread' the box in 2008.

 

[Coach bogie]

I went to Neasden today to photograph a 66 on an aggregate train. Could not get anywhere near Neasden Junction box to bet a pic. Had to make do wit a TFL box at Wembley.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[LNERGE]

I have some ‘new’ signals to erect in the near future along with some more conventional old ones. Another signalbox move planned this month too. I saw this sad looking thing on my travels today..

[iands]

3 minutes ago, LNERGE said:

I have some ‘new’ signals to erect in the near future along with some more conventional old ones. Another signalbox move planned this month too. I saw this sad looking thing on my travels today..

Hertford East by any chance?

[LNERGE]

No that’s already gone. 

[LNERGE]

I was involved with Hertford East as an advisor lol. They didn’t seem to believe I could nip the lever frame out in under six hours so I didn’t get the job. Others on here may know different. 

Edited February 1, 2022 by LNERGE

[SHMD]

Compared to the usual RMweb thread drift - pictures/discussion on semaphore signals is bang on the nail for this thread.

At least the signals are connected to Signal Boxes!

 

 

Kev.

(See wot I did there, eh, eh?)

 

[Michael Hodgson]

2 hours ago, SHMD said:

 

At least the signals are connected to Signal Boxes!

 

If they weren't it would present some operating difficulties.

[SHMD]

1 hour ago, Michael Hodgson said:

If they weren't it would present some operating difficulties.

 

There are some "fixed" signals (just painted and thus never able to be moved) which are not connected to signal boxes.

 

 

Kev.

 

[Poor Old Bruce]

16 hours ago, LNERGE said:

I have some ‘new’ signals to erect in the near future along with some more conventional old ones. Another signalbox move planned this month too. I saw this sad looking thing on my travels today..

 

15 hours ago, iands said:

Hertford East by any chance?

 

15 hours ago, LNERGE said:

No that’s already gone. 

 

Give us a clue then 

[Michael Hodgson]

8 hours ago, Coombe Vale said:

Prefer the originals. Proper Western signals. 

But at least the new ones go the right way,

[Oldddudders]

22 minutes ago, Michael Hodgson said:

But at least the new ones go the right way,

ISTR the Chief S&T Engineer at the Board shared your surname. Any connection?

[Wickham Green too]

No connection if he's fixed .................. or an I getting the questions confused ??!? 

[Michael Hodgson]

2 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

ISTR the Chief S&T Engineer at the Board shared your surname. Any connection?

Not as far as I know - and I don't think there is any family connection to the locks of that name, nor Saxby & Farmer 's General Manager who is supposed to have invented Lock & Block.

 

 

 

[62613]

On 01/02/2022 at 12:40, Michael Hodgson said:

 

I too am delighted to see them but it remains to be seen whether these will actually have a long life.  I would say don't hold your breath.

 

Some such signals have already been replaced as part of resignalling projects and the policy of controlled the entire network from a handful of "ROCs".  Aside from whether that's a good idea or excessive centralisation, there are new bosses every few years who have to make their mark so periodic political consideration is given to the overall public image.   It's why we've had the Modernisation Plan,  premature scrapping of perfectly serviceable steam locos, the Corporate Image, privatisation, sectorisation, Network SouthEast etc.  The railway industry is all too aware that every time there's any sort of incident in semaphore territory, whether related to signalling or not, they will be slated by the moronic mass media for "Victorian methods".  Unfortunately semaphore is the same image as the BR stale cheese sandwich.

Keeping the drift going, a rather ridiculous question; is there any conceivable reason why semaphores could not be controlled from a remote signal box? After all, all the electrical and mechanical ingredients to do so have been in existence for around 120 years. (I can remember a motor - worked distant signal [North End Sidings, Erith, down distant, IIRC] in the early 1960s. I can even remember them going from LQ to UQ.

[Mike_Walker]

1 minute ago, 62613 said:

Keeping the drift going, a rather ridiculous question; is there any conceivable reason why semaphores could not be controlled from a remote signal box? After all, all the electrical and mechanical ingredients to do so have been in existence for around 120 years. (I can remember a motor - worked distant signal [North End Sidings, Erith, down distant, IIRC] in the early 1960s. I can even remember them going from LQ to UQ.

Until a couple of years ago the Down Branch Distant for Abbotswood  Junction was a motor driven LQ arm on the Up signals at Norton Junction and controlled from Gloucester Panel, mechanically slotted with Norton Junction so it can be done.

[Mike_Walker]

9 minutes ago, 62613 said:

 

Duplicated so deleted.

Edited February 2, 2022 by Mike_Walker

[Michael Hodgson]

19 minutes ago, 62613 said:

Keeping the drift going, a rather ridiculous question; is there any conceivable reason why semaphores could not be controlled from a remote signal box? After all, all the electrical and mechanical ingredients to do so have been in existence for around 120 years. (I can remember a motor - worked distant signal [North End Sidings, Erith, down distant, IIRC] in the early 1960s. I can even remember them going from LQ to UQ.

They need to be motor worked,  so you'd need electrical power (this used to be an issue in some remote places).  You would want track circuits to automatically restore when the train has passed; as they will be out of sight of the signalman there would need to be repeaters in the box so that the signalman could confirm that signal has returned.   If you're doing those jobs you might as well install a colour light as that's cheaper to maintain, and the capital cost is probably lower too.

 

You might have some difficulties over degraded operation, for example the signalman can't wave a red flag out of the window to tell the driver to draw forward so he can have a word,  but nothing that wouldn't also apply if it were a colour light.

 

 

[Coach bogie]

I went to Neasden again, this morning. Despite opportunities in the fence I did not stray. Looks like the Neasden Rattle Can Art Society have less issue with lineside safety than I do. Via a local park I was able to admire one of LNERGE's replacement brackets close hand. Note the telegraph pole, there are several (non cabled) in the area. Also of note was double ground disk, at the junction. Further relics of a bygone age when a class 47 came through.

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

 

Edited February 2, 2022 by Coach bogie

[SHMD]

4 hours ago, 62613 said:

Keeping the drift going, a rather ridiculous question; is there any conceivable reason why semaphores could not be controlled from a remote signal box? After all, all the electrical and mechanical ingredients to do so have been in existence for around 120 years. (I can remember a motor - worked distant signal [North End Sidings, Erith, down distant, IIRC] in the early 1960s. I can even remember them going from LQ to UQ.

 

There was one (a distant) at Droylsden, until recently.

I kept meaning to take photos of it because it looked like it was driven from a point motor!

 

 

Kev.

[LNERGE]

Probably my favourite box was Padnal..

Edited February 2, 2022 by LNERGE

[LNERGE]

A few moment in time at Padnal..

 

A ballast train approaches the box

 

Called past the home signal..

The signalman has a word..

Mile End AHB had failed. Attendant in er um er attendance..

 

Edited February 2, 2022 by LNERGE