Cole

[RailWest]

Something of a signalling conundrum...:-)

 

I spotted this framed signal-box diagram in the catalogue for the forthcoming GWR Auction. 

https://www.gwra.co.uk/auctions/signal-box-diagram-british-railways-southern-regio-2022mar-0244.html

Although rubber-stamped 1948, it has been altered to cater for the abolition of the north crossover and Up Advanced Starting signal  in May 1960, so it is probably the diagram removed from the signal-box when it closed in May 1965.

 

Now, as part of the 1933 alterations for the abolition of Templecombe No 3 Junction box, the section signals on the Down line only at Evercreech Jcn South, Cole and Wincanton were fitted with 'Line Clear' releases (not common elsewhere on the S&DJR), as shown in the electrical locking table for No 4. But..this diagram also marks a LC release for the section signal (by this time No 12) in the Up direction and 'One Pull Only' restrictions have been added to both 4 and 12, although no such facilities existed in the original 1948 version. I can find no other record for this, nor would there appear to have been corresponding releases added to the Up direction section signals at Wincanton or Templecombe Junction in BR days.

 

Can anyone throw any light on this please? Does anyone have an Electrical Locking Table for Wincanton and/or Templecombe Jcn for (say) 1965-66 please?

[bécasse]

Alterations made during the period in the 1950s when the S&T was still Exeter's responsibility but under the overall control of the WR? I suspect that if the alterations had been made any later than that then a new WR-style diagram would have been provided.

[RailWest]

23 minutes ago, bécasse said:

Alterations made during the period in the 1950s when the S&T was still Exeter's responsibility but under the overall control of the WR? I suspect that if the alterations had been made any later than that then a new WR-style diagram would have been provided.

An interesting point. Certainly the framed diagram was not a WR product, but had clearly been altered for the 1960 changes.

 

On the other the WR did produce a new diagram for Wincanton in Feb 1960, which preceded by 8 months the replacement of the Down Distant further out on the opposite side of the line in Oct 1960, a change which was then made to the diagram. Yet curiously a WR locking sketch for Feb 1960 shows the new arrangement, so maybe the work was postponed for some reason.

[RailWest]

There used to be a 'point indicator' at the exit from the Down sidings at Cole. This was still marked on the original version of the 1948 signal diagram, but was removed at some unknown later date and so far no relevant Instruction/Notice has come to light.

 

Photographic coverage of the indicator is extremely elusive  - usually because a train is in the way! - and I've only seen it in the background of one photo, but sadly I forget where that was published :-(

 

Does anyone know of a suitable photo please and/or the date or abolition?

[bécasse]

Was it ever removed? ... or just not shown on that 1948 box diagram? 

 

Without a disc or indicator at the exit from the (worked) siding to the running line, neither of which are shown, that layout would have not have met the requirements of the Inspectorate. If it got past the head of section at DE Exeter, it would soon have been spotted when a copy was received at Wimbledon - who would have been placated by an assurance that a point indicator was still in place. Its absence from the diagram would not have been a big issue for the bobby, or his DI, because it wasn't worked separately.

[RailWest]

It definitely did exist at one time, as it was marked on the original Wimbledon-stamped 1948 issue of the diagram (as well as an earlier 1930s drawing) and I have seen a photo of it. There are several photos of the relevant location from the mid-1950s onwards which clearly show its absence. There were other locations on the S&DJR where such things had existed at one time, but then were removed.

[bécasse]

Taken out in the WR era then, presumably the points were clipped and padlocked and the siding subsequently used only for engineering vehicles or, perhaps in extremis, the odd cripple.