What was the last BIG main line station to lose its semaphores?

[MarshLane]

Some friends and I were talking the other day about semaphores on the main line, and we were trying to work out which was the last 'BIG' station (in our vocabulary) in England that was semaphore signalled - we specified BIG as a multi-platform (ie more than one in each direction) non-terminus station being on main line, serving several routes, one of which (has or does) provided Intercity services.

 

Obviously Shrewsbury remains semaphore today, but in terms of stations that have already been re signalled, we failed to really come up with an answer.  York was an early convert to power signalling, Doncaster went in the late 1970s with the power box opening, we concluded most WCML locations would have been re signalled with electrification in the 1960s/1970s, which brought us down to the possibility of Chester, somewhere on the Midland Main Line, or maybe the Western in Devon/Somerset?  

 

Does anyone have any thoughts?

[Suzie]

Leicester had semaphores in 1982 which surprised me at the time.

[melmerby]

Worcester Shrub Hill is still Semaphores

[D7666]

........that was semaphore signalled - we specified BIG as a multi-platform (ie more than one in each direction) non-terminus station being on main line, serving several routes, one of which (has or does) provided Intercity services. ......

 

Last one that has been resignalled is the question ?

 

Banbury ?

 

Seems to meet all points (pun intended)

 

Edited May 31, 2023 by D7666

[Bon Accord]

39 minutes ago, MarshLane said:

Some friends and I were talking the other day about semaphores on the main line, and we were trying to work out which was the last 'BIG' station (in our vocabulary) in England that was semaphore signalled - we specified BIG as a multi-platform (ie more than one in each direction) non-terminus station being on main line, serving several routes, one of which (has or does) provided Intercity services.

 

Obviously Shrewsbury remains semaphore today, but in terms of stations that have already been re signalled, we failed to really come up with an answer.  York was an early convert to power signalling, Doncaster went in the late 1970s with the power box opening, we concluded most WCML locations would have been re signalled with electrification in the 1960s/1970s, which brought us down to the possibility of Chester, somewhere on the Midland Main Line, or maybe the Western in Devon/Somerset?  

 

Does anyone have any thoughts?

 

Not in England, but Stirling must have been one of the last large and busy stations to be near totally signalled with semaphores; four through platforms, four bays and one terminating platform. All swept away alas circa 2010.

Both large mechanical boxes are still there and in use; Stirling Middle controlled most of the station and had approx. 100 levers.

[Paul H Vigor]

Shrewsbury still has a full set of mechanical signalling, including the iconic Severn Bridge Junction signal box.

[Hal Nail]

I noticed last week that Deal still has semaphores, so I don't know when Ramsgate and Dover, either side of that stretch, lost theirs? Agree Banbury was recent though.

 

edit. looks like 2011, Banbury was 2016 I think.

Edited June 1, 2023 by Hal Nail

[BR traction instructor]

Taunton was resignalled from semaphore to multi aspect in the eighties.

 

BeRTIe

[Kris]

Truro still has them. 

[Pete the Elaner]

Wasn't Liverpool only done within the last 3-4 years?

[Sitham Yard]

When did Lincoln lose its semaphores?

Andrew

[Wheatley]

Blackpool North lost its semaphores in 2017. Not a through station but it does have 8 platforms. 

 

Stirling 2013/14 ? Remarkably the last Caledonian Railway lower quadrant semaphore was removed from Stirling in 2000. 

Edited June 1, 2023 by Wheatley

[iands]

10 hours ago, MarshLane said:

 

... Doncaster went in the late 1970s with the power box opening...

 

Doncaster station was worked by colour lights long before the late 1970s resignalling. However, Peterborough station still had a lot of semaphore signals in the early 1970s.

[Michael Hodgson]

Lowestoft 2020?

[Mike_Walker]

3 hours ago, Pete the Elaner said:

Wasn't Liverpool only done within the last 3-4 years?

No, it had colour-lights from the early BR days.

[Aire Head]

Hellifield certainly fulfilled all those criteria at one point and is still fully semaphore signals.

[Edwin_m]

14 hours ago, MarshLane said:

which brought us down to the possibility of Chester, somewhere on the Midland Main Line

Chester was re-signalled in the mid-1980s and the Leicester re-signalling a couple of years later eliminated the last semaphores between London and Sheffield.  

[Welly]

5 hours ago, Sitham Yard said:

When did Lincoln lose its semaphores?

Andrew

2008

[Reorte]

A bit off-topic but there are still some major stations controlled by mechanical boxes even though they've long lost all their semaphores, e.g. Stockport (and Stirling was mentioned up-thread, I didn't know the boxes there remained in use after the semaphores went).

[MarshLane]

Thanks to everyone for their replies.

 

22 hours ago, melmerby said:

Worcester Shrub Hill is still Semaphores

 

Yes course, with the GWR service to Great Malvern, it could be said to still have an Intercity service too.

 

22 hours ago, D7666 said:

........that was semaphore signalled - we specified BIG as a multi-platform (ie more than one in each direction) non-terminus station being on main line, serving several routes, one of which (has or does) provided Intercity services. ......

 

Last one that has been resignalled is the question ?

 

Banbury ?

 

Seems to meet all points (pun intended)

 

 

Course I visited Banbury two days before the semaphores went and had totally forgotten about that one!

 

13 hours ago, Pete the Elaner said:

Wasn't Liverpool only done within the last 3-4 years?

 

No the signal box at Liverpool, with its miniature lever frame, was taken out of service a few years back, but that controlled colour lights.

 

13 hours ago, Sitham Yard said:

When did Lincoln lose its semaphores?

Andrew

 

Good call.  Late 2000s if I recall correctly.

 

9 hours ago, Aire Head said:

Hellifield certainly fulfilled all those criteria at one point and is still fully semaphore signals.

 

Yes, in the past. Hellifield now is probably outside our remit, on the premise that its only two platforms - we were thinking of bigger stations, but admittedly in the past there were three passenger routes (Skipton, Clitheroe and Settle Jn) .

 

Banbury is probably the latest to loose its semaphores that meets the criteria, having four platforms and the split of routes at Aynho.  Blackpool and Lowestoft we discounted being terminus stations.

 

 

[melmerby]

Worcester

1 hour ago, MarshLane said:

Yes course, with the GWR service to Great Malvern, it could be said to still have an Intercity service too.

Several different ones.

There's a Paddington to Hereford service, via Swindon & Cheltenham stops at Shrub Hill, as well as some services via Oxford.

There is also a service from Foregate Street to Bristol TM which uses a Class 8XX

 

I'm not so sure the station could really be called large as it has only 2 long through platforms and a short bay (rarely used)

[The Stationmaster]

On 01/06/2023 at 08:29, Pete the Elaner said:

Wasn't Liverpool only done within the last 3-4 years?

Liverpool Lime Street was converted to colour light signalling in 1948.

[Michael Hodgson]

5 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:

Liverpool Lime Street was converted to colour light signalling in 1948.

Some interesting footage showing the Westinghouse L frame in use...

https://www.s-r-s.org.uk/videoPages/Liverpool.php

 

.. and the Liverpool Overhead Railway was the first line in the country with colour lights and with automatic signals.

[bmb5dnp1]

Hello,

    Marylebone was the last London terminus (I think !) to be resignalled in 1990/1, that must be up there with the last major stations to have mechanical signalling I suppose.

 

                             Dave

[beast66606]

4 hours ago, Michael Hodgson said:

Some interesting footage showing the Westinghouse L frame in use...

https://www.s-r-s.org.uk/videoPages/Liverpool.php

 

.. and the Liverpool Overhead Railway was the first line in the country with colour lights and with automatic signals.

 

LOR had the first daytime colour lights