Peterborough North

[Michael Delamar]

actually the 1971 one is different.

 

0022 by andersley2010, on Flickr

Edited May 5, 2012 by michael delamar

[Welly]

Nice shot of 60500 departing at that moment Michael pointed out! Pity about the music...

 

Thinking about the location, was there a bend beyond that platform obscuring a signal? If not, then it is most likely a starter indicator.

[Michael Delamar]

another shot of the later tube post version..

 

cambs - north box peterborough ex gnr c70 JL by johnmightycat1, on Flickr

[Welly]

^^^

Another possibility - illuminated limit of shunt sign?

Edited May 5, 2012 by Welly

[The Stationmaster]

similar looking things at Doncaster????

 

http://www.railbrit....e2.php?id=23393

 

They're stencil route indicators - which is not the case with the 'thing' at Peterboro' as it is not alongside a signal. And as it's facing oncoming traffic it clearly isn't a Limit of Shunt board.

 

I think it might be a repeater of some sort - being used instead of a normal banner for clearance reasons possibly?

Edited May 5, 2012 by The Stationmaster

[LNERGE]

I'd say it is a stencil indicator for 60 and 63 at Crescent Junction. Odd that it doesn't appear on any of the box diagrams. I'm off to check some S&T paperwork.

[KevinWalsh]

another shot of the later tube post version..

 

cambs - north box peterborough ex gnr c70 JL by johnmightycat1, on Flickr

 

Apologises for going OT, but is that a Southern snowplough on the right? I'm aware that the Southern used ex Schools Class tenders as the basis for their snowploughs and the tender in the pic looks a lot like a Schools Class one to me.

[Michael Delamar]

I dont think its a starter signal now either.

 

dont know what it is. Bird house ill say.

 

anyway, more footage.

 

 

 

[Michael Delamar]

can just make out a faint horizontal line in the box if thats any clue.

 

 

Mike

[Donington Road]

view from the other side, looks like two indicator panels

[Michael Delamar]

thats a great shot, been flicking through my Eric Treacy books to see if it was in any of his shots but no joy.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Don't know how long the platforms were at the old P'boro North, but could it be an "off" indicator for lengthy trains that extended beyond the end of the platform?

[Michael Delamar]

its not in focus enough to make out but thought for a moment it might be showing a red light in this shot

 

[Peter Kazmierczak]

I see what you mean Michael.

[Welly]

I think that mystery apparatus may have some purpose for the banking locomotives after they helped start the long heavy expresses on the sharply curved platform tracks?

[Michael Delamar]

there is what appears to be a box under the home on the bracket signal in the background

 

.

0292 by andersley2010, on Flickr

[Michael Delamar]

I can see what Gilbert means, its.always just obscured.

 

 

1961 - ''Great Eastern'' on the Great Northern.. by rgadsdon, on Flickr

 

 

0257 by andersley2010, on Flickr

wonder what that is on the side of the A4?

[great northern]

Don't know how long the platforms were at the old P'boro North, but could it be an "off" indicator for lengthy trains that extended beyond the end of the platform?

 

The Up platform was the longest, and would hold 13 bogies. which was the longest scheduled formation, so there would not have been many longer than that I think.

[great northern]

I think that mystery apparatus may have some purpose for the banking locomotives after they helped start the long heavy expresses on the sharply curved platform tracks?

 

Trains on the Up main were not banked for some reason, so that seems to rule that theory out, but thanks for the suggestion.

[great northern]

there is what appears to be a box under the home on the bracket signal in the background

 

.

0292 by andersley2010, on Flickr

 

I think that would be a route indicator. Ken Gibbons and I thought there must be another signal towards Crescent Bridge, but it is clear from the photos that Andy Y attached to my article in MI 3 that there wasn't, so I assume that box, which isn't there on earlier photos by the way, would be to show whether the train was routed to the Up main or to the spur down to East station. Same function as the feather on the colour light at the South end of Platform 2.

[great northern]

I can see what Gilbert means, its.always just obscured.

 

 

1961 - ''Great Eastern'' on the Great Northern.. by rgadsdon, on Flickr

 

 

0257 by andersley2010, on Flickr

wonder what that is on the side of the A4?

 

There was some discussion about this object in one of the magazines recently, but I don't recall what the answer was, except that it wasn't a wing mirror.

[Michael Delamar]

could the signal be something to do with travelling post office?

 

really no idea, just thinking out loud.

[great northern]

Well, I go out for the evening and then for a round of golf this morning, and find all this information and many suggestions when I sign in again. Thanks to all who have contributed and particularly to Michael for the photos and clips he has found. I still don't know what the answer is as to the function of the thing, but I do now have a much better idea of what it looked like. I don't think it was a starter, as its at the wrong end of the platform. Might be a repeater, but again I think the colour light signal at the South end would be visible under the overall roof, in which case a repeater would not really be necessary. I know that trains were often called on into platform 2 behind a train which was already there, so it could be to do with that, but there is what appears to be a calling on arm on the signal further up by the entrance to the carriage sidings which I had assumed performed that function. So, any further suggestions, or preferably solutions will be gratefully received.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Still no real idea, but as it had a ladder it must've been illuminated or required some form of access. So it's not just some form of static sign.

 

It's defeated me.....

[beast66606]

I favour a routing banner repeater.