flyingsignalman

Seeing this thread again reminded me that I had some more photos taken a week after those in post 96(!) Starting at Woodhead it was interesting to see the changes. Looking from the road back towards Hadfield. Looking at the station from the box steps The interior of the box, now stripped bare In the tunnel, looking to the station; the signals are now unlit. Back out the tunnel looking east. 2 CEGB flat wagons on their tramway through the old tunnel.

The station buildings at Millers Dale were demolished sometime after station closed in March 1967 but before the route closed in 1968. The canopy over the up fast platform had also been removed at the same time. I presume this was too early for anyone to measure them up.

Here is a sketch of the Chester South Jcn signal box diagram. The original diagram had a date of 4/9/1961 but this may be the date the draughtsman drew it; it may have gone into the box at a later time. The diagram has a ground signal numbered 25a (by the signal box), this was an additional lever inserted into the frame between levers 25 and 26 at some date.

Many thanks for the information. I'll have to search out the drawings mentioned.

A model of a GER brake van that I saw at the 2011 Wigan exhibition. Could anyone advise me of the dimensions of this brake van, one of which was sold to the Shropshire and Montgomeryshire Light Railway. Peter Paye's book about the Mid Suffolk Light Railway has a sketch of one (that was bought by the MSLR) but it is not dimensioned. A quick look on the GER society web site didn't show any drawings of one that I could see.

I think, that due to its height, the 4-stack ground discs would be in the cess rather than the six foot.

If the block instrument indicated both lines then only one would be needed, the block shelf may be only long enough to accomodate it along with a couple of other indicators.If the box had running water, then a sink would be provided, if not an enamel basin on a stand. A cooker, train register desk, a stool and maybe a wooden chair would also be provided. I think a toilet would be provided as the service will, hopefully, be busy. I also think the box would be single manned. Hooton North Junction was a single manned box and it had 90 levers. When I was aware the Lampman was working on my signals I tried not to clear or put them back but if I had to I would do it as slowly as possible to prevent him being injured.

Shades of Movember......... or, is it 7 o'clock shadow or designer stubble? On the 1303 Blackpool North to Liverpool South Parkway which I was on from Preston to Liverpool Lime St. Mind you, I had ended up buying this today, (the loco, not the coaches)

The book, and one on the Shropshire and Montgomeryshire Light Railway, both by E S Tonks were reprinted by the IRS a few years ago but I'm not sure if they're still available.

Rails to Glyn Ceiriog part 1 by John Milner makes a mention of it.

Some earlier photos of the shed. Both taken 11/4/1981. Formerly in front of the shed was a corrugated iron extension, built to accommodate the WD locos. The shed disintegrated over the years leaving only the wooden supports but these had been removed by the time of my photo. Another two, taken 29/4/1995,after the tidy-up of the area had started. On 3/2/2005, at the bottom of the hill (just above the A & I of Snailbeach in the 6" map that Andy posted), was the remains of some industrial process. Also on the left, the filled in cutting of the Snailbeach District Railway looking to Pontesbury. Which led to the bridge under the road into Snailbeach Village. The arch can just be seen. A closer view. Finally two more views of the shed, on the same date.

If I remember correctly, the engine shed area wasn't owned by the Snailbeach Railway and that is why the track remained. I think the replica wagons were built by the body responsible for the mine area.

At Bidston East Jcn on the Wirral lines a train stopping to drop a trainee signalman managed to gap itself; the train's shoe was about an inch above the juice rail. A passing PWay man used a paddle (a wooden device for putting short circuiting bar on the rails) under the juice rail, pivoting it on a spare insulator pot and lifted the juice rail up so the train could take power and carry on its way.

Checking over Alice at the Leighton Buzzard Narrow Gauge Railway 19/8/1997. Job done!

Class 08 shunting at Mold Jcn yard 1979.

A class 31 passing Rock Ferry with the Ellesmere Port trip Ca 1990.

A grubby 31 leaving the runround sidings at Hooton, late 1980's. 31 208 at Mollington Street HS Ca1979. 31 178 at Barrow 12/7/1990.

Unloading at Edge Hill today

Battery boxes would be sited next to signals as this photo of West Kirby down home shows also near to signal boxes, Bromborough 1979. Another feature you might like to reproduce is the raised wooden trunking for cables that was used before concrete troughing came along but survived fairly late West Kirby box 1983 showing, to left of the coal bunker some of the raised wooden trunking.

The winner of the "we've bought a superlambanana and don't know where to put it" award is..... (it's been here for a while but I've only just been able to photo it)

Movember already! Manchester Oxford Road 0910ish today ...and 3 hours later

I've only just caught up with this topic and a couple of thoughts spring to mind. First, the assumption that the L&Y signals would have been replaced by the LMSR would depend on the importance that the route was accorded by them; perhaps the arms may have been replaced by upper quadrants but a lot of L&Y wooden post signals remained until the late 1960's/early 1970's. Second, track circuits were usually only installed to assist the signalman where visibility was limited but in later years they became more commonplace. Two of my diagrams made when I was on relief, The first, New Brighton shows diagrams installed by the LMSR (4 figure numbers) and those installed by BR (T* etc), though 3165 was split by BR into T5/3165 at some time. West Kirby only had the LMSR track circuits until about 1982 (though visibility was better there). Thirdly, the provision of SPT's on the end of the platforms is unlikely until the 1980's. At Hooton, the down starter was about 440 yards from the box but the management was very reluctant to have a phone installed there, it took a concerted Local Departmental Committee (LDC) campaign to achieve this (but even this only came about when the layout was remodelled). The West Kirby 1983 diagram notes that SPTs provided by 1989.

Waiting for the tip at Llanfair Caereinion earlier today. ...and setting off for Welshpool.

Two views of footplate men, the first at Llangollen (in the rain) 22/5/2005 and the second at Kidderminster trimming the coal in the tender May 1998.

Changing loco lamps at Carrog 22/5/2013