Steeple Claydon SB

Hi there, sorry if this is in the wrong section, I'm rather new here...

I'm interviewing for a signalling job at the Steeple Claydon signal box on Friday, and I've started my research in earnest now.

I've located the village (but not the box exactly), and it's on a railway line that appears to be disused. It is close to the Calvert station that is serviced by freight only.

Does anyone have any information about the area that the box would service? Is it likely that the box only caters for the freight on the end of the Aylesbury link? Or will its reach be wider, say to Bicester of Milton Keynes?

I've done some rather thorough searching around the net, and it's definitely part of the plans for HS2, and the proposed East-West link (all of which will be good to be able to talk about on Friday) but I'm looking for some more current information.

I'm visiting the box itself on wednesday or Thursday, and I'm sure I can get a lot of answers then, but I would like to go as informed as possible!

Thanks in advance!

The box is called Claydon LNE Junction, it is at least a mile south of Steeple Claydon, is accessed via a farm track and is a "portacabin" type building with an "NX" panel. It is at the junction where the line from Aylesbury joins the line between Bletchley and Oxford but the line towards Bletchley is currently mothballed.

AFAIK its area of control is just the junction area and loop where trains from Calvert run round. Last time I had any dealings with it (a number of years ago now!) it worked Tokenless block to Oxford PSB and Bletchley PSB and electric token working to Marylebone IECC and used to be able to "switch out" so that Oxford could work through to Bletchley. I think the current situation is that Claydon can still be switched out with Marylebone IECC controlling the single line between Aylesbury and Calvert but trains cannot use the line between Bicester / Calvert and Claydon when closed. I think the box is open from 05:30 to 23:30 Monday to Friday though do not have any idea of shift patterns.

Don't get you hopes up too much about any future the box might have with regard to any developments in the area as the most recent information I have seen is that it is due to close in 2016 but I would take that with a very large pinch of salt and only worry about about anything like that when work is actually started. Of course once you are on, and good luck with your interview, you will probably have the chance to move elsewhere.

If you haven't done so already try searching for pictures of it, but don't be seduced by the old box there that closed in 1985!

That is the most absurdly brilliant answer a man could ask for at 4am!

Thank you so much for that. I'll pose anything you weren't sure of when I visit the box itself.

I must say, everyone on this forum has been fantastic so far!

No problem Tom. Much to my embarrassment I have worked to the box (ex Bletchley signalman) and taken photos from the end of the farm track leading to it but never been in there

I went today, and asked a load of questions, but forgot to ask what freight companies use the line. Any ideas?

I think Freightliner do the bin train from Ruislip to Calvert, see it everyday at Risborough. IIRC, its usually a 66 that hauls it

DBS(EWS) do the Northolt to Calvert binliner, usually three times a week, and Freightliner do the Cricklewood binliner, usually five days a week. There's also currently a spoil train from Wembley Euro Freight Terminal which is booked M - F but has been rather sporadic the last couple of weeks, also worked by DBS. There's also occasionally a working from Thorney Mill. These are all usually class 66, though you occasionally get a 59.2xx on the Northolt binliner; in fact one day last week it had a 60!

None of the above go as far as Claydon LNE Junction; they all terminate at Calvert. The last regular working to come up from Bicester was the Didcot Flyash worked by DCR 56s, but this ceased in mid-June after Didcot Power Station closed and the remaining flyash had been cleared. There have been a few occasional workings that way since then, but nothing regular.