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Hest Bank

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Nonsense

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Crossing the railway at Hest Bank crossing today I almost shat myself as I looked right and saw a Pendolino almost atop me. Luckily it was stationary. To my left were a bunch of orange vests amid the the four foot, seemingly taking a guess at the track gauge.

After about five minutes later the barriers dropped and two Pendolinos passed on the crossing at low speed.

Any inside knowledge here of what was going on?
 
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The Planner

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Hest Bank get's re-controlled by Preston in December and Bare Lane box goes at the same time as well, it may be something to do with that.
 

The Ring

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What happens if the barriers at either of these locations fails? How long will take for the MOM to get there and solve the issue?
 

The Ring

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I presume the Carnforth MOM would attend but it would be a significant delay (for both rail and road) if the barriers failed at Bare Lane!
 

Nonsense

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Whats the MOM?

Tangent question seeing as Bare Lane was mentioned, but does anyone know why the Morecambe Branch seems to operate as a single track railway? I have only ever known the Eastbound line used for both directions.
 

MidnightFlyer

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Tangent question seeing as Bare Lane was mentioned, but does anyone know why the Morecambe Branch seems to operate as a single track railway? I have only ever known the Eastbound line used for both directions.

The two lines run parallel and do not meet / have crossovers at all after the brief section of single track east of Bare Lane. The southernmost track is used for Heysham trains (as it is the only means of access), but I'm not sure about any other working along it.
 

Nonsense

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The two lines run parallel and do not meet / have crossovers at all after the brief section of single track east of Bare Lane. The southernmost track is used for Heysham trains (as it is the only means of access), but I'm not sure about any other working along it.

Interesting. I just checked google maps the two lines are effectively separate branches. I hadn't realised this as I do often see two units at Morecambe station.
 

MidnightFlyer

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Interesting. I just checked google maps the two lines are effectively separate branches. I hadn't realised this as I do often see two units at Morecambe station.

All changed back in 1994 when the old Morecambe station was demolished and the current one was built, until then there was pointwork to allow 'normal' (if you like) running.
 

S19

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What happens if the barriers at either of these locations fails? How long will take for the MOM to get there and solve the issue?

This week (whilst walking the dogs at Hest Bank) I've seen the barrier nearest to the beach fail to shut properly a few times. The signallers kept having to go out and 'fettle' it.

The delays would've been quite severe if the signaller wasn't there!
 

Xenophon PCDGS

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Hest Bank gets re-controlled by Preston in December and Bare Lane box goes at the same time as well.

Would the possible implications of what has been discussed so far on this thread have been discussed by the rail authorities with the local council with regard to possible traffic delays until the stated faults with the crossings (which surely must have been known) have been obviated and the time envisaged for the MOM to attend ?
 

junglejames

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Sorry id totally forgotten about this thread!
Hest Bank signal box going will be a travesty though. OK I may be biased, but its a lovely box, which fits perfectly in its location. It adds to the area. Hest Bank will be eternally ruined by this.
The WCML will never be the same again. Slowly going downhill.
 

D1009

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Sorry id totally forgotten about this thread!
Hest Bank signal box going will be a travesty though. OK I may be biased, but its a lovely box, which fits perfectly in its location. It adds to the area. Hest Bank will be eternally ruined by this.
The WCML will never be the same again. Slowly going downhill.

I agree it's a lovely box, like so many others, but the counter argument is that the WCML is coming slowly out of the 19th century.
 

driver9000

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To be honest I've always thought Hest Bank was a rather bland flat roofed building. While it served a purpose controlling the level crossing in recent years it certainly holds no character appeal to me and I can think of other boxes that I will be sad to see go over that one. A pity that the march of progress removes another item from a bygone era? Yes. A travesty that will ruin a pretty village? No. Unless the Hest Bank hotel was being abolished and the view across the bay blocked out at the same time :)
 

Nonsense

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I'll be sorry to see it go. Its a local beauty spot dominated by a chunk of railway heritage/operational interest. I've spent many hours there enjoying a coffee, taking the sea air and watching the railway ply its trade. Having the signalman pottering about in the background added to the ambiance.

The place will feel different. Emptier somehow. The price of progress.
 

RichmondCommu

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Sorry id totally forgotten about this thread!
Hest Bank signal box going will be a travesty though. OK I may be biased, but its a lovely box, which fits perfectly in its location. It adds to the area. Hest Bank will be eternally ruined by this.
The WCML will never be the same again. Slowly going downhill.

But in the grand scheme of things the closure of the box will have no effect on the service offered to passengers and Network Rail will have a cost saving. Surely no one loses here?
 

junglejames

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But in the grand scheme of things the closure of the box will have no effect on the service offered to passengers and Network Rail will have a cost saving. Surely no one loses here?

Only if there are only 2 types of people in the world. As far as i know the world consists of more.
Hest Bank loses out. The box definitely adds to Hest Bank. OK it may not be the nicest in the world, but it does something for the village. Its difficult to explain. Having spent 5 very pleasant years living in the village, I can honestly say that part of the village will feel naked without it.

Oh, and do I count as a passenger? Cool, then yes, at least one passenger will now have a worse service because of it. Thats my main landmark on the route.

I suppose ive no problem with it ceasing to be a signalbox, but it shouldnt be demolished. Somebody should buy it. The cafe nearby (on the beach side of the line) should buy it and turn it into an extended part of the cafe. Thats what id do if i owned the cafe.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
A travesty that will ruin a pretty village? No.

The word travesty would depend on who is speaking. To me, travesty is definitely true. If it were to be demolished it would make the village look very different.
 

S19

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Only if there are only 2 types of people in the world. As far as i know the world consists of more.
Hest Bank loses out. The box definitely adds to Hest Bank. OK it may not be the nicest in the world, but it does something for the village. Its difficult to explain. Having spent 5 very pleasant years living in the village, I can honestly say that part of the village will feel naked without it.

Oh, and do I count as a passenger? Cool, then yes, at least one passenger will now have a worse service because of it. Thats my main landmark on the route.

I suppose ive no problem with it ceasing to be a signalbox, but it shouldnt be demolished. Somebody should buy it. The cafe nearby (on the beach side of the line) should buy it and turn it into an extended part of the cafe. Thats what id do if i owned the cafe.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


The word travesty would depend on who is speaking. To me, travesty is definitely true. If it were to be demolished it would make the village look very different.

I'd agree with pretty much everything you say there. I'm not a resident, but I'm only a couple of miles away.
 

JGR

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Having used that café a few times, somehow I doubt that would happen. What would they do with it? It's not like they're overflowing with trade as far as I can see.
It would still be on railway land with all that that entails anyway.
 

driver9000

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I suppose ive no problem with it ceasing to be a signalbox, but it shouldnt be demolished. Somebody should buy it.

It hasn't been a signal box for a long time, it controls no signals. Hest Bank is a gate box and its sole reason in life is to control the level crossing. I believe Network Rail have a policy of demolishing former operational buildings like signal boxes, gate boxes etc quickly and if when Blackpool Nth No.1 signal box was abolished is anything to go by it will be around a week before it is pulled down.

Having spent 20 years regularly passing the crossing while living and working in the area I don't think its demise will ruin the village I barely notice it although I glance at the crossing each time I pass, it won't be too long before it is forgotten about. There is so much more to Hest Bank, go and sit in the beer garden of the Hest Bank hotel, watch the sunset over the bay or take a stroll along the canal - they are the real beauties of Hest Bank which would greatly alter the village if they weren't there in my humble opinion :D
 

S19

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Having used that café a few times, somehow I doubt that would happen. What would they do with it? It's not like they're overflowing with trade as far as I can see.
It would still be on railway land with all that that entails anyway.

Weekends the place is heaving!
 

junglejames

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It hasn't been a signal box for a long time, it controls no signals. Hest Bank is a gate box and its sole reason in life is to control the level crossing. I believe Network Rail have a policy of demolishing former operational buildings like signal boxes, gate boxes etc quickly and if when Blackpool Nth No.1 signal box was abolished is anything to go by it will be around a week before it is pulled down.

Having spent 20 years regularly passing the crossing while living and working in the area I don't think its demise will ruin the village I barely notice it although I glance at the crossing each time I pass, it won't be too long before it is forgotten about. There is so much more to Hest Bank, go and sit in the beer garden of the Hest Bank hotel, watch the sunset over the bay or take a stroll along the canal - they are the real beauties of Hest Bank which would greatly alter the village if they weren't there in my humble opinion :D

There is a lot more to Hest Bank yes, but to me, the signalbox (sorry gatebox doesnt sound the same!!), is a main attraction. 5yrs as a child were spent next to the level watching trains speed past, with the box as a background.
One of my school friends who lived in the cafe directly opposite (East side of the line) used to run round the back of the cafe, onto railway land (not over the lines though), and had to try and avoid the glare of the signalman!!! Happy days!
I will always notice something is missing from that little spot next to the line. The level crossing will look odd without it.
I suppose different people see it differently, but yes, agree about the other parts of the village as well. The walk from Bare Lane to Hest Bank, over Bare Lane North curve, and under the WCML, ending up on the canal, is one of my favourites.
 

SIGGY56

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To be honest I've always thought Hest Bank was a rather bland flat roofed building. While it served a purpose controlling the level crossing in recent years it certainly holds no character appeal to me and I can think of other boxes that I will be sad to see go over that one. A pity that the march of progress removes another item from a bygone era? Yes. A travesty that will ruin a pretty village? No. Unless the Hest Bank hotel was being abolished and the view across the bay blocked out at the same time :)

The box originally had a full lever frame (Total 40??) during pre-electrification. It then became a Gate Box only controlling the level crossing and its levers shortened to a total of 10 levers. In the 1990's the levers were dispensed with and replaced by switches to operate slots on the signal each direction protecting the crossing.
 

blanco

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I've never seen a busier set of barriers than those at hest bank. I worked there 2 weeks ago renewing the s&c beside the box and even managed to see a kirow crane being derailed whilst installing a 60 foot panel, although it righted itself within 15 minutes.
 
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