signal boxes in hazardous locations only reachable by crossing railway lines?

[adamskiodp]

Hi folks, hope you’re all safe and well?

I watched a film of a London to Brighton speed record attempt (1990’s I think?) and noticed what looked like a signal box in the middle of a complex junction somewhere before Croydon.

This led me to wonder how many signal boxes are in isolated (eg not in station buildings/platforms) places that involve crossing busy or hazardous (3rd rail) locations.

And if ever trains are stopped to allow staff to enter/leave at shift changes?

Stay safe all!

 

[Dr Hoo]

Not really 'remote', as it was very close to a major city centre, but I would suggest that "River" box deep under the Mersey Estuary on the Mersey Railway (1886-1921) might have been in with a chance. Walking down the tunnel, presumably with an oil lamp, with EMUs rushing past every couple of minutes, to operate its four levers (as a simple block post) must have been an eerie experience.

And once you were down there, there were only the blind fish in the drainage sump for company during the shift. [Shivers.]

 

[DelW]

The walking route to the well known (and very large) Severn Bridge Junction box at Shrewsbury appears to cross four tracks on the way from the station.

 

[eMeS]

The walking route to the well known (and very large) Severn Bridge Junction box at Shrewsbury appears to cross four tracks on the way from the station.

Does anyone know if the building has been listed? Would listing stop the "mechanical" computor being dis-assembled?
Tim Dunn is visiting it in his current series on Railway Architecture.

 

[John Webb]

Some of the Settle and Carlisle railway signal boxes were well away from anything else, particularly Mallerstang (3miles+ from Kirby Stephen station), Aisgill (nearly 3 miles from Garsdale/Hawes Junction station), Dent Head (2 miles from Dent station) and Selside (2 miles from Ribblehead or Horton in Ribblesdale station. Blea Moor box was, despite it's location, only just over a mile from Ribbleshead station although I suspect in bad weather access was pretty awful.

Does anyone know if the building [Seven Bridge Junction] has been listed? Would listing stop the "mechanical" computor being dis-assembled?
Tim Dunn is visiting it in his current series on Railway Architecture.

Yes, it is Grade II listed - see Historic England listing. Excellent video "One Day in Severn" available from Video 125, filmed in 1990, looks at the adjacent boxes as well, and includes an edited look at several hours of train movements.

Regarding preservation, the main problem would be access for maintenance and even more for any public opening due to the location inside the triangle of lines. As far as the lever frame goes, it would be extremely difficult to remove it without demolishing the box. In any case this is likely to remain the last manual box in use due to the complexities and expense of converting the signalling and point operation in the area.

 

[Rail Ranger]

Access to Heaton Norris Junction box requires walking across two running lines.

 

[LOM]

Every signalbox has a published authorised walking route which is the only official way for staff to reach it, even if it is only a simple "walk along front of building from car park to front door". Many boxes - too many to list - have an authorised walking route which crosses one or more running lines. All these staff crossings are risk assessed in a similar process to public level crossings. Some have additional safety measures in place like a phone to contact the box to ask for permission to cross.

 

[30907]

And if ever trains are stopped to allow staff to enter/leave at shift changes?

I don't know of any booked stops for that purpose (he says, choosing his words carefully...).

 

[Llanigraham]

Does anyone know if the building has been listed? Would listing stop the "mechanical" computor being dis-assembled?
Tim Dunn is visiting it in his current series on Railway Architecture.

Severn Bridge Junction Box is listed, but not sure if it is Grade 1 or 2.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Largin (near Liskeard) was pretty remote. Access was via a steep track through a forrest,a walk over a viaduct and then the box itself nestling in the trees in a forrest on the side of a hill. Water and supplies came by rail.

 

[Taunton]

I watched a film of a London to Brighton speed record attempt (1990’s I think?) and noticed what looked like a signal box in the middle of a complex junction somewhere before Croydon.

This led me to wonder how many signal boxes are in isolated (eg not in station buildings/platforms) places that involve crossing busy or hazardous (3rd rail) locations.

And if ever trains are stopped to allow staff to enter/leave at shift changes?

Gloucester Road Junction. There is actually a private road that passes beneath the lines, you can get vehicles to there. Believe it or not there actually used to be cottages on the land as well, doubtless railway owned, plus allotments, in the spare land in the middle of the lines.

 

[Furrball]

Going back somewhat

Signal box in Woodhead Tunnel - https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/worst-job-in-history-woodhead.48451/

I also seem to recall there was a signal box in the Canal Tunnels at Kings Cross?

 

[big all]

Hi folks, hope you’re all safe and well?

I watched a film of a London to Brighton speed record attempt (1990’s I think?) and noticed what looked like a signal box in the middle of a complex junction somewhere before Croydon.

This led me to wonder how many signal boxes are in isolated (eg not in station buildings/platforms) places that involve crossing busy or hazardous (3rd rail) locations.

And if ever trains are stopped to allow staff to enter/leave at shift changes?

Stay safe all!

that would be Gloucester road signal box
signal boxes are where they are needed this can be anywhere yes often in stations but often dictated by road crossings 'points and signals 'sidings and requirements for block sections [timing gaps along a line]

 

[MarkyT]

I also seem to recall there was a signal box in the Canal Tunnels at Kings Cross?

Possibly this Midland Railway example in the tunnel under St Pancras: http://www.lurs.org.uk/articles15_htm_files/03 july THEYRE HAPPY DOWN THE HOLE.pdf

... the long abandoned St. Pancras Tunnel (signal) Box, which used to lie 46 feet below St. Pancras station controlling the majority of double track line in the 1,386 yard tunnel that connected the Midland main line with the City Widened Lines, opened in 1868.

 

[Bedpan]

Possibly this Midland Railway example in the tunnel under St Pancras: http://www.lurs.org.uk/articles15_htm_files/03 july THEYRE HAPPY DOWN THE HOLE.pdf

You beat me to this one by about 45 minutes, but I didn't know a lot about it and so was very pleased to see the article that you provided the link for.

I became aware of it after catching sight of the open door and the spiral staircase leading up to the cab rank one evening when I was travelling home in the days when preparatory work was being carried out prior to the line being severed for the construction of the Thameslink platforms at St Pancras. The tunnel was lit up, and there, all of a sudden, was the staircase, and after making enquiries I found out that it was there to provide access to the signalbox. I think, but am not entirely sure, that the signalbox was situated somewhere close to the south end of the platform at St Pancras which would tie in wit the article's description of it being on a bend. I wonder if the staircase, or part of it is still there, I assume it must be, but it would be interesting to know if it now actually provides access to the station.

It must have felt more remote working down there than being at somewhere like Blea Moor!

 

[Snow1964]

Woodfidley Crossing in New Forest (between Brockenhurst and Beaulieu Road) was very remote. There are some railway cottages there, but no roads anywhere near. I believe it was supplied by a train which was scheduled to stop there for supplies.

I believe in Second World War, some sidings were laid for Beaulieu airfield, just to the south, even today if you walk in the forest, can still find wartime hardstandings scattered to north of airfield I’m told a lot of D day supplies were hidden here under the trees.

One oddity is if you look on aerial photos will see what looks like figures of 8, they are concrete bits of road with gap in middle, the gap was used to test materials for forest tracks for logging trucks, to see what was stable for tracks with heavy machinery.

 

[LowLevel]

Going back somewhat

Signal box in Woodhead Tunnel - https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/worst-job-in-history-woodhead.48451/

I also seem to recall there was a signal box in the Canal Tunnels at Kings Cross?

Woodhead Tunnel box was renowned for quite literally killing the signalmen who worked there hence it's very early closure. The atmosphere was so poisonous a gong was provided near the exit to alert locomen to stand up from the cab floor where they had to huddle to try and find any remaining oxygen to sight the distant signal leaving the tunnel.

 

[Ianno87]

Reedham Swing Bridge can only be accessed by walking across the swing bridge in the four-foot

Eastleigh PSB only via using a white light crossing across the Chandlers Ford route.

 

[306024]

On the GE Gidea Park box (now long gone) was interesting to visit, located between the busy up and down electric lines overlooking the yard.

I recall trains were timetabled to stop at Bow Jn box (another long gone) around 06.00 for shift changeover. And in those days all sorts of unofficial stops happened.

 

[LAX54]

Back to the 70's / 80's Arundel Junction (SR) was a one mile walk, along the cess from Ford Station, and over the River Arun Bridge, there was a phone each end of the bridge for use in foggy weather, alos used to cross from the down side to the up side, just London side of the bridge.

 

[83G/84D]

Largin (near Liskeard) was pretty remote. Access was via a steep track through a forrest,a walk over a viaduct and then the box itself nestling in the trees in a forrest on the side of a hill. Water and supplies came by rail.

It was not unheard of for the signalman to cycle down the cess from the access point.

 

[Llanigraham]

One of the access routes to the South Wales Control Centre has white lights to control pedestrians.

 

[MadMac]

It was not unheard of for the signalman to cycle down the cess from the access point.

Similar access was used at Benhar Junction to get there from Fauldhouse station.

 

[Dunfanaghy Rd]

Some of the Settle and Carlisle railway signal boxes were well away from anything else, particularly Mallerstang (3miles+ from Kirby Stephen station), Aisgill (nearly 3 miles from Garsdale/Hawes Junction station), Dent Head (2 miles from Dent station) and Selside (2 miles from Ribblehead or Horton in Ribblesdale station. Blea Moor box was, despite it's location, only just over a mile from Ribbleshead station although I suspect in bad weather access was pretty awful.


Yes, it is Grade II listed - see Historic England listing. Excellent video "One Day in Severn" available from Video 125, filmed in 1990, looks at the adjacent boxes as well, and includes an edited look at several hours of train movements.

Regarding preservation, the main problem would be access for maintenance and even more for any public opening due to the location inside the triangle of lines. As far as the lever frame goes, it would be extremely difficult to remove it without demolishing the box. In any case this is likely to remain the last manual box in use due to the complexities and expense of converting the signalling and point operation in the area.

And once you reach the box there are the 4 flights of stairs to ascend. On my visit to Severn Bridge Jn last year NR refused to allow one of our party to go to the box due to his poor sight. Not helpful if you're trying to attract visitors.
Par

 

[LOM]

Here is an aerial photo of the Severn Bridge Junction authorised walking route:

 

[Midnight Sun]

Swing bridges at Somerleyton, Oulton Broad both require walking along the line to access the box. At Somerleyton a boat has been used between the bridge and the nearby marina at times.

 

[Llanigraham]

And once you reach the box there are the 4 flights of stairs to ascend. On my visit to Severn Bridge Jn last year NR refused to allow one of our party to go to the box due to his poor sight. Not helpful if you're trying to attract visitors.
Par

Having done that climb several times, I think that their ruling was quite correct. Those stairs are quite dark, steep and narrow.

 

[306024]

Swing bridges at Somerleyton, Oulton Broad both require walking along the line to access the box. At Somerleyton a boat has been used between the bridge and the nearby marina at times.

In the days of the National BR vacancy list the phrase ‘ability to drive or willing to learn’ was quite common. When a vacancy came up at Somerleyton ‘ability to row or willing to learn’ was stated as a requirement.

 

[john prytherch]

The box halfway through the old Woodhead Tunnel must have been bad!

I believe that, very many years ago and probably pre-electrification, there was a Mid Mersey box between James Street and Hamilton Square. That too must have been very unpleasant. I believe that before electrification, many passengers preferred the ferries to the trains.

John Prytherch.

 

[Midnight Sun]

In the days of the National BR vacancy list the phrase ‘ability to drive or willing to learn’ was quite common. When a vacancy came up at Somerleyton ‘ability to row or willing to learn’ was stated as a requirement.

I wonder over the years, the number of times? Trains have been delayed due to 'Signalman losing an oar'