Signal question Liverpool Central

[Saperstein]

Hi,

I was at Liverpool Central the other day and noticed the co-acting signals at the end of platform 1, ML29 and ML29CA.

For the passage of the next Kirby service the signals were showing a proceed aspect with a ‘D’ theatre route indication (down?).

Not far ahead another box was lit up with the letters ‘TT’.

I take it this isn’t another route indicator so close to the previous one, so what is it please?

Also where is the ‘ML’ that controls these signals?

Thanks!

 

[bramling]

View attachment 64776

Hi,

I was at Liverpool Central the other day and noticed the co-acting signals at the end of platform 1, ML29 and ML29.

For the passage of the next Kirby service the signals were showing a proceed aspect with a ‘D’ theatre route indication (down?).

Not far ahead another box was lit up with the letters ‘TT’.

I take it this isn’t another route indicator so close to the previous one, so what is it please?

Also where is the ‘ML’ that controls these signals?

Thanks!

The TT stands for tripcock tester. There’s a ramp on the track which is depressed by the tripcock on a passing train, proving that the arm is present. If the ramp isn’t depressed then the TT visual will not go out, thus indicating that the train has failed the test.

ML stands for Merseyrail, the IECC being located near Sandhills station.

 

[Bletchleyite]

ML stands for Merseyrail, the IECC being located near Sandhills station.

I believe it actually stands for MoorfieLds, which is where the previous signalling centre (that covered a smaller area) was.

 

[bramling]

I believe it actually stands for MoorfieLds, which is where the previous signalling centre (that covered a smaller area) was.

It’s definitely Merseyrail, both the notices for the Wirral and Northern resignalling schemes refer to that.

The old signal box was actually at James Street, in the roof of the former Mersey Railway station tunnel - bet that wasn’t a nice place to work! Must of the signalling controlled from there appears to have been simply transferred over to Sandhills, with the signals being merely renumbered - no doubt because it was still fairly new at the time.

 

[pdeaves]

It’s definitely Merseyrail

You are correct, ML is Merseyrail.

 

[M28361M]

For anyone unfamiliar with the area, someone has posted an old Arriva Trains Merseyside route learning video on YouTube. At about the 1hr 12 minutes mark you can see ML29 and ML29CA with route indicators and also see the tripcock tester light go out as the train passes.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The old signal box was actually at James Street, in the roof of the former Mersey Railway station tunnel - bet that wasn’t a nice place to work!

Did that control all of it? I'm near certain there was a box at Moorfields controlling the Northern Line central section (plus separate boxes in a number of places e.g. Fazakerley, which I've been in when I was a kid!)

 

[M28361M]

Did that control all of it? I'm near certain there was a box at Moorfields controlling the Northern Line central section (plus separate boxes in a number of places e.g. Fazakerley, which I've been in when I was a kid!)

James Street controlled all of the underground sections on both Northern and Wirral lines, plus the Northern Line out as far as (I think) Bootle Junction and Kirkdale. The signals had JSxxx numbers. Outside of that central area, traditional signal boxes were the order of the day until the mid-90s resignalling.

Merseyrail control - from where station CCTV was monitored and long line announcements made - was based at Moorfields until it moved to Sandhills to be co-located with the signalling centre.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Merseyrail control - from where station CCTV was monitored and long line announcements made - was based at Moorfields until it moved to Sandhills to be co-located with the signalling centre.

Ah - that could be the reason for my confusion. Thanks.