Thrumpton Signal Box

[ryan125hst]

I was out for a walk with my family this afternoon and we walked over Thrumpton level crossing which is next to Thrumpton Signal Box. It looked as though the lights were off and the signal box wasn't being used which surprised me as I thought it was still in use. I know the NX (entraNce eXit) panel was replaced by a Westcad system back in 2014 and the whole area was resignalled with LED signals and Solid State Interlocking (See this page at signalboxes.com for more information if anyone is interested: http://www.signalboxes.com/thrumpton-old-signalling.php). I am not aware of any further changes since then.

Are trains still signalled from Thrumpton Signal Box or has control moved to York ROC?

 

[LowLevel]

Still in work as far as I know. Boxes can be made to be very dark places if the Bobby wishes them to be so!

 

[55018ballymoss]

I bet the signaller on duty would be very upset if they thought they had been replaced...
In all seriousness though, Thrumpton Signalbox is still very much live and kicking.

 

[ryan125hst]

Still in work as far as I know. Boxes can be made to be very dark places if the Bobby wishes them to be so!

I wonder if they have applied something to the windows to prevent the sun from causing glare on the screens? It probably wouldn't have been an issue with the old panel but maybe something added during the upgrade once screens were added?

I bet the signaller on duty would be very upset if they thought they had been replaced...
In all seriousness though, Thrumpton Signalbox is still very much live and kicking.

I'm pleased to hear it is still in use. There can't be many boxes out there that have gone from a mechanical level frame to an NX panel to a solid state computer based system?

 

[High Dyke]

Still in work as far as I know. Boxes can be made to be very dark places if the Bobby wishes them to be so!

Indeed. The masses don't understand we work in near darkness; well some of us prefer to. Historically that stems back to the days of gas or paraffin lighting in the signalbox. It also aided bobbies to clearly tail-lamp a train.

As an aside, many years ago I was part of an assessment for a new signal box. An ergonomics expert was telling us that the guidelines stipulated a specific level of lighting for the location. I asked if they could turn off the lights in the room we were in. I then proceeded to work the panel mock-up in the ambient light from outside. The 'expert' struggled to comprehend this, but the senior rail manager with us merely remarked that was the way we had worked for many years.

 

[LowLevel]

Indeed. The masses don't understand we work in near darkness; well some of us prefer to. Historically that stems back to the days of gas or paraffin lighting in the signalbox. It also aided bobbies to clearly tail-lamp a train.

As an aside, many years ago I was part of an assessment for a new signal box. An ergonomics expert was telling us that the guidelines stipulated a specific level of lighting for the location. I asked if they could turn off the lights in the room we were in. I then proceeded to work the panel mock-up in the ambient light from outside. The 'expert' struggled to comprehend this, but the senior rail manager with us merely remarked that was the way we had worked for many years.

The benefit of over 10 years working mechanical signalboxes on a heritage railway gives me a distinct appreciation of the benefits of nothing more than a booking desk lamp on very low light when you're working movements over non track circuited mechanically worked points in the dark

I've had to point out to several colleagues in the past that driving a signalbox is done best in the dark, much like a car or a train!

 

[Egg Centric]

As an occasional player of SimSig (I know, I know) that's fascinating as I'd never have imagined it - what is it about working in the dark other than seeing tail lamps which is helpful for the job?

 

[High Dyke]

As an occasional player of SimSig (I know, I know) that's fascinating as I'd never have imagined it - what is it about working in the dark other than seeing tail lamps which is helpful for the job?

Some of probably stems from not wanting the world to be watching you, as in a goldfish bowl. Personally, I prefer it, especially during the dark. There's so much you can see, depending on the location, when you have little light. One of my first signal boxes had a rather ornate swan neck lamp over the desk, but no other lighting in the box. Nowadays, they seem to to think we want instant daylight 24 hours a day.

 

[Llanigraham]

Quite often on nights I'd work with just the blue light from the fly killer on in the Box and a very low wattage bulb in the light over the TRB.

 

[Egg Centric]

Some of probably stems from not wanting the world to be watching you, as in a goldfish bowl. Personally, I prefer it, especially during the dark. There's so much you can see, depending on the location, when you have little light. One of my first signal boxes had a rather ornate swan neck lamp over the desk, but no other lighting in the box. Nowadays, they seem to to think we want instant daylight 24 hours a day.

So if I'm understanding you correctly, it's not so much to do with the signalling itself, as much as a general preference for being in the dark and not drawing attention to yourself - i.e. making the "non signalling" parts of the job better rather than making the "core" part better?

I totally get that - an analogy in my job which would also be looked down upon by experts is that free booze doesn't make my performance any better, but it's a great perk for making work more enjoyable - I just want to make sure I'm understanding what you and others are saying.

 

[High Dyke]

Correct. I know of colleagues who have the blinds closed 24/7; no I don't get the logic. Like I said it's down to personal preference though.

 

[Tomnick]

You can barely see a thing outside with the lights all on full inside. Given that a key part of the job is (or should be!) observing the passage of trains, not just checking for a tail lamp but also generally looking for anything amiss, I don't know how anyone can work properly like that. Personally, (now) as a driver, I'm quite worried by boxes on AB lines where literally every blind is fully lowered, although I do have to have a little chuckle at those boxes where there's a single blind left raised just enough to provide a line of sight between the lockers and a passing tail lamp!

Plus you'll never get a decent night's sleep with all the lights on...

 

[ChrisRS]

Easier to observe passing trains and tail lamps, and see what's going on outside in the dark.

Don't like being blasted full of artificial lighting all night especially with the winter. So the desk lamp or bug zapper does just nicely.

 

[Ashley Hill]

those boxes where there's a single blind left raised just enough to provide a line of sight between the lockers and a passing tail lamp!

There's several signallers who keep the blinds down all day too,even in the dullest of days!

 

[ryan125hst]

So presumably in a box such as Thrumpton where the line is track circuited and worked using a Westcad system, it will all come down to personal preference as there's no requirement to observe tail lamps?

It's interesting to see your replies as I had never thought about the difficulties of seeing passing trains with all the lights on in a signal box. I certainly won't assume a signal box is closed if the lights are off in the future!

 

[Gloster]

Having been an old-school signalman, my attitude was always (and would still be if I was still in a box) that even in TCB areas you should be watching the train to see that all is well with it. And that includes checking the tail-light: even if you don’t need it to prove the train is complete on TCB (in theory) it has other uses, such as indicating the rear vehicle if you have to send in assistance.