NINETEEN SIXTY TWO – PART 80
Signalling Contractors
Michael L. Roach
With the recent completion of the Mid-Cornwall resignalling scheme (click here), I thought it might be a good idea to look at some of Britain's signalling contractors both past and present. In Victorian times the railways of Britain were served by a number of signalling contractors, but the larger companies like the Great Western tended to start making much (but not all) of their signalling in-house. One of the oldest pieces of equipment that I have seen was a small ground frame at Lakeside Station on the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway made by the firm of Evans O'Donnell who were the contractors to the Furness Railway. The firm built a factory beside the railway at Chippenham and later merged with other well-known signalling contractors called Saxby & Farmer, McKenzie & Holland and Dutton. Later the firm would become the very well-known Westinghouse Brake & Signal and the Chippenham factory expanded considerably eventually reaching 35 acres. From 1979 onwards the Company and factory passed through a number of hands until being taken over by Siemens in 2013. The history of Siemens in Britain started when Carl Wilhelm Siemens emigrated from his native Germany to Britain in 1843 and the rest, as they say, is history. The firm now manufacture a complete range of railway equipment but still own that factory beside the GWML at Chippenham for the moment. Siemens were the contractors for the Mid-Cornwall Resignalling but while the final stages of the scheme were being completed the firm announced on 4 March 2024 that the historic Chippenham signalling works was to be replaced by a new £100M facility on the outskirts of Chippenham. Siemens current workload includes the digitisation of signalling and control sustems on the ECML. The new facility at Chippenham will open in 2026 with a gradual transfer of 800 employees from the old to the new.
I said earlier that the GWR did a lot of its own signalling but it also engaged contractors for resignalling some of the largest stations and some of the schemes seem remarkably advanced for the time. I have attached a photograph of a Dutton & Co. signal box – the firm were signalling contractors to many small-to-medium railway companies like the Cambrian and their signals were so distinctive they were instantly recognisable. Although the Dutton signals and signal boxes dated back to the early years of mechanical signalling, on many lines, like the Mid-Wales, those early boxes and signals remained in use until the line closed. The remainder of the images are scans of news reports and adverts from the early years of the last century, courtesy of the GWR Magazine.
I said earlier that the GWR did a lot of its own signalling but it also engaged contractors for resignalling some of the largest stations and some of the schemes seem remarkably advanced for the time. I have attached a photograph of a Dutton & Co. signal box – the firm were signalling contractors to many small-to-medium railway companies like the Cambrian and their signals were so distinctive they were instantly recognisable. Although the Dutton signals and signal boxes dated back to the early years of mechanical signalling, on many lines, like the Mid-Wales, those early boxes and signals remained in use until the line closed. The remainder of the images are scans of news reports and adverts from the early years of the last century, courtesy of the GWR Magazine.
The Dutton & Co. signal box on the northbound platform at Pantydwr on the Mid-Wales Line. The box held a 13-lever frame, dated from 1891 and had been extended at both ends; seen on 5 September 1962. A short distance to the right was the summit of the whole line and the highest point on the Cambrian system. Travelling on took passengers to Llanidlboes and Moat Lane Junction. Copyright Michael L Roach.
The southbound starting signal at Rhayader some seven miles south of Pantydwr. A typical Cambrian Railway signal there were similar signals all over the former Cambrian system in 1962. In this direction the passenger trains ran to Builth Wells, Three Cocks Junction, Talyllyn Junction and Brecon. Copyright Michael L Roach.
Siemens advert from December 1906. Copyright Michael L Roach.
Siemens advert from August 1910. Copyright Michael L Roach.
McKenzie, Holland and Westinghouse advert from August 1910. Copyright Michael L Roach.
Siemens advert from July 1911. Copyright Michael L Roach.
Siemens advert from August 1913. Copyright Michael L Roach.
Many thanks Michael. To read this article 'in full' with a couple of additional pictures, please visit Michaels section of the website - click here.
By sheer co-incidence, the content in todays article from Michael leads us nicely into our next piece below..
By sheer co-incidence, the content in todays article from Michael leads us nicely into our next piece below..
Coulson Park / New Token Machine
Jon Hird
Due to the closure of Lostwithiel Signal Box, as part of the resignalling program, a new installation has been provided at Coulson Park, Lostwithiel to electronically release a token/staff for trains to proceed to Fowey along the branch.
The new platform and token/staff machine at Coulson Park, at the start of the Fowey branch, Lostwithiel. Copyright Jon Hird.
The cabinet in which the staff is housed. Copyright Jon Hird.
Looking back towards Lostwithiel, we have a new colour light signal and a sign to advise of the end of the staff worked section. Copyright Jon Hird.
66130 arrived just before 13:30 with 10 JIA's from Goonbarrow heading for Fowey. It has stopped at the new installation and the driver is working the machine to release the staff so that he can proceed along the branch. Copyright Jon Hird.
With the staff/token now on board, 66130 carries on its journey to Carne Point to unload the clay from its 10 JIA wagons. Copyright Jon Hird.
Classic traction at Bristol Temple Meads
Martin Scane
Rail Operations Group 37800 stabled at Bristol Temple Meads on 10.04.2024. Copyright Martin Scane.
Many thanks Martin - an eye-catching livery!