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| Shrewsbury Signal box refurbishment 27/05/2021 at 11:46 #139747 | |
bugsy
1766 posts |
I've just been reading about the refurbishment of the Grade 11 listed Shrewsbury signal box. It has 180 levers in it. How many signallers would operate this box and would they need to learn what every lever does? Everything that you make will be useful - providing it's made of chocolate. Log in to reply |
| Shrewsbury Signal box refurbishment 27/05/2021 at 12:03 #139748 | |
TUT
532 posts |
Are you thinking of Severn Bridge Junction? Two at least in its heyday. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvhWHYX_lNE Yes of course you'd need to learn the whole frame, although of course you've got a box diagram and lever leads showing the pull sequence so you have that there to refer to if signalling a very unusual move. But of course all the regular movements will quickly become second nature so that you could do them with your eyes closed. Log in to reply |
| Shrewsbury Signal box refurbishment 27/05/2021 at 12:08 #139749 | |
jc92
3686 posts |
Its double manned except on Sundays and possibly nights. It has 180 but only about 80 are actually in use. Im fairly sure crewe junction has more working levers, but they're more conveniently spaced! As TUT says. The diagrams show what everything does, but after a while it becomes second nature anyway. After a short while working exeter west I could remember what pretty much ever lever was and did and there's about 120. "We don't stop camborne wednesdays" Last edited: 27/05/2021 at 12:11 by jc92 Reason: None given Log in to reply |
| Shrewsbury Signal box refurbishment 27/05/2021 at 12:59 #139751 | |
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bugsy
1766 posts |
Do they also communicate with adjacent boxes using AB system or has modern technology taken over?
Everything that you make will be useful - providing it's made of chocolate. Log in to reply |
| Shrewsbury Signal box refurbishment 27/05/2021 at 13:12 #139752 | |
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jc92
3686 posts |
Still absolute block on all lines with block bells, just BR penquins nowadays though rather than the old LNWR tombstones. I wonder if the needle and pin train desriber is still in there or not. "We don't stop camborne wednesdays" Log in to reply |
| Shrewsbury Signal box refurbishment 27/05/2021 at 13:31 #139753 | |
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TUT
532 posts |
bugsy in post 139751 said:Do they also communicate with adjacent boxes using AB system or has modern technology taken over?Just a point of interest, it's worth mentioning that block bell communication does not necessarily mean AB and even AB does not necessarily always mean communication by block bell. Indeed, in the old days, track circuit block with train description by block bell was quite common and block bells were often provided for emergency communication (obstruction danger, train or vehicles proceeding without authority etc.) and as a fallback system for train description. A lot of the old power boxes did have block bells for communicating with adjacent signal boxes when necessary. Also AB can be done over the telephone during failure modes. I'm not aware of any AB boxes which do not have block bells, but I happen to have experience of a box that works electric token block without bells. Last edited: 27/05/2021 at 13:31 by TUT Reason: None given Log in to reply |
| Shrewsbury Signal box refurbishment 27/05/2021 at 15:24 #139754 | |
elltrain3
372 posts 
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Severn Bridge Works AB On: Up & Dn Hereford to Sutton Bridge Jn Up & Down No2 Main To Abbey Foregate Up & Down Bays To Abbey Foregate Up Main Platform/Down Main Platform To Crewe Jn Up Main/Down Main To Crewe Jn UP & Down Platform To Crewe Jn With Acceptance levers and In Its Heyday it was operated with 3 people in the day and 2 on the night shift with 1 "booking lad" Nowadays though its 2 in the day and 1 at night I belive an sadly no "booking lad" and the needle TD's are still in both Crewe Jn & Severn Bridge Jn Though sadly no longer used Resident Mock Maker! / "The Out Of Control Host" Last edited: 27/05/2021 at 15:26 by elltrain3 Reason: adding more text Log in to reply The following user said thank you: TUT |
| Shrewsbury Signal box refurbishment 27/05/2021 at 18:06 #139755 | |
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jc92
3686 posts |
TUT in post 139753 said:A lot still do. Doncaster has one to Maltby colliery which can be used for emergencies or for description purposes if the regular deacriber fails. The only railway I can think of which works AB without bells (failures exempted) is the RH&DR which handles block messages via radio and telephone. They also don't have instruments, or certainly didn't last time I visited. "We don't stop camborne wednesdays" Log in to reply |
| Shrewsbury Signal box refurbishment 27/05/2021 at 19:22 #139756 | |
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clive
2789 posts |
jc92 in post 139755 said:TUT in post 139753 said:Donny has one to Peterborough.A lot still do. Doncaster has one to Maltby colliery which can be used for emergencies or for description purposes if the regular deacriber fails. Log in to reply |
| Shrewsbury Signal box refurbishment 27/05/2021 at 19:35 #139757 | |
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elltrain3
372 posts
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Eggington Jc - Derby PSB also had one, (though not sure if the bell was retained following Derby PSBs abolition to the EMCC)
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| Shrewsbury Signal box refurbishment 27/05/2021 at 20:51 #139758 | |
Steamer
3985 posts
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elltrain3 in post 139754 said:Does make me wonder where the last 'booking lad' (or Train Recorder as I believe the formal term was?) worked? I can't think of any locations which are busy enough these days to justify one. I'm speaking in the traditional sense of the role in an a mechanical box, not clerks in PSBs and the like. "Don't stress/ relax/ let life roll off your backs./ Except for death and paying taxes/ everything in life.../ is only for now." (Avenue Q) Log in to reply |
| Shrewsbury Signal box refurbishment 27/05/2021 at 20:58 #139759 | |
Splodge
719 posts
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A few modern IECC style boxes have block bells too - Manchester East to Dinting for example
There's the right way, the wrong way and the railway. Log in to reply |
| Shrewsbury Signal box refurbishment 27/05/2021 at 21:05 #139760 | |
headshot119
4869 posts |
Splodge in post 139759 said:A few modern IECC style boxes have block bells too - Manchester East to Dinting for exampleIt's quite bizarre standing behind the workstation at Manchester East, then hearing the ding of bells. "Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer Log in to reply The following user said thank you: Guts |
| Shrewsbury Signal box refurbishment 27/05/2021 at 21:10 #139761 | |
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jc92
3686 posts |
Splodge in post 139759 said:A few modern IECC style boxes have block bells too - Manchester East to Dinting for exampleBarnham is the same. Computer workstation with a Block instrument to Bognor Regis. York PSB was another curious example that worked AB to Burton lane (or bootham when BL was switched out), but TCB from them, hence the inner north panel having a block bell and instrument built into the panel itself. If you watch "this is York" you can hear it if you listen carefully at one point. "We don't stop camborne wednesdays" Log in to reply |
| Shrewsbury Signal box refurbishment 27/05/2021 at 21:51 #139762 | |
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elltrain3
372 posts
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Steamer in post 139758 said:elltrain3 in post 139754 said:Does make me wonder where the last 'booking lad' (or Train Recorder as I believe the formal term was?) worked? I can't think of any locations which are busy enough these days to justify one. I wonder if the Stockport boxes (Nos 1 & 2) were some of the last? I think I recall from the SRS "Sounds Of Stockport" that they retained them well into the 80s though not sure how much further they stayed. So I'd hazard a guess at around the early 90s? though Banbury North chose to retain manual TRBs but I suspect most "busy" boxes were made to abolish them in aid of computer recording, as saves a whole lot of money. Resident Mock Maker! / "The Out Of Control Host" Log in to reply |
| Shrewsbury Signal box refurbishment 28/05/2021 at 03:51 #139764 | |
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Hawk777
386 posts |
If an IECC uses bells and block instruments for a fringe, are those integrated into the electronic display (e.g. bell operated by the trackball buttons), or is it a separate traditional wooden box sitting on the desk?
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| Shrewsbury Signal box refurbishment 28/05/2021 at 07:37 #139765 | |
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jc92
3686 posts |
Hawk777 in post 139764 said:If an IECC uses bells and block instruments for a fringe, are those integrated into the electronic display (e.g. bell operated by the trackball buttons), or is it a separate traditional wooden box sitting on the desk?Harrogate workstation has a Block instrument next to the workstation, albeit the block section isn't worked from the workstation itself. Barnham has a Separate Bell and instrument (or certainly did on commissioning) Manchester East has the block indicator and tapper built into the screen. Not sure about the bell. Headshot will doubtless confirm. "We don't stop camborne wednesdays" Log in to reply The following users said thank you: Guts, Hawk777 |
| Shrewsbury Signal box refurbishment 28/05/2021 at 10:23 #139767 | |
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headshot119
4869 posts |
Manchester East has the needle and commutator built into the screens; you click a button adjacent to the line clear roundel to move the block to line clear, akin to turning the commutator. The tapper is a physical button built into a small plinth under the screens which also contains other buttons for things like the TD alarm, and emergency alarms to other adjacent locations. I can't remember which box it's linked to, but there's a block bell and tapper which sits on the desk between the two duplicated workstations, it's used as an emergency alarm. "Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer Log in to reply The following user said thank you: Hawk777 |
| Shrewsbury Signal box refurbishment 28/05/2021 at 10:28 #139768 | |
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elltrain3
372 posts
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headshot119 in post 139767 said:There are still the odd "signal boxes" in the area like Diggle jn/ Baguley Fold (panel)/ Denton Junc it could be connected too? Resident Mock Maker! / "The Out Of Control Host" Log in to reply |
| Shrewsbury Signal box refurbishment 28/05/2021 at 11:39 #139770 | |
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Splodge
719 posts
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Or possibly Ashton Moss when it existed
There's the right way, the wrong way and the railway. Log in to reply |
| Shrewsbury Signal box refurbishment 28/05/2021 at 12:18 #139772 | |
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Ron_J
331 posts |
Hawk777 in post 139764 said:If an IECC uses bells and block instruments for a fringe, are those integrated into the electronic display (e.g. bell operated by the trackball buttons), or is it a separate traditional wooden box sitting on the desk?The ultimate technology clash was the Westcad workstation/Tyer’s Electric Key Token combo at Nairn -  Post has attachments. Log in to view them. Log in to reply The following users said thank you: Hawk777, jc92 |
| Shrewsbury Signal box refurbishment 29/05/2021 at 14:53 #139780 | |
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elltrain3
372 posts
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[/quote] Does make me wonder where the last 'booking lad' (or Train Recorder as I believe the formal term was?) worked? I can't think of any locations which are busy enough these days to justify one. I'm speaking in the traditional sense of the role in an a mechanical box, not clerks in PSBs and the like.[/quote] After asking the wonderful world of Facebook it appears Stockport No2 had the last booker and they retired in 2004! so only 17 years ago! Resident Mock Maker! / "The Out Of Control Host" Last edited: 29/05/2021 at 14:53 by elltrain3 Reason: Can't fix quoteing :P) Log in to reply |