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Aylestone Junction Leicester

You are here: Home > Forum > Miscellaneous > The real thing (signalling) > Aylestone Junction Leicester

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Aylestone Junction Leicester 30/07/2013 at 16:53 #47749
sprocket
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21 posts 		Hello all

I was wondering if anyone knows when Aylestone Junction box and crossovers were removed. I have seen photos on the 'net dating from early 70's, but no info as to when the junction was decommissioned. For those not familiar with the place it was between Knighton South Juncton (which I live next to) and Wigston North Junction approx. 2 miles south of Leicester station on the MML.

This is a question out of curiosity rather than any research, but Aylestone Junc box always seems to be left out of "The Leicester Gap" books and articles.

Cheers all

Rich
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Aylestone Junction Leicester 30/07/2013 at 21:12 #47761
DaveHarries
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1285 posts 		If it is of any help, the opening date for Leicester PSB was 29th June 1986. There are photos of Knighton Junction with semaphores from 1983 so perhaps the box at Aylestone went when the PSB was commissioned?

EDIT: A photo on Flickr says that the GCR bridge over the Grand Canal in Aylestone carried trains to Rugby until May 1966 and to London Marylebone until September of that year so perhaps the junction was disused after 09/1966?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/90134546@N00/3255817276/in/photolist-5XGV3C-7u7Ua7-99NZ67-9vZrU5-92LguH

HTH,
Dave
Last edited: 30/07/2013 at 21:17 by DaveHarries
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Aylestone Junction Leicester 31/07/2013 at 12:39 #47776
sprocket
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21 posts 		Dave,

Thanks for your reply, but I have lived next to the Midland Main Line since 1978 and don't remember Aylestone Junction Box being there. I had a school friend who lived next to, from what I can tell, the location of the box and I would have been able to see it from his garden.

I'll just keep searching!!

cheers

Rich
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Aylestone Junction Leicester 31/07/2013 at 16:09 #47781
GeoffM
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6376 posts 		It's not listed in the signal box register - could it perhaps have had another name? I'm not sure how complete the register is though.

Excel spreadsheet download from Network Rail website.
SimSig Boss
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Aylestone Junction Leicester 31/07/2013 at 16:43 #47783
Zoe
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252 posts 		The 1972 Sectional Appendix shows the box but it had closed by the time of 1980 Sectional Appendix. While this does not give an exact date for closure is does narrow it down to an 8 year period.
Last edited: 31/07/2013 at 16:49 by Zoe
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Aylestone Junction Leicester 31/07/2013 at 18:45 #47787
Late Turn
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699 posts 		" said:
It's not listed in the signal box register - could it perhaps have had another name? I'm not sure how complete the register is though.

Assuming you're referring to the link at the bottom of your post Geoff, that only shows boxes that exist in some form today.
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Aylestone Junction Leicester 31/07/2013 at 20:07 #47790
pbinnersley
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431 posts 		" said:
The 1972 Sectional Appendix shows the box but it had closed by the time of 1980 Sectional Appendix. While this does not give an exact date for closure is does narrow it down to an 8 year period.
This Property Info for the industrial estate in the triangle says it is on a lease from 25th December 1974. The Planning Permission for the estate is dated 1972 so it looks like the box was lucky to make it into the 1972 Sectional Appendix.

Peter.
Last edited: 31/07/2013 at 20:18 by pbinnersley
Reason: Added planning permission info.
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Aylestone Junction Leicester 31/07/2013 at 22:04 #47795
Sidestick Priority
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39 posts 		Thanks for starting this thread.

I was rather curious when I read sprocket's post and have spent quite a few entertaining hours this evening trawling the net reading about the Leicester area - I never knew it had such a rich railway history!

During my 'quest' I came across this from the Leicester Mercury (Aylestone Junction surely has to be one of the least documented railway sites on the network). It seems to be an exerpt from a piece or a follow up letter to a story in the Mercury perhaps. As far as proper sourcing goes it's rather thin, but since you said it was for your own curiosity rather than research it's worth a read:

My bold.


Quote:
Europe Intelligence Wire
| November 23, 2009 | COPYRIGHT 2003 Financial Times Ltd.

(From Leicester Mercury)

Mrs Doris Blower's reminiscences of living near the railway line in Burnside Road, Saffron Lane, brought several responses.

Mr Roger Chapman said her story was very interesting, but he added: "The signalbox that she could see from her house on Burnside Road was Aylestone Junction, which was on the east side of the Midland Main Line just above the end of Hylion Road, Brookfield Rise being on the west side of the line. This box was in existence until July 22, 1973.

"Brian Bassford's photograph of Saffron Lane crossing signalbox was on the Knighton Junction to Burton line and was in existence until December 13, 1970, although the crossing itself had been replaced by the present bridge many years before." Mr Vince Lowe pointed out that in Brian Bassford's photo, which accompanied Mrs Blower's story, one of the cooling towers on Rawdykes Road could be seen in the distance, just to the right of the signal box.

"This is approximately three-quarters of a mile from Brookfield Rise," says Mr Lowe, "and Brookfield Rise dead end is at the Midland main line and not on this mineral line, which was used to transport coal from Coalville and granite from Bardon, which it still does to this day.

"The lady also mentions the mail train rushing past at four o'clock. Again, this would be main line and not mineral line." And Derek Rowley, formerly of Saffron Lane and now of Eyres Monsell, also pointed this out.
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Aylestone Junction Leicester 31/07/2013 at 23:17 #47796
john_s
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31 posts 		According to the diagram in John Swift British Railway Layout Plans, vol 2 (published by the SRS), Aylestone Box closed 22.8.1973.
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Aylestone Junction Leicester 02/08/2013 at 11:04 #47833
sprocket
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21 posts 		WOW! Thanks to all of you for your replies and information. It seems you guys have had better luck than me researching this subject!

I did find a couple of photos and a box diagram attached.

Once again thanks to all and what a wonderful forum community SimSig is.

Cheers

Rich
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