PHOTO GALLERY: EAST & WEST JUNCTION RAILWAY
Kineton
OPENED: 1885 CLOSED: 1966
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Most boxes on the East & West Junction’s route were erected around 1885 by the Railway Signal Company.
The timber signal-box can be seen in this general view at the end of the right-hand (Up) Platform. The box controlled a passing-loop on the single-line. The adjacent boxes (with their own loops) at Ettington and Burton Dassett, were able to switch out at periods of light traffic and “long-section” single-line staffs controlled the sections.
Inside the box we see the 24-lever frame manufactured by the Railway Signal Company and a Webb & Thompson Miniature Train Staff instrument for the “long-section” to Fenny Compton when Burton Dassett box was switched out.
On the left of the instrument seen above was a large Webb & Thompson staff instrument for the short section to Burton Dassett when that box was switched in. So-called “two-column” instruments (allowing two columns of staffs to be stacked in the machine) were relatively rare in Britain, but several could be found on the SMJ’s lines.
The station closed in 1952, but heavy freight trains continued to run for several years. Latterly, the line was only open on one shift (afternoons) and eventually the decision was made to divert the traffic via Leamington Spa. The signal box survived though to 1966 when the line closed.
View track layout diagram for Kineton at 1930