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Branchline termini operated by token released GF

Home Signal The Blower British Signalling Branchline termini operated by token released GF

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  • #163710
    AvatarSilverGear
    Participant

      I was pandering around the signalling record society’s diagram database when I came across Highworth GF, a terminus operated by what I assume would be a token released ground frame: https://www.s-r-s.org.uk/html/gwb/S293.htm

      My question regards the two signals 7 and 2 and how pulling them over would work in terms of the token. Would they be “off” in the GF’s normal state, or would it require say the guard to go to the frame, insert the token or Annett’s Key and pull off 7 to permit the train’s entry? The latter would surely present an inconvenience where the guard would have to stay behind at the GF to return 2 to danger after the train has passed it, where it would wait for the guard to return the frame to normal and rejoin the train before they can continue on their merry way. Could anyone shed some light on this?

      #163711
      RailWestRailWest
      Participant

        Although the nameplate on the ‘signal box’ did read ‘Highworth Ground Frame’ (at least in BR days), as far as I have been able to determine it remained as a block-post for Electric Key Token working until closure of the line beyond Kingsdown Road Jcn in 1962. I have seen no evidence to suggest that the frame was ever locked by the token. There are many photographs showing trains arriving or departing with 7 or 2 ‘off’ as relevant, so I would suggest that there was probably a porter-signalman at the station to work the box as required.

        #163713
        The SignalmanThe Signalman
        Keymaster

          Probably the reason it said “Ground Frame” was because it was a Ground Frame until 1941. I don’t know too much about the line but I would guess it became a token station in connection with the opening of an intermediate signal box at Kingsdown Road with a branch to a wartime factory.

          Whether any changes to the signalling took place at Highworth took place at that date, I couldn’t say. Obviously nobody changed the nameplate.

          Both signal boxes survived as signal boxes until the line closed in 1962.

          John

          #163734
          AvatarSilverGear
          Participant

            Interesting. I had this idea where it would be some form of king lever allowing both 2 and 7 to be off, the kind lever being reversed as the GF’s “normal” state and allowing the token be released. Did anything similar exist around the country?

            #163736
            RailWestRailWest
            Participant

              There were certainly some termini where the SB was designed to be ‘switched out’ and then worked as OES, one example being Ventnor West. In that case one of the signals was worked by two different levers, one for use when the box was switched in and the other used to switch out – this simplified the arrangements for locking the opposing direction signals.

              #163755
              AvatarMike Hodgson
              Participant

                The link to the SRS diagram in the OP contains a link to the locking table, which doesn’t allow 2 and 7 both to be off, and none of that lever locking looks like a King.  If you were working it with a travelling signalman or train crew it couldn’t be EKT. This seems to corroborate comments that it was a block post as you needed somebody there to work the frame and the instrument.

                 

                The SRS page also gives a link to the diagram for Kingsdown Road as at 1942 with a link to a locking table where the opposing home signals are mutually exclusive but no mechanical locking is shown for any of the other levers.  However as that table is dated 1956, the obvious assumption would be that the wartime connection had gone by then and everything else was spare.  But why would this box have been retained as an intermediate block post until 1962?   Surely it would have been cheaper to abolish the box altogether than just to remove the redundant stuff?  Even if S&T availability was limited, all they had to do when removing the connection was take out ALL the locking, bolt the Homes in the off position and move the instrument to the next box?

                • This reply was modified 3 years, 10 months ago by Mike Hodgson.
                #163774
                Inspector BogginsInspector Boggins
                Senior Moderator

                  According to Pryer (vol. 25), on 19.10.58 control of the points at Kingsdown Road was transferred from the signal box to a 2 lever ground frame released by electric token, the down home (1) was renewed as a a single-arm straight post, 11 was renumbered 2, and levers 3 to 11 became spare. According to Cooke, the connection to the South Marston factory outlived the Kingsdown Road – Highworth section, closing in 1965.

                  • This reply was modified 3 years, 10 months ago by Inspector Boggins.
                  #163788
                  AvatarMike Hodgson
                  Participant

                    That makes more sense 🙂

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