signalling over wales

THIS NEW PAGE , BY ALAN , EXTENDS THE BOUNDARIES
OF HIS PREVIOUS PAGE "SIGNALLING AROUND THE JUNCTION"
TO INCLUDE SIGNALLING DETAILS OVER THE WELSH RAIL NETWORK.

CONTRIBUTIONS COVERING SIGNALLING IN WALES WOULD BE WELCOMED
BY ALAN SO PLEASE SEND IN ANY DETAIL TO:

The box was open in 1903 in conjunction with the expanded layout following the widening of the line between Mostyn and Prestatyn. The box also controlled connections to the Point of Ayr Colliery which closed down in August 1993. Today the connections from the main line to the former colliery still remain but all out of use. The crossover between the main lines is still in use for Single Line Working. Following the closure of the colliery the box opens on early and late turns to split the block section between Prestatyn and Holywell Junction (Mostyn only opens as required following the end of the steel traffic into the docks in October.)

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Trains entered the siding from a connection off the Down Slow controlled by a 3 lever ground frame.
The ground frame was released from Mochdre & Pabo signalbox but when the box was switched out
of circuit the release was transferred to Colwyn Bay No2 box.

From dates I have it shows the siding there between 1941 till approx 1963-4 when it was lifted, having
previously closed to rail traffic few years before.

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Below is a selection of Cambrian signal boxes.

Most of the remaining boxes on the Cambrian went in 1988 when RETB was introduced from Machynlleth box. In 2009 the remaining signalling on the Cambrian will disappear when ERTMS takes over on the Cambrian. There are 3 manned crossings with signals left on the Cambrian line ; Merllyn Crossing near Criccieth, Caersws (controlled from the former box) and further along from Caersws station, Llanidloes Road Crossing where the A470 road crosses the line. All these are due to go towards the end of this year.

(1) Barmouth
(2) Caersws
(3) Dovey
(4) Machynlleth
(5) Newtown
(6) Talerddig
(7) Towyn
(8) Welshpool
(9) Westbury

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A photo is reproduced below showing the bell outside the signalbox at Deganwy. As far as I know this is the only box that still has a bell outside. In the old days when the box had gates the bell at this box was to warn road traffic that the gates were about to be closed for an approaching train. Later it was also used to aware the platform staff that a train had just left Llandudno Junction so the staff could cross over and meet up
with the down train.

deganwysblargebellcomp2.jpg (54453 bytes)

CLICK THUMBNAIL

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Photo below shows Connah's Quay box after the fire on 13th August 1980. It officially closed on the 24th August 1980 and finally demolished on the 10th January 1983.

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Colwyn Bay Down home signals taken in 1979. The main arm read along the down main (lever 34) and the left arm read for movements from the down main to the down loop (Platform 4) (lever 31). Originally the signals used to be Colwyn Bay No1 down homes with distant signals for Colwyn Bay No2 located beneath. The same signals became Down Main Home 1 signals for the new signalbox that opened on the 15th September 1968. The signal reading to the down loop was taken out when the down loop line was taken out on the 14th September 1980. The remaining signal arm lasted until 17th May 1981 when all the semaphore signals on the down main were converted over to colour lights.

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Below is a photo received by Mike Lane of a L&NWR (TRS), Train Ready to Start indicator, which came from Llandudno Junction No2 box.

A Train Ready to Start indicator was operated by the platform staff to indicate to the Signalman when the train was ready to start so that signals could be cleared at the end of the platform. Normal practice was any through trains not stopping on the down the signalman would clear all his signals for the train. Any stopping trains would come to a stand in the platform and the signalman would only clear signals for the departing train to leave only upon the receipt of the platform staff operating usually a plunger working a lit up indicator in the box.

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Llysfaen in 1973. At this time Raynes Sidings were not in frequent use but the sidings at Kneeshaw Lupton Quarry (later known as Powell Duffryn) had a shunt daily into the sidings conveying limestone mainly to Hawarden Bridge serving the steelworks at Shotton. This was only to last till 1975 when the sidings fell into disuse and connections and associated signalling abolished in 1976.

Wright's Siding was located west of Penmaenmawr and had a standard gauge siding serving an exchange wharf with a narrow gauge with the quarry. The ground frame was abolished in 1952.

Below is a signalling plan of Tal-y-Cafn in 1980.

The signalling was abolished in 1993 following an incident when a passenger train ploughed through the gates. New gates were ordered and signals were taken out of use including the ground frame on the platform. The crossing was only equipped with distant signals each way as the red targets on the gates acted as stop signals. Up to 1966 there was a crossing loop here and was fully signalled each way including 2 ground frames containing 2 levers each controlling access to the goods yard on the Llanrwst side of the crossing.

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ROCKCLIFFE HALL

The box here was opened on the 20th December 1953 in conjunction with the construction of the new Central Electricity Authority power station at Connah's Quay. It was a BR Type 14 brick built box similar to the signalbox at Penmaenmawr and controlled access off the main line to new sidings for the power station. It had a LMR Standard lever frame of 30 levers. The power station closed down in 1984 and the sidings taken up shortly afterwards but the box lingered on afterwards for another 11 years as a block post between Holywell Junction and Sandycroft.

The construction of the new A548 road across the River Dee in 1994 spanned the main lines across the site of the box which resulted in the box being relocated a few yards nearer to Chester. The new box opened on the 26th February 1995 and consisted of a control panel in a portakabin structure. The new gas fired power station nearby has no sidings connected to the rail network. Following the closure of Mold Junction and Sandycroft boxes on the 24th January 2005 the box at Rockcliffe Hall became a fringe to Chester Power box.

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Below is a photo of the Trawsfynydd One Train Working Train Staff. This was made of metal and enabled one train at a time between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Trawsfynydd. The Staff had the label Blaenau Ffestiniog - CEGB Siding on it. The Staff was always kept in Llanrwst box and was handed over to the train crew when required to travel over the section of line additionally to the normal Llanrwst - Blaenau Ffestiniog staff/token. The keys attached to the Staff were for the level crossing gates at Cwmbowydd - the first crossing leaving Blaenau Ffestiniog to Trawsfynydd.

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Hello Alan, I enclose a photo of two black fives (44714 & 45195) entering Rhyl station on August 29th 1953
taken by R.J. Blenkinsop, my question is "what was the purpose of the bell on the side of Rhyl's
No.2 box ? Was it something to do with the loco shed or some sort of communication
with station staff?"

Hi John,
This bell was used for the purpose of shunting across the way at the former goods yard (now occupied mostly where Morrisons stands). The bell was rung to tell the loco crew/shunting staff to clear the pointwork to enable other moves to take place. A note of interest in the photograph is the "tail lamp observation lookout" sticking out at the Abergele end of the box. This was for the benefit of the signalman due to the station canopy built all the way along the up platform towards the signalbox obscuring the view from the box to observe tail lamp of up trains into the up platform or moving along the up fast towards Rhyl No1 box. The canopy was shortened in the late 1960's but the tail lamp observation lookout remained attached to the box until September 1978 when it was declared unsafe and no further use for it.

Outside bells on signal boxes were quite common for LNW signal boxes. One such bell still hangs on its bracket at Deganwy, although not used nowadays. Here, it was used for the level crossing gates, and was rung by the signalman to warn motorist and users that the gates required to be shut and a train was due.

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Below is a photograph of the down starting signal for Llandudno Junction and the down distant for Deganwy (semaphore). The signal has a bit of history to it :-

Originally the signal was Llandudno Junction Crossing's down starting with Deganwy No1 distant beneath. With the closure of Deganwy No1 box on the 28th May 1967 the distant signal became Deganwy No2 down distant signal. With the distance of 1,220yds from the home and a distance of nearly one mile from the box the signal was never used and was kept at caution at all times. Further alterations took place from the 8th June 1969 when Llandudno Junction Crossing box closed and the down starting abolished. The distant signal for Deganwy was moved to the top of the post. The former down home for Llandudno Junction Crossing slotted with Llandudno Junction (No2) and located near the box became the starting signal for the box.

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Below is a 1964 interior view of Colwyn Bay No2 signalbox. This box together with No1 box was closed on the 15th September 1968 and replaced by a new box.

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Below are internal and external views of Rhyl signalbox taken in August 2007 following its refurbishment.
This box together with the former No2 box located at the Abergele end of the station
are both Grade 2 listed status.

The former No2 box closed on the 25th March 1990 with new signalling controlled from No1 box
which was renamed RHYL.

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