Andrea 5 Posted July 10, 2013 Report Share Posted July 10, 2013 On 19th July Trent PSB is due to signal its final trains prior to the Nottingham Blockade. This sees the final closure of the powerbox located in Long Eaton that has signalled Nottingham since 1969 when all the mechanical boxes went. Also going are Netherfield Junction, Rectory Junction and Sneinton Crossing boxes. The new signalling will be controlled from the EMCC in Derby! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BulwellBrian 107 Posted July 10, 2013 Report Share Posted July 10, 2013 Its all part of the concentration of signalling to just 12 centres in the whole of GB. I remember when Trent PB was built. Nottingham Midland had a signal box in the middle of each of the Island platforms as well as a big ones at each end. There were more controling junctions and sidings nearby. Progress. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted July 10, 2013 Report Share Posted July 10, 2013 Are the railway preservationists showing interest in the signal boxes at Sneinton Junction(ex Midland Railway) & Rectory Junction(ex Great northern Railway) Rectory Junction is a large box & originally had a 84 lever frame Netherfield Junction is a modern(ish) box built in the early 60s it replaced the ex G.N.R. box that was on the platform of Netherfield station. Netherfield Junction & Rectory Junction are the last two boxes of seven that controlled the ex G.N.R. lines in the Colwick area. Now back to Trent I can remember when there were seven boxes in the area of Trent station alone. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted July 10, 2013 Report Share Posted July 10, 2013 Question : What is happening to the other signal boxes on the Grantham & Newark/Lincoln branches? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StephenFord 866 Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 Now back to Trent I can remember when there were seven boxes in the area of Trent station alone. Interesting one - what were they? I can recall most and guess up to six. I have the two at the station itself (were these Trent Station North Junction and Trent Station South?), Trent Junction, Sheet Stores Junction, Meadow Lane, Erewash North. Put me out of my misery - is this right, and what is the seventh? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 Long Eaton Junction? Small box that connected the direct Sheffield route to the Nottingham line What about Sawley Junction ? So were there eight or have I got the name of Long Eaton Junction box wrong. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 Just a thought would you count Atttenborough Junction as a Trent area box.? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 Are you including the box that was at the end of Roosevelt Ave/Tamworth Road right next to the bridges? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 I googled it and guess what the top result was? SAWLEY JUNCTION STATION for Long Eaton & SIGNAL BOX APRIL 1952 ... nottstalgia.com Signalbox Sawley Jct. - RCTS Mystery Photographswww.rcts.org.uk Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 This box worked the loop that enabled trains from Derby to call at Trent & then go on in the Leicester direction. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrea 5 Posted July 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 Question : What is happening to the other signal boxes on the Grantham & Newark/Lincoln branches? They are all being closed over the next two or three years and the signalling will be renewed and controlled from the EMCC. Not certain exactly about the boundaries but I suspect everything from the east coast mainline eastwards will go into the Control Centre being built in York. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StephenFord 866 Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 Long Eaton Junction? Small box that connected the direct Sheffield route to the Nottingham line What about Sawley Junction ? So were there eight or have I got the name of Long Eaton Junction box wrong. I deliberately omitted Sawley Junction, as I assumed this was outside your original terms of reference (i.e. the immediate area of Trent station). Yes, I'm pretty sure it was Long Eaton Junction, and in fact it is the box I had named as Meadow Lane (it was right alongside Meadow Lane level crossing) - so we are back to seven. But if you include Sawley Junction, maybe Long Eaton Station box (at the Station Road level crossing) should be in there too - and maybe Lock Lane. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrea 5 Posted July 19, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2013 Last day today. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted July 19, 2013 Report Share Posted July 19, 2013 I thought it was tomorrow the 20th ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisB 150 Posted July 19, 2013 Report Share Posted July 19, 2013 I thought it was tomorrow the 20th ? No, the blockade starts tomorrow so the last trains are tonight. Mick's photo is interesting because if you look closely (I've got a Wilko's 50p magnifying glass!) the junction and the curve off to the left have been removed. Also the signal on the left hand arm of the post has been removed so the remaining signals are right hand two for Loughborough and the middle signal indicating the curve round to Trent Box which is still in use today. So the picture was taken after Sawley Junction was abolished. Whenever I pass by on a train now, it's amazing to think there used to be a double track railway line on an embankment where Fields Farm Road now is! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,467 Posted July 19, 2013 Report Share Posted July 19, 2013 Mick's photo is interesting because if you look closely (I've got a Wilko's 50p magnifying glass!) the junction and the curve off to the left have been removed. To complete the before-and-after sequence, take a look at this (and then the other thumbnails on the same page) http://www.rcts.org.uk/features/mysteryphotos/show.htm?location=Sawley%20Junc.&img=67-135-34A Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted July 19, 2013 Report Share Posted July 19, 2013 Is this a better picture? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StephenFord 866 Posted July 19, 2013 Report Share Posted July 19, 2013 Interesting sequence of pictures, raising the question "what exactly was it doing, making a reversal at Sawley Junction?" My own theory (irrespective of the Derby destination on the blind) is that it was travelling from Derby to Nottingham. (B1 was the usual route description for Derby - Nottingham - Lincoln and vice versa from dieselisation in March 1958). This suggests it was diverted (probably a Sunday) because of track work somewhere between Derby and Sawley Junction. So the train would have travelled from Derby via Castle Donington and Sheet Stores Junction to Trent, then round the north curve to call at Sawley Junction, and after reversal set off for Nottingham by the normal route. In other words, the reversal was purely to serve the stop at Sawley Junction. This would have added about 15 minutes to the Derby - Nottingham journey time (6 minutes round the north curve - 20mph maximum IIRC; 5 minutes faffing about clipping the points, and 4 minutes back to Trent via Sheet Stores Junction). From my recollection, the more usual arrangement was to provide a connecting Trent bus (Trent was partly owned by the railway - but it rankled with Bartons who were the local operator) from Sawley Junction to Trent. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kendaldrac 40 Posted July 20, 2013 Report Share Posted July 20, 2013 Just thought i share this post from a website i found reflecting the massive amounts of closures that are happening in one small section of the rail network. Signalbox Closure Dates - signalbox & station signalboxes.com/signalbox-closure-dates.php‎ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kendaldrac 40 Posted July 20, 2013 Report Share Posted July 20, 2013 Talking to my father as we resided in Long Eaton for quite some time the signal boxes we came up with are: 1: Trent Station North 2. Trent Station South 3. Sawley 4. Sheet Stores Junction 5. Sawley Junction 6. Long Eaton Town 7. North Erewash Junction 8. Lock Lane Crossing 9. Long Eaton Junction 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted July 20, 2013 Report Share Posted July 20, 2013 What about "Trent Junction"? That is where the lines to Derby & Nottingham divided. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BulwellBrian 107 Posted July 20, 2013 Report Share Posted July 20, 2013 Could the train in post 17 just be a test train from Derby & back? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StephenFord 866 Posted July 20, 2013 Report Share Posted July 20, 2013 Could the train in post 17 just be a test train from Derby & back? It's possible, but then it would make more sense for it to have been returning via the north curve, so that it was facing the right way at Trent to head back over the Castle Donington/Stenson Junction route. By taking the Sheet Stores curve (as indicated by the splitting signal) it would have to reverse again at Trent station. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted July 21, 2013 Report Share Posted July 21, 2013 Will this help? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tim in the North East 200 Posted September 6, 2013 Report Share Posted September 6, 2013 And none of the Nottingham area signalboxes have been listed - see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23451290 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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