Langley Mill Signal Box Track Diagram
I visited this box on 11 June 1966. I visited 3 boxes that day, see my "boxes visited" log.
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51602593738/in/album-...
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51603033999/in/album-...
Dates....
The opening date of the first box on this site is not known, but it was there 16 August 1877.
23 March 1902 - This replacement box was new for the track quadrupling.
27 November 1966 - All down sidings were removed, along with the slip connection between crossovers.
23 July 1967 - Facing connection added in Goods lines - as per photo of the final SBD. www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51974723721/in/album-...
The box closed on 11/12 October 1969 in stage 2A of the Trent resignalling see here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51760217501/in/album-...
The BR LMR Signalling Notice 2810 G has some omissions. Owen Llewellyn has produced a fact sheet which gives an overview of the various stage changes. It can be seen here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51760197211/in/album-...
A photo of an earlier track diagram dated 11 September 1951, from my collection of original Track Diagrams, can be seen here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52028576674/in/album-...
This diagram is most interesting as it contains a couple of unusual features – on Midland lines at least:
The Down Passenger advance starter (4) was motor operated, possibly due to distance from box, though this is questionable as the reason, as both Up distants appear even longer pulls, assuming the relative positions of signals was as drawn. Signal 4 is also automatically replaced, upon occupation of Track Circuit (TC) 1073.
Another (related) unusual feature is the electric lock on distant lever 1:
Whilst lever 1 would require levers 2, 3 & 4 reversed (as expected), the electric lock was provided on the distant, to further prove that 4 arm had actually moved to ‘off’. – However, what it couldn’t do was to replace the distant if 4 subsequently dropped ‘on’ after pulling off! (e.g. due to the motor or a T.C. failure).
With such an arrangement, it is usual policy to have an alarm bell sound to warn the signalman should this happen. However, even this wouldn’t help avoid giving a driver a nasty shock if the box was switched out.
Peter Churchman only knows of one remaining (but not for long?) example of this at Elmton & Creswell Junction, where the colour-light Up Intermediate Block home is protected by mechanical distant arms under both the Up Home and Starter.
There used to be a Beggarlee signal box between Langley Mill and Stoneyford Junction. There are some 1903 Board of Trade sketches for both Langley Mill and Beggarlee. Courtesy of The Midland Railway Study Centre Derby, they can be seen here:
1) www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51974995323/in/album-...
2) www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51975200684/in/album-...
3) www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51975478035/in/album-...
4) www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51974918316/in/album-...
Also from the MRSC there is a map extract which shows the Langley Mill area, including Beggarlee box www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51977722492/in/album-...
According to the Signalling Record Society, T.C.s 1072 & 1073 were commissioned in 1928.
John Gough records that Beggarlee box was abolished 22 April 1928, so doubtless these T.C. were provided in conjunction with that.
Looking at those earlier layouts, some further observations:
It is believed that, on closure of Beggarlee box in 1928, almost certainly the Ground Frame (8) was also added at Langley Mill to control the former Beggarlee 20 points. In which case it also seems probable that Langley Mill’s new 4 starter signal was a re-control of Beggarlee 3 signal. – So that could explain why it needed to be motor worked.
A two chain plan of Langley Mill and Eastwood Station can be seen here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51978730511/in/album-...
My external photo of the box is here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51975006209/in/album-...
Additional photos can be seen here:
1) www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51974799833/in/album-...
2) www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51975006109/in/album-...
3) www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51973716642/in/album-...
4) www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51973716657/in/album-...
5) www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51975283815/in/album-...
The Sectional Appendix pages are here
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51695016118/in/photos...
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51768709934/in/album-...
The quite accurate location of the box was 444963 (Easting) 347034 (Northing), seen here on the NLS maps maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=16&lat=53....
A more detailed 25 inch to the mile map is here maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=16&lat=53....
Langley Mill Signal Box Track Diagram
I visited this box on 11 June 1966. I visited 3 boxes that day, see my "boxes visited" log.
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51602593738/in/album-...
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51603033999/in/album-...
Dates....
The opening date of the first box on this site is not known, but it was there 16 August 1877.
23 March 1902 - This replacement box was new for the track quadrupling.
27 November 1966 - All down sidings were removed, along with the slip connection between crossovers.
23 July 1967 - Facing connection added in Goods lines - as per photo of the final SBD. www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51974723721/in/album-...
The box closed on 11/12 October 1969 in stage 2A of the Trent resignalling see here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51760217501/in/album-...
The BR LMR Signalling Notice 2810 G has some omissions. Owen Llewellyn has produced a fact sheet which gives an overview of the various stage changes. It can be seen here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51760197211/in/album-...
A photo of an earlier track diagram dated 11 September 1951, from my collection of original Track Diagrams, can be seen here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52028576674/in/album-...
This diagram is most interesting as it contains a couple of unusual features – on Midland lines at least:
The Down Passenger advance starter (4) was motor operated, possibly due to distance from box, though this is questionable as the reason, as both Up distants appear even longer pulls, assuming the relative positions of signals was as drawn. Signal 4 is also automatically replaced, upon occupation of Track Circuit (TC) 1073.
Another (related) unusual feature is the electric lock on distant lever 1:
Whilst lever 1 would require levers 2, 3 & 4 reversed (as expected), the electric lock was provided on the distant, to further prove that 4 arm had actually moved to ‘off’. – However, what it couldn’t do was to replace the distant if 4 subsequently dropped ‘on’ after pulling off! (e.g. due to the motor or a T.C. failure).
With such an arrangement, it is usual policy to have an alarm bell sound to warn the signalman should this happen. However, even this wouldn’t help avoid giving a driver a nasty shock if the box was switched out.
Peter Churchman only knows of one remaining (but not for long?) example of this at Elmton & Creswell Junction, where the colour-light Up Intermediate Block home is protected by mechanical distant arms under both the Up Home and Starter.
There used to be a Beggarlee signal box between Langley Mill and Stoneyford Junction. There are some 1903 Board of Trade sketches for both Langley Mill and Beggarlee. Courtesy of The Midland Railway Study Centre Derby, they can be seen here:
1) www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51974995323/in/album-...
2) www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51975200684/in/album-...
3) www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51975478035/in/album-...
4) www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51974918316/in/album-...
Also from the MRSC there is a map extract which shows the Langley Mill area, including Beggarlee box www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51977722492/in/album-...
According to the Signalling Record Society, T.C.s 1072 & 1073 were commissioned in 1928.
John Gough records that Beggarlee box was abolished 22 April 1928, so doubtless these T.C. were provided in conjunction with that.
Looking at those earlier layouts, some further observations:
It is believed that, on closure of Beggarlee box in 1928, almost certainly the Ground Frame (8) was also added at Langley Mill to control the former Beggarlee 20 points. In which case it also seems probable that Langley Mill’s new 4 starter signal was a re-control of Beggarlee 3 signal. – So that could explain why it needed to be motor worked.
A two chain plan of Langley Mill and Eastwood Station can be seen here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51978730511/in/album-...
My external photo of the box is here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51975006209/in/album-...
Additional photos can be seen here:
1) www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51974799833/in/album-...
2) www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51975006109/in/album-...
3) www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51973716642/in/album-...
4) www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51973716657/in/album-...
5) www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51975283815/in/album-...
The Sectional Appendix pages are here
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51695016118/in/photos...
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51768709934/in/album-...
The quite accurate location of the box was 444963 (Easting) 347034 (Northing), seen here on the NLS maps maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=16&lat=53....
A more detailed 25 inch to the mile map is here maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=16&lat=53....