Mansfield Colliery Junction Signal Box Track Diagram
I first visited this box on 25 April 1966. I visited 4 boxes that day, see my "boxes visited" log.
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51602593738/in/album-...
Dates etc...
3 April 1871 - Line opened.
Very soon after the line was opened interest was shown by the Mansfield Standard Sand Co. In fact, in October 1877 the company placed a notice in the "Sheffield Independent" for contractors to tender for building sidings to a quarry.
The Company had at least three separately accessed intermediate sidings between Mansfield East Junction and Mansfield Colliery Junction.
The third (and only one I recall as ‘live’), was known as Berry Hill Sidings.
The points were operated by a single lever stage, which worked both the main line end, with MR economical FPL, and the trap end. To unlock it you lifted a cover at the top of the casing, inserted the single line tablet and then closed the cover (gravity fit). This, via tumbler interlocking, then released the lever.
There was no intermediate tablet instrument there, so although a short train could, theoretically be shut inside, this wasn’t operationally possible.
Two photos I took in 1978 can be seen here:
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52053973038/in/album-...
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52054428850/in/album-...
Also, there's a photo of a 2 lever ground frame which shows the top loading tablet www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52066128019/in/album-...
28 January 1906 (John Gough) or 9 March 1906 (other sources) - This box new, replaced a ground frame. This box was called Mansfield Colliery Sidings, frame 24 levers MR 6" Tumbler.
A sketch taken from a 1906 Board of Trade Inspection book, shows that 9 March 1906 was the date of inspection, so John Gough’s opening date of 28 January 1906 is probably correct.
The sketch also shows that this box replaced an existing ‘Stage’ (Ground Frame), which had been provided, together with that seen at the Rufford end prior to opening of the colliery www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52031649394/in/album-...
Another drawing of the 1906 layout is here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52031915865/in/album-...
9 April 1911 - New frame - unknown size/numbering.
27 January 1929 - New frames: Levers 1-5 = Turnover double wire levers at 4½“ centres, levers 6-35 = REC 4½“ Tappet.
A 13 minute YouTube video about the turnover double wire system can be seen here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpSiB65u_Bg
A longer video, on Facebook, shows at 17 mins 55 secs some of the operation www.facebook.com/watch/?v=144558264255011
7 April 1929 - Box renamed Mansfield Colliery Junction. See signalling notice starting here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51856464378/in/album-...
This confirms the box rename date from Sidings to Junction as 7 April 1929. However, it also shows that whilst the Main/No.1 Siding connection at the Rufford end was moved out to its later position with this scheme, at this time it was still operated by a Stage, also renewed (or moved?) as part of the work. So the double-wire levers were still not operational at this time, which appears to cast some doubt on the accuracy as to when the lever frame was replaced?
Unknown date, but probably after 1955 and before 1966 - Turnover levers abolished and removed.
16 June 1968 - Rufford Junction box closed - this box then worked to Rufford Colliery Sidings.
29 November 1981 - Rufford Colliery Sidings box closed, replaced by ground frame but key token working retained (No signalman instrument at GF).
14 or 15 October 1983 - Box & Line closed (assume last train 14th, 15th is with effect from date?).
There is a sketch taken from an official drawing dated 8 October 1948, which shows the original arrangement of 7/14 signals and Track Circuits here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52031649439/in/album-...
Track Circuits 1147, 1148 & 1149 were commissioned here in 1929, as were T.C.s 1153, 1154 & 1155 at Rufford Jct and T.C. 1176 at Farnsfield.
A drawing of the 1955 layout is here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52031649454/in/album-...
My diagram dated 17 Feb 1978 is here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52046871356/in/album-...
An April 1982 version of the diagram is here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52046870451/in/album-...
I have produced a mini-album which gives information about the single line working in the Mansfield area. This can be seen here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/albums/72177720298676265
My external photos of the box and immediate area are here:
1) www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52048978625/in/album-...
2) www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52030814918/in/album-...
This photo was taken from the Oak Tree Lane road overbridge. A view looking the other way, towards Mansfield South Junction, is here:
www.flickr.com/photos/auchlander/6436666333/in/photolist-...
3) 44004 "Great Gable" propelling its train into the sidings www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52048229835/in/album-...
Here are 2 photos which show signals 16, 34 and 35 as MR lower quadrants:
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52034435669/in/album-...
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52033145407/in/album-...
I don't know when the signals were changed to upper quadrants but it was before 28 February 1959 as I've seen a Jack Cupit photo taken on that day with upper quadrants visible.
More photos of the box and the area can be seen here
1) www.flickr.com/photos/sydhank/44830040314/in/photolist-2b...
2) www.flickr.com/photos/sydhank/45564099811/in/photolist-2c...
3) www.flickr.com/photos/47422047@N07/5018555362/in/photolis...
4) www.flickr.com/photos/davidwf2009/16815085708/in/photolis...
There are photos courtesy of the Peter Churchman Collection, part of the excellent "Tillyweb" website. tillyweb.biz/index.htm The photos can be seen here:
1) External - tillyweb.biz/pmc/mansfieldcollyjct1981pmc2.jpg
2) External - tillyweb.biz/pmc/mansfieldcollyjct1975pmc1.jpg
3) External - tillyweb.biz/pmc/mansfieldcollyjctview1975pmc1.jpg
4) Electric Key Token Machine - tillyweb.biz/pmc/mansfieldcollyjctekt1981pmc1.jpg
5) Lever Frame - tillyweb.biz/pmc/mansfieldcollyjctfram1981pmc1.jpg
My transcribed copy of the box Special Instructions is here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52031433688/in/album-...
The Sectional Appendix page is here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51720204287/in/datepo...
The quite accurate location of the box was 456511 (Easting) 359898 (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....
Mansfield Colliery Junction Signal Box Track Diagram
I first visited this box on 25 April 1966. I visited 4 boxes that day, see my "boxes visited" log.
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51602593738/in/album-...
Dates etc...
3 April 1871 - Line opened.
Very soon after the line was opened interest was shown by the Mansfield Standard Sand Co. In fact, in October 1877 the company placed a notice in the "Sheffield Independent" for contractors to tender for building sidings to a quarry.
The Company had at least three separately accessed intermediate sidings between Mansfield East Junction and Mansfield Colliery Junction.
The third (and only one I recall as ‘live’), was known as Berry Hill Sidings.
The points were operated by a single lever stage, which worked both the main line end, with MR economical FPL, and the trap end. To unlock it you lifted a cover at the top of the casing, inserted the single line tablet and then closed the cover (gravity fit). This, via tumbler interlocking, then released the lever.
There was no intermediate tablet instrument there, so although a short train could, theoretically be shut inside, this wasn’t operationally possible.
Two photos I took in 1978 can be seen here:
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52053973038/in/album-...
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52054428850/in/album-...
Also, there's a photo of a 2 lever ground frame which shows the top loading tablet www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52066128019/in/album-...
28 January 1906 (John Gough) or 9 March 1906 (other sources) - This box new, replaced a ground frame. This box was called Mansfield Colliery Sidings, frame 24 levers MR 6" Tumbler.
A sketch taken from a 1906 Board of Trade Inspection book, shows that 9 March 1906 was the date of inspection, so John Gough’s opening date of 28 January 1906 is probably correct.
The sketch also shows that this box replaced an existing ‘Stage’ (Ground Frame), which had been provided, together with that seen at the Rufford end prior to opening of the colliery www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52031649394/in/album-...
Another drawing of the 1906 layout is here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52031915865/in/album-...
9 April 1911 - New frame - unknown size/numbering.
27 January 1929 - New frames: Levers 1-5 = Turnover double wire levers at 4½“ centres, levers 6-35 = REC 4½“ Tappet.
A 13 minute YouTube video about the turnover double wire system can be seen here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpSiB65u_Bg
A longer video, on Facebook, shows at 17 mins 55 secs some of the operation www.facebook.com/watch/?v=144558264255011
7 April 1929 - Box renamed Mansfield Colliery Junction. See signalling notice starting here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51856464378/in/album-...
This confirms the box rename date from Sidings to Junction as 7 April 1929. However, it also shows that whilst the Main/No.1 Siding connection at the Rufford end was moved out to its later position with this scheme, at this time it was still operated by a Stage, also renewed (or moved?) as part of the work. So the double-wire levers were still not operational at this time, which appears to cast some doubt on the accuracy as to when the lever frame was replaced?
Unknown date, but probably after 1955 and before 1966 - Turnover levers abolished and removed.
16 June 1968 - Rufford Junction box closed - this box then worked to Rufford Colliery Sidings.
29 November 1981 - Rufford Colliery Sidings box closed, replaced by ground frame but key token working retained (No signalman instrument at GF).
14 or 15 October 1983 - Box & Line closed (assume last train 14th, 15th is with effect from date?).
There is a sketch taken from an official drawing dated 8 October 1948, which shows the original arrangement of 7/14 signals and Track Circuits here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52031649439/in/album-...
Track Circuits 1147, 1148 & 1149 were commissioned here in 1929, as were T.C.s 1153, 1154 & 1155 at Rufford Jct and T.C. 1176 at Farnsfield.
A drawing of the 1955 layout is here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52031649454/in/album-...
My diagram dated 17 Feb 1978 is here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52046871356/in/album-...
An April 1982 version of the diagram is here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52046870451/in/album-...
I have produced a mini-album which gives information about the single line working in the Mansfield area. This can be seen here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/albums/72177720298676265
My external photos of the box and immediate area are here:
1) www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52048978625/in/album-...
2) www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52030814918/in/album-...
This photo was taken from the Oak Tree Lane road overbridge. A view looking the other way, towards Mansfield South Junction, is here:
www.flickr.com/photos/auchlander/6436666333/in/photolist-...
3) 44004 "Great Gable" propelling its train into the sidings www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52048229835/in/album-...
Here are 2 photos which show signals 16, 34 and 35 as MR lower quadrants:
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52034435669/in/album-...
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52033145407/in/album-...
I don't know when the signals were changed to upper quadrants but it was before 28 February 1959 as I've seen a Jack Cupit photo taken on that day with upper quadrants visible.
More photos of the box and the area can be seen here
1) www.flickr.com/photos/sydhank/44830040314/in/photolist-2b...
2) www.flickr.com/photos/sydhank/45564099811/in/photolist-2c...
3) www.flickr.com/photos/47422047@N07/5018555362/in/photolis...
4) www.flickr.com/photos/davidwf2009/16815085708/in/photolis...
There are photos courtesy of the Peter Churchman Collection, part of the excellent "Tillyweb" website. tillyweb.biz/index.htm The photos can be seen here:
1) External - tillyweb.biz/pmc/mansfieldcollyjct1981pmc2.jpg
2) External - tillyweb.biz/pmc/mansfieldcollyjct1975pmc1.jpg
3) External - tillyweb.biz/pmc/mansfieldcollyjctview1975pmc1.jpg
4) Electric Key Token Machine - tillyweb.biz/pmc/mansfieldcollyjctekt1981pmc1.jpg
5) Lever Frame - tillyweb.biz/pmc/mansfieldcollyjctfram1981pmc1.jpg
My transcribed copy of the box Special Instructions is here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52031433688/in/album-...
The Sectional Appendix page is here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51720204287/in/datepo...
The quite accurate location of the box was 456511 (Easting) 359898 (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....