Pitlochry Signal Box Track Diagram
I visited this box on 28 July 1967. I visited 2 boxes that day, see my "boxes visited" log.
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51601553262/in/album-...
Dates etc
1882 - There was a North and South box here.
1911 - This new North box provided, it appears South box may have been retained with ground frame status to work south end loop points.
This new box had a M&H 4" frame.
1919 - South box closed - points worked from North - this is odd because distances on my drawing suggest loop points to be nearly 300 yards from box, but B-o-T didn't change rodded point working permitted distance from 250 yards to 350 yards until 1925, maybe loop later extended south?
North dropped from the box name.
11 May 1969 - Tokenless Block working both from Ballinluig and to Blair Atholl introduced (it would have been Key Token or possibly Tablet at the time of my visit).
One advantage of Tokenless Block (besides not having to exchange tokens) is that you can switch out passing loops by providing bidirectional signalling on one side, this was not done at Pitlochry presumably because the occupation level crossing was still in use?
Also, the Shunting Keys provided with Tokenless Block to permit shunting onto the single lines either side would normally be attached to a lever, but Pitlochry didn't have 2 spares so they were put in 2 electric controllers on the block shelf.
22 March 2019 - Box closed.
26 March 2019 - New colour light signalling commissioned, worked from a Workstation in Stanley Junction box. This means that Dunkeld manual box and its loop stand between Stanley Junction's local control area and its workstation area, meaning Dunkeld works Tokenless Block from Stanley Junction from the south and TCB to Stanley Junction to the north. The section from Pitlochry to Blair Atholl is TCB too.
Pitlochry box is listed, but I'm not sure to what extent the condition of the box will be maintained.
Two years ago there was, on the Facebook Group "Signalboxes and Signalling", a post which showed a photo of the Track Diagram and the comment "Rule 55, on my way to Inverness." This prompted me to add my 1967 diagram to the post, for interest. I then, though, looked at my diagram in more detail and wrote "I've not looked at my 1967 Pitlochry box diagram for some time. I notice that there are 4 shunt discs which have no levers in the box. Any idea how these would be worked? Were they worked locally under instruction from the signalman? Would there be any detectors to confirm point position? Any thoughts would be appreciated."
This prompted Owen to get in touch with me and, following that, I added more text to the post "Think I might have the answer to the ground signals with no associated box lever. I’ve consulted a friend and, first of all, my drawing could have been a bit better i.e. the crossover actually went through the level crossing (my rough on-site drawing shows that but when I drew it up I must have changed it (NOTE JULY 2022, this error has now been corrected) Also my distance scale between the signals associated with points 12 and 13 is a bit inaccurate, as can be seen from the photo in the RAILSCOT link below. www.railscot.co.uk/locations/P/Pitlochry/1.html#pagination
The signals are actually point discs. That's why in the RAILSCOT photo they are different shape and have no signal wire just rodding. I think the method was that when off it just proved your trap point was set for you, you then had to wait for the nod (flag) from the signalman before actually moving your train.
The Goods Yard was removed first so they changed up side exit points indicators to discs, 14 through 18, 13 through 17, with set back from main 20 (previously a space) 12 became spare. Distants became colour lights, then 7 motor points, 6 spare and removed from locking. 18 became both ends with 19 still needed for interlocking. Points 15 motored but 16 still needed for interlocking. There we have the potted history of Pitlochry since my visit in 1967 except that now the box is closed and the loop is worked from a workstation in Stanley Junction box."
My external photo of the box is here
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52193816170/in/album-...
Another external photo of the box, taken in 2018, can be seen here:
www.flickr.com/photos/96915808@N03/40083211163
An Interior photo of the frame (date unknown) is here www.flickr.com/photos/127340508@N05/51308591675/in/photol...
An additional link about this box can be seen here (Scroll through to find the relevant part for Pitlochry):
www.branchline.uk/fixture-report.php?id=1329
The Sectional Appendix pages are here
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51828299646/in/photos...
The quite accurate location of the box was 293746 (Easting) 758130 (Northing), seen here on the NLS maps maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=14&lat=56....
A more detailed 25 inch to the mile map is here maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=14&lat=56....
Pitlochry Signal Box Track Diagram
I visited this box on 28 July 1967. I visited 2 boxes that day, see my "boxes visited" log.
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51601553262/in/album-...
Dates etc
1882 - There was a North and South box here.
1911 - This new North box provided, it appears South box may have been retained with ground frame status to work south end loop points.
This new box had a M&H 4" frame.
1919 - South box closed - points worked from North - this is odd because distances on my drawing suggest loop points to be nearly 300 yards from box, but B-o-T didn't change rodded point working permitted distance from 250 yards to 350 yards until 1925, maybe loop later extended south?
North dropped from the box name.
11 May 1969 - Tokenless Block working both from Ballinluig and to Blair Atholl introduced (it would have been Key Token or possibly Tablet at the time of my visit).
One advantage of Tokenless Block (besides not having to exchange tokens) is that you can switch out passing loops by providing bidirectional signalling on one side, this was not done at Pitlochry presumably because the occupation level crossing was still in use?
Also, the Shunting Keys provided with Tokenless Block to permit shunting onto the single lines either side would normally be attached to a lever, but Pitlochry didn't have 2 spares so they were put in 2 electric controllers on the block shelf.
22 March 2019 - Box closed.
26 March 2019 - New colour light signalling commissioned, worked from a Workstation in Stanley Junction box. This means that Dunkeld manual box and its loop stand between Stanley Junction's local control area and its workstation area, meaning Dunkeld works Tokenless Block from Stanley Junction from the south and TCB to Stanley Junction to the north. The section from Pitlochry to Blair Atholl is TCB too.
Pitlochry box is listed, but I'm not sure to what extent the condition of the box will be maintained.
Two years ago there was, on the Facebook Group "Signalboxes and Signalling", a post which showed a photo of the Track Diagram and the comment "Rule 55, on my way to Inverness." This prompted me to add my 1967 diagram to the post, for interest. I then, though, looked at my diagram in more detail and wrote "I've not looked at my 1967 Pitlochry box diagram for some time. I notice that there are 4 shunt discs which have no levers in the box. Any idea how these would be worked? Were they worked locally under instruction from the signalman? Would there be any detectors to confirm point position? Any thoughts would be appreciated."
This prompted Owen to get in touch with me and, following that, I added more text to the post "Think I might have the answer to the ground signals with no associated box lever. I’ve consulted a friend and, first of all, my drawing could have been a bit better i.e. the crossover actually went through the level crossing (my rough on-site drawing shows that but when I drew it up I must have changed it (NOTE JULY 2022, this error has now been corrected) Also my distance scale between the signals associated with points 12 and 13 is a bit inaccurate, as can be seen from the photo in the RAILSCOT link below. www.railscot.co.uk/locations/P/Pitlochry/1.html#pagination
The signals are actually point discs. That's why in the RAILSCOT photo they are different shape and have no signal wire just rodding. I think the method was that when off it just proved your trap point was set for you, you then had to wait for the nod (flag) from the signalman before actually moving your train.
The Goods Yard was removed first so they changed up side exit points indicators to discs, 14 through 18, 13 through 17, with set back from main 20 (previously a space) 12 became spare. Distants became colour lights, then 7 motor points, 6 spare and removed from locking. 18 became both ends with 19 still needed for interlocking. Points 15 motored but 16 still needed for interlocking. There we have the potted history of Pitlochry since my visit in 1967 except that now the box is closed and the loop is worked from a workstation in Stanley Junction box."
My external photo of the box is here
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52193816170/in/album-...
Another external photo of the box, taken in 2018, can be seen here:
www.flickr.com/photos/96915808@N03/40083211163
An Interior photo of the frame (date unknown) is here www.flickr.com/photos/127340508@N05/51308591675/in/photol...
An additional link about this box can be seen here (Scroll through to find the relevant part for Pitlochry):
www.branchline.uk/fixture-report.php?id=1329
The Sectional Appendix pages are here
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51828299646/in/photos...
The quite accurate location of the box was 293746 (Easting) 758130 (Northing), seen here on the NLS maps maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=14&lat=56....
A more detailed 25 inch to the mile map is here maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=14&lat=56....