Thoresby Signal Box Track Diagram
I first visited this box on 28 October 1966. I visited 9 boxes that day, see my "boxes visited" log.
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51601553327/in/album-...
A couple of things about my diagram. My rough, on-site drawing shows it as "Thoresby". I clearly copied this onto my "neater" drawing. The information I now have all points to it being actually "Thoresby Colliery". I don't know why I missed the Colliery bit out.
Also, on my rough on-site drawing I showed the Colliery Branch with a break, A-B. I've a feeling I did that because I was running out of space at the top of my paper, I don't think the actual box diagram was like that - does anyone remember the box diagram which was there in October 1966??
Box story:
xx-xx-1926 - Box opened, the Signalling Record Society say 1926, but Board of Trade inspection wasn't until 6 January 1928 so may have been later in 1927? Described as a GCR type 5 box built by LNER, GCR frame 5.5" front catch tappet frame.
xx-xx-1953 - The number of sidings increased from 2 to 4.
10 August 1978 - Layout redesigned for new bunker method of loading at colliery. The 1988 drawing is from 1978 though 8R may not have been present in 1978, see here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52516501296/in/album-...
A photo of the SBD inside the box in 1989 can be seen here www.flickr.com/photos/ingythewingy/8245729236/in/faves-13...
28 October 2003 - Last train from High Marnham, the last place east of Thoresby box handling any traffic. The line towards Ollerton and High Marnham was then mothballed.
1 August 2008 - The line eastwards re-opened as a Rail Innovation & Development Centre (RIDC) test track - method of operation One Train Working with Annett's Key as staff covering both tracks to Boughton Junction Ground Frame and single line beyond, all Up trains need to stop at the Ground Frame to operate it and access the single line.
10 July 2015 - Thoresby Colliery closed. I took a photo of the Headstock Wheel memorial in 2017, it is here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52516501041/in/album-...
17 September 2015 - Last train out of colliery - but 2 rakes of 20 empty HHA wagons remained stored on sidings 1 & 2.
From 17 September 2015 the box was designated "NNM" (Not Normally Manned) - to only be manned as required for RIDC traffic and, as it turned out to be, manned by anyone they could find who knew how to work it!
8 February 2018 - The 2 rakes of wagons removed, first rake to Woodhouse East Jn (for later onward movement), loco returned and second rake taken to Carlisle (20 x HHA, loco 66568, 4Z41, 15:13 Thoresby Colliery to Carlisle, departed 14:57).
24 March 2018 - Connections in Up & Down Main (10 & 13) were removed and plain lined, SBD photo here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52516500906/in/album-... which is not totally correct, there are other GF's at Tuxford West Jn.
3 April 2022 - Box closed - Semaphore signal arms were supposed to be removed but they weren't, nor were the semaphore arms removed at Clipstone West Jn which was supposed to be capable of being opened to work the Welbeck panel. In practice, though, the staff is retained at Welbeck Colliery Junction remote relay room. Possession of the Annett's Key OTW Staff (Now lettered "Welbeck Colliery Jn to High Marnham") is authority to pass Clipstone and Thoresby unworked semaphore arms. It is assumed the colour light signals at Welbeck Colliery Jn are worked from the NX Emergency Control Panel in the Welbeck relay room.
A 2003 drawing of the Welbeck Local Panel is here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52517817747/in/album-...
My external photo of the box is here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52516769334/in/album-...
A photo of the box interior can be seen here www.flickr.com/photos/94170195@N02/50918720097/
A photo of 2 Class 08s, taken by Syd Hancock in 1975, is here www.flickr.com/photos/sydhank/41128818240/in/faves-135689...
Some of my photos are here:
1) 56099 passes light in 1982 www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52516769514/in/album-...
2) 31203 propels loaded wagons from the Colliery in 1982 www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52516980965/in/album-...
3) 31203 propels wagons into the run-round in 1982 www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52516980875/in/album-...
4) DMU with the "Institution of Mining Engineers North Midland Railtour" from Derby in 1989 www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52516980690/in/album-...
5) On the day of High Marnham Power Station Open Day a top & tailed passenger train arrives from High Marnham before crossing over to return to Ollerton Station in 1991 www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52517049408/in/album-...
The Sectional Appendix page is here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51733231274/in/photos...
The quite accurate location of the box was 463645 (Easting) 366421 (Northing), seen here on the NLS maps maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=16.0&lat=5...
Thoresby Signal Box Track Diagram
I first visited this box on 28 October 1966. I visited 9 boxes that day, see my "boxes visited" log.
www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51601553327/in/album-...
A couple of things about my diagram. My rough, on-site drawing shows it as "Thoresby". I clearly copied this onto my "neater" drawing. The information I now have all points to it being actually "Thoresby Colliery". I don't know why I missed the Colliery bit out.
Also, on my rough on-site drawing I showed the Colliery Branch with a break, A-B. I've a feeling I did that because I was running out of space at the top of my paper, I don't think the actual box diagram was like that - does anyone remember the box diagram which was there in October 1966??
Box story:
xx-xx-1926 - Box opened, the Signalling Record Society say 1926, but Board of Trade inspection wasn't until 6 January 1928 so may have been later in 1927? Described as a GCR type 5 box built by LNER, GCR frame 5.5" front catch tappet frame.
xx-xx-1953 - The number of sidings increased from 2 to 4.
10 August 1978 - Layout redesigned for new bunker method of loading at colliery. The 1988 drawing is from 1978 though 8R may not have been present in 1978, see here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52516501296/in/album-...
A photo of the SBD inside the box in 1989 can be seen here www.flickr.com/photos/ingythewingy/8245729236/in/faves-13...
28 October 2003 - Last train from High Marnham, the last place east of Thoresby box handling any traffic. The line towards Ollerton and High Marnham was then mothballed.
1 August 2008 - The line eastwards re-opened as a Rail Innovation & Development Centre (RIDC) test track - method of operation One Train Working with Annett's Key as staff covering both tracks to Boughton Junction Ground Frame and single line beyond, all Up trains need to stop at the Ground Frame to operate it and access the single line.
10 July 2015 - Thoresby Colliery closed. I took a photo of the Headstock Wheel memorial in 2017, it is here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52516501041/in/album-...
17 September 2015 - Last train out of colliery - but 2 rakes of 20 empty HHA wagons remained stored on sidings 1 & 2.
From 17 September 2015 the box was designated "NNM" (Not Normally Manned) - to only be manned as required for RIDC traffic and, as it turned out to be, manned by anyone they could find who knew how to work it!
8 February 2018 - The 2 rakes of wagons removed, first rake to Woodhouse East Jn (for later onward movement), loco returned and second rake taken to Carlisle (20 x HHA, loco 66568, 4Z41, 15:13 Thoresby Colliery to Carlisle, departed 14:57).
24 March 2018 - Connections in Up & Down Main (10 & 13) were removed and plain lined, SBD photo here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52516500906/in/album-... which is not totally correct, there are other GF's at Tuxford West Jn.
3 April 2022 - Box closed - Semaphore signal arms were supposed to be removed but they weren't, nor were the semaphore arms removed at Clipstone West Jn which was supposed to be capable of being opened to work the Welbeck panel. In practice, though, the staff is retained at Welbeck Colliery Junction remote relay room. Possession of the Annett's Key OTW Staff (Now lettered "Welbeck Colliery Jn to High Marnham") is authority to pass Clipstone and Thoresby unworked semaphore arms. It is assumed the colour light signals at Welbeck Colliery Jn are worked from the NX Emergency Control Panel in the Welbeck relay room.
A 2003 drawing of the Welbeck Local Panel is here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52517817747/in/album-...
My external photo of the box is here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52516769334/in/album-...
A photo of the box interior can be seen here www.flickr.com/photos/94170195@N02/50918720097/
A photo of 2 Class 08s, taken by Syd Hancock in 1975, is here www.flickr.com/photos/sydhank/41128818240/in/faves-135689...
Some of my photos are here:
1) 56099 passes light in 1982 www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52516769514/in/album-...
2) 31203 propels loaded wagons from the Colliery in 1982 www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52516980965/in/album-...
3) 31203 propels wagons into the run-round in 1982 www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52516980875/in/album-...
4) DMU with the "Institution of Mining Engineers North Midland Railtour" from Derby in 1989 www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52516980690/in/album-...
5) On the day of High Marnham Power Station Open Day a top & tailed passenger train arrives from High Marnham before crossing over to return to Ollerton Station in 1991 www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/52517049408/in/album-...
The Sectional Appendix page is here www.flickr.com/photos/192151030@N08/51733231274/in/photos...
The quite accurate location of the box was 463645 (Easting) 366421 (Northing), seen here on the NLS maps maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=16.0&lat=5...