Harlescott Crossing 1
Box sign
Harlescott Crossing box is situated on the edge of Shrewsbury and in theory worked to Crewe Bank but this had effectively been switched out for the previous five years when this photo was taken thus it normally worked to Crewe Junction. In the opposite direction it worked to Wem. The box again is clearly of London North Western origin containing a 38 lever stirrup handle frame. It dates from 1882 but looks as if it has been extended at some stage in it's life.
Seen on Thursday 4th October 2012 in it's 130th year.
Over the weekend of Friday 11th October 2013 to Monday 14th October 2013 the boxes at Nantwich Station, Wrenbury, Prees, Wem, Harlescott Crossing and Crewe Bank between Crewe Gresty Lane and Shrewsbury Crewe Junction were abolished. Whitchurch box had been demolished some time previously although the signals were still extant but bagged over. Crewe Bank had not been rostered since August 2007.
The last train to be signalled under AB working was 6V71 the Carlisle – Margam limestone, the signaller at Crewe Junction knocked out at 23.13 with the possession granted at 23.58. Harlescott Crossing sent 7 5 5 at midnight for the final time and absolute block working formally came to an end at 00.20 on Saturday 12th October 2013 after something in the region of 130+ years.
The Crewe – Shrewsbury line was chosen as one of two test lines for the installation of “modular signalling” which as I understand it aims to significantly reduce the cost of re signalling. Cheap single head fibreglass post signals devoid of ladders allied to obstacle detection level crossings all controlled and monitored from a new IECC (integrated electronic control centre) or ROC (Route operating centre) seem to form the backbone of the system. The system clearly was not straight forward as the implementation of the scheme has been postponed several times and indeed when I took these photo’s in October 2012 the closure was expected two weeks later, in reality it was deferred by a further year.
Harlescott Crossing 1
Box sign
Harlescott Crossing box is situated on the edge of Shrewsbury and in theory worked to Crewe Bank but this had effectively been switched out for the previous five years when this photo was taken thus it normally worked to Crewe Junction. In the opposite direction it worked to Wem. The box again is clearly of London North Western origin containing a 38 lever stirrup handle frame. It dates from 1882 but looks as if it has been extended at some stage in it's life.
Seen on Thursday 4th October 2012 in it's 130th year.
Over the weekend of Friday 11th October 2013 to Monday 14th October 2013 the boxes at Nantwich Station, Wrenbury, Prees, Wem, Harlescott Crossing and Crewe Bank between Crewe Gresty Lane and Shrewsbury Crewe Junction were abolished. Whitchurch box had been demolished some time previously although the signals were still extant but bagged over. Crewe Bank had not been rostered since August 2007.
The last train to be signalled under AB working was 6V71 the Carlisle – Margam limestone, the signaller at Crewe Junction knocked out at 23.13 with the possession granted at 23.58. Harlescott Crossing sent 7 5 5 at midnight for the final time and absolute block working formally came to an end at 00.20 on Saturday 12th October 2013 after something in the region of 130+ years.
The Crewe – Shrewsbury line was chosen as one of two test lines for the installation of “modular signalling” which as I understand it aims to significantly reduce the cost of re signalling. Cheap single head fibreglass post signals devoid of ladders allied to obstacle detection level crossings all controlled and monitored from a new IECC (integrated electronic control centre) or ROC (Route operating centre) seem to form the backbone of the system. The system clearly was not straight forward as the implementation of the scheme has been postponed several times and indeed when I took these photo’s in October 2012 the closure was expected two weeks later, in reality it was deferred by a further year.