Crossover
At one time, mechanical signalboxes (just about all but the most basic block posts) had a trailing crossover, to facilitate planned and emergency wrong line running. In addition, many of them - like this box at Derwent Junction, Workington - were used for routine operations.
Although switched out for the back shift in its final decade of operation, this signalbox was busy on morning shifts with traffic into and out of the docks branch and the nearby West Cumberland siding. Up coal trains for the docks would back from the up to the down main over the crossover and also - as here - it was used for other docks traffic. In this case covhops containing Hydrated Calcium Sulphate or perlite (a volcanic glass similar to gypsum used in the plaster industry) are seen on the crossover under the control of 31446. This picture is dated June 1988, five months before the closure of the box.
Crossover
At one time, mechanical signalboxes (just about all but the most basic block posts) had a trailing crossover, to facilitate planned and emergency wrong line running. In addition, many of them - like this box at Derwent Junction, Workington - were used for routine operations.
Although switched out for the back shift in its final decade of operation, this signalbox was busy on morning shifts with traffic into and out of the docks branch and the nearby West Cumberland siding. Up coal trains for the docks would back from the up to the down main over the crossover and also - as here - it was used for other docks traffic. In this case covhops containing Hydrated Calcium Sulphate or perlite (a volcanic glass similar to gypsum used in the plaster industry) are seen on the crossover under the control of 31446. This picture is dated June 1988, five months before the closure of the box.