Bewdley South signal box
A signal box at Bewdley, working to Bewdley North and Kidderminster. Bewdley South signal box has interesting arrangements in that it works to Bewdley North by Absolute Block on the main line (platforms 1 & 2), by direction levers under ETT Regulations on the Back Road (platform 3) with the Rock Siding and DownIn reference to the direction of travel means away from the major terminus (i.e. towards Bridgnorth on the present day SVR) Yard operated as through sidings. Operation to Kidderminster is via Acceptance Lever.
The box won a National Railway Heritage Award, the Westinghouse Signaling Award, in 2007. [1]
Diagram
Signalling diagram in Bewdley South. The circles on the diagram are track circuit indicators, which light in the presence of a train (or failure of a track circuit), the pilot light in bottom left being constantly lit to indicate that the power is on.
The office copy of the GWRGreat Western Railway/BRBritish Rail or British Railways-era diagram for Bewdley South. The diagram shows alterations to remove the signals and points for the Down Yard. The SVRSevern Valley Railway was given control of the yard before BRBritish Rail or British Railways ceased running services to Bewdley, and it is thought that the pointwork for the yard was never physically removed. Instead, it is theorised that the removal of these features of the diagram was done to indicate to signalmen that they were not to be used under any circumstances [2].
Labelled diagram of Block Shelf
The lever frame and block shelf at Bewdley South. The descriptions for the labelled items are as follows:
- A: Signal arm repeaters for Lever 0 (DownIn reference to the direction of travel means away from the major terminus (i.e. towards Bridgnorth on the present day SVR) Distant, top indicator) and Lever 1 (DownIn reference to the direction of travel means away from the major terminus (i.e. towards Bridgnorth on the present day SVR) Home, bottom indicator)
- B: Signal lamps repeater
- C: Possession key for Bewdley South-Kidderminster section, removed from the instrument to protect the line during engineering work, etc.
- D: Block bell from Kidderminster
- E: Block instrument to Bewdley North for UpIn reference to the direction of travel means towards the major terminus (i.e. towards Kidderminster on the present day SVR) and DownIn reference to the direction of travel means away from the major terminus (i.e. towards Bridgnorth on the present day SVR) main
- F: Block bell to Bewdley North for UpIn reference to the direction of travel means towards the major terminus (i.e. towards Kidderminster on the present day SVR) and DownIn reference to the direction of travel means away from the major terminus (i.e. towards Bridgnorth on the present day SVR) main
- G: Block instrument to Bewdley North for Back Road
- H: Block bell to Bewdley North for Back Road
- I: Track circuit indicator for "Tunnel Track" (extends between the distants at Bewdley South and Kidderminster, either side of Bewdley Tunnel)
- J: UpIn reference to the direction of travel means towards the major terminus (i.e. towards Kidderminster on the present day SVR) train accepted (by Kidderminster) indicator
- K: Lever 27 Free/Locked indicator (locks Lever 27 Reversed when Bewdley North clears the Backing Signal on the DownIn reference to the direction of travel means away from the major terminus (i.e. towards Bridgnorth on the present day SVR) Main)
- L: Signal 30 approach locking Free/Locked indicator
- M: Signal arm repeater for signal 30 (UpIn reference to the direction of travel means towards the major terminus (i.e. towards Kidderminster on the present day SVR) Starting)
- N: Signal arm repeater for signal 33 (UpIn reference to the direction of travel means towards the major terminus (i.e. towards Kidderminster on the present day SVR) Main Distant)
Levers and Lever Leads
The following photographs show the levers and lever leadsThe (usually brass) information panel on a point or signal lever informing the signalman which other levers need to be pulled to release that lever at Bewdley South.
List of levers
No. | Colour | Description | Lever Sequence |
---|---|---|---|
0 | Yellow | From Kidderminster Distant | 1 6 |
1 | Red | From Kidderminster Home | 23 22 13 12 or 22 13 12 or 17 16 15 12 |
2 | Red/Brown | Acceptance Lever From Kidderminster | |
3 | Red | From Hartlebury To DownIn reference to the direction of travel means away from the major terminus (i.e. towards Bridgnorth on the present day SVR) Main Home | 23 22 21 or 22 21 |
4 | Red | From Hartlebury To Back Platf'm Home | 17 16 15 12 10 |
5 | Red+White Band | From Hartlebury To DownIn reference to the direction of travel means away from the major terminus (i.e. towards Bridgnorth on the present day SVR) Main Inner Home | 22 21 |
6 | Red+White Band | From Kidderminster To DownIn reference to the direction of travel means away from the major terminus (i.e. towards Bridgnorth on the present day SVR) Main Inner Home | 22 13 12 |
7 | Red+White Band | From Kidderminster Or Hartlebury To Back Platf'm Inner Home | 17 16 15 12 11 |
8 | SPACE | ||
9 | Red | From Kidderminster To DownIn reference to the direction of travel means away from the major terminus (i.e. towards Bridgnorth on the present day SVR) Sidings Inner Home | 23 22 13 12 |
10 | Black | Facings Xover | 17 16 15 12 |
11 | Blue/Brown | Interl'k'g Lever With Bewdley North For Back Road | |
12 | Blue | F.P.LFacing Point Lock, equipment that physically locks points so that they cannot move..s For Nos. 10 & 13 | 23 22 13 or 22 13 or 17 16 15 |
13 | Black | From Kidderm'tr Facing / Main | |
14 | Red | Disc for No. 18 | 16 18 |
15 | Blue | F.P.LFacing Point Lock, equipment that physically locks points so that they cannot move. for No. 16 | 17 16 |
16 | Black | UpIn reference to the direction of travel means towards the major terminus (i.e. towards Kidderminster on the present day SVR) Main / Back Platf'm | |
17 | Blue | F.P.LFacing Point Lock, equipment that physically locks points so that they cannot move. for No. 18 | |
18 | Black | Back Platf'm / Rock Siding | |
19 | Red | Disc for No. 18 | 16 18 or 17 16 15 12 10 [PUT BACK 12 15 17] 18 |
20 | Red | From Hartlebury To DownIn reference to the direction of travel means away from the major terminus (i.e. towards Bridgnorth on the present day SVR) Sidings Inner Home | 23 22 21 |
21 | Black | Stourport Line Safety | |
22 | Blue | F.P.LFacing Point Lock, equipment that physically locks points so that they cannot move. for No. 23 | NIL or 23 |
23 | Black | DownIn reference to the direction of travel means away from the major terminus (i.e. towards Bridgnorth on the present day SVR) Main Facing / DownIn reference to the direction of travel means away from the major terminus (i.e. towards Bridgnorth on the present day SVR) Sidings | |
24 | Red | Disc for No. 13 | 13 |
25 | Red | Disc for No. 13 | 21 |
26 | Red | Disc for No. 23 | 13 23 24 or 21 23 25 |
27 | Blue/Brown | Interl'k'g Lever With Bewdley North For DownIn reference to the direction of travel means away from the major terminus (i.e. towards Bridgnorth on the present day SVR) Main (Backing) | |
28 | Red | Back Platf'm To Hartlebury Home | 17 16 15 12 10 PUT BACK 12 15 17 |
29 | Red | UpIn reference to the direction of travel means towards the major terminus (i.e. towards Kidderminster on the present day SVR) Main To Hartlebury Home | 17 16 15 12 10 PUT BACK 12 15 16 |
30 | Red+White Band | To Kidderm'tr Start'g | |
31 | Red | Back Platf'm To Kidderminster Home | 16 |
32 | Red | UpIn reference to the direction of travel means towards the major terminus (i.e. towards Kidderminster on the present day SVR) Main To KidderMinster Home | |
33 | Yellow | UpIn reference to the direction of travel means towards the major terminus (i.e. towards Kidderminster on the present day SVR) Main Distant | 32 30 |
History before preservation
Construction of the first two signal boxes at Bewdley was authorised by the GWRGreat Western Railway Board in October 1877 as part of the opening of the Kidderminster Loop line. They were the first 'proper' signal boxes on the Severn Valley Railway, all other boxes dating from after 1880[3]. There is uncertainty as to whether Bewdley North and Bewdley South are these original 1877/78 build boxes or later (19th century) replacements.
The lever frame in the Box dates from 1909 and has an early example of standard GWRGreat Western Railway three-bar vertical tappet interlocking. The interlocking has had minor alterations in preservation to suit preservation needs, but much is as it was prior to 1970.
Bewdley South signal box closed under BRBritish Rail or British Railways ownership on Saturday 3 January 1970. The Train Register recording the closure is on display in The Engine House at Highley.
Signalling controlled from the Box
Most of the signals at Bewdley South are of late GWRGreat Western Railway/BRBritish Rail or British Railways(W) steel tubular post and enamel arm design, however Signals 5, 6, 7, 9, 14 and 20 are mounted on two wooden post bracket signals and are of the earlier GWRGreat Western Railway 'wasp-tail' design. Many of the signals at Bewdley South are of pre-preservation vintage, because the layout has been so little altered. However, the large bracket outside of the signal box carrying signals 6, 7, 9 and 14 did not carry signal 14 or Bewdley North's DownIn reference to the direction of travel means away from the major terminus (i.e. towards Bridgnorth on the present day SVR) distant signals pre-preservation, and the opposite bracket carrying signals 5 and 20 did not carry a distant either, and it has been shortened somewhat to combat rot discovered in the lower end of the post. The wooden posts on the larger bracket were replaced in 2006.
Signals 0 and 33, the DownIn reference to the direction of travel means away from the major terminus (i.e. towards Bridgnorth on the present day SVR) and UpIn reference to the direction of travel means towards the major terminus (i.e. towards Kidderminster on the present day SVR) Distants respectively, are motor worked. Signal 33 is mounted beneath Bewdley North's Signal 3, and is electrically slotted.
References
- ↑ http://nrha.org.uk
- ↑ Severn Valley Signalmen Facebook group
- ↑ Marshall (1989), p128