Stations with "Train Approaching" bells (Trivia)

[GordonT]

Are there still many examples of stations where staff are alerted by a bell to the fact that a train is approaching?
Specific examples and reasons for retention of the feature are welcome.

 

[172007]

Worcester Foregate Street.

 

[mrcheek]

Weston-super-Mare certainly used to. Like a single ring on an old telephone. But I dont recall hearing it lately

 

[contrex]

In the 1960s, maybe later, Streatham Common used to have a big electric bell mounted on the bridge carrying Greyhound Lane over the tracks at the Down end that rang if an Up Slow train was imminent. It rang until the train arrived.

 

[Iron_Duke]

Worcester Foregate Street.

Quite correct. The bell is between Henwick SB and the station. The Signaller rings through a specific code to tell the station staff the direction and platform of the next train (ie Up train, Platform 1 - 2 bells). The platform staff use it to tell the signalbox when a train is ready to depart. For Down services this lets the Signaller know to lower the barriers at Henwick MCB. For Up trains (I think) it only tells Henwick but the signals are controlled by Tunnel Junction/Shrub Hill.

The bell operation is by a simple plunger type. You can still see some redundant ones at Shrub Hill if you know where to look that would have communicated with the Station/Junction boxes.

 

[Johnnie2Sheds]

Loughborough had one operated by the signalman. One ring for P1, two for P2. Platform 3 didn't yet exist. Needless to say it was silenced with the removal of the box.

 

[sharpley]

Melton Mowbray station had bells, although I haven't heard them recently so no idea when they were discontinued. The area is still controlled by Melton signal box with a mix of semaphore and light signals.

 

[Gloster]

There used to be one at Bodmin Road operated by Largin. I can’t remember the codes, but there was one for a Down passing Largin and another for an Up when you got Train on Line from Lostwithiel. They were not happy if you forgot.

 

[QueensCurve]

I think Carnforth may have had one in the past. I seem to recall hearing in in Brief Encounter.

 

[webbfan]

Nuneaton had one but never managed to work out what information it was passing.
I've got one on my hall floor, haven't decided whare to fix it yet, it is raher loud and the dogs may find it disturbing.

 

[marshlinker]

Fratton, Platform 1 because Fratton Bridge restricts visability.

 

[Acathater]

Is there still one at Yeovil Junction? It used to ring when up trains entered the section, presumably at Chard Junction

 

[Sun Chariot]

Doea Exeter St David's still have them in use for the south end's barrow crossing? It was a feature of Young Chariot's 1980s train-watching summer holidays.

 

[sh24]

Doea Exeter St David's still have them in use for the south end's barrow crossing? It was a feature of Young Chariot's 1980s train-watching summer holidays.

i have similar memories, and sadly no.

Standing on Par station without the signal box bells just sounds wrong too.

 

[takno]

Nuneaton had one but never managed to work out what information it was passing.
I've got one on my hall floor, haven't decided whare to fix it yet, it is raher loud and the dogs may find it disturbing.

Quite sensible of the dogs. I'd be alarmed too if a bell went off to indicate that a train was arriving inside a house

 

[SECR 65]

Sheffield Park on the Bluebell Railway, operated by the signalman: 3 for train entering section, 1 for train approaching plat 1, 2 for train approaching plat 2, 6 for attend at signalbox. 'Reason' I suppose is a) heritage feature and b) to alert staff to the arriving train. E.g. as station staff we would make a "please stand back from the edge...." announcement. There is also a small bell that triggers in the signalbox when a train arrives on SP track circuits - as station staff that's our cue to head over the footbridge if it's a platform 2 train.

Horsted Keynes, also operated by the signalman, not 'my' station so slightly less clued up. 3-1 for up train entering section, 1-3 for down train entering section, 1 for train approaching plat 1 (I've never yet heard this - plat 1 has only just been revived), 2 for train approaching plat 2, 3 for train approaching plat 3, 4 for train approaching plats 4/5 (double sided platform - line is known as 4 road). I don't know what train entering section from Ardingly is?...........

Kingscote is the same, 1-3 or 3-1 for up or down trains entering section, 1 or 2 for train approaching. For me on a personal level this is my cue to start my camera recording!

At East Grinstead they have a bell which tells them a train has departed Kingscote. I don't know anything else because I very rarely spend time there.

 

[Parallel]

There used to be one at Bath Spa on the platform 2 side, but I’m not sure of was for approaching trains. I haven’t heard it recently.

 

[Geep]

Derby had this prior to resignalling in 1969. There was a plunger in Station 'A' box beneath the diagram, for the signalman to sound a single-stroke bell throughout the station, once an incoming train was signalled. The number of presses indicated the platform. Even occurred for platform 6, which wasn't signalled by 'A' box, in this case done on receipt from a phone call from Station North box.

Apparently this was done even in the old Midland Railway manual box, far pre-dating the new 'A' box from 1952. Incidentally, working in that old box could be somewhat fraught on days without good visibility, as there were no track circuits at all, and shunters had (bad) habits of leaving the odd vehicle on platform extremities! Quite hair-raising according to one of the older signalmen when yarning on night shifts.

 

[Rescars]

Quite correct. The bell is between Henwick SB and the station. The Signaller rings through a specific code to tell the station staff the direction and platform of the next train (ie Up train, Platform 1 - 2 bells). The platform staff use it to tell the signalbox when a train is ready to depart. For Down services this lets the Signaller know to lower the barriers at Henwick MCB. For Up trains (I think) it only tells Henwick but the signals are controlled by Tunnel Junction/Shrub Hill.

The bell operation is by a simple plunger type. You can still see some redundant ones at Shrub Hill if you know where to look that would have communicated with the Station/Junction boxes.

There used to be something similar between Great Malvern and Malvern Wells SB. Does it still exist?

 

[Iron_Duke]

There used to be something similar between Great Malvern and Malvern Wells SB. Does it still exist?

Not from my recollection. I'm assuming automatic reporting did away with most of these. I'm pretty sure Foregate Street/Henwick only survives for the level crossing operation to avoid having an annunciator fitted on Foregate Viaduct.

 

[Matlock Man]

In the 1950s and early 1960s there was such a bell for arrivals at platform one at Grimsby Town

 

[Beebman]

For a short time during the late 80s my daily commute involved the Holborn-Aldwych shuttle and a bell used to ring in the upper lift lobby at Aldwych whenever the shuttle train left Holborn (the lifts there were still manually operated by an attendant).

 

[webbfan]

Quite sensible of the dogs. I'd be alarmed too if a bell went off to indicate that a train was arriving inside a house

Sensible not often said about these two - one a working cocker and the other a pomeranion (that hates everything outside the house).

 

[syorksdeano]

Does Bradford Interchange still have a bell or did that go when the signal box went?

 

[WAB]

I’m sure Moorgate GN used to have these until recently, although I cannot remember what they represented.

 

[Belperpete]

In the 1960s, maybe later, Streatham Common used to have a big electric bell mounted on the bridge carrying Greyhound Lane over the tracks at the Down end that rang if an Up Slow train was imminent. It rang until the train arrived.

That bell was for the barrow crossing between the down and up slow lines, as the bridge severely restricted view of an approaching up train. It was worked automatically by the relevant track circuits. It was replaced by a more conventional white light indicator when the area was resignalled under VARS.

Deganwy had a large bell mounted on the outside of the signalbox that was rung by the signalman opening the window and leaning out to ring it by hand. It was to advise station staff of the approach of an up train booked to stop at the station. I have seen photos of similar bells fitted to other LNWR signal boxes, presumably for the same kind of purpose.

 

[kkong]

Dundee used to have this - at least for arrivals into platform 4.

Not sure when it stopped, perhaps 5-10 years back.

 

[LowLevel]

Melton Mowbray station had bells, although I haven't heard them recently so no idea when they were discontinued. The area is still controlled by Melton signal box with a mix of semaphore and light signals.

They're still there and also at Oakham but I don't believe they're used any longer, both because there are departure boards and there are no longer any platform staff at either location to respond to them anyway!

 

[Midland Man]

Does Bradford Interchange still have a bell or did that go when the signal box went?

It (Mill Lane Jct box) and the bell at Hebden Bridge were taken out of use after resignalling. I recall operating both.

 

[Rescars]

Deganwy had a large bell mounted on the outside of the signalbox that was rung by the signalman opening the window and leaning out to ring it by hand. It was to advise station staff of the approach of an up train booked to stop at the station. I have seen photos of similar bells fitted to other LNWR signal boxes, presumably for the same kind of purpose.

What sort of bell was this? Was it more like a ship's bell, or was it a version of a shunting gong? If the latter, it would have smart if it had been operated from the lever frame!