Signal boxes with poor access

Lemmy99uk · Wednesday at 17:32

I’be always loved traditional AB signal boxes, there’s something very English about their architecture and I have photographed quite a few.

Recently, during a random browse on Google, I saw a couple of photos of Dalton Jn box near Barrow in Furness, neither of which were very clear.

I thought I might grab a few pictures when I’m in the area next week but on looking on Google maps and OS maps there doesn’t seem to be any vehicular access.

Is it just that nothing is marked on the map or is it actually the case that the signaller has to walk to work? If so, are there many other boxes remote from the highway, and do they have any special procedures for inclement weather, or do they just recruit hardy individuals.

RailUK Forums

norbitonflyer · Wednesday at 18:14

It has always been the case. An indirect cause of the Quintinshill disaster was the long walk to work for the signalmen, leading to the pragmatic (but rule-breaking) practice of hitching a ride on a local train due halfcan hour after the shift change and then covering their tracks by tampering with the train register

John Webb · Wednesday at 18:33

According to "The Encyclopaedia of 21st Century Signal Boxes" (Michael Rhodes, Platform 5 Publishing, 2019) Dalton Junction box is best viewed from the Abbey Road overbridge in Dalton. It is explicitly stated that "Close-up views are difficult."!
ADDED: View of box as seen from said location:
Dalton Junction

© Copyright Peter McDermott and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
(Click on photo to go to the larger version on the Geograph website)

I can't speak in detail about other remote boxes. The above book states that Blea Moor box on the Settle-Carlisle line is the UK's most isolated box with a minimum of a half-mile walk from the carpark near Ribblehead Viaduct. This is along a public bridleway on a private road - more like a track!

55018ballymoss · Wednesday at 18:38

John Webb said:
According to "The Encyclopaedia of 21st Century Signal Boxes" (Michael Rhodes, Platform 5 Publishing, 2019) Dalton Junction box is best viewed from the Abbey Road overbridge in Dalton. It is explicitly stated that "Close-up views are difficult."!

I can't speak in detail about other remote boxes. The above book states that Blea Moor box on the Settle-Carlisle line is the UK's most isolated box with a minimum of a half-mile walk from the carpark near Ribblehead Viaduct. This is along a public bridleway on a private road - more like a track!

Beat me to it, I read the article and my mind instantly thought of Blea Moor

Belperpete · Wednesday at 22:00

Rhiw Goch signalbox on the Ffestiniog Railway. No footpath access, let alone road. Signalmen access the box by train.

Magdalia · Thursday at 10:57

Chippenham Junction is another example, see here:

Tribute to Dave Stenning – The Signal Box

signalbox.org

Chippenham Junction
Chippenham Jct is at the eastern end of what was once a triangular junction near Newmarket.

Chippenham Jct is a lonely place. It is reached from the main road via a tree lined drive and across the Al Bahathri racing gallops, yet no more than 400 yds to the north lies the main A14 with traffic to and from the East Coast Ports thundering by.

Chippenham has recently been dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st Century, now being mains connected and partially refurbished.

There is a Geograph picture here:

Chippenham Junction near Newmarket © Richard Humphrey cc-by-sa/2.0

Does the signal box lean to the left or the signs to the right? Then again it might be me!

www.geograph.org.uk

Chippenham Junction near Newmarket
Does the signal box lean to the left or the signs to the right? Then again it might be me!

© Copyright Richard Humphrey and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

TonyW590 · Thursday at 13:44

Irchester South on the Midland Main Line, southern end of the "Leicester Gap" mechanical signalling and signalling to/from West Hampstead needed a trek through adjacent fields to access, IIRC.

Lucy1501 · Thursday at 13:48

Lemmy99uk said:
Is it just that nothing is marked on the map or is it actually the case that the signaller has to walk to work?

The signaller does indeed have to walk.

There is a public footpath which runs behind Dalton Junction signal box starting near the Brown Cow. The access gate is on the West side of the box with a set of stairs up to track level, and then a walkway to the box stairs.

You can get a photo of the back of the box from a very steep angle, however don’t expect it to look very good!

Sir Felix Pole · Thursday at 14:22

Largin on the Cornish Main Line (between Liskeard and Bodmin Parkway / Road) was a very lonely and isolated box. It was retained to operate the single section over the St. Pinnock and East Largin Viaducts - undertaken in 1964 because of their weakened state. The nearest road was between the two viaducts, and a trek over East Largin was required to reach the box. It had no piped water - fresh water was delivered daily by train. Abolished c1991.

Gloster · Thursday at 14:25

Getting to Largin involved leaving your car under a bridge and then walking along the line over St Pinnock Viaduct East to the box. At least, as it had been double-track until 1963, there was plenty of room: one chap used to ride his moped down.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Thursday at 14:28 ==

Sir Felix Pole said:
Largin on the Cornish Main Line (between Liskeard and Bodmin Parkway / Road) was a very lonely and isolated box. It was retained to operate the single section over the St. Pinnock and East Largin Viaducts - undertaken in 1964 because of their weakened state. The nearest road was between the two viaducts, and a trek over East Largin was required to reach the box. It had no piped water - fresh water was delivered daily by train. Abolished c1991.

Closed December 1991. I was several years gone by then, having only spent a brief period based at the box.

Belperpete · Thursday at 22:36

Dovey Junction must have been an interesting box to get to, particularly at times of flood.

Ziggy3legs · Thursday at 22:57

How about the signal box in the middle of the original Woodhead tunnel. Opened in 1899 and closed in 1907, access was via a ladder down one of the smoke ventilation shafts!

trentside · 2026-10-16T11:45:39+0100

Bellwater Junction on the way to Skegness is a fairly remote box. It has road access but has be known to get cut off in bad weather.

zwk500 · 2026-10-16T13:22:37+0100

Isn't there a swing bridge (Reedham?) where the Signaller was provided with a boat?

30907 · 2026-10-16T15:15:32+0100

Damems Jn KWVR is accessed by train or along the track. Not far fortunately from Damems Crossing!

njamescouk · 2026-10-16T15:40:33+0100

Dunford East was a walk from Hazlehead station in the Woodhead days - see https://www.flickr.com/photos/24041160@N02/2553440784/in/album-72157623181112990

Johnnie2Sheds · 2026-10-16T15:46:08+0100

zwk500 said:
Isn't there a swing bridge (Reedham?) where the Signaller was provided with a boat?

Access to Somerleyton swing bridge signalbox is via a path in the cess from Somerleyton station? Well it was when I visited it about thirty years(!) ago.

Sultan1056 · 2026-10-16T16:21:18+0100

Glenwhilly SB is only a short walk from the car park. However it is a 30 minute drive to Barrhill to the north and a 20 minute drive south to New Luce. I would hate to have to get there for an early shift in bad weather!

John Luxton · 2026-10-16T20:18:22+0100

Ziggy3legs said:
How about the signal box in the middle of the original Woodhead tunnel. Opened in 1899 and closed in 1907, access was via a ladder down one of the smoke ventilation shafts!

There was a similar box in the middle of the Mersey Railway tunnel - it appears in some of the early engravings. Apparently abolished when the line was electrified, though I recall seeing a photo posted by a rail worker some years ago which showed the location there are some brick supports still in place in the tunnel side.

SuspectUsual · 2026-10-16T20:41:43+0100

John Webb said:
I can't speak in detail about other remote boxes. The above book states that Blea Moor box on the Settle-Carlisle line is the UK's most isolated box with a minimum of a half-mile walk from the carpark near Ribblehead Viaduct. This is along a public bridleway on a private road - more like a track!

I’m 99% sure that I’ve seen road vehicles at Blea Moor, if not at the signal box then by the building next door. Is there access via the farm tracks to the west of the railway and then under the line just south of the box?

Rescars · 2026-10-16T21:10:21+0100

John Luxton said:
There was a similar box in the middle of the Mersey Railway tunnel - it appears in some of the early engravings. Apparently abolished when the line was electrified, though I recall seeing a photo posted by a rail worker some years ago which showed the location there are some brick supports still in place in the tunnel side.

There was St Pancras Tunnel SB on the connection to the Widened Lines which was similar. It closed in 1958. Apparently it had a ventilation shaft which doubled up as a speaking tube!

MarkyT · 2026-10-16T21:47:06+0100

Rescars said:
There was St Pancras Tunnel SB on the connection to the Widened Lines which was similar. It closed in 1958. Apparently it had a ventilation shaft which doubled up as a speaking tube!

"Hello, it's getting a bit smoky down here..."

Sir Felix Pole · 2026-10-16T22:05:05+0100

A lot of inner city boxes were often tricky to get to being hemmed in by running lines or perhaps high on an embankment or viaduct. I once went on an official society visit to the long gone Thorpes Bridge Box in North Manchester, then a very busy 'king' box in the vee of the Rochdale and Oldham lines and with a lot of loco / DMU movements off Newton Heath shed. Access was literally through a hole-in-the wall gate on one of the side streets off Oldham Road and then a quick nervy dash over the running lines to reach the steps of the box.

izvor · 2026-10-16T22:33:28+0100

Rescars said:
There was St Pancras Tunnel SB on the connection to the Widened Lines which was similar. It closed in 1958. Apparently it had a ventilation shaft which doubled up as a speaking tube!

I posted a picture here, where there is more info in the thread.

bramling · 2026-10-16T23:20:59+0100

Rescars said:
There was St Pancras Tunnel SB on the connection to the Widened Lines which was similar. It closed in 1958. Apparently it had a ventilation shaft which doubled up as a speaking tube!

The Northern Line also had something similar between King’s Cross and Angel, which had access from the surface. The box and lower section of the access stairway is still there, whilst the shaft was later adapted to provide tunnel ventilation.

Jan Mayen · 2026-10-16T23:28:12+0100

Are there any signal boxes left in tunnels? Or have they all gone?

bramling · 2026-10-16T23:35:33+0100

Jan Mayen said:
Are there any signal boxes left in tunnels? Or have they all gone?

All gone now. The last would have been the various manned signal cabins on the Central Line. Liverpool Street and Marble Arch, with Bethnal Green and Holborn open when required. Depends on your definition of tunnel though, as all these were located at stations.

LU still has a few interlocking machine rooms below ground, mostly at stations. Down Street is in a mid-tunnel location, can’t readily think of any others. These are all unmanned, though can be worked locally in emergency.

The old W&C signal box at Waterloo was below ground. It was relocated to a room in the depot, also effectively below ground. I think the original room may still be available as a backup.

Signal boxes with poor access

Member

RailUK Forums

Established Member

Established Member

Member

Established Member

Established Member

Chippenham Junction​

Member

Member

Established Member

Veteran Member

Established Member

Member

Established Member

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Member

Member

Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Member

Veteran Member

Established Member

Veteran Member

Chippenham Junction