Early 1960s Colour–Light Signalling @ Carlisle?

[Chrius56000]

According to several articles and associated diagrams in very recent copies of the S.R.S.'s Journal, Carlisle Station is known to have been signalled by colour–light signals even in the 1950s/1960s when Carlisle was supervised by three or four boxes at least, from which I have an interesting query!

. . .Prior to the Silloth Branch DMU passenger service being withdrawn on 7th September 1964, would the Silloth DMUs have begun their journey from Carlisle supervised by Colour Light Signals, and if so, can anybody suggest which ones?

. . .Would Waverley Line Trains from Carlisle have also begun their journey under Colour Light Signals before the Waverley Line service was withdrawn on 5 January 1969?

. . .Apart from the local Carlisle – Penrith and Carlisle – Gretna stopping service which was finally withdrawn before or very shortly Nationalisation I believe, the Silloth and Waverley Routes (I think!) were the only withdrawn/closed services from Carlisle that may have lasted late enough for Colour Light Signals to have supervised at least the start of their journeys, but if any knowledgeable Members can correct me please do!

Chris Williams

 

[Gloster]

I don‘t think Carlisle was signalled by colour lights as a whole, although there were a number of individual colour lights. It is quite possible that trains to Silloth or Hawick passed one or two colour lights, but they were signalled by Absolute Block and most signals were semaphore.

In 1961 Carlisle and its yards had twenty-one boxes.

I will have a look through the recent editions of the Cumbrian Railways Association’s Journal as there is a long-running series on the signalling from Carlisle southward. Unfortunately, I think it only starts at the south end of Citadel.

 

[John Webb]

In "Rail Centres: Carlisle" by Peter W Robinson (Ian Allan, 1986) he states that in September 1951 "...the station area was resignalled, using both colour lights and semaphores with route indicators." but does not provide any signalling diagrams.

The SRS Journal articles you refer to were of course about the south end of the station whereas the Silloth branch left from the north end. An enquiry on the SRS forum or to the SRS might bring a more detailed answer, perhaps?

 

[Harvester]

I don‘t think Carlisle was signalled by colour lights as a whole, although there were a number of individual colour lights. It is quite possible that trains to Silloth or Hawick passed one or two colour lights, but they were signalled by Absolute Block and most signals were semaphore.

There is a photograph in Keith Widdowson’s ‘Scottish Steam’s Final Fling’ showing a Britannia ready to depart from the north bay at Carlisle as late as April 1967, and semaphores can be clearly seen at the platform end and beyond.

 

[Bevan Price]

In "Rail Centres: Carlisle" by Peter W Robinson (Ian Allan, 1986) he states that in September 1951 "...the station area was resignalled, using both colour lights and semaphores with route indicators." but does not provide any signalling diagrams.

The SRS Journal articles you refer to were of course about the south end of the station whereas the Silloth branch left from the north end. An enquiry on the SRS forum or to the SRS might bring a more detailed answer, perhaps?

The Waverley route and Silloth branches both left the Caledonian main line at Port Carlisle Branch Junction, about 0.8 miles North of Carlisle station.

See map at

View map: J. & W. Emslie., Official railway map of the Cumberland & Westmorland districts / prepared and published at the Railw... - Counties of Scotland, 1580-1928

John Swift's British Railways Layout Plans of the 1950s, Volume 6, (Published by SRS) shows most of the Carlisle area and the entire Silloth branch with Semaphore signals. Most of the signal boxes are shown as closed in June 1973, except the boxes at Etterby Junction, Kingmoor and North thereof which closed in February 1963 - Those seem likely dates for conversion to colour light signalling in the areas controlled by those signal boxes.

 

[D6130]

My recollection as a young spotter from the mid-'sixties until the opening of the power box in 1973 is that the through running lines in the station were colour-light signalled....but that some of the bays and sidings - especially at the North end - still had semaphores and that most of the shunting signals were still mechanically-operated discs.

 

[Springs Branch]

Looking for photographic evidence online, there are plenty of images around Carlisle. Unfortunately, the huge majority are from the post-PSB era and after the wires went up, and most of those from the steam era were taken at the south end of the station. But a few photos can be found showing the north end when it was supervised from No. 4 signalbox.

Based on these pictures looking north from the platform ends:-

FMCbwnegs676 D5313 Carlisle

17th September 1966 and Class 26 D5313 is attracting attention whilst waiting to head north from Carlisle. The loco was new to Hornsey in January 1959 and headed north to Haymarket in June 1960. Becoming 26013 under Tops the withdrawl was from Inverness in March 1985. Cutting up was at Vic...

flic.kr

Carlisle No 4 | Signalling Photos

Carlisle No 4 - Carlisle No.4 5.5.69.jpg

photos.signalling.org

And this one of the layout diagram in No. 4 box (albeit from 1971) :-

Carlisle No 4 | Signalling Photos

Carlisle No 4 - Carlisle No.4 S.B. Interior 1 31.7.71.jpg

photos.signalling.org

. . . it looks like the OP's 1960s trains (especially heading for the Waverley Route) may well have passed one or two colour light signals on arrival or departure - although it seems there was still a good proportion of semaphores at the north end of Carlisle station right up until the 1973 resignalling.

 

[MadMac]

The Kingmoor Opening Notice from February 1963 shows colour lights from Carlisle No. 3 all the way to Gretna Junction on the WCML, so trains heading for the Waverley route and Silloth would have passed one or two.

 

[Belfastmarty]

The Kingmoor Opening Notice from February 1963 shows colour lights from Carlisle No. 3 all the way to Gretna Junction on the WCML, so trains heading for the Waverley route and Silloth would have passed one or two.

Very interesting, thanks for sharing.