Lower Quadrant Non-GW Semaphores

[LNW-GW Joint]

I am always surprised to see old pictures of non-GW stations which clearly have a forest of lower-quadrant signals (eg Preston, Aberdeen).
Are there any lower-quadrant semaphores of non-Great Western origin still existing on NR lines?
If not, when did the last one disappear?
In its collection of antiques, does Shrewsbury have such a signal?

I well remember a large lower-quadrant LNWR signal gantry at the east end of Chester station in the 1960s, and there were many others eg on the CLC Cheshire Midland line, and on the Midland proper (eg at Peak Forest).
I'm guessing these might have lasted into the 1980s.

And where was the first upper-quadrant installation (as we would know it today?).
Who went first: SR, LNER or LMS?
And why didn't the GWR follow suit?

 

[John Webb]

A number of your questions may be answered at http://www.signalbox.org/signals.shtml.
Most railways used lower quadrant signals at first, but the upper quadrant signal became more popular as it was cheaper to make and better designed to return to danger if any part failed. I think the LMS was the leading proponent, and their design of UQ signal became the BR general signal, except for the WR which continued the GWR tradition of LQ signals.

 

[33056]

AFAIK the Midland Railway lower quadrant at Ketton is the last non-GWR lower quadrant signal on the national network.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

A number of your questions may be answered at http://www.signalbox.org/signals.shtml.

Thanks that's a great site.
I didn't know the LMS had speed signalling at Mirfield.
I must have travelled that way in the 60s and not realised it.

AFAIK the Midland Railway lower quadrant at Ketton is the last non-GWR lower quadrant signal on the national network.

I knew there would be one somewhere!

 

[matchmaker]

The last in Scotland was at Stirling Middle and was replaced in 2000. It can be seen on The Signal Box website

http://www.signalbox.org/gallery/sc/stirlingmiddle.php

 

[33056]

I knew there would be one somewhere!

Strange thing is that I think all Kettons other signals are colour lights!

 

[w0033944]

I wonder when the last Great Northern somersault disappeared from the national network?

 

[Andyjs247]

Not sure if you can count the two new lower quadrant signals which were installed at the south end of platform 1 & 2 at Banbury in 2010. Installed by Network Rail so clearly non-GW in origin even if they do appear very similar to GW originals. Must admit I was very surprised to see NR installing new semaphores, let alone the lower quadrant variety. Banbury has quite a mix of signalling; some UQ and colour lights as well.

 

[Jonny]

AFAIK the Midland Railway lower quadrant at Ketton is the last non-GWR lower quadrant signal on the national network.

Is that on the line from the cement works?

 

[Tomnick]

Ketton's ex-Midland lower quadrant signal is the Down section signal, so very much out on the big railway! It is indeed the only semaphore in that parish.

The last GN somersaults on the national network (if theone remaining on the Boston Docks branch is beyond the boundary) were, as far as I know, Thorpe Culvert's Up Distant and Down Home signals. I think (from memory!) they both disappeared in the late 1990s; certainly some time before the new box went in there.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Not sure if you can count the two new lower quadrant signals which were installed at the south end of platform 1 & 2 at Banbury in 2010. Installed by Network Rail so clearly non-GW in origin even if they do appear very similar to GW originals. Must admit I was very surprised to see NR installing new semaphores, let alone the lower quadrant variety. Banbury has quite a mix of signalling; some UQ and colour lights as well.

The new signal at Shrewsbury (at the S end of P3 to allow movements towards Hereford) is an upper-quadrant semaphore, despite being in "GW" territory (though operated from an "LNWR" box).
Just adds to the variety!

 

[bnm]

And replacements by NR at Yeovil Pen Mill have replaced LQ GWR with newer UQ.

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt68/bnm/YVPSig2.jpg

Sacrilege!

This modern installation replaced a single LQ signal arm with route indicator as seen at http://www.roscalen.com/signals/Yeovil/index.htm