Remaining semaphore signal boxes

[railfan99]

Is there any website or other single source with a list of remaining 'traditional' signal boxes controlling at least one old-style semaphore signal?

Late in 2023 I was fortunate to spend a while on the platforms at Truro, but signalling there has been replaced in 2024.

Similarly I visited the famous location with the largest remaining box in the world, and spent 45 minutes observing. Fascinating.

 

[MadMac]

Is there any website or other single source with a list of remaining 'traditional' signal boxes controlling at least one old-style semaphore signal?

Late in 2023 I was fortunate to spend a while on the platforms at Truro, but signalling there has been replaced in 2024.

Similarly I visited the famous location with the largest remaining box in the world, and spent 45 minutes observing. Fascinating.

I don’t believe there’s a definite, up to date list: what I can say is that there are about 45 boxes in Scotland that meet your criteria.

 

[The Puddock]

There’s an up to date list of all the mechanical signalling locations in Scotland here -

http://www.scot-rail.co.uk/page/Remaining+Semaphore+Signals

You should be able,to view it without registering for an account, although I’d strongly recommend an ad blocker!

 

[Sun Chariot]

I visited the famous location with the largest remaining box in the world, and spent 45 minutes observing. Fascinating.

I'm not au fait with remaining mechanical signalling areas. Are you referring to Shrewsbury's wonderful 'box?

At the other end of the scale... Marchwood (on the former Fawley Refinery branch) still has operable semaphores, all worked from a frame located within a small platform-sited brick cabin.
These days, the branch operates "one train in section" - I've only seen one occasion when the signal was set "all clear".

 

[railfan99]

I'm not au fait with remaining mechanical signalling areas. Are you referring to Shrewsbury's wonderful 'box?

At the other end of the scale... Marchwood (on the former Fawley Refinery branch) still has operable semaphores, all worked from a frame located within a small platform-sited brick cabin.
These days, the branch operates "one train in section" - I've only seen one occasion when the signal was set "all clear".

Yes, correct. Shrewsbury it was.

The MOD sidings at Marchwood look to be quite extensive.

 

[Sun Chariot]

The MOD sidings at Marchwood look to be quite extensive.

It's only the old (closed) station area with the semaphores. My photoblog - on the forum photos/videos thread, entitled "Loco hauled around Havant" - includes several shots there.

MoD sidings are extensive; the transfer / reception sidings are easily viewed from the main road into Marchwood (the "yet-to-start-service" 701 Arterio EMUs are lined up there).

 

[Lurcheroo]

If it’s any use, the Shrewsbury area has quite number of them being controlled by 4 different signal boxes.
The renowned Severn bridge signal box.
Then 3 smaller ones. Abbey Forgate, Sutton Bridge junction and Crewe Junction.

 

[Steveswan10]

If this helps, from Sutton Bridge Junction, there are traditional signal boxes with Semaphores all the way down the Marches to Little Mill Junction, they are as follows, (going south) Dorrington, Marshbrook, Craven Arms, Onibury, Bromfield, Wooferton, Leominster, Hereford, Pontrilas, Abergavenny and then Little Mill, (Moreton On Lugg and Tram Inn are now all Colour Lights) then on the Worcester Branch from Hereford, there are, Ledbury, Malvern Wells, Newlands, Henwick, Worcester Tunnel Hill Junction, Worcester Shrub Hill, Norton Junction (on the Cotswolds Line) and then Droitwich Spa.

Unless any other resignalling has been done there all Semaphore with a few Colour lights in the mix
I.e my Box (Leominster) is 2 aspect colour (Distant-LE3R and Section-LE5) and 3 aspect colour (Home-LE3) on the up main and 2 aspect (Distant-LE29) and semaphore (Home-LE28 and Section-LE27) on Down Main

 

[windnoise69]

Yeovil Pen Mill - signal box is on end of platform with semaphores on all platforms. Signaller comes to give/collect token for trains to/from Weymouth

 

[Elecman]

Quite a few between Carnforth and Carlisle via Barrow.

 

[InkyScrolls]

In my area, the Clitheroe, Skipton - Carlisle and Bentham lines are all AB, as is the Furness/Cumbrian Coast line and the Hadrian's Wall line. The Bentham line contains the longest AB section remaining anywhere in the British Isles, at 24 miles 56 chains. It takes a stopping passenger train 40 minutes to traverse.

There is no comprehensive list that I'm aware of - perhaps a dedicated thread is in order?

 

[steamybrian]

A few locations on the Southern such has here at Littlehampton

 

[Gloster]

Bognor still had them yesterday.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Bognor still had them yesterday.

Bognor's, Hastings' and Littlehampton's semaphores are still on my list of "I really must get photos of 'em on a sunny day".
That last bit, is why I've yet to achieve it.

 

[craigybagel]

If this helps, from Sutton Bridge Junction, there are traditional signal boxes with Semaphores all the way down the Marches to Little Mill Junction, they are as follows, (going south) Dorrington, Marshbrook, Craven Arms, Onibury, Bromfield, Wooferton, Leominster, Hereford, Pontrilas, Abergavenny and then Little Mill, (Moreton On Lugg and Tram Inn are now all Colour Lights) then on the Worcester Branch from Hereford, there are, Ledbury, Malvern Wells, Newlands, Henwick, Worcester Tunnel Hill Junction, Worcester Shrub Hill, Norton Junction (on the Cotswolds Line) and then Droitwich Spa.

Unless any other resignalling has been done there all Semaphore with a few Colour lights in the mix
I.e my Box (Leominster) is 2 aspect colour (Distant-LE3R and Section-LE5) and 3 aspect colour (Home-LE3) on the up main and 2 aspect (Distant-LE29) and semaphore (Home-LE28 and Section-LE27) on Down Main

Onibury and Hereford are all colour light (unless you count the mechanical shunt discs at the latter). Little Mill only has one semaphore, but it's rarely used - it controls movements off the siding.

Still a very good route for semaphores though, especially as you can keep on going north to Gobowen north which has a few as well.

I especially love the Up line at Dorrington, which has two consecutive semaphores you can see at the same time; one lower quadrant and one upper!

 

[Trainman40083]

Egginton Junction to Longton on the Derby to Stoke line, still has a few. Well 7.

 

[LowLevel]

Egginton Junction to Longton on the Derby to Stoke line, still has a few. Well 7.

6. Sudbury is colour light. Egginton Jn, Tutbury Crossing, Scropton, Uttoxeter, Caverswall and Foley all have semaphore signals, a variety of running signals and shunt signals.

 

[Scotrail84]

Isn't there a freight only line somewhere in London that still has split distant semaphores used regularly?

 

[Gloster]

Bognor's, Hastings' and Littlehampton's semaphores are still on my list of "I really must get photos of 'em on a sunny day".
That last bit, is why I've yet to achieve it.

Quite correct: I got caught in a hailstorm yesterday. But it was sunny otherwise, which dried me out a bit.

 

[Railsigns]

Isn't there a freight only line somewhere in London that still has split distant semaphores used regularly?

There are no semaphore splitting distants left anywhere. The last one was at Larbert Junction, abolished in 2007.

 

[172007]

Tyseley No1 Box is mechanical and semaphore for access on/off the depot and through Siding.

 

[MostlyHarmless]

The signal box at Greenford still has some semaphore signal, and although its situated away from the station, you can still see at least one set of signals. That part of the line is really only used by freight these days.

 

[Llanigraham]

If this helps, from Sutton Bridge Junction, there are traditional signal boxes with Semaphores all the way down the Marches to Little Mill Junction, they are as follows, (going south) Dorrington, Marshbrook, Craven Arms, Onibury, Bromfield, Wooferton, Leominster, Hereford, Pontrilas, Abergavenny and then Little Mill, (Moreton On Lugg and Tram Inn are now all Colour Lights) then on the Worcester Branch from Hereford, there are, Ledbury, Malvern Wells, Newlands, Henwick, Worcester Tunnel Hill Junction, Worcester Shrub Hill, Norton Junction (on the Cotswolds Line) and then Droitwich Spa.

I think Onibury is all colour light. Streetview shows the Home signals to be so.
Certainly no levers there; it is all push button.
Most of the others on the Marches have colour light Distant signals.

Aren't thare some semaphores at Pantyffynan?

 

[Lucy1501]

If I were to give it my best shot for the four regions I know the best (I imagine I'm slightly behind on the boundary changes...)

Spoiler: Anglia

-Kings Lynn Junction (up for rewnewal very soon)
-Dudding Hull Junction
-Neasden Junction
-Acton Canal Wharf
-March East Junction
-March South Junction
-Manea
-Whittlesea

Spoiler: LNW North

-Wigton
-Workington No.3
-Workington No.2
-Bransty
-St Bees
-Sellafield
-Bootle
-Silecroft
-Millom
-Foxfield
-Askam
-Park South
-Barrow-in-Furness
-Ulverston
-Grange-over-Sands
-Arnside
-Carnforth Station Junction (two fixed semaphores on the up platform)
-Limestone Hall & Kirksanton North Gate Boxes
-Burneside Higher Level Crossing
-Howe & Co's Siding
-Low House Crossing
-Culgaith
-Appleby
-Kirkby Stephen
-Garsdale
-Blea Moor
-Settle Junction
-Hellifield South Junction
-Horrocksford Junction
-Midge Hall
-Rainford Junction
-Ellesmere Port
-Helsby Junctionw
-Warrington Central (disused former RAF ground frame)
-Arpley Junction
-Monks Sidings
-New Mills South Junction
-Edale
-Earles Sidings
-Great Rocks Junction
-Peak Forest South
-Buxton
-Chapel-en-le-Frith
-Furness Vale
-Plumley West
-Penyfford
-Beeston Castle
-Deganwy
-Llandudno Station
-Gaerwen
-Ty Croes
-Valley
-Holyhead
-Llanwrst

Spoiler: LNW South

-Droitwich Spa
-Worcester Tunnel Junction
-Worcester Shrub Hill
-Henwick
-Newlands East
-Malvern Wells
-Ledbury
-Tyseley No.1
-Willesden Carriage Shed North
-Willesden Carriage Shed South

Spoiler: Western

-Abbey Foregate
-Severn Bridge Junction
-Crewe Junction
-Sutton Bridge Junction
-Gobowen North
-Dorrington
-Marshbrook
-Craven Arms (might've all been renewed as colour lights)
-Bromfield
-Woofferton Junction
-Leominster
-Moreton on Lugg (might've all been renewed as colour lights)
-Tram Inn
-Pontrilas
-Abergavenny
-Little Mill Junction
-Ferryside
-Whitland
-Goonbarrow Junction
-St Blazey
-St Erth
-Lisekard
-Moreton in Marsh
-Penyfford
-Greenford East

 

[zwk500]

@railfan99 you may want to amend your post to keep track of suggestions already made.

 

[Gloster]

For the Western I think you can add Pantyffynnon and possibly Neath & Brecon Junction.

 

[craigybagel]

I think Onibury is all colour light. Streetview shows the Home signals to be so.
Certainly no levers there; it is all push button.
Most of the others on the Marches have colour light Distant signals.

Aren't thare some semaphores at Pantyffynan?

It's nearly all colour light distants on the Marches now. The only working semaphore distant left is at Sutton Bridge Junction on the Down (on a post shared with Severn Bridge Junction's section signal). There's also a fixed semaphore distant for the opposite direction - Severn Bridge's distant on a post shared with Sutton Bridges section, and Crewe Junction's distant on the up coming from Gobowen.

If I were to give it my best shot for the four regions I know the best (I imagine I'm slightly behind on the boundary changes...)


-Craven Arms (might've all been renewed as colour lights)

Still a few semaphores left in both directions

-Moreton on Lugg (might've all been renewed as colour lights)

All colour light now

 

[Western 52]

Pembrey and Ferryside still have some semaphores, but resignalling is underway, so they'll be gone soon. Tondu is still semaphore, with some nice brackets.

 

[John Webb]

Another line that remains predominately Semaphore/Absolute Block is that from Peterborough on the East Coast Mainline westwards through Stamford, Oakham* and Melton Mowbray to Syston Junction on the Midland Mainline north of Leicester. The box at Ketton (the station closed in 1966) operates the last working Midland Railway lower quadrant signal on the national network.
*Oakham box is noted as being the prototype of the 'Airfix' plastic model kit.

 

[Ken H]

Doesnt Harrogate - York have some semaphores? Newcaatle - Carlisle has mechanical interlocking but i dont know if it still has semaphores.
At Blea Moor, Running line signals are all colour light but there are semaphores on the loops, I think. Horton in Ribblesdale down intermediate block are colour light, so after the down distant at Settle Jct, running signals are colour light till the down home at Garsdale. Similar for the up but I dont think there are up intermediate block signals between Blea Moor and Settle Jct .