Springs Branch
Established Member
With the move to accelerate elimination of mechanical signalling, there's obviously a diminishing amount of maintenance work focused on semaphore signals.
I was wondering how many locations around the country (signalling depots, workshops etc) still have facilities and skills to work on semaphore signalling?
Obviously there have been no new mechanical installations for years, and if a particular semaphore arm or other mechanical fitting needs to be replaced (e.g. for corrosion) there's probably no shortage of recovered components which can be refurbishing, repainted and re-fitted.
But where is this kind of thing done?
- Is there one NR workshop somewhere in the country with a warehouse full of old mechanical signalling kit (plus a few pots of the right shades of red & yellow paint and coloured glass for spectacle lenses) and a handful of old-timers who know their trade backwards?
- Or are there still several locations, based on the old BR Regions?
- Or is the work contracted out to some anonymous-sounding firm on a new industrial park outside Milton Keynes?
I'm envisioning young technician-type at a stores counter with a Home signal tucked under his arm and docket in hand, speaking to veteran storeman in brown dustcoat. Old Fred shakes head with sharp intake of breath. "Sorry son, there's no call for upper quadrant 'round 'ere".
And when would be the last time a brand-new, BR-pattern Home or Distant signal arm was stamped out?
I was wondering how many locations around the country (signalling depots, workshops etc) still have facilities and skills to work on semaphore signalling?
Obviously there have been no new mechanical installations for years, and if a particular semaphore arm or other mechanical fitting needs to be replaced (e.g. for corrosion) there's probably no shortage of recovered components which can be refurbishing, repainted and re-fitted.
But where is this kind of thing done?
- Is there one NR workshop somewhere in the country with a warehouse full of old mechanical signalling kit (plus a few pots of the right shades of red & yellow paint and coloured glass for spectacle lenses) and a handful of old-timers who know their trade backwards?
- Or are there still several locations, based on the old BR Regions?
- Or is the work contracted out to some anonymous-sounding firm on a new industrial park outside Milton Keynes?
I'm envisioning young technician-type at a stores counter with a Home signal tucked under his arm and docket in hand, speaking to veteran storeman in brown dustcoat. Old Fred shakes head with sharp intake of breath. "Sorry son, there's no call for upper quadrant 'round 'ere".
And when would be the last time a brand-new, BR-pattern Home or Distant signal arm was stamped out?
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