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. . .According to the "Disused Stations" Website, Louth Station on the Grimsby–Boston line that closed beyond Firsby on 5 October 1970, doesn't appear to have had blue Totem Signs but did get modernised Platform Lighting with the Station Name on the lamp diffuser!
. . .Are there any other known examples of stations that got modernised fluorescent lights, clocks and other modern items that still succumbed to permanent closure (as opposed to resiting or rebuilding) before the end of widespread Beeching–Era closures?
. . .(Portishead was a complete rebuild on a new site in 1954 rather than a modernisation of an old one!)
Modern electric lighting in particular could have a very short payback period if a station previously had gas or even oil lighting that needed staff to turn it on and off (or light/extinguish it). This could be necessary in the evenings or early winter mornings.
A timer-operated electrical system could allow unstaffed ‘pay train’ operation (or perhaps a single-shift booking office, etc.).
Rugeley Town station had totems and the modern lights with the station name on the diffusers just before closure in 1965. The station did reopen on in a sightly different location in 1997.
Cirencester Town (GW) station was modernised in 1956 with a new ticket office, lighting &c but closed in 1964.
Chacewater in Cornwall had a new station building in the '50s after a fire but closed in 1964.
Goodrington Sands Halt in Devon was rebuilt in thorougly modern style in 1956 to remove a level crossing, but transferred to the Dart Valley (Dartmouth Steam Railway) in 1972 and currently unused.
Photos of the time don't show any evidence of the then new style lighting sadly but Swan Village station in the Blqck Country was rebuilt in 1961 with a new concrete station building and platform shelters. Two of the platforms only saw 3 further years of use before the Dudley branch closed in 1964 with the station closing entrely in 1972 when services on the Snow Hill to Wolverhampton LL line ceased.
. . .A look on Wikipedia reveals Wells–Next–The–Sea, which closed in October 1964, got modernised fluorescent platform lights with the station name on the diffuser before closure, like Louth and a number of other E.R. stations that didn't survive – where these lights fitted as part of the early 1950s cull of E.R.Totem signs or did Wells go directly from pre B.R. lights and L.N.E.R. signage to fluorescent platform lights and bypassed the "totem era?" – it did get a dark blue E.R. running–in board with a somewhat thicker white border than generally appeared on B.R. at the time tho!
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. . .Which brings me to a related question!
. . .What decision did E.R. Regional Management make as to wether a station got modernised/part modernised or not? It certainly wasn't as whether a potential closure was looming or not, as Wells–Next–The–Sea, and many other subsequent casualties were modernised before Beeching's Esplanade was published!
. . .As I've mentioned in this thread (and I think it's been mentioned elsewhere on this Forum and in David Brennan's Totem Bible!) modernisation of station lighting and other signage and station furniture (and sometimes whole station buildings) in the 1950s and 1960s did not imply the station's future was secure – even 25 kV electrification didn't always secure a station – Low Street on the Tilbury Line closed in 1967 and Silvertown and North Woolwich are the most recent ex E.R. casualties, succumbing in 2007!
. . . How did B.R./E.R. decide what got modernised and by how much?
Some examples of past modernised E.R. stations prior to closure, no obvious totems visible :–
a) Louth, Low Street, Wells–Next–The–Sea, Yarmouth South Town ;
b) Examples of well known closed E.R. stations with totems but little other modernisation ;
Aldeburgh, Mablethorpe, Stations on Yarmouth South Town–Lowestoft line ;
c) Stations with only R.I.B.'s as evidence of B.R./E.R. ownership :–
Audley End (Branch Platform), Bartlow, many Essex branch line stations ;
d) Stations with no obvious B.R. Furniture visible before closure :–
M and G.N., most small East Lincs (Louth and Firsby excepted) halts/stations, most small halts/stations closed on lines still open.
. . .Unlike the Scottish Region where signage modernisation with totems was often much more consistent, I've not (yet!) seen any other B.R. regional video where you might have got the full works, R.I.Bs, Totems, Station Building and Platform Signage AND matching Regional Colour Signalbox nameplate along a length of line!
. .Unlike the Scottish Region where signage modernisation with totems was often much more consistent, I've not (yet!) seen any other B.R. regional video where you might have got the full works, R.I.Bs, Totems, Station Building and Platform Signage AND matching Regional Colour Signalbox nameplate along a length of line
It has always puzzled me why Churston never received Totems despite been a junction station. I can understand why Goodrington never had them but all the others from Newton Abbot to Kingswear did.
It has always puzzled me why Churston never received Totems despite been a junction station. I can understand why Goodrington never had them but all the others from Newton Abbot to Kingswear did.
. . .What decision did E.R. Regional Management make as to wether a station got modernised/part modernised or not? It certainly wasn't as whether a potential closure was looming or not, as Wells–Next–The–Sea, and many other subsequent casualties were modernised before Beeching's Esplanade was published!
That era of railway management didn't seem to benefit from much lateral thinking and was very siloed within each department. It wouldn't surprise me if the two activities did not have any common level of management below the Regional General Manager.
That era of railway management didn't seem to benefit from much lateral thinking and was very siloed within each department. It wouldn't surprise me if the two activities did not have any common level of management below the Regional General Manager.
There is of course also the conspiracy theory that modernisation / premature repainting (etc) costs could be used to fudge the figures in favour of closure. Once tgat work had been signed off it wound gave to be done - box-ticking isn’t entirely a modern phenomenon!
It would have been the condition of the existing equipment that would have prompted the work.
A scheme would have drawn up at Regional level (involving all relevant departments) and the Regional GM (or Regional Board) would authorise a New Works Order. The relevant departments would then co-ordinate to get the job done.
In the case of electrical work, if it was not going to be done by contractors, then the Civil Engineers (who would do the digging and filling in) and the local M&EE Outdoor Machinery (who would fit and wire the equipment up) would both do the work.
New Works activities used to form a decent part of the work of the ODM sections. In the 1980’s, the AME KX at Hornsey ODM (in the old steam shed) had four or five pairs of electricians (one being the chargehand) and mates solely doing New Works activities which could include both partial or full office/station/depot renewal activities.
One of the first things that used to happen when the closure of a line, station or facility was proposed was that all relevant new works schemes would be “stayed” or cancelled, again done at Regional level. New Works activities were not charged to location or line so the oft stated theory that these were used to justify closure is just tin foil hat stuff.
There is of course also the conspiracy theory that modernisation / premature repainting (etc) costs could be used to fudge the figures in favour of closure. Once that work had been signed off it wound gave to be done - box-ticking isn’t entirely a modern phenomenon!
. . .I'm well aware of that hoary old joke about B.R. painting a station or signalbox a week (or even a day or two!) before closure, but that didn't apply to Wells–Next–The–Sea as there is an old photo from 1960 of the station pre–modernisation (no totems visible on the lights outside the canopy!), but as there was a DMU in the platform is is difficult to see if the station originally had totems or not, but the platform and station lighting modernisation certainly arrived some time in 1961, three years prior to closure!
There is of course also the conspiracy theory that modernisation / premature repainting (etc) costs could be used to fudge the figures in favour of closure. Once tgat work had been signed off it wound gave to be done - box-ticking isn’t entirely a modern phenomenon!
That’s due to the time between any work being authorised and the time it was carried out, especially maintenance activities, which were not usually curtailed unless anyone spotted them.
Re-painting was a very common one. So much so that if a guv’nor announced to his staff that a depot or office was getting repainted, the staff usually groaned!
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