Underground signal boxes circa 1945

[BrixtonJeff]

Hello railers!
This is my first post.
I've been for the last few years the graphic designer behind the London Underground/1940s themed bar Cahoots.

We're now looking to expand and one of the spaces that we are looking to develop is an events space called the Control Room. I would like to gain some inspiration. Would anyone happen to know the best place to research images? or perhaps any recommendation of published material or maybe even photos from the era that they would like to share?

I'm hoping that there will be some visual elements such as lights, dials and switches. Large transformers, circuitry and other gadgets. I have seen the beautiful 'clocks' in the ground floor of the old Underground HQ at 55 Broadway (an interesting tour). Perhaps there are not signalling boxes underground in the system?

Looking forward to hearing from you and hopefully will enable our new development to have a more genuine look and feel!

Please find a photo of our current underground carriage and stairway down to the club below:

 

[EM2]

How about: https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/inside-a-90yearold-london-underground-signalling-cabin-a3336481.html ?
But a signal box is not the same as a control room

 

[BrixtonJeff]

Thank you! That's so amazing.

I found this film off of the same signal box of the back of it!

So I imagine a control room would be something with a larger overview that helps regulate the services? So there would be multiple signal boxes but perhaps fewer control rooms?

I can easily find articles about modern-day control rooms but not so much about those gone by. Without digital communication perhaps they didn't exist in the same way?
http://uk.businessinsider.com/we-vi...e-50s-and-keeps-tracks-of-dozens-of-trains-11

 

[rebmcr]

You would do well to join some of the Hidden London tours.

 

[Busaholic]

Maybe I'm utterly wrong about this, but i'd have thought there'd be far more scope for signal boxes being constructed on the older, sub-surface lines (i.e. the Metropolitan and District) rather than on tube (deep level) lines.

 

[bluegoblin7]

Maybe I'm utterly wrong about this, but i'd have thought there'd be far more scope for signal boxes being constructed on the older, sub-surface lines (i.e. the Metropolitan and District) rather than on tube (deep level) lines.

During the time period the OP is looking at there were a huge number of signal cabins, in LU parlance, across all parts of the network, sub-surface and deep tube. Generally these were miniature lever frames of similar styles to those shown in the linked video above, and they were still being installed into the 1950s.

Although the frames haven't changed all that much, the other equipment has been updated and upgraded to reflect evolving technology and working practices.

The line control rooms, which seem to more closely align with the name suggested, didn't have much train control equipment in them and were used to communicate to the Cabins, crew managers etc to manage and regulate the service. A wooden desk, timetable, phone switchboard, scrap paper and ashtray would probably not be far off...

 

[Harsig]

The film 'All that Mighty Heart' has a few shots inside the line controllers offices. Although filmed in the 1960s, I believe the offices depicted dated from just before the period you are interested in.
In the clip below the control offices can be seen at 3mins 34secs and again from 10mins 48secs. There was a third shot right near the end of the film, but this whole segment appears to missing from this youtube version.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Try one of the urban explorer sites:
http://www.subbrit.org.uk/
One of the key members takes top quality photographs of many an interesting place. He also published a book 'Secret Underground London' which includes several now disused London Underground locations.
http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/a/aldwych-holborn-branch_line/index.shtml
http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/c/charing_cross_station/index.shtml
and more.

Search 'sites by location', 'greater london'.

Also try:
https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/
A more radical bunch doing illicit trips, and their website is harder to follow/search. An excellent series of visits to the GPO/Royal Mail underground railway which has some photos of their control rooms.

 

[rebmcr]

Upon considering their posts further, I think it's likely that what @BrixtonJeff means by "control room", in reality is called an Equipment Room.

A control room of course just being an office from where managers communicate.