Kidderminster Station signal box (c.1873-1973)

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Kiderminster Station circa 1880
Kidderminster Station signal box (not to be confused with the SVRSevern Valley Railway's present day Kidderminster signal box, which now bears its nameplate) was located at the southern end of the DownIn reference to the direction of travel means away from the major terminus (i.e. towards Bridgnorth on the present day SVR) (to Birmingham) platform on Kidderminster mainline station.

The box was built to a McKenzie & Holland type 1 design and opened circa 1873.[1] On 5 February in that year the GWRGreat Western Railway had authorised the interlocking of points and signals at Kidderminster, the first mention of such interlocking in the district.[2] By 1893 the box had a 21-lever frame.[3]

In 1877-78 a footbridge was built connecting the two platforms. Although its positioning obscured part of the view from the signal box, thus contravening the Board of Trade requirements that "the signalman should have the best possible view of the railway and be able to see the arms and lights of signals and working of the points", the situation was allowed to remain unchanged.[4]

The main picture (top right) dates to around 1880[1] and shows the original location of the box relative to the new footbridge; the Comberton Road Bridge is just visible in the distance between it. The closer view of the same scene below reveals an earlier type of name plate on the box, with "Kidderminster Station" and "Signal Box" on separate boards.

The visibility issue was made worse in 1900 by the extension of the DownIn reference to the direction of travel means away from the major terminus (i.e. towards Bridgnorth on the present day SVR) platform north of the Comberton Road Bridge (the "Excursion Platform") with its associated signalling. The signal box was therefore dismantled brick by brick and rebuilt nearer to the running lines.[4] Much of the existing material was retained, although differences included the shape and size of the locking room windows, the addition of five courses of facing bricks around the base, two ventilation pipes in the roof for the oil or gas lamps, and a timbered walk-way instead of a trap door covering where the signal wires and point rodding exited the locking room, as seen in the view below.[1]

The GWRGreat Western Railway Station Plan above shows the layout in 1905. In addition to the Station's signals, the Station box controlled the points adjacent to it which gave access to the carriage sidings and the original Engine Shed north of the main line[note 1] and to the Goods Shed siding to the south. It also controlled the points beyond the Comberton Road bridge which gave access to the carriage cleaners siding. The Kidderminster Junction Signal Box controlled access to the main goods yard sidings and to the Severn Valley Branch itself.

On 1 May 1913 the 21-lever frame was replaced by a larger 30-lever GWRGreat Western Railway 3-bar vertical tappet frame.[3] The Station box worked directly to Kidderminster Junction Signal Box until 15th July 1973 when the former was closed and its area of control came under the Junction Box. The 30-lever frame was then transferred to the ex-LNWRLondon & North Western Railway box at Arley. The Station Box was subsequently demolished; its name plate now adorns the SVRSevern Valley Railway's Kidderminster signal box which opened in 1987.

See also

Notes

  1. The Station's small engine shed was closed in February 1932 and replaced by a new larger depot built on the south side of the line between Hoo Road Bridge and Worcester Road Bridge.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 SVRSevern Valley Railway News 131, "Signal Box 'Movements'", Keith Beddoes
  2. Marshall (1989) p. 127.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Signal Box Register, Volume 1: Great Western, revised 2011 edition, Signalling Record Society (plus correction sheet #9 )
  4. 4.0 4.1 Kidderminster & District Archaeological & Historical Society Building Record of Kidderminster Railway Station.