Kidderminster Station signal box (1987 onwards)

Kidderminster Signal Box

Kidderminster Signal Box

Not to be confused with the original Kidderminster Station signal box (c.1873-1973), whose nameplate the current box bears.

A signal box at Kidderminster, working to Bewdley South. The box also communicates with Network Rail's West Midlands Signalling Centre (WMSC) at Saltley.

Contents

Construction

Kidderminster Town had no signal box when it opened in 1984, resulting in an 'only one engine in steam' restriction on operations which were controlled by a simple ground frame. The signal box was built between July and December 1986, the design being based on a typical GWR medium-sized box. Extensive measurements of Abbey Foregate and Sutton Bridge Junction signal boxes at Shrewsbury ensured authenticity. Installation of the signalling equipment took place throughout 1987. The installation work involved an estimated 8,000 man hours. producing a fully assembled 62 lever frame complete with all mechanical locking, fitting to the frame of 35 electric locks and 5 combined locks and circuit controllers, and installation of a 22 ft long block shelf complete with instruments. The box was commissioned on 21 November 1987 following installation of the most vital piece of equipment, the signalman’s leather armchair. The lever frame is a 5-bar vertical tappet frame of very late manufacture, being built in the late 1950s for Acton Yard signal box which had a short life. Evidence of its lateness may be found in the spring housing on the catch handle drop rods, which are of a much plainer hood design than previously used by the GWR/BR(W).

Signalling diagram

From 2020 the box will also control access to the Foley Park ground frame. How the signal box diagram will look once the ground frame has been installed:

Levers and Lever Leads

Kidderminster Signal Box levers and block shelf

Interior view of Kidderminster signal box

• 

  Levers 1 to 13

• 

  Levers 15 to 27

• 

  Levers 27 to 41

• 

  Levers 42 to 53

• 

  Levers 52 to 62

List of levers

Nº.	Colour	Description	Lever Sequence
1	Red/Brown	Acceptance Lever from Bewdley south
2	Red	Up Main Home	17 13
3	Red	Up Main to Nº1 Platform Inner Home	17 35
4	Red	Up Main to Nº1 Platform Calling On	17 35
5	Red	Up Main to Up loop Home	29 14 13
6	Red	Up Loop to Nº2 Platform Inner Home	29 40
7	Red	Up Loop to Nº2 Platform Calling On	29 40
8	Red	Up Loop to Nº1 Platform Inner Home	30 29 35
9	Red	Up Loop to Nº1 Platform Calling On	30 29 35
10	Red	Up Main to Exchange Line Inner Home	19 17
11		SPACE
12		SPACE
13	Red	Disc at 14
14	Black	Up Main Facing / Up Loop
15	Red	Up Main to Engine Line Nº1 Inner Home (Disc)	17 37 35
16	Red	Up Main to Exchange Line Calling On	19 17
17	Blue	FPL for 18
18	Black	Up Main Facing / Exchange Line
19	Black	Exchange Line Safety (Facing)	18
20	Blue	FPL For 19	19
21	Red	Exchange Line to Down Main Starting (Disc)	20
22		SPACE
23	Red	From Carriage Shed Sidings Starting	24 40 or 31 35
24	Black	Up Loop / Carriage Shed Sidings
25	Blue	FPL For 24A
26	Red	Nº2 Platform to Carriage Shed Sidings Starting (Disc)	24 25
27	Red	Up Loop to Nº2 Engine Line Inner Home (Disc)	29 42 40
28	Red	Up Loop to Nº1 Engine Line Inner Home (Disc)	37 30 29 35
29	Blue	FPL for 30B
30	Black	Up Loop & Down Main Facings / To Cross
31	Black	Compound Points in Up & Down Loop	24 30
32	Blue	FPL for 31A
33	Blue	FPL for 30A	Nil or 30 32
34	Yellow	Nº1 Platform to Carriage Shed Sidings Starting (Disc)	31 33
35	Red	Disc at 37B	36
36	Blue	FPL for 37B
37	Black	Nº1 Platform Facing / Nº1 Engine Line
38	Red	Disc for 37A	33 37
39		SPACE
40	Red	Disc at 42B	41
41	Blue	FPL for 42B
42	Black	Nº2 Platform Facing / Nº2 Engine Line
43	Red	Disc for 42a	25 42
44	Red	Spare
45	Blue/Black	Nº2 Platform / Nº2 Engine Line
46	Red	Disc at 45b
47	Red	Carriage Works Siding to/from Exchange Line Shunt	48
48	Black	Carriage Works Sidings Derailers
49	Blue/Brown	Interlocking Lever with WMSC for DR724 Points
50	Red	From Network Rail to Exchange Line Shunt (Slot)	49
51	Blue	FPL for 52B
52	Black	Nº1 Platform / Nº1 Engine Line	51
53	Red	Disc at 52B
54		SPACE
55		SPACE
56	Red+White Band	Down Main Outer Advanced Starting
57	Red	Down Loop to Down Main Advanced Starting	14
58	Red	Nº1 Platform to Down Loop Starting	30 33
59	Red	Nº2 Platform to Down Loop Starting	25
60	Red	Down Main Advanced Starting
61	Red	From Network Rail To Down Main Home (Slot)	21 49
62	Red	Nº1 Platform to Down Main Starting	33

Connection to Network Rail

Until 2012 Kidderminster Station Signal Box worked to Kidderminster Junction signal box, 'over the fence' and operated by BR, RailTrack and finally Network Rail. The connection between the SVR and national rail was somewhat limiting, requiring staff on the track for any movement between railways. This all changed when Kidderminster Junction signal box closed in 2012 (its lever frame was saved for spares by the SVR) and extensive work by Network Rail and SVR S&T technicians installed one of the most comprehensive connections between the national rail network and a private heritage railway in existence, with movements from the SVR onto the Down Main and movements from the Up & Down Mains onto Network Rail being completely locked and signalled movements overseen by the cooperative efforts of the SVR signalman and NR signaller at Saltley. This upgrade also saw the first non-GWR/BR(W) signal installed on the SVR, in the form of a colour light signal reading from the SVR's 'exchange' line onto the national network or into the SVR's North Star Carriage & Wagon Works. The colour light signal can be seen beyond Kidderminster Footbridge in the photograph below.

Signalling controlled from the box

Kidderminster Signal Gantry

All signals at Kidderminster excepting the colour light signal (see above) are of late GWR/BR(W) steel tubular post and enamel arm design. The large gantry originates from Taunton East, although the layout of signals upon it is quite different to how it was when it was there. Its re-erection at Kidderminster began in the spring of 1987; the foundations on which it sits required 20 tons of concrete. Installation of signal wiring took place over the summer. The connections as far as the signal gantry were commissioned along with the signal box on 21 November 1987.

A further signal gantry, ex-Radyr, is in storage for the platform end to replace the current collection of planted posts. It is intended this will follow the planned eventual track slewing in association with an extension of the platform.

As part of the 2012 resignalling of the network connection, the 'exchange line' (see diagram) was upgraded from a siding to a running line, requiring derailers to be installed on the three siding roads leading out of the North Star Carriage & Wagon Works, as there was insufficient space for a trap point. These are worked from a lever in the box, possibly the only example of worked derailers installed on a heritage railway. There are also levers to provide a 'slot' (release) to the Network Rail signaller to allow trains to proceed from Network Rail onto the SVR.

Signals 2, 5 and 56 are motor worked.

2013 fire

During the morning of Saturday 3 March 2013, the signal box suffered a small fire in the roof at the point where the stove flue passes through the ceiling. The signalman was able to leave the box without injury. A small section of the roof was destroyed, and there was some damage to the telephone system and the domestic wiring caused by the water used by the Fire Brigade, although the signalling equipment was largely unaffected. Kidderminster station was initially closed. Once access to the box was regained, the water was mopped up to prevent it falling into the frame room and its electrics. By 4pm the debris had been cleared and the roof made weather-proof with a plastic sheet supplied by Bewdley C&W Department. Rapid work by the S&T and PW departments then saw normal service resumed by commencement of operations on the following day.

Open days

The box is occasionally open for public visits during special events such as the Open House Weekend. Access is strictly controlled on such occasions as the box is reached by crossing the tracks from the platform.

See also

• List of signal boxes