GWR Route: Hatton to Bearley and Alcester Branch

Great Alne Station: gwrga806

The Down distance signal for Spencer’s Level Crossing (between Great Alne and Aston Cantlow). When the Alcester branch was reopened in 1922 concrete signal posts were used. Railway companies experimented with prefabricated concrete and steel lattice signal posts at this time because of the lack of suitable imported Baltic timber during WW1 and immediately after. Although wooden posts were reintroduced, the high price and inconsistent quality resulted in trials of tubular steel signal posts in 1929 and five years later tubular steel had become the official replacement for wood.

Robert Ferris

back