GWR Routes: Banbury to Wolverhampton

GWR Routes: North Warwickshire Line

Moor Street Station: gwrms1223

Ex-GWR 2-6-2T 'Prairie' No 6152 is seen standing on the traverser as it is being moved from platform 2 to platform 1 on the right. The traverser at the end of platforms 1 and 2 was designed to slide under either platform when the traverser was moving locomotives to either set of rails. The instructions by British Railway's Western Division for working both of Moor Street's traversers were as follows:

1. The Traversers are worked by an electric Controller fixed near the Stop Blocks (you can see two members of staff operating the controller above), and the Operating or Commercial Department is responsible for manipulating them. The Handle is locked electrically from thew Signal Box, and cannot be worked when the signals are lowered for a train to run to the Platform Line affected.
2. Trains except Multiple Diesel units must be stopped short of the Traverser. The Porter or Shunter must uncouple the Engine, and it must then be run on to the Table on receipt of a hand signal from the Porter or Shunter.
3. The Operating or Commercial Department man working the Traverser must give the prescribed rings on the Telephone to the Signalman, who must then release the Lock, and after the code has been acknowledged, and the Indicator shows that the Lock is off, the man manipulating the Traverser must operate Hand Plunger to form an electric contact, and then push the vertical lever from him to its full extent. The Controller handle must then be carefully moved by the man in charge for the purpose of traversing the Engine from one Line to another.
4. After the Engine has been moved from the Table, the Traverser must be returned to its normal position, the vertical lever being drawn back. The man manipulating the Traverser must then give the prescribed rings on the Telephone, indicating that the Traverser is not further required, and the Signal Man must acknowledge the code by repeating it, and re-lock the Table.
5. A Disc works each Traverser to show when the Table has returned to its normal position. The Disc shows a Red and Green Signal.
6. When a Train or Engine arrives which has to be traversed and the Table is then not in the correct position for the operation, the man in charge about to work the Traverser must inform the Engineman what he is going to do.

Robert Ferris

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