Birmingham New Street Station: lnwrbns_str402b

Close up of image 'lnwrbns_str402' showing New Street No 3 signal cabin which had two lever frames, one on the West side for up trains and one on the East side for down trains. The West end frame was replaced in January 1885 when New Street No 5 signal box was opened and was replaced with a larger 16 lever LNWR key interlocking 'SK 446' type. The new West end frame carried out two principal functions: controlling the crossovers at the centre of the four roads between platforms 1 and 2; and providing the signalman in No 5 signal box with information on the state of the lines within the confines of the station. A similar arrangement was applied to the East side frame and New Street No 1 signal box. The latter was achieved through the use of a set of nine mechanical face disks each providing the No 5 signalman with the specific information as follows: Through Line Clear - Through Line to Platform Clear - Up Platform 2 Clear Through - Up Platform 2 Clear to Footbridge Clear - Siding 2 Clear - Up Platform 2 Shunt - Up Platform 1 Clear to Footbridge - Up Platform Shunt - and Up Platform 1 Clear Through. A matching set of the face disks were placed behind each of the appropriate levers in both New Street No 1 and No 5 signal boxes.

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