Birmingham New Street - Southern Approaches: mrbhm_sa2331

View of the main line from Derby passing beneath the former London to Birmingham L&BR lines with the remains of the connecting viaduct on the right. On the embankment above the bridge is a fogman's hut adjacent to the signals. During foggy weather, especially at night, visibility could be so poor that the crews of the locomotives would not be able to see whether the signal was clear (safe) or on (at danger). To facilitate the safe movement of traffic, fog men would be deployed from other jobs to place detonators on the line, the number of which denoting whether trains should stop or proceed. Fog men needed to be kept warm and dry and therefore these huts were erected to allow them to sit next to important signals.

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