LMS Route: Water Orton to Walsall

Streetly Station: mrst1138a

Close up of image 'mrst1138' showing the Midland Railway Type 1 standardised signal box erected when the station opened in 1879. The design was first introduced by the MR in 1870 and it continued through to 1884 when the Type 2 replaced it. These are easily distinguished by the front windows of the operating floor being only two panes deep. Mainly due to a conscious effort by the Midland to replace their older, smaller signalboxes in the 1880's, very few Type 1's survived into the later years of the 20th Century and none exist today. The Midland were always fiercely independent and signalling was no exception. They were one of only four pre-grouping railway companies to set up their own signal works. This was at Derby and by about 1870 the company was producing their own signalboxes instead of relying on either specialist signalling contractors or local builders. Midland signalboxes were very standardised as they were prefabricated in sections (or "flakes") at Derby then transported to site in a special train. New signalboxes could be very quickly erected and in a special exercise in 1920 they carried out the task in a mere 85 minutes! Courtesy of Dave Harris and Roger Newman

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