GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Bentley Heath Crossing: gwrbh23

View of the larger replacement standard type 28b signal box constructed at Bentley Heath Crossing as part of the quadrupling of Birmingham Main line between Olton and Lapworth, which was completed in May 1933. The new signal box was opened in 1932 on the same side of the track as the old signal box, but on the opposite side of the level crossing (seen on the right of the photograph). This type 28b signal box design had been introduced at the turn of the century and over a hundred were constructed by the Great Western Railway, however only a few were built after 1924 (although being of an all timber construction several were relocated). The design had several distinctive features; including horizontal boarding, three up and two down sliding windows, a gabled roof with no finals and a plain gabled end. The signal box at Bentley Heath was 33 foot 2 inches long by 12 foot 2 inches wide and had three torpedo vents in the roof ridge. The internal layout was typical of most signal boxes with the lower floor housing the locking frame, while upper operating floor contained the frame’s levers and signalling equipment. At Bentley Heath there was a vertical tappet, three bar locking frame with 49 levers at 4 inch centres.

Eleven of the levers were spare at the time of construction. At the right hand end of the signal box nearest the level crossing was a wheel which controlled the level crossing gates. Two levers (No.1 & 2) locked the gates in their open and shut positions, while a separate small two lever frame locked the pedestrian wicket gates. Four levers (No.7, 15, 35 and 44) allowed warning detonators to be automatically placed on each of the four running lines. Other levers operated the block signals and those associated with the fast crossover between main and relief lines, where additional locking was required on the two facing switches. The up and down refuge loops had also been reinstated between Knowle station and the level crossing at Bentley Heath, so levers were necessary to control the signalling and switches associated with these. A ground frame was provided for the Ministry of Food’s Cold Store Siding, when this was installed on 16th May 1943 and this was locked with an Annett’s key released by lever No.14 in the signal box. An open steel lattice footbridge was constructed over the four lines adjacent to the signal box as part of the widening works in 1933 to allow pedestrians to cross the line when the level crossing gates were shut.

Robert Ferris

back