GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton
Budbrook and Warwick Cold Store: gwrw2669
A low resolution version of the Signalling Diagram for
Budbrook Signal Box showing the track layout and signalling arrangement in its
heyday. This was the layout after May 1914, when the Down Goods Loop had been
extended up the 1 in 105 Hatton Bank to form a Down Goods Running Loop all the
way to Hatton Station. This Signalling Diagram has been reproduced courtesy of
the Signalling Record Society (S.R.S.). Details of how to purchase their full
resolution content is available here.
In December 1910, the original eleven lever frame in the
McKenzie & Holland type 3 Signal Box (see 'gwrw2668' and 'gwrw2670')
had been replaced with a GW Stud frame with seventeen levers at 5.25 inch
centres. In addition a separate two lever frame was added at some point after
this to operate the two detonator placers on the main lines, located
immediately in front of the Signal Box. Visibility was important in the days
before track circuit indications and the Signal Box was positioned where it
could oversee the most complex trackwork. In 1929, the Up Main line was
provided with track circuit indication, identified as 16 T adjacent to the
dashed line on signalling diagram.
The opening and closing times of Budbrook Signal Box are
provided for a selected number of years, below:
Service Time Table |
Open Monday |
Closed Sunday |
Summer 1904 |
7:00 am |
6:00 am |
Winter 1906 |
7:30 am |
6:00 am |
Summer 1916 |
6:30 am |
7:00 or 8:00 am |
Summer 1929 |
6:00 am |
6:00 am |
Winter 1930 |
6:00 am |
6:00 am |
Summer 1938 |
6:00 am |
6:00 am |
Summer 1939 |
6:00 am |
6:00 am |
Winter 1945 |
5:00 am |
6:00 am |
When the Signal Box at Budbrook was open it controlled the
block sections on the main double line. The Signalman sent messages to the
preceding Signal Box to give permission for trains to enter the block section
on their line and used signals to indicate to train drivers when they were
allowed to proceed. Distant Signals, distinguished by their forked tails and
yellow colour (post September 1928) gave train drivers advance warning of the
status of the next Stop Signal.
Budbrook Signal Box also controlled train movements
associated with the trailing main line cross-over adjacent to the Signal Box
and access to the Down Goods Running Line up Hatton Bank, which allowed the
Main Down line to be kept clear of slow moving freight trains. The Signalman
could set a route with the point switch levers. These were interlocked with
various types of signals (including ground disc signals), operation of which
informed the locomotive driver of the selected route and when to proceed. This
interlocking with signals ensured that these indicated to other trains, when
they could no longer proceed safely and had to stop.
Budbrook Signal Box closed on 1st September 1969.
Robert Ferris
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