LMS Route: Trent Valley Line
Shilton Station: lnwr_shil1098a
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This close up of image "lnwr_shil1098" shows the main
station building over the up and down fast tracks with the passenger waiting
room on the down platform. On the right the signal is in the 'off' position and
the train being given permission to proceed can just be seen as an extremely
small dot on the horizon above the track. The road bridge that the station
building 'fronted' on to was however constructed of brick and therefore had
arches rather than the steel girder construction of Brinklow's road bridge.
Therefore to quickly identify whether you are looking at Brinklow or Shilton
just look at the opening under the station building. If its square its
Brinklow, if arched then its Shilton. Reg Kimber recalls this station from his
schoolboy days. He writes, "The dot on the horizon on the left and the end of
the up slow was a small signal box which apparently existed to control the down
loop. The box is hidden by trains on the photographs showing up trains
approaching Shilton. I got involved with the box when at school in about 1950.
In those days we had Tuesday and Thursday afternoons off and worked Saturdays
until 1:00pm."
"One Tuesday or Thursday afternoon a gang of us were at
Shilton on the Barnacle Lane bridge and two lads ventured along the embankment
end entered the box which was presumed out of use as some of the windows were
broken. The lads pulled levers with gay abandon until a bell started clanging
in the box. I was watching from a distance and no one did anything until we saw
a figure walking along the track towards us. It was obviously the signalman
from the box south of the station. We all scarpered. Next morning at assembly
an announcement was made that all boys who were at Shilton the day before
should report to the headmaster's office. The police were there. Apparently at
least two trains had been stopped by the caper. The two lads were expelled. The
rest of us were given a severe lecture. Incidentally I only ever saw the down
loop used once in my hundreds of visits.. The new diesel locomotive No 10000
pulled into the loop with a hot box on a fitted freight from Willesden. We
ventured along the bank to have a closer look and we were invited into the cab
by the driver. To this day that is the only diesel or electric which I have
ever cabbed."
Subsequent to writing the above caption, John Hyde of
Steam Archive was
kind enough to supply photographs showing the original signal box and a newly erected
asbestos 'shed' has appeared at the end of the
down goods loop.
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