Birmingham New Street Station: lnwrbns_str1861a

Close up of image 'lnwrbns_str1861' showing the cleaning of one of the lamp's above the ramp on platform 3 whilst the platform's up signal is being repaired or altered. The type of lighting is described elsewhere however the use of gas in primitive lighting apparatus required the glass to be frequently cleaned due to the soot being generated. To the left of the ramp is the cobble road used by the railway in its earlier years as the location for off-loading road vehicles from trains. Also to be seen is the roof of a horse-drawn carriage showing very similar luggage rails to those provided on railway carriage roofs as illustrated in image 'lnwrbns_str1872a'. The signal post is seen without either of the two arms seen in image 'lnwrbns_str1860' and is fitted with a fixed ladder - curved at the top and on this side of the post - whilst leaning on the post on the other side, a workman's ladder has been placed to gain access. The signal appears to be different to the one in the later view with the timber side stabiliser fixed at a more acute angle and giving the impression of it being slightly taller.

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