Signal box/cabin

[PFX]

As part of European Heritage Open Day today, the signal box (or signal cabin as they call them in Ireland) was open to the public. I had the joy of providing the guided tours so cleaned the box up and lit the fire for some atmosphere. The interlocking all works, it just isn't connected to the points and signals as yet. The box was dismantled by DCDR volunteers in '89 and reassembled brick by brick on site.

[Nexusdj]

I used to love going up inside signal boxes as part of my old Job , sign the book , some water for a brew or just a chat to the bobby whilst I waited for a path .
Not sure if it was just a London Midland thing but the boxes all smelt the same , a combination of polish , grease and warm electrical equipment .

[cyberdonblue]

You'd never have got away with the state of that floor in an old Midland or Great Western box . You could see your face in those old floors and nobody - not even the Area Managers - dared set foot in the box unless specifically invited to do so. You would stand at the door and wait till the Bobby told you where the rags were (usually right beside the door) for you to put your mucky boots on before sliding your feet across the floor to the Train Register, polishing the floor as you went. They were always cosy and warm places in Winter but I remember the smell of the old coal stoves, Dave, as much as the smells you mention, but I did love the smell of that floor polish. Gorgeous stuff.

I don't recall any open fires in our boxes like the one in your picture, Innis, but I'm sure there must've been here and there. Maybe I've just forgotten them. I notice no bells or block instruments in your picture, either. Will they be used at some point in the future? It's a lovely looking box anyway and a fine big one too.

I saw a picture of Princes Risborough Signal Box a short while back. It was heart breaking. I remember that box as a particularly fine example of the memories I relate regarding sights and smells but it's now not a patch on what it was. Gone to wrack and ruin. So sad.

Cheers

Dave

[PFX]

I don't recall any open fires in our boxes like the one in your picture, Innis, but I'm sure there must've been here and there. Maybe I've just forgotten them. I notice no bells or block instruments in your picture, either. Will they be used at some point in the future? It's a lovely looking box anyway and a fine big one too.

The smell is a mix of coal fire, polish and metal! The fires in these boxes had a small shelf either side of the grate (you can just make them out on the pic) which was about a foot deep, the idea being that you loaded the grate with coal and used the shelves for a water can and a pan to heat yer meal. The floor is still pretty much as it was when it came out the box when dismantled. Polishing it would be somewhere near the bottom of our very long list of priorities.

We don't really have a requirement for block instruments though there are some there to be installed (a now ex volunteer had very grand plans). We run one train in steam so they get the section staff and away they go. The box will eventually control all the points for the station and run round which the guard has the shitty task of doing currently. The frame also unlocks a large ground frame at the opposite end of the station which is housed in another restored box.

Cheers,
Innis