Caledonian Railway Association Forum

Thanks, Jim.

What was displayed in the boxes in BR days was an extract of these lengthy diagrams covering the area relevant to the box. They were pasted on card about 2 foot long and hung on a nail somewhere in the box, usually gathering dust.

Jim S.

In my researches into signalling I have been unable to see gradient diagrams hanging in any photos of the interior of Caley signalboxes. Not in Caley days, that is, because they certainly did have them in BR days and, it would appear, in LMS days. This might mean that the Caley did not use them, rel...

Nice as trains are, this picture excited me for the signals. Indeed they are Stevens, as Allan says, but they are of the short era when the spectacle glasses were wider apart than the standard product. Photo of the standard product at Bo'ness SRPS attached for info. What a super photo altogether! I ...

More progress to report. The ground frame now looks like a new 'un. Jim Haig sends kind regards and reports that further work is planned for the frame, a new timber front and modifying the interlocking to fit the frame. The drop boxes will need to be lowered as there is a 10mm gap for some reason. A...

Thank you, Neil. I hadn't come across that Minute, but it is most revealing.

Looks like the Stobcross area would justify almost a book on its own, if you add in the NBR, the traffic, the engineering, the accidents, etc., and its subsequent history.

Jim S

Progress is being made in Fife, and I have had an update from Jim Haig of the Kingdom of Fife Railway Preservation Society. The members of the KFRPS have agreed that the best outcome would be to rebuild the "Caledonian Railway" knee frame as a 4 lever frame, using only the original Caley parts. Work...

My experience of Caley yards of the 1950s are those extensive premises around Grangemouth. These were worked in the last days of steam by a fleet of '782' Class 0-6-0Ts, which were replaced by some of the earliest 350hp diesels in Scotland. There were two other 0-6-0Ts, the Beetlecrushers (known as ...

I have nothing useful to add to this fascinating byway, except the observation that the aerial photo is so like a model railway.
So much so, that I feel it needs a bit of weathering and general addition of life.

Jim S

Thank you, John. Remarkable recognition, and so prompt!
And to think that I once lived not much further down that line.

Jim S

Can anyone make a stab at where this might be, please?
The use of an ex NBR loco does point to a joint line, such as the D&A, but I can't see any clues which help me to determine if this is true, and if so, where.

Jim S

Thank you, Neil. There is a treasure trove there. Folks might want to know that the picture of the narrow box and the one it controlled, plus the interior shot, will be in the book on Caledonian Signalling, which is making progress against the target publication date. In the book, I don't propose to...

Peter Bunce watches our Forum, but is not a member and so cannot post messages. Nevertheless, he thanks us for making it available to non CRA members, as he finds it very interesting and is particularly grateful for the photos. Anent which he asks me to pass on the following information: CR 52 has b...

I see Dave Franks now has his 4mm Caley bufferstops on sale. Those for other lines have been very well received. Here is a link to such matters on his site:

http://www.lanarkshiremodels.com/lanark ... te_111.htm

Jim S

As I have been saying today in Another Place, this Forum is just wonderful for the new insights it gives. And what an endlessly fascinating hobby we have.

Jim S

Niall, I think the only way, now that it has been accessioned, is to open negotiations regarding making a copy with Julia, the Museums and Archives manager at the SRPS. Indeed maybe if the Association were to approach her, we could make a copy for our own archives. I know her well enough to sound he...

I hadn't seen this news item at the time, but now it intrigues me. Apologies to those more up-to-date. By ALASTAIR DALTON Published on 01/05/2013 15:57 THE transport hub for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games will re-open to rail passengers in Dalmarnock in three weeks’ time - six months late becau...

An interesting picture, Dave.

I agree with you, the unsatisfactory box was in the shadows, and would not have appeared on the plan because it was below the street-level structures.

Jim

In reply to Ed, yes, it was necessary at places to add a wagon to short wheelbase locos, to as to ensure they bridged track circuits reliably. I recall them at Newcastle Central for example. You are right that this is unlikely to be the reason for these Caley wagons. The Caley used fouling bars and ...

Alastair asked if I wanted the Stobcross material saved for the signalling book. Yes and no. I had always wanted to mention in the book the pioneering nature of the Stobcross installation, and I have had the external photo of the narrow box for a while. I am still hoping to get a legitimate copy of ...

Sorry I didn't reply sooner, Jim, but yes, I would be interested, blues and the satin black.

Jim S

In regard to Ian's question at the end, the Appendix seems to imply that there was Yard Working under identified Train Regulators.

How I wish those explorers had photographed what was left of the site of the remotely controlled original box.

Jim S

I am hesitant to be dogmatic about Stobcross, but until someone corrects me (please do), my understanding (supposition) is that the hydraulic frame lasted until 1909, when a new box took over. Somehow there was more space for it further west, probably facilitated by a revised track layout in the yar...

I was rootling around in the National Archives today, and noted a request by the General Manager in 1897 for an explanation as to how the movement of Caley traffic (including coaches) was to be handled at Peebles. I think it is implied there was some shuffling of feet, and I didn't see any follow up...

The photo supplied by John also appears in another of O.S. Nock's works, namely Plate 46 of "British Railway Signalling", published by Allen and Unwin in 1969, but he makes no reference there to the older box, as he is really illustrating the moves to panel displays and controls.

Jim S.

That is certainly an intriguing and credible point about the increased traffic, Ian. The Engineering quote was already in the draft of my book, though it doesn't say that the Caley was leaned on by the BoT to create the box with a view. I still have to check my evidence for that, but it has been my ...