The march of time and progress.

[GentlemanJim]

Another mechanical Box bites the dust.

Saxilby Signal Box

Attachments:

[railtechnician]

This is just up the road from where I live, 15-20 minutes away. I was aware of work going on at the site because the road closure appeared in the Lincolnshire Echo but I didn't know the box was being demolished. There are still lots of signal boxes in the county but as most are associated with level crossings those that haven't already gone probably will go in the near future because the level crossings are mostly controlled from local container type prefabricated relay rooms installed five or six years ago after the number of level crossing incidents in the UK became a big issue.

[drico]

I would have liked a box like this in my back garden, but her in doors said no.

[railtechnician]

Dec 25, 2013 21:47:29 GMT drico said:

I would have liked a box like this in my back garden, but her in doors said no.

Yes, I'd love to have an IMR in the garage but I am just a tenant here. One day I may find the time to create a virtual IMR but for that I need to brush up on my programming skills which are 25 years out of date.

The three big issues with engineering hobbies are money, space and time, having all available simultaneously is the main issue. As it is, mine, in all aspects is devoted to telephony in the main but one day I may find the time to build a small signalling demo layout with model interlocking machine, programme machine, working trainstops etc.  I'm waiting for 3D printing technology to improve further and for costs to plummet before I look at that again though!

I am aware of people have working signal boxes in their gardens although I believe purpose built to control gauge 0 and gauge 1 garden layouts.

Somewhere en route to Skegness from Lincoln I recall seeing a residence at the side of the main road (a former level crossing site I believe) which had been a former signal box and was simply converted sometime after the track was lifted. There is of course a preserved signal box at St.Marks in Lincoln, kept as part of the redevelopment but probably only preserved externally.

Actually Lincs is quite good for preservation, I know at least two former telephone exchanges which are now private residences and then there are many former military establishments in various states of repair including RAF Ingham just along the road from where I live which volunteers from the next village have been working on for several years now. 

[GentlemanJim]

Dec 26, 2013 17:50:25 GMT railtechnician said:

Dec 25, 2013 21:47:29 GMT drico said:

I would have liked a box like this in my back garden, but her in doors said no.

Yes, I'd love to have an IMR in the garage but I am just a tenant here. One day I may find the time to create a virtual IMR but for that I need to brush up on my programming skills which are 25 years out of date.

The three big issues with engineering hobbies are money, space and time, having all available simultaneously is the main issue. As it is, mine, in all aspects is devoted to telephony in the main but one day I may find the time to build a small signalling demo layout with model interlocking machine, programme machine, working trainstops etc.  I'm waiting for 3D printing technology to improve further and for costs to plummet before I look at that again though!

I am aware of people have working signal boxes in their gardens although I believe purpose built to control gauge 0 and gauge 1 garden layouts.

Somewhere en route to Skegness from Lincoln I recall seeing a residence at the side of the main road (a former level crossing site I believe) which had been a former signal box and was simply converted sometime after the track was lifted. There is of course a preserved signal box at St.Marks in Lincoln, kept as part of the redevelopment but probably only preserved externally.

Actually Lincs is quite good for preservation, I know at least two former telephone exchanges which are now private residences and then there are many former military establishments in various states of repair including RAF Ingham just along the road from where I live which volunteers from the next village have been working on for several years now. 

The problem with preserving railway assets privately is there size.

I'm sure many people would like a carriage or Signal Box but assuming the relevant permissions are granted to plant one of these in your garden or leased piece of land how long is it before the novelty wears off and it becomes  a rusting hulk or a rotten structure, you've only to look around to see the stripped out abandoned Red Telephone Box in gardens around the country as examples.

Of course there is always the option of keeping structres in situ but this again comes with it's own set of problems: access, liability insurance, restrictions on what you can and can't do etc. then there's the lease which has to be paid for but this in my experience  nomiallly a 'peppercorn rent'.

Assuming a 'group' is set up to preserve these things they've then got the expense which either means raising funds or digging deep into ones own pocket and I'm sure most of us have seen this happen, it can go either way!

The whole world of preservation can be daunting to say the least. I was involved in preserving the 1960 Cravens TS fortunately it was registered as part of the LU Heritage Fleet, we were given huge amounts of (free) help from the depots and many other departments but did experience hostility from certain quarters, however, with the right people in the right places anything is possible and a perfect example of this is the Cravens Central Centenary Tour in 2000.