Signalling changes in north Wales
The delayed North Wales Coast Phase 1 Resignalling was commissioned in March, controlled from a new Workstation in the Wales Rail Operating Centre. DAVID ALLEN looks at the scheme and the expanding role of the ROCs
The Rail Operating Centres (ROCs), central to Network Rail’s ‘Future Vision’, are designed to be the primary centres for signalling, control and electrical control. Also, by having NR’s and the train operating company’s operational staff under the same roof, reaction time following incidents and disruption should be reduced.
The ROCs are a natural follow-on from BR’s Integrated Electronic Control Centres (IECCs), and resemble Railtrack’s Network Management Centres (NMCs).
The IECCs were a major success. They were opened at Liverpool Street, York and Yoker (1989), Tyneside (1991), Merseyrail and Upminster (1994). In contrast, the NMCs were never developed. One was built at Saltley, but it wasn’t commissioned. Railtrack planned to use it to control the southern end of the West Coast Main Line, but following 15 years of neglect it was used by NR to house the West Midlands Signalling Centre (SC).
In 2011, NR outlined its ambitious plan to replace almost all the remaining 845 Signal Boxes (SBs) with 14 ROCs. Though not known as such, eight were already in use - these included Ashford Area Signalling Centre (ASC), East Kent SC (Gillingham), East Midlands CC (Derby), Edinburgh SC, South Wales CC, Thames Valley SC, West Midlands SC (Saltley) and West of Scotland SC (Cowlairs).
New builds were required at Basingstoke ( Wessex Route), Manchester (LNW [North West] Route), Romford (Anglia Route), Rugby (LNW [South] Route), Three Bridges (South East Route) and York (LNE Route). These are now all structurally complete, and only Basingstoke and Romford do not have any signalling function.
The planned migration of Liverpool Street and Upminster IECCs into Romford ROC met with problems, and even the forthcoming resignalling of Lowestoft/ Yarmouth will (in the short term at least) be controlled from Colchester Power Signal Box (PSB).
Though not imminent, it seems the first ‘migrations’ into Basingstoke ROC will be when the ageing Feltham PSB and Wokingham SB are abolished. The traditional Portsmouth Direct Line SBs at Farncombe, Hazelmere and Petersfield are also expected to be transferred around the same time.
It is now seven years since the Operating Strategy was announced, and NR has re-thought its ROC requirements. LNW Route no longer needs West Midlands SC; Manchester ROC is set to control LNW (North); and Rugby ROC is set to control LNW
(South). For the time being, West Midlands SC continues to expand and the work to replace the ageing New Street PSB is ongoing.
In 2017, it was decided that Scotland Route would be served by what is still called West of Scotland SC. Once again (for the time being at least), Edinburgh SC continues to expand. Though no new Workstations were needed in December, Edinburgh SC absorbed the control areas of Carmuirs East, Grangemouth Junction, Greenhill Junction and Larbert North.
The position on South East Route seems fluid, to say the least. Over recent years, the long-term future of Ashford ASC and East Kent SC has been brought into doubt. Three Bridges ROC continues to grow, but capacity constraints are forcing NR to invest in lifeextending work for Ashford ASC and East Kent SC.
Thames Valley SC (Didcot) has also been judged too small to accommodate the whole of Western Route. The latest Route Strategy suggests that an upgraded Exeter PSB could be used to control what is presently the responsibility of Westbury, Exeter and Plymouth PSBs and the remaining mechanical and panel SBs in Devon and Cornwall. This would essentially divide Western Route into ‘East’ and ‘West’.
Although the ROCs are a reality, the speed at which the transfer of control is taking place is slower than was first hoped. In 2011, NR forecast 40% of the remaining SBs would be abolished by the end of 2017. In the event, there was a short fall of 137. Will this affect the target to abolish 80% of SBs by 2028?
The plan is for Wales ROC to replace around 70 SBs and gate boxes - 26 in England and 45 in Wales. So far, 23 have been abolished.
Wales ROC should eventually fringe with three ROCs in seven locations. One of these fringes, at Patchway, was created in 2016 when Stage 2 of the Bristol Area Signalling Renewals was commissioned. A second fringe with Thames Valley ROC should be at Awre (near Gloucester). Fringes with Rugby ROC are scheduled for Ledbury, Wellington and Crewe. Further north, Manchester ROC could fringe at Wrexham and Flint, or a single fringe could be established at Saltney Junction.
Wales ROC ( WROC) was commissioned in 2007 as the South Wales SC.
As the name suggests, its original role was geographically more compact. And fulfilling its original role, it has already replaced Newport and Cardiff PSBs.
For the time being, the South Wales Main Line west of Pontyclun is the responsibility of Port Talbot PSB. No date seems to be fixed for the elimination of Port Talbot PSB. However, Phase 1 of the Port Talbot West Resignalling is down for October 2019. This would establish a Workstation supervising the lines west of Baglan.
For various reasons, some sizeable ‘chunks’ of England will be controlled from Wales ROC. Already, 13 miles of the South Wales Main Line between Chepstow and Awre, previously part of Newport PSB’s control area, is controlled from Wales ROC. The North & West Route, between Chester and Newport, acts as the main route linking north Wales and south Wales, but ‘weaves’ in and out of England. The only sensible way to operate the line is by one Route. A document released in February suggested the commissioning of new signalling between Newport (exclusive) and Shrewsbury in 2022. The extent of resignalling at Shrewsbury is unclear.
WROC is a large structure, on the Up side of the South Wales Main Line. Located less than half a mile west of Cardiff Central, it’s built on the site of a former carriage shed opposite Canton Depot. Although designed to control the whole of Wales Route, the latest Strategic Business Plan states that “WROC does not meet minimum standard requirements”.
The North & West Route, between Chester and Newport, acts as the main route linking north Wales and south Wales, but ‘weaves’ in and out of England. The only sensible way to operate the line is by one Route.
Mention is specifically made of security and welfare provision.
The South Wales Control Centre (SWCC) was commissioned in 2010 as part of the Newport Area Signalling Renewals Phase 1A. At the same time, the Severn Tunnel and East Usk Workstations were brought into use. Work continued in 2011, when the Newport and Ebbw Workstations were added. This stage concluded in 2012, when Newport PSB was abolished and the Severn Tunnel Workstation extended.
The Cardiff Area Resignalling was carried out between 2013 and 2016. The SBs at Aberthaw, Cowbridge Road, Heath Junction, Ystrad Mynach, Bargoed, Barry, St Fagans and Cardiff PSB were replaced by the Vale of Glamorgan, Valleys and Cardiff Mainline Workstations. As part of the upgrade, new through platforms were provided at Severn Tunnel Junction and Cardiff Central and new bay platforms at Pontypridd and Cardiff Queen Street,
Despite all the new technology, Bishton Crossing gate box survives. Located on the main line to the east of Newport, this traditional ex-GWR SB dates from when the Route was quadrupled during the Second World War. It is now the only wheel-operated gated level crossing on Wales Route.
On the Uskmouth branch, One Train Working with a Train Staff remains in use. The Staff is attached to an Annett’s Key kept in a locked cabinet next to Signals NT1347 and NT1350 at East Usk Junction. This was previously the responsibility of East Usk SB, which was scheduled to be abolished as part of the Newport Resignalling, but closed prematurely due to arson.
In 2013, while the Cardiff Area Resignalling was under way, Shrewsbury North Workstation was commissioned. This controls the line between Shrewsbury and Crewe ( both exclusive), and the SBs at Crewe Bank, Harlescott Crossing, Wem, Prees, Whitchurch, Wrenbury and Nantwich SBs all closed. At this time, the control area was transferred from LNW to Wales Route, even though the line is in Shropshire and Cheshire.
The most recent addition is the Rhyl Workstation, commissioned with the North Wales Coast Phase 1 Resignalling on March 26. This affected 28 route miles between Rockcliffe Hall (near Flint) and Llandulas Viaduct (east of Colwyn Bay). The previous mix of semaphores and colour lights was replaced by lightweight VMS LED Modular Signalling, and Track Circuit Block ( TCB) using axle counters superseded what was mainly Absolute Block (AB). The lines were renamed Down Holyhead and the Up Holyhead (towards Chester). All signals controlled by the new Rhyl Workstation are prefixed ‘FH’ (Flint-Holyhead).
Between Flint and Rhyl, Reduced Capacity Bi-directional working is in use. The 90mph line speed is retained for normal direction movements, but bi-directional movements are limited to 50mph. To facilitate bi-directional working, new crossovers were installed at Flint, Mostyn and Rhyl. In addition, there is a bi-directional Up Goods Loop at Mostyn and a connection into the sidings. At Rhyl, the extra crossover allows services from Chester to turn back from both platforms.
Of the six SBs abolished, only the modern portable building at Rockcliffe Hall didn’t date from when the LNWR quadrupled much of the North Wales Coast. That work spanned 20 years and ended in 1915.
Rockcliffe Hall opened in 1995 when Railtrack needed to relocate the former SB, which was in the way of the new River Dee
bridge. Ironically, the old SB was largely redundant by this time - the power station for which it opened in 1953 had already closed. Unfortunately, the Welsh Office would only pay to replace the SB and not for resignalling!
Track rationalisation has continued what BR began over 50 years ago. In 1965, the removal of the four-track formation began. Although the most significant work was over by 1967, it wasn’t until 1990 that the Down Slow between Prestatyn and Rhyl was taken out of use. Similarly, the Up Goods (former Up Slow) between Sandycroft and Mold Junction remained in place until 1995.
Radical changes have been implemented at Holywell Junction (sic) and Talacre.
At Holywell, the former Slow lines were retained as loops when the quadruple track formation was reduced to two. The loops and all the redundant sidings have now been disconnected. Likewise, Talacre - formerly the access to Point of Ayr colliery - has lost all point work. The facing crossover and protecting colour light signal only date from 1988.
The existing track layout at Abergele was completed as part of the preparatory work associated with the resignalling. To understand the changes here, we need to go back to the 1960s. Because the station was built without platforms on the Fast lines, after dequadrification the Slow lines at Abergele were retained as platform loops.
A 1980s plan to simplify the arrangement by ‘slewing’ the Fast lines across to the platforms was only partly implemented. In 1988, the Up side was so treated. It wasn’t until January 2017 that the Down Loop was abolished. This time the alignment of the Down Fast was maintained, and the platform was extended over the track bed of the former Down Loop.
Interestingly, Holywell Junction, Mostyn, Rhyl (No 1) and Abergele SBs are Grade 2 listed. I should be heartened, but when I see the condition of the Grade 2-listed Rhyl (No 2), I wonder. It stands silent and forlorn, and reflects 28 years of disuse.
Less than a mile beyond Talacre is Tyny-Morfa level crossing. The manned gated crossing has now been converted to remote CCTV supervision from the Rhyl Workstation. However, for several weeks following the change, the operation of the crossing will be monitored by a signaller at the crossing.
The Rhyl Workstation fringes with the LNW Route Chester PSB and Wales Route’s Llandudno Junction SB. Before resignalling, even though the line was fully track circuited, it was AB between Abergele and Llandudno Junction. For this, there wasn’t a block instrument in Llandudno Junction SB. In its place, luminous lights and a push button were incorporated into the SB panel. Although this section is now TCB, similar arrangements continue to apply for Llandudno Junction SB’s AB sections to Deganwy and Penmaenmawr.
In 1960, 64 SBs controlled the North Wales Coast routes still in use today. The survivors are at Llandudno Junction, Penmaenmawr, Bangor, Gaerwen, Valley, Holyhead, Deganwy, Llandudno and Llanwrst. In addition, there are gate boxes at Llanfair and Ty Croes. Taly-Cafyn remains manned to operate the level crossing gates, but there isn’t a SB. With Phase 2 of the North Wales Resignalling indefinitely postponed, they should have a few years’ reprieve.
Beyond Llandudno Junction, the method of working is AB on the branch to Llandudno and the main line to Holyhead. Llandudno Junction was resignalled in 1985 when the existing flatroofed BR SB was commissioned.
Admittedly a mundane structure, it is historic in being the last of a standard pattern used by the London Midland Region for nearly 30 years. Similar, but much smaller, examples are found nearby at Penyffordd and Norton (Runcorn East station). Whereas Penyffordd and Llandudno Junction SBs have brick bases, Norton is wooden. Twenty-five similar structures remain in use.
For operational convenience, the single line token instruments for the Conwy Valley line are located at the Llandudno Junction station. As such, a member of the station staff, under the instruction of the signaller, removes a Key Token prior to delivering it to the driver.
The only SB on the branch is at Llanrwst. This controls the only passing loop on the
Grade 2-listed Rhyl (No 2) stands silent and forlorn, and reflects 28 years of disuse.
single line to Blaenau Ffestiniog. At Llanrwst, the Key Token issued at Llandudno Junction is exchanged for one to Blaenau Ffestiniog. At Blaenau Ffestiniog, there isn’t a SB. On arrival, the driver (under the instruction of the Llanrwst signaler) opens the secure cabinet and replaces the Key Token. Similarly, with the signaller’s permission, the driver removes one for the return. Tal-y-Cafyn still has manned gates. However, the semaphores have been replaced by Stop Boards. Drivers proceed following instructions by the crossing keeper.
The short route between Llandudno Junction and Llandudno is broken into two block sections by Deganwy SB. Difficult to believe there were two SBs at this small station until 1967. The survivor (the former No 2) is located at the north end of the station alongside the level crossing. Deganwy’s No 5 signal is a ‘fishtail’ distant. Indeed, except for a reflectorised distant signal board, all the signals between Deganwy and Llandudno are semaphores.
Llandudno SB dates from when the facilities and station were greatly enlarged in the early 1890s. It is the former No 2 SB - No 1 controlled entry to the south end of the sidings until it was abolished in 1968.
The present (simplified) layout is largely the result of work carried out in 1978, when the station approach was singled and the number of platforms reduced from five to three. Particularly worth seeing is the signal gantry ‘bridging’ Platforms 1 and 2. Semaphore gantries are now very rare - those at Harrogate, Hellifield, Hilton Junction (Perth) and Shrewsbury are the only ones I can think of. The last mentioned is a hybrid. Located at Shrewsbury Crewe Junction, it now shares the structure with two colour light signals.
On the main line towards Holyhead, Penmaenmawr has a SB dating from the early days of BR that is very much a precursor of the type found at Llandudno Junction. Following a tragic accident in 1950, the Ministry of Transport concluded that the existing SB should be relocated to improve the signalman’s view. The old SB at the west end of the station was replaced by one at the Llandudno Junction end. This was better located to control movements into the quarry that supplied ballast to the railway for many years.
The existing Bangor SB is the former No 2, dating from a station enlargement in 1923. This large structure replaced the former Banger West, and was built on the retaining wall to conserve space. The No 1 SB, dating from the same time, was abolished in 1968.
Major changes in 1973 resulted in the closure of Menai Bridge SB and the downgrading of Llanfair SB to a gate box. This was associated with the singling of the line over the Britannia Bridge and the AB section extending to Gaerwen. This work followed the disastrous fire on the Britannia Bridge.
Gaerwen SB is located next to the level crossing. Until it was abolished in 1966, Gaerwen No 2 was responsible for the junction to Amlwch (and so on). After this time, the existing Gaerwen SB assumed responsibility for the junction. However, the Amlwch line is now out of use and the connection with the main line removed.
The SBs at Llanfair and Ty Croes now function as gate boxes. The conversion of Ty Croes to a gate box in 1989 created an Absolute Block section between Gaerwen and Valley of 15 miles - one of the longest on NR. Ty Croes and Llanfair SB are among the oldest SBs on NR. Both control gates crossings. Since 1973, the crossing at Llanfair has been protected by colour lights, but Ty Croes controls mainly semaphores, including a ‘fishtail’ distant on the Down line (towards Holyhead).
Except for Holyhead, all SBs on Anglesey are located at level crossings. Though the traditional 114-year-old ex-LNWR SB remains at Valley, work over the years has left only two full-size semaphores in use. Between Rhosneigr and Valley, the railway is protected by emergency protecting signals. Normally they are unlit, but if the line is damaged or obstructed by aircraft, the RAF airfield control tower will place them to danger.
Holyhead SB was commissioned when the LMS carried out an important amalgamation scheme 80 years ago, when the existing SB replaced five. Today there is a mix of colour lights and semaphores. Fortunately, all three platform departure signals are semaphores.
An interesting arrangement exists at the buffer end of Platform 3. Underneath the fixed main arm, a small calling-on arm allows a locomotive to run-round. Operation of signal and points is from a ground frame operated by train crew after being released by the Holyhead signaller.