Leeds-Carlisle signals
DAVID ALLEN looks at how signalling has been modernised along one of the UK’s most iconic lines, stopping to focus on where little pockets of history remain
How signalling has been modernised on the iconic Settle-Carlisle Line, with a few highlights along the way.
The Leeds station we are familiar with today dates from when the appropriately named Leeds New superseded the nearby Marsh Lane station in 1869.
Compared with the present Leeds station, it was a simple set-up of three platforms. However, it had some important improvements. As well as occupying a more central location, the New station benefited from a through platform. The redundant Marsh Lane terminus remains in use as sidings and is visible from trains arriving from the York/Hull direction.
Advancing nearly 60 years (to 1938), the expanded New was combined with the adjacent Wellington terminus and renamed Leeds City. The old Wellington terminus, comprising six west-facing bays, formed Platforms 1-6 and the former Leeds New made up the higher-numbered platforms - 7-10 were west-facing bays, 10-13 were through platforms, and 14-16 were eastfacing bays.
Although the former Wellington station remained mechanically signalled until closure in 1966, Leeds New was resignalled prior to the station amalgamation with all semaphores replaced by searchlight colour lights.
At the York end of the station, the existing Leeds East Signal Box (SB) was reduced in size. A traditional frame was used to operate the points, but a panel was installed to control the signals. At the more complicated West end, three SBs were replaced by a new West SB.
Fast forwarding to the early days of BR, in 1957 the Minister of Transport refused to fund a radical plan to reorganise the railways of Leeds. Indeed, the same expenditure freeze also jeopardised the modernisation of the
West Coast Main Line south of Liverpool/ Manchester.
It would be another decade before a similar scheme was implemented. This involved the complete closure of Leeds Central and Leeds City North stations, with all traffic concentrated on an enlarged Leeds City station. The enlarged station then boasted five through platforms with five bays at the west end and two at the east. The former Leeds
City North station area was converted to a parcels area.
Prior to the 1967 remodelling, Leeds Central had been the terminus for traffic using the route to Doncaster and King’s Cross. To accommodate the diverted services, the Viaduct Lines from Leeds City were truncated at the Farnley Junction end and connected by a new curve to the Doncaster line at Geldard Road. As a consequence, Huddersfield services were diverted up the new Whitehall Curve.
In 1987, the Viaduct Lines were taken out
To supervise the new layout, in 1967 a new Power Signal Box (PSB) was commissioned. Located high in the station building, it was a clear indication that signallers no longer needed to see the trains they were controlling.
of use due to severe speed restrictions. This meant the Doncaster traffic needed to share the already busy double-track Whitehall curve with Bradford (via Pudsey) and Huddersfield traffic.
The disused Viaduct Lines are now sprouting trees but are still clearly visible from westbound trains leaving Leeds, as are the arches leading into the former Central station. You need to look to the left to see the Viaduct Lines and then to the right for the Central station route.
To supervise the new layout, in 1967 a new Power Signal Box (PSB) was commissioned. Located high in the station building, it was a clear indication that signallers no longer needed to see the trains they were controlling.
Initially, it replaced 18 SBs and controlled 18 route miles, but several extensions followed. The first followed on from the closure
Signaller David Lowe is clearly enjoying his shift, despite another imminent redundancy. By moving around, he became familiar with most of the SBs in West Yorkshire and some in North Yorkshire. After gaining all this experience, he was made a Signalling Manager and then an Operations Trainer. Latterly, he was Regional Signalling Inspector, covering nearly 140 SBs between Doncaster and the Scottish Border. In retirement he is a volunteer Signalling Inspector on the Talyllyn Railway. Note the Rotary Block instruments and the distinctive Midland Railway windows.
of Headingley SB in 1968, which left Horsforth as the fringe on the Harrogate line. This remained the case even when the PSB was abolished.
Also in 1968, five SBs were abolished on the easterly exit towards Hull/ York, leaving the diminutive Peckfield SB as fringe. This survived until 1997, when control was taken over by Church Fenton SB.
In 1969, an extension was made southwards on the former Midland Main Line. Three SB casualties left Hunslet South Junction SB as fringe until 1981, when it was replaced by a portable structure at Stourton.
More work in 1969 resulted in three SB closures on the line towards Bradford via Pudsey. This created a fringe with Laisterdyke East. When this SB closed in1970, Hammerton Street inherited the role until it too was abolished and Mill Lane (Bradford) became fringe. Although the fringe SB was changed twice, Leeds PSB’s control area wasn’t extended beyond New Pudsey.
Of the early extensions, the work on the line to Doncaster in 1970 was the longest. The control area was extended 20 route miles from Ardsley to South Elmsall. The fringe SB at Skellow Junction lasted until the commissioning of Doncaster PSB in 1981. From the time of commissioning to its demise, Leeds PSB supervised as far as Morley on the Huddersfield route. Following the abolition of Morley SB in 1985, Batley assumed the role of fringe.
This 142-year-old tiny ex-LNWR SB is an amazing survivor, probably owing its longevity to its location alongside a level crossing. Indeed, it started life as a gate box with the delightful name of Lady Ann’s Crossing.
Some time prior to when it was given the more prosaic name of Batley in 1966, it was upgraded to a block post. Also in 1966, it replaced four SBs in the Dewsbury area and was fitted with a panel. Today it is an intriguing location, working to York Rail Operating Centre (ROC) in both directions - westwards to the Huddersfield workstation and eastwards to the Leeds West workstation.
To operate this area, Leeds PSB eventually housed five panels. With the exception of an extension to Skipton, the optimistic plans to enlarge control towards Barnsley, Healey Mills, Doncaster and York were never implemented. The last route extension to Leeds PSB was implemented in 1994, when the route
beyond Kirkstall
In 1960, a train plying between Leeds and Carlisle would have been controlled by 70 SBs. Today, there are 12 SBs.
was resignalled. This was a prelude to the introduction of electric services to Bradford/ Ilkley and Skipton.
By the time railways were privatised, the network and station at Leeds was struggling to handle the traffic. There were almost twice as many trains that could be easily coped with. The 1967 remodelling had been carried out assuming the market share for railways would probably decline.
In an effort to redress the balance, in
1999 Railtrack announced the Leeds First project, and over a three-year period, major improvements were implemented. At the congested west end, the station throat was widened from four to six tracks. Leeds station was also improved - an additional through platform was commissioned, and the number of west-facing bays was increased from five to nine.
Leeds is now the North of England’s busiest station and Network Rail is preparing to open an additional platform in 2021. Platform 0 will be an additional west end bay alongside Platform 1.
As part of the Leeds First Project, Leeds
PSB was replaced by four workstations in an extension to York Integrated Electronic Control Centre (IECC). In addition to Leeds PSB being finally decommissioned in 2002, the former fringe SBs at Stourton and Church Fenton were also replaced by the IECC. In 2018, all the workstations housed in the York IECC migrated into the adjacent York ROC.
Leaving Leeds, we commence our journey towards Carlisle. Following the 1967 Leeds resignalling, Kirkstall Junction SB became fringe to Leeds PSB. At the same time, most of the four-track section which extended from Leeds to Shipley/Bradford was taken out of use, thereby reversing the work carried out by the Midland Railway (MR) between 1896 and 1910, when 20 route miles of Fast Lines were commissioned.
For the main part, the Fast Lines were to the west of the Slow Lines (which had previously been the double-track formation). Just north of Leeds, a dive-under was used to take the Fast Lines directly into Leeds.
At Shipley, a short four-track section was destined to survive for a few more years. In 1975, as a prelude to the closure of Shipley Leeds Junction SB, the Fast Lines between Shipley Leeds Junction and Shipley Guiseley Junction were removed.
Then, in 1981, the Up Fast was taken out of use between Guiseley Junction and Thackley Junction. At the same time, the Down Fast was converted to a Down Loop, although this arrangement was short-lived and was removed the following year. Thackley Junction SB survived until 1984 and Guiseley Junction SB until 1994.
Shipley has a fascinating railway history. When the triangular layout was established
On July 14 2011, Freightliner 66596 approaches a clear Up Main Home signal at Garsdale. When the train passes the signal box, the signaller will send Train out of Section to the signaller at Kirkby Stephen. In 2008, the ten-mile Absolute Block section between Kirkby Stephen and Garsdale was divided into three by the addition of two Intermediate Block colour light signals on the Up side only. Note the ground disc signals protecting the trailing crossover.
in 1848, the station was re-sited. But no platforms were provided on the Leeds to Skipton lines (indeed, this remained the case for 131 years), and complicated manoeuvres were required to allow trains on this route to stop at Shipley.
It was not until 1979 that a platform was added on the Down Main. At last, Leeds to Skipton trains could stop without having to pass through the station and reverse into the platform normally used by services originating from Bradford.
Further flexibility was achieved in 1980, when the Down Main through the station was made bi-directional. For this, a facing crossover was installed on the Skipton side of the station.
However, although it was now possible for all trains to stop at Shipley, it was not an ideal solution - concentrating north and southbound Leeds/Skipton stopping services on the same platform (present Platform 2) limited the number of trains that could be handled. Therefore, in anticipation of the enhanced timetable associated with electrification, a new platform (existing Platform 1) was opened on the Up Main for Leeds-bound trains in 1992.
From the beginning, the triangular layout at Shipley featured double track on all sides. It wasn’t until 1980 that the curve linking Bradford and Bingley Junction SBs was singled. After temporally using the platform for Skipton-bound trains, reversible working was concentrated on what today is Platform 5.
Although the present Platform 3 is largely used by trains from Bradford going to Leeds or Ilkley, it was made bi-directional in 1988 for the convenience of InterCity passengers following the reintroduction of through services between Bradford and London along this route. The bi-directional facility on both these platforms remains in operation today.
In 1994, the Leeds North West resignalling was carried out in two main stages.
During the summer, the SBs at Kirkstall, Apperley Junction, Shipley Guiseley Junction, Shipley Bingley Junction, Shipley Bradford Junction, Guiseley and Ilkley SBs were closed.
The second stage, implemented during the autumn, extended the modernisation beyond Shipley. The SB casualties were Bingley, Keighley, Kildwick, Cononley, Skipton Station South and Skipton Station North.
All except Bingley and Cononley were ex-MR. Whereas Cononley was a simple hut, Bingley was a delightful ex-LMS structure
- the operating floor slightly overhung the locking room at the front. ( The surviving SB at Melton Mowbray is similar.)
The Leeds North West resignalling included modernisation of the track layout at Skipton.
By this time, the station had been reduced to two platforms for passenger train use - numbered 2 and 3, they were located on the main line and used by all through and terminating services. Bay Platform 1 and through Platform 4 had been taken out of use in 1978. Platform 4 had been converted into a north-facing siding by the removal of the connection from the south.
Through the 1994 resignalling scheme, in addition to the existing Platforms 2 and 3, Platforms 1 and 4 were restored back to use. Greater flexibility was also created by the introduction of bi-directional signalling.
Before 1994, all southbound services for Leeds or Bradford were required to leave from Platform 2, but today it is possible to use all four platforms.
The Grassington branch remains in regular use today. One Train Working still applies, but the wooden staff is no longer needed. Track circuits are used to ensure a second train doesn’t enter the branch until the first has been proved to have vacated it.
In 1960, a train plying between Leeds and Carlisle would have been controlled by 70 SBs. Today, there are 12 SBs.
The York ROC Leeds West and Leeds North West workstations control as far as Hellifield. Northwards of here, 72 miles of Absolute
By the time railways were privatised, the network and station at Leeds was struggling to handle the traffic. There were almost twice as many trains that could be easily coped with. The 1967 remodelling had been carried out assuming the market share for railways would probably decline.
Block (AB) working replaces Track Circuit block (TCB). Ten SBs supervise nine block sections. The last is Howe & Cos. Sidings, the fringe SB to Carlisle PSB.
The SB at Hellifield still proudly displays ‘Hellifield South Junction’, even though the ‘North’ SB closed in 1966. As well as being the fringe SB to York ROC, it also works AB to Horrocksford Junction SB on the route towards Manchester/Preston via Blackburn.
Taken out of use in 1965, the heavily overgrown bay platform at the south end of the station is a sad reminder of the local trains that served Clitheroe and Blackburn.
Ever since the stopping passenger service between Hellifield and Blackburn was withdrawn in 1962, there has been no regular passenger service along the Hellifield end of the line. Occasional Dalesrail trains were introduced in 1978, and on several occasions WCML services were diverted this way, but by 1993 there was no booked traffic between Hellifield and Blackburn.
Fortunately, in 1994 a passenger service was reintroduced between Blackburn and Clitheroe, and once again cement trains serve the Horrocksford works.
It is worth mentioning that Horrocksford Junction SB and Daisyfield Station SB (Blackburn) are the oldest ex-Lancashire & Yorkshire SBs in use. Also noteworthy is the semaphore gantry at the south end of Hellifield station, one of only a few still in use on Network Rail. (The example at Skipton was removed during resignalling, but there is a splendid gantry at Harrogate.)
In 2005, although not a Grade
2-listed structure, the 107-year-old
Settle Junction SB was delightfully refurbished and was a joint winner of the Westinghouse Signalling
Award for Restoration.
Following the closure of the SB at Wennington, the AB section between Settle Junction and Carnforth Station Junction became the longest on NR. Normal service trains occupy the 24-mile section for around 40 minutes.
An important alteration to the track layout occurred in 1979, when the junction with the double-track line to Carnforth was replaced by a single lead.
This simplification meant that trains from Carnforth travel for a short distance over the bi-directional Down Main before joining the Up Main towards Hellifield.
Similar simplifications were carried out at Apperley Junction (1976) and Shipley Guiseley Junction (1981). The latter was renamed Dockfield Junction in 1994.
The Settle-Carlisle Line (S&C) was a very late route to be opened. It involved construction from what is now known as Settle Junction to Peterill Junction (Carlisle). Before this, there was no need for a SB at this location. The existing structure dates from the First World War and is the third to control this location.
Two miles north of Settle Junction is Settle station. Although the SB was abolished in 1984, it survives to this day. After years of neglect, it was moved to the station yard in 1997 and the Friends of the S&C have spent much time and effort restoring it. Today it looks glorious and is regularly open to the public.
The next operational SB is Blea Moor. Located north of the Ribblehead Viaduct, it occupies a very lonely site without road access (certainly not an ideal location). There is no permanent water supply. The problem is overcome today by deliveries of bottled water, supplemented by run-off from the roof.
The present SB dates from the Second World War, when it replaced the short-lived First
Following several temporary schemes, in an effort to reduce maintenance costs on Ribblehead Viaduct, one mile of track was singled in 1985. New colour light signals were commissioned on the Down Main to protect the new junction, south of the then disused Ribblehead station. The Down Goods Loop was removed but the Up Goods Loop retained.
Much more recently, in 2015, improved facilities were provided for the Ribblehead Quarry. To improve operating efficiency, the Up Goods Loop was made bi-directional. At the same time, the Down Main section signal was converted to a colour light.
Many will recall, the ‘dark days’ of the
1980s, when the future of the S&C was in the balance. The worst fears were realised when a Closure Notice was posted in 1983. Following over 21,000 objections, BR granted a five-year reprieve.
Then, in 1988, closure was once again proposed. A very telling statement came from the Minister of Transport: “BR’s priority is to invest in a modern rail system for the 21st century, not provide pleasure rides for railway archeologists.”
A complete about-turn occurred in 1989 when the Secretary of State for Transport refused BR permission to close the S&C. There had been an increase in traffic and revenue, and (importantly) the costs of maintaining Ribblehead viaduct were falling.
Travelling over the route today, it is well to remember the ongoing role of the Friends of the S&C and the work of the late Ron Cotton. He masterminded its revival, thereby reversing the role he had been given by BR to bring about its closure.
In 1960, there were 30 intermediate stations between Leeds and Carlisle. By the end of 1970, this had been reduced to nine. The first batch of closures was carried out by what was the North Eastern Region of BR, when nine stations south of Skipton closed in 1965. On the S&C proper, 12 stations were closed by the London Midland Region in 1970.
Today, the balance has largely been restored with 23 passenger stations.
Although some occupy slightly different sites, the stations at Saltaire (1984), Cononley (1990), Apperley Bridge (2015) and Kirkstall Forge (2016) have since reopened.
Following the summer weekend reopening during 1975-76 for Dalesrail trains, the
S&C stations at Horton, Ribblehead, Dent, Garsdale, Kirkby Stephen, Langwathby, Lazonby and Armathwaite reopened in 1986. Settle and Appleby never closed. Crossflats (opened 1982) is a completely new station.
By the time Ribblehead station reopened, the Down side (towards Carlisle) platform had been removed. This meant that until a replacement was provided in 1993, it was only possible to travel south from the station.
Garsdale was formerly known as
Hawes Junction. Although the branch to Northallerton via Hawes was still in use, the station and SB were renamed Garsdale in
1932.
Garsdale SB dates from 1910, when an amalgamation scheme resulted in the closure of the North and South SBs. The work followed a serious accident when the signalman forgot about two light engines. Track circuits were not fitted.
In 1984, it was suggested that Horton, Garsdale and Long Meg SBs would close. Horton SB was abolished, but Garsdale and Long Meg SBs were left normally unmanned. Long Meg finally succumbed when the anhydrite sidings were removed (the mine had closed in 1975).
Garsdale SB has been sympathetically restored and stands proudly on the station’s Down platform. An obvious addition is a porch alongside the staircase, to house the toilet. An unusual feature is the SB diagram isn’t illuminated to show the track circuits. The last set of MR Rotary Block Instruments in use was removed from Garsdale and Blea Moor SBs in 2002.
Three miles north of Garsdale is Ais Gill Summit. This marks the end of consistent climbs in both directions. The famous SB here
Travelling over the route today, it is well to remember the ongoing role of the Friends of the S&C and the work of the late Ron Cotton. He masterminded its revival, thereby reversing the role he had been given by BR to bring about its closure.
closed in 1981 and was subsequently moved to the Midland Railway Centre at Butterley.
The AB section between Garsdale and Kirkby Stephen is ten miles. In 2008, to increase capacity of the Up line (towards Garsdale) because loaded freight trains could occupy the section for a long time, two Intermediate Block (IB) signals were installed. This allowed up to three trains to safely occupy the route between Kirkby Stephen and Garsdale. Two IB signals were also installed between Appleby and Kirkby Stephen.
In all, eight IB signals were installed at strategic locations between Settle Junction and Low House SB. All are colour light LED signals and are identifiable by a vertical black line on a white plate. KS4 and KS5 are controlled by Kirkby Stephen SB.
Kirkby Stephen is the more modern of the two SBs commissioned by BR on the S&C. It opened in 1974 when the 80-year-old wooden ex-MR structure was life-expired. The replacement was located closer to the station and constructed to a standard pattern.
By this time, the flat roof and the use of prefabricated parts was the norm. This particular style was developed by the London Midland Region in the early 1950s. Some 145 were built between 1954 and 1985, and 24 remain in use with the large SB at Llandudno Junction the last to be commissioned.
Depending on the ground conditions, they were built with a brick or wooden base. Kirkby Stephen is an example of the latter, whereas the Cumbrian Coast examples at Grangeover-Sands and Wigton have brick bases.
Dating from 1951, Appleby North SB replaced an ex-MR SB that had burned down. The new SB was re-sited from the Down side (towards Carlisle) to the Up (towards Leeds), and located in the vee of the junction of what was the connection to the Stainmore route towards Penrith.
The role of the Appleby SB was enlarged in 1973 when Appleby West SB was abolished. The latter was largely redundant after freight facilities were withdrawn in 1971.
Blea Moor and Appleby North SBs are basically the same London Midland & Scottish Railways pattern. Notable is the gable roof. In comparison, the earlier ex-MR have the usual hipped roofs.
However, Blea Moor has a brick base and
Appleby is wood (from ground to the eaves). Although Appleby North was commissioned ten years after Blea Moor SB, BR was clearly not going to waste standard materials.
With the exception of the colour light distant signals, all the stop signals are mechanical. The most impressive is the bracket protecting what was the divergence to the former NER route.
Because the footbridge obstructs this signal, it was made tall to improve visibility. For health and safety reasons, tall signals are no longer favoured. The modern equivalent would be a signal at driver’s eye level with a banner repeater at the south end of the station.
Alongside the SB is another bracket. This protects the junction and entry into the station from the Carlisle direction. Due to restricted clearances, the signal needed to be cantilevered out over a siding. This very substantial signal stands on the approach to the SB and replaced a more delicate structure located closer to the station.
Five miles to the north of Appleby is Kirkby Thore. Dating from 1994, this Railtrack commissioning is the most modern SB on the route.
Following the tradition of the time, it is a double-storey portable building - certainly not eye-catching, but as a prominent Signalling Engineer said at the time, he was sure the Victorians would have used portable buildings if they had been available.
Kirkby Thore SB replaced a ground frame supervised by Appleby SB, and greatly simplified operations. All signals are colour lights, but Absolute Block was maintained to the adjacent SBs at Appleby and Culgaith. Because Kirkby Thore is not always required and the AB section between Appleby and Culgaith is only eight miles, it is fitted with Block Switch to enable it to be ‘switched out’.
The line between Leeds and Carlisle (Petteril Bridge) was built by the MR, and fortunately the ex-MR SBs at Hellifield, Settle Junction, Garsdale, Culgaith, Low House and Howe & Co. Siding remain in use.
The last three are found north of Kirkby Thore, where the line follows the Eden Valley towards Carlisle. They are characteristically small, wooden from ground to eaves, and feature hipped roofs and distinctive windows. For the ‘purists’, Culgaith is by far the best example, with the refurbishment very carefully carried out.
Of the 29 operational ex-MR SBs in use on NR, six are located on the Leeds to Carlisle route. For those who wish to wallow in selfpity, 60 would have been passed on the same journey in 1960.
The retention of the SBs at Low House and Culgaith must in part be explained by their locations alongside level crossings.
Howe & Co. Siding performs the role of fringe to Carlisle PSB. The choice of Howe & Co. Siding as a fringe might seem strange when Low House SB is only three miles distant, but when the PSB was commissioned in 1973, it was considered there was too much local traffic around Howe & Co. that the Carlisle signaller would find the supervision of the ground frames too onerous. Alas, these movements have all disappeared.