Atherton line boxes

[TOCDriver]

Sad to see them shut this week. Crow nest box in particular looks ghostly in the dark. The end of a generation

 

[callum112233]

I wonder how long it will be before a 'mystery' fire at the boxes. I still find it funny how Stalybridge box burnt down just weeks after it was decommissioned. I'd blame yobs, but which yob goes round at 7-8am setting fires? They are all in bed.

Must be a few pyromaniacs at Network Rail

 

[Silv1983]

Sad to see them shut this week. Crow nest box in particular looks ghostly in the dark. The end of a generation

Plus the bobby in Crow Nest was the friendliest one going. Never missed a wave.

 

[TOCDriver]

I wonder how long it will be before a 'mystery' fire at the boxes. I still find it funny how Stalybridge box burnt down just weeks after it was decommissioned. I'd blame yobs, but which yob goes round at 7-8am setting fires? They are all in bed.

Must be a few pyromaniacs at Network Rail

They'll be demolished next week for that very reason. NR always do it very quickly to prevent a trespass attraction. Would love to go in crow nest for a look. Anybody know where the bobbies went to in these boxes?
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Plus the bobby in Crow Nest was the friendliest one going. Never missed a wave.

Neither does one of the bobbies in Carnforth Station box. Always stands at the window and gives a wave to passing Leeds and Barrow trains. But he'll still be around in 10 years time unlike the unlucky sods in the three aforementioned boxes

 

[Ploughman]

Even now it was a place that had seen busier days.
http://www.signalbox.org/branches/jh/crownestjcn1956.jpg

 

[Darren R]

I noticed there was a points failure at Crow Nest Jn earlier today. Perhaps the box should have remained....

 

[callum112233]

Even now it was a place that had seen busier days.
http://www.signalbox.org/branches/jh/crownestjcn1956.jpg

What is the other box in that picture?

 

[Darren R]

What is the other box in that picture?

The distant box in the pic (well-spotted! ) is at the junction of the branch up to the Lostock Junction - Chorley - Euxton Junction line, which it joined at Horwich Fork Junction - can't for the life of me remember what it was called though!

Crow Nest Junction was at the apex of a triangle of lines: the 4 tracks on the right of the photo are the fast and slow lines to Atherton. There was a 2 track branch up to the Chorley line at Blackrod, and also a line from the Atherton loop which crossed over the Wigan - Bolton line, allowing fast Man Vic - Blackpool trains to use the faster Atherton line avoiding Bolton.
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After having looked through my archive (finding stuff I'd completely forgotten about in the process), the official name of the junction where that second signal box is in the photo was Hindley & Blackrod Branch Junction. (Snappy name eh?) Can't confirm if that was the name carried by the box though.

 

[TOCDriver]

Some nice photos here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43709405@N07/sets/72157634973475025/

 

[yorksrob]

End of an era. Been past Walkden a few times.

 

[Darren R]

Some nice photos here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43709405@N07/sets/72157634973475025/

Is snow common in the Wigan area in August - with weather as unseasonal as that it's no wonder the re-signalling work went a bit awry!

 

[142094]

Is Vitriol Works box still there - went past the other day but didn't notice it?

 

[evoluzione]

Yes it's still there.

 

[142094]

When it goes I bet the old BR nameplate doesn't last long...

 

[dysonsphere]

when these boxes close do they offer the frames to hetriage railways. (asuming they collect etc)

 

[142094]

when these boxes close do they offer the frames to hetriage railways. (asuming they collect etc)

Sometimes yes, and in some cases a heritage railway will take the whole box. IIRC there is one at the passing loop at Keighley and Worth Valley which was put on the back of a low loader, and was originally in the Bradford area.

 

[Darren R]

Sometimes yes, and in some cases a heritage railway will take the whole box. IIRC there is one at the passing loop at Keighley and Worth Valley which was put on the back of a low loader, and was originally in the Bradford area.

The signal box at Damems (I think that's the one you mean) was originally Earby Station box on the Colne - Skipton line. No idea how they got it to the KWVR: on the back of a low-loader seems unlikely though!