Manually operated platform indicator boards

[AY1975]

I just found this one which was apparently destined for Putney. Looks great in NSE colours!

Network South East train indicator finger board | #1476303202

Good condition some minor damage. The board was probably intended for the island platform at Putney but was never taken to site probably because the lever worked magazine was retained. The train indic

www.worthpoint.com

It says it was never actually used because the lever-operated board was retained instead. Can anyone remember seeing NSE-style boards like this one in use anywhere?

Those remained in use until Kings Cross got orange LEDs, so well into the 2000s.

Yes, and at least in BR days passengers were asked to form a queue behind the board for their train before it was ready for boarding, and trains that were not yet ready would be shown on the solari departure indicator on the concourse with a queue letter, which would change to a platform number when the train was ready. A member of staff would then take the board for that train out of its slot on the concourse and the passengers for that train would follow him or her as s/he carried it (in a similar manner to the priest or altar server carrying the Bible in the Gospel procession in church) to the slot by the appropriate platform.

 

[LowLevel]

Spalding and Sleaford certainly had them until fairly late, as did Skegness. Into the 2000s I think.

 

[Aictos]

Not sure what system it was but Hertford North had and think still does, a wall panel in the platform office with switches for the various stations and as I understand it, the person in charge would flick a few switches for a train and a screen in the platform subway would change to reflect it.

If anyone knows what system it would have been, I would appreciate it.

 

[Welshman]

I recall that in the 1960s there were manual indicator boards at the entrance to platforms at Manchester Victoria station.

Manchester Victoria station's indicator board, 6 November 1929. This...

Manchester Victoria station's indicator board, 6 November 1929. This board was situated on station platforms and showed the destinations and times of the next trains. These boards were common at...

www.gettyimages.co.uk

I also remember those boards at Manchester Victoria, especially the one on platform 13, which used to be the departure platform for West Yorkshire. To a young child, they looked like friendly giants, imparting information to passengers! Or perhaps it was just my vivid imagination.

Rochdale also had them, but I can't recall seeing them anywhere else, eg. none at Halifax, Bradford Exchange or Leeds Central on the old North-Eastern Railway [NER]. Were they just used on the LMR in the vicinity of Manchester Victoria?

The hand looks like it's been Photoshopped onto that, though I guess it probably hasn't.

I'm more intrigued about the train - was that portion worked splitting at Bolton, or is it a bit like a dodgy Solari, i.e. a few stuck flaps?

I seem to remember it was the latter, as I recall station staff resorting to a long pole to encourage the superflous flaps to return home!

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Canterbury West had Connex branded finger boards around 2000/2001

 

[Lucan]

I remember that at Mitcham Junction they had, among the usual white-on-green Southern Region boards, a "blackboard" one with destinations chalked on it. It was not wiped clean for each train, it was used for a particular service for which they did not have a proper board - possibly a station initiative while they were waiting for the proper board to be delivered from the signwriters. There was also the odd sign-written white text on black too, among the greens.