Semaphores at Great Yarmouth?

[Islineclear3_1]

I'm planning a visit later in the year. Are there still working semaphores?

TIA

 

[66701GBRF]

All gone.

 

[hexagon789]

I'm planning a visit later in the year. Are there still working semaphores?

TIA

The Wherry Lines were resignalled in 2018/19.

 

[ac6000cw]

In East Anglia, I think only Manea and Whittlesea/Whittlesey (both on the Peterborough - Ely line) have any mainline semaphore signals still in use. The March area has some shunting/subsidiary signal semaphores.

There are some other traditional signalboxes still in use controlling colour light signals e.g. the ones on the Ely - Kings Lynn line (which have doubtless survived partly because they control level crossings), and Dullingham, Chippenham Junction and Bury St. Edmunds on the Cambridge - Ipswich route (and those last three are being abolished as part of the on-going Cambridge area re-signalling project).

(I suspect the North Norfolk Railway heritage line might have have more working semaphores than all the NR routes in East Anglia now, including a fair number of 'somersault' signals)

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Thanks all

Unfortunately, this won't be a spotting trip but thought I'd bring my camera just in case. At least my baggage will be lighter....

 

[Lucy1501]

There’s still two semaphores abandoned with the post laying on the ballast at Lowestoft unless they’ve removed it since April. It’s quite visible from the platform so you could get a rather “unique” photo. Whilst not exactly what you wanted I suppose it is something.

 

[Class 170101]

I'm planning a visit later in the year. Are there still working semaphores?

TIA

All gone.

and all controlled by Colchester PSB

 

[Bald Rick]

There are some other traditional signalboxes still in use controlling colour light signals e.g. the ones on the Ely - Kings Lynn line (which have doubtless survived partly because they control level crossings)

They survived because the Kings Lynn electrification went horribly over budget and the resignalling of the line was therefore descoped to fund completion of the wiring. There is still a long blank space on the Ely panel in Cambridge PSB.

 

[Lucy1501]

You’ve just reminded me - there is one semaphore left on the Kings Lynn line, KL8, the signal that protects the Middleton Towers branch. It’s photographable from the level crossing opposite the signal box. I believe it’s up for renewal soon.

 

[ac6000cw]

You’ve just reminded me - there is one semaphore left on the Kings Lynn line, KL8, the signal that protects the Middleton Towers branch. It’s photographable from the level crossing opposite the signal box. I believe it’s up for renewal soon.

I had a feeling that there was one left somewhere

They survived because the Kings Lynn electrification went horribly over budget and the resignalling of the line was therefore descoped to fund completion of the wiring. There is still a long blank space on the Ely panel in Cambridge PSB.

Thanks - that makes sense. So they've survived 30+ years since electrification.

 

[trebor79]

They survived because the Kings Lynn electrification went horribly over budget and the resignalling of the line was therefore descoped to fund completion of the wiring. There is still a long blank space on the Ely panel in Cambridge PSB.

Just out of curiosity do you know what caused it to go so over budget? It would seem to be a relatively straightforward job with no tunnels, few overbridges and some quite extensive single track.
Or was "this will be a simple job" lead to a false idea of what it should cost and hence budget was too low?

 

[Magdalia]

Just out of curiosity do you know what caused it to go so over budget? It would seem to be a relatively straightforward job with no tunnels, few overbridges and some quite extensive single track.

Electrification in the Fens is not straightforward because the railway lines "float" on the fenland, there is nothing rock solid on which to fix the overhead lines. Both the overhead line and the and the trackbed move because what they "float" on expands and contracts depending on rainfall, or lack of it.

A consequence of this was after the very hot dry weather last summer which led to some very long speed restrictions necessitating a revised timetable.

And look up the accident report of the 05/01/12 dewirement at Littleport, which gives the reasons for the dewirement as follows:

The pantograph head lost contact because the overhead line was deflected from its intended position due to a combination of long term movements of the overhead line support mast foundations and the force of the wind at the time of the accident.

The same issues affect the ECML at Holme Fen, and would affect any attempt to electrify Ely-Peterborough.

 

[Bald Rick]

Just out of curiosity do you know what caused it to go so over budget? It would seem to be a relatively straightforward job with no tunnels, few overbridges and some quite extensive single track.
Or was "this will be a simple job" lead to a false idea of what it should cost and hence budget was too low?

I dont know, but it was by no means the only BR project that suffered a similar fate. Inflation was an issue in the late 80s and early 90s.

 

[ac6000cw]

It would seem to be a relatively straightforward job with no tunnels, few overbridges and some quite extensive single track.

Don't forget it was Cambridge - Kings Lynn, so included the more complex Ely area. I can't remember if the project included the feeder station at Milton (on the northern edge of Cambridge) or if that had been part of the Bishops Stortford - Cambridge electrification project.

There's an old thread here discussing some of the East Anglian electrification projects - https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/electrification-east-anglia-v-western-se-england.178865/