Locking fitters are indeed thin on the ground - remember the outrage when it became apparent that they were being brought over from India for the big Stockport job a few years ago? We don't seem to have many problems keeping the mechanical stuff working though - the only time that I can remember a long delay awaiting parts was when one of the new LED 'light engines' packed in and a replacement couldn't be obtained - in the end they had to pinch one off a 'less important' signal. We're lucky to have a small S&T team for maintenance and daytime fault cover though, dealing almost exclusively with the mechanical boxes on the patch, though the teams from the nearby 'big' depot are well familiar with the equipment too.
Interesting - what a strange place to base locking fitters! Could it be a structure recycled from elsewhere?
In the distance past though for signalman were used. Surely there would be a case in some part of the country to use them again until the signalling that be replaced. I believe they were required on the Southern Railway network any time visibility fell to below 200 yards and / or it was snowing. I have the 1947/48 server weather regulations booklet for staff. Makes for fascinating reading.Interestingly it was a good old wakeup call this morning as we were zooming along at 85 mph on the up road through the hope valley and Edale's down home appeared in my view and then disappeared within about 100 yards in a fog bank - it does sort of make you a bit more sympathetic to people who say semaphores should be history!