Semaphores and Class 37s in Leicestershire

Colas Rail 37057/175 pass signal AL7 with 1Q18 from Derby RTC to Ferme Park

After a highly enjoyable day in the impressive Melton Station Signal Box (October 2023) it is time to pay another visit to the fascinating Leicester-Peterborough line and take a look at two more of the route’s six boxes that retain some semaphore signalling interest.

On a day of dire weather (28 May 2024) my visits this time were to the boxes at Ashwell and Ketton, giving a chance to see not only the boxes themselves, but also some heritage Class 37 action and a view of the network’s most historic semaphore signal.

Freightliner 66519 passes the site of Ashwell station with 4L93 from Lawley Street FLT (Birmingham) to Felixstowe North

For those unfamiliar with this busy cross-country route, the 20-mile stretch of line between Melton and Ketton, which is just west of Stamford, is a fascinating part of our national rail network, with a handful of attractive Midland Railway signal boxes that are likely to survive for some years to come.


Travelling with local signaller Andrew King, our visit began in the village of Ashwell, around three miles north of Oakham, where a 1912 Midland Railway signal box controls this, and another nearby level crossing, and retains two semaphores, both in the up (eastbound) direction.

XC 170103 passes AL9 with 1L38 from Birmingham New Street (11.22) to Cambridge

This pair are a tall up home signal (AL9), which stands on a right hand bend approaching the signal box at the site of the former station (closed June 1966), while east of the box up starter AL7 can be seen and photographed from the second level crossing, on a lane from Ashwell to the village of Langham.

During a heavy downpour XC 170105 passes historic Midland Railway signal K14 with 1N55 from Stansted Airport (12.27) to Birmingham New Street

Beginning at this second level crossing, there was the chance to photograph Colas Rail 37057/175 as they passed signal AL7 with a test train working (1Q18) from Derby RTC to Ferme Park.


From the box itself there is a good view looking north towards up home signal AL9, with the remains of the former up platform clearly visible just beyond the level crossing.

All 20 levers in the frame at Ketton have small and highly-polished brass number plates

This is a busy route, with passenger traffic comprising hourly XC Class 170-worked services between Birmingham New Street and Cambridge/Stansted Airport and a succession of Class 66-worked freight services, most of which are from or to Felixstowe.

The trailing crossover for locos to access the cement works is seen from Ketton SB as GBRf 66304 approaches with 4M33 from Felixstowe North to Hams Hall

Moving on to the most easterly of the six boxes to retain some semaphore interest, Ketton (Midland Railway, 1900) is notable for having the unique Midland Railway lower quadrant signal (K14) on a wooden post as its down starter, while lever 4 on its frame controls access to the nearby cement works.


Here again there was the chance to see some Class 37 action when Rail Operations Group 37800 “Cassiopeia” passed K14 light engine with 0Z48 from Derby RTC to pick up coaches from the new carriage sidings at Great Yarmouth, as seen above.