Month: February 2025

Almost four years have passed since my last visit to Helsby Junction in April 2021, so it seemed high time to pay a return visit (Monday, 17 February 2025) to this charming, and last remaining, outpost of mechanical signalling along the route from Warrington Bank Quay to Chester.

Helsby boasts a Grade II-Listed London & North Western Railway (LNWR) Type 4 signal box that opened in 1900 as replacement for an earlier 1870s box. It stands on platforms 2/3 and shares its listing with the station building and waiting shelter dating from 1849. Following its renovation, the box won a National Railway Heritage Award in 2004.

Continue reading “Hello again, Helsby”

A forecast of dry weather and the monthly visit of an HST-powered NR test train is enough to persuade me to pay another return visit to Pembrey & Burry Port on 12 February 2025, at the start of what is claimed by Network Rail (NR) will be the final year for its semaphore signals.

At the time of a previous visit to West Wales in October 2024, I had been told by the infrastructure owner that its aim was to have the over-running Port Talbot West 2 (PTW2) re-signalling project completed “by the end of 2025” although there is still very little evidence of work taking place.

Continue reading “HST test train at Pembrey”

Sunday, 2 February 2025 marked exactly five years since the 23.35 Lowestoft-Norwich service (2J99) brought the curtain down on a remarkable outpost of mechanical signalling, by being the last service to be signalled by the six signal and gate boxes between Lowestoft Central and Brundall Junction.

Having paid numerous visits to the charming Wherry Lines during the final weeks of mechanical signalling, this notable fifth anniversary seems like an appropriate excuse to look back at the fine collection of signal boxes and semaphores that had lasted many years longer than expected.

Continue reading “The final days of Wherry Line semaphores”