Mystery signalbox (=Wootton Bassett Incline)

[scarpa]

This topic must have been mentioned before. Between Chippenham and Wotton Basset junction on the downside there is a brick built disused signalbox with a flat roof in what appears to be pristine condition.Anyone know its name and history ,a diagram and whether it controlled any sidings.

[StevieG]

In case of any help, IIRC the relevant 1960 Appendix has only two boxes between Wootton Bassett West and Chippenham East; Dauntsey and Langley Crossing.
I believe there may have been some relatively modern(post-nationalisation) change to the railway arrangements in this area where a branch from the South Wales route ran north/south-ish below or above the east-west Bristol main line.
I wonder if any of this entailed a new box? (Dauntsey?).

[John Prytherch]

Wootton Bassett Incline.

[Richard Lemon]

There is a diagram in Vol. 18 of George Pryer's diagram books.

[Cotswolder]

There is a box diagram on the SRS website.

http://www.s-r-s.org.uk/html/gwb/T3032.htm

[Russell Maiden]

This photo was taken from an Up train sometime in the late 1960s or early 1970s. Not having been down that way for 40 years or so I'm surprised that it's still there.https://www.flickr.com/photos/69499916@N08/35591692254/in/dateposted-public/

[StevieG]

This photo was taken from an Up train sometime in the late 1960s or early 1970s. Not having been down that way for 40 years or so I'm surprised that it's still there.https://www.flickr.com/photos/69499916@N08/35591692254/in/dateposted-public/

An opportunity well taken there Russell. Thank you for posting it.

Not the sort of roof design that accords with the ARP boxes I was familiar with seeing : Looks like a possible forerunner feature of the BR(WR)'s 1950s boxes.

[scarpa]

Thankyou to everyone who added some information about the signalbox. Would anyone know what prompted its renewal and what kind of signalbox did it replace?

[Chris Osment]

Well, according to the SRS Box Register it was a 1952 replacement of a GWR Type 1 box, so I guess possibly simply a case of the sheer age/condition of its predecessor.

[John Hinson]

The old box must have been quite small because it only had ten levers and all discs were of the very old practice of working directly with the points. The box was renewed in 1952 and is therefore not "ARP" but a BR(WR) design similar to Wellington - https://signalbox.org/gallery/w/wellington2.php - and Llandilo - https://433shop.co.uk/index.php?route=p ... ct_id=3025 .

Both of the above-mentioned diagrams are of the old box and I have never seen any information on the arrangements at the new one.

Intriguingly, it was only operational for five years and closed in 1957. It has now survived disused for twelve times its operational life!

John

[Stuart Johnson]

One of the two diagrams on the SRS site linked above is of the new box.

Same layout, same running signals, but 23 levers rather than 10.

[John Hinson]

... well, stack me sideways! So it is if I scroll down.

Many thanks indeed for spotting that.

John