Craigendoran

[kevindoig]

Wikipedia suggests "Until 1937, Craigendoran had three signal boxes: Craigendoran East, Craigendoran Junction and Craigendoran West. The West box closed on 2 May 1937. On 28 March 1960, the East box closed and the remaining 'Craigendoran Junction' box was renamed 'Craigendoran'." - yet the c1900 25inch maps (http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by- ... ht=BingHyb) only identify two boxes.

Can anyone shed some light on the history of boxes at Craigendoran and which box was responsible for the west end of the upper station?

Does anyone have any box diagrams?

And a subsidiary question - how does the signalman at station know that the train is complete is the train stops at the station - if they haven't seen the tail light, then how do they know its OK to give OOS?

[alancolq]

Hi Kevin,

The Register of Scottish Signaboxes verifies the closing dates you have but shows Craigendoran East as having opened on 4th Januuary 1942 so that would explain why the older maps only show 2. I'm not from that area (despite being a Colquhoun!!) so not very knowledgable I'm afraid: perhaps as it opened in 1942 the East box was required for some WW2 additions?
Re your OOS query, assuming that the train had stopped within the clearing point but before the signalman could see the tail lamp, then there may have been a telephone on the platform or other means for the guard or a member of station staff to advise the signalman of "tail-lamp attached". That used to be the case on the up platform at Dalmeny but when the stopping trains became DMU-operated the procedure was quietly forgotten. I remember a new leading railman on his first day in the early 70s doing just that: by the time he opened the small phone cabinet door and the signalman had time to answer, the train had already passed Dalmeny Junction! The poor guy got so much mickey-taking from the signalman that I'm sure it was the first and last time he used that phone!

[Alan Norris]

The date of opening Craigendoran East suggests it was a wartime box. There were extensive Admiralty sidings at Ardmore and, if I recall correctly, both Ardmore East and Ardmore West appeared to be ARP type boxes.

[Corrour]

Hi Kevin I can supply you with diagrams if you want to sent a PE with your email address.

kind regards,

Robert

[kevindoig]

Thanks all for replies (PM sent, Robert)

From what you all say it would suggest Wikipedia is wrong about their being 3 boxes prior to 1937. Could you give the opening and closing dates of boxes at Craigendoran?

PS re-OOS - how would that work at, say, (mixing and matching my Scottish railways) Luib - would the guard walk to the box to confirm the train was complete - I assume when Luib was opened a telephone would have been an extravagance

[John Hinson]

PS re-OOS - how would that work at, say, (mixing and matching my Scottish railways) Luib - would the guard walk to the box to confirm the train was complete - I assume when Luib was opened a telephone would have been an extravagance

The guard would give a handsignal to the signalman to indicate the train was complete. At some places, the guard would actually lift the tail lamp off and hold it in view of the signalman, that may have harked back to earlier days for which I have not seen Rule Books.

John