Site Updated
30 January 2012
Page Updated
21 January 2012

Signalling Record Society

Calendar of Meetings and Events

Places on visits to Network Rail and London Underground are strictly limited and these places are only available to members. Registering in advance with the organiser is essential! If the number of members wishing to attend exceeds the available number of places the organiser will 'draw names from the hat' to determine who may attend.

Some visits to London Underground and Network Rail are arranged at short notice and may not get advertised here. If you would like to register an interest in advance, register here indicating which areas of the country interest you. You will then be sent detail of each visit by email so that you are certain to be notified in time.

By prior arrangement with the organiser concerned, members attending a visit to a Heritage Railway may take a friend with them.

If you are not yet a member, take the opportunity to join here.

All visit dates should be treated as provisional until participants have the date confirmed by the organiser.

Times quoted in the calendar are in 24 hour notation.

Visit safety - Visits to Network Rail and Heritage Railway premises often involve lineside access. Specific conditions normally apply to these visits. Please ensure you have read the conditions before applying to join the visit.

DateEvent
2012
Saturday
3 March		 Committee Meeting, Birmingham & Midland Institute, Margaret Street, Birmingham.
Thursday
12 April		 An afternoon visit has been arranged to the signal boxes on the Swanage Railway, by courtesy of Mike Whitwam, Director of the Swanage Railway Trust.

Over the years this line has received several awards for its projects, most recently with Corfe Castle signal box being declared the 2011 winner of the Signalling Installation category in the National Railway Heritage Awards.

Our visit will start here at 12.45, meeting on the platform by the signal box steps. Those coming by car are recommended to use the Norden Park & Ride station (BH20 5DW) half a mile to the north, where there is ample parking. Join the 12.40 train to Corfe Castle station. If using public transport, Wareham is the nearest NR station (South West Trains). A regular bus service (route 40) leaves from immediately outside this station. Alight at Corfe Castle (East Street). It is then just a few minutes walk back to Station Road.

Participants will need to buy a return ticket on the Swanage Railway (£10.50 from either Norden or Corfe Castle) as we shall travel on service trains to visit the other signal boxes at Harmans Cross intermediate loop and Swanage terminus. Please note that in order to visit the latter, an appropriate hi-vis jacket will be essential. We shall return to Corfe Castle for 17.40 and Norden for 17.45. If you would like to take part in this visit, or need further details, please contact Edward Dorricott. Visit conditions apply.
Saturday
12 May		 Annual General Meeting.
County Constitutional Club, 29 Ridgmont Road, St Albans AL1 3AG.
Meeting starts 10:30 and the meeting place is opposite St Albans South Signal Box.
The St Albans Signal Box Preservation Trust has agreed to lay on an afternoon programme for our enjoyment, from about 13:45. This will include the outdoor exhibits, a talk about the restoration project and a full demonstration of the operating floor with its MR 44-lever tumbler frame, instruments and linked simulator. Hands-on visitor experience is included. A fully accessible toilet is provided in the lower storey of the box.
Saturday
26 May		 York Meeting.
Saturday
9 June		 Committee Meeting, Birmingham & Midland Institute, Margaret Street, Birmingham.
Saturday
1 September		 Committee Meeting, Birmingham & Midland Institute, Margaret Street, Birmingham.
Saturday
8 December		 Committee Meeting, Birmingham & Midland Institute, Margaret Street, Birmingham.

Conditions for Participation in Visits Involving Lineside Access

The operational railway is a potentially dangerous environment. Whilst every reasonable care will be taken during the visit to ensure your safety, you must understand that the Society does not carry any insurance and your participation is undertaken at your own risk. This is in accordance with Society Bylaws.

In the case of visits to Network Rail locations, unless specifically advised to you by the Visit Co-ordinator, it is a mandatory requirement that you provide yourself with a hi-visibility waistcoat or coat meeting the specifications of GO/RT3279 Class 2.

In layman's terms this means:

  • The garment covers the whole torso
  • It is orange
  • It has reflective strips
    • PLEASE NOTE - Old-style mini-vests which only come half-way down towards the waist only meet class 1 of the specification and, while permitted on Network Rail in some circumstances, provide less visibility and are not acceptable on Society visits. Additionally yellow or fluorescent green garments (you will be a walking handsignal and will possibly cause a SPAD) ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE. This condition is imposed by NR on everyone coming onto the lineside. Please do not attend without suitable clothing; you will be unable to participate in the visit as the Visit Co-ordinator will have undertaken with NR that the party will be compliant.

    If you do not already have suitable hi-vis clothing this can be easily and cheaply obtained from workwear shops and on-line. Do ensure that you obtain rail-industry compliant garments, as detailed above. The Visit Co-ordinator has some spare waistcoats available - if you wish to borrow one of these on the day you must make arrangements before the date of the visit to check one is available and reserve it for your use. They will not be brought along unless requested.

    Do give some consideration to your choice of clothing on the day. Garments which consist of large amounts of red, yellow or green are not acceptable when on the operational railway, either lineside or near a signalbox, as they are 'signalling colours' and can cause confusion to train drivers, signallers and others. Any disruption to the railway caused by the wearing of such garments will cause embarrassment to the Society's reputation and could result in Network Rail refusing such visits in the future.

    The hosting Manager (Network Rail or London Underground as appropriate) will give a safety brief at the commencement of the visit. Please ensure you listen carefully to the brief and comply in full with any and all instructions given during the brief.

    Photography is normally permitted unless you are advised otherwise but you must comply with any restrictions advised to you on the day. In order to avoid Network Rail or London Underground imposing bans on photography you are requested to be mindful that operational signalboxes are security-critical locations and if you make photographs available for public viewing following your visit you should not display those which feature:
    a) identifiable images of railway staff, unless you have their specific permission,
    b) telephone numbers on paperwork or equipment,
    c) operational notices, instructions, memoranda, passwords, etc.,
    d) anything which could cause public embarrassment to the staff or company.

    If you find you are unable to attend the visit please let the Organiser know immediately to allow your place to be offered to someone else, or if on the day to avoid the visit being delayed awaiting your arrival.

    Participation in the visit will be taken as acceptance of these conditions. Members who do not follow the requirements detailed above will not be considered for future visits as, if they are refused participation by Network Rail or London Underground, their place could have been taken by another member.