Signalling Record Society
News & Announcements
SRS News & Signalling Record Copy Deadlines
Do you have something you want to share as news? Items may be submitted using the link on our contact page.
| Deadline | for issue dated |
|---|---|
| 1st February | Spring (March) |
| 1st May | Summer (June) |
| 1st August | Autumn (September) |
| 1st November | Winter (December) |
The Society will not publish news items it deems unsuitable or inappropriate.
Archive - Limited Re-opening
The archive may again be visited on Tursdays but only by prior arrangement with the Archivist. Visitors will be required to wear face coverings and make their own arrangements for food and drinks including bringining any necessary crockery and cutlery themselves. A strict cleaning down regime will be in force in respect of anything and everything touched.
A minumum of seven (7) days notice is required. Please email the Archivist if you wish to visit.
[30-07-2020]
The British Power Signalling Register
The British Power Signalling Register is a free listing and historical analysis of all power signalling equipment installations ever commissioned in Britain. Latest version 20.2 is now available on this web site. It has been compiled by SRS member Andy Overton and may be obtained here.
[07-07-2020]
Annual Report and Accounts for 2019
The independently examined accounts for 2019 can now be viewed here. Our report to the Charity Commission is included.
[07-07-2020]
On-line Bookstall
Whilst we have been locked down opportunity has been taken to revamp the Bookstall and it has partially reopened. Continuing Covid-19 issues have led to just a limited range being available for the moment but more will be added as circumstances permit. As part of the revamp some titles previously out of stock will be be available for direct download rather than sending by post.
Why not take a look here for details.
[12-06-2020]
Signalling Centres in the North East, York
Richard Pulleyn's new book is available from the North Eastern Railway Association web site.
Why not take a look at this flyer for details. The book is available from the NERA web site.
[12-06-2020]
North Eastern Railway Signalling
The North Eastern Railway are taking orders via their web site for their excellent volume describing the signalling of the North Eastern Railway.
Why not take a look at this flyer for details. You can also download an order form but please note that you must post the order form with your remittance direct to the publisher.
[11-05-2020]
Archive Index
The index files for each box have now, for the most part, been combined into a single PDF file which should make it easier when searching through using the Ctrl+F key combination. Exceptions remain where the catalogue is handwritten and these will continue to be downloadable individually until such time as they have been typed up. .
[31-01-2020]
The British Power Signalling Register
The British Power Signalling Register is a free listing and historical analysis of all power signalling equipment installations ever commissioned in Britain. Latest version 20.1 is now available on this web site. It has been compiled by SRS member Andy Overton and may be obtained here.
[07-01-2020]
Signal Box Register, Volume 8, London Transport
An addenda / corrigenda sheet has been produced for the LT Register (volume 8). It can be downloaded free of charge from here.
[16-12-2019]
Signal Box Register, Volume 8, London Transport
The register is expected to be available in late August or early September and, as promised in SRS News 2, we are now able to take 'pre-orders' at special, limited time, extra discount Early Bird Offer prices.
These Early Bird Offers are only available until 31st October 2019 after which date the standard cover prices and members' discounts will apply and carriage charges will be added as well.
Early Bird Offer 1: Soft cover book - members' price £18; non-members £20. (cover price £22). From 1st November 2019 this combination of book plus carriage will be £23 for members and £26 for non-members.
Early Bird Offer 2: Hard back book - members' price £28; non-members £30. (cover price £35). You will be sent a free copy of the DVD version as well if you order the hard back book by 31st October 2019. From 1st November 2019 this combination of book, carriage and disc will be £50 to members and £58 to non-members!
Early Bird Offer 3: DVD version also including volumes 1, 3, 4 & 6 - members' price £15; non-members £16. (cover price £18). From 1st November 2019 this combination of disc and carriage will be £19 to members and £22 to non-members.
Orders for despatch to UK postal addresses will be sent carriage free and we reserve the right to add carriage charges if other items are ordered for despatch at the same time. Orders to be sent further afield will be subject to the addition of carriage charges.
These Early Bird Offers are not available from the on-line Bookstall. Please order direct from the Bookstall Manager at 66a Lower Wyche Road, Malvern, Worcestershire WR14 4ET and ensure the envelope is postmarked no later than 31st October 2019. Enclose a cheque for the right amount payable to "The Signalling Record Society" and provide an email address so we can contact you if necessary.
We can accept payments on line via BACS and via PayPal. Please email bookstall@s-r-s.org.uk first if you wish to pay by either of these means or if you live outside the UK.
[28-07-2019]
Signal Box Diagrams, Great Western Bristol Division
Section B of the Signal Box Diagrams Series has been reissued on a USB pen drive. It can be purchased from our on-line Bookstall.
The credit card sized pen drive has a capacity of 8Gbytes which leaves you with 7Gbytes of storage space free for your own files.
[13-06-2019]
The British Power Signalling Register
The British Power Signalling Register is a free listing and historical analysis of all power signalling equipment installations ever commissioned in Britain. Latest version 19.2 is now available on this web site. It has been compiled by SRS member Andy Overton and may be obtained here.
[04-04-2019]
FARSAP Videos
Thornhill has been added to the collection. It includes a demonstration of closing and opening a signal box.
Why not take a look by visiting the video page for details.
[04-04-2019]
North Eastern Railway Signalling
The North Eastern Railway are reprinting their excellent volume describing the signalling of the North Eastern Railway.
Why not take a look at this flyer for details. You can also download an order form but please note that you must post the order form with your remittance direct to the publisher.
[06-03-2019]
FARSAP Videos
Nine new videos have been added to the collection all relating to Blea Moor signal box. These cover the history of the location and the day to day signalled moves that are possible.
Why not take a look by visiting the video page for details.
[23-02-2019]
FARSAP Videos
Four new videos have been added to the collection: Allerton Junction and Speke Junction; Stockport Edgeley No.2 (Lord Peter Snape); Tyers Tablet and Key Token Instruments on Kent & East Sussex Railway; and aerial footage of the Hull - Selby line.
Why not take a look by visiting the video page for details.
[12-02-2019]
Exhibition and Hebden Bridge Signal Box Preservation
A preservation group has been formed and details will be found here. A report on the final shift is here.
There will be an exhibition at Hebden Bridge Town Hall from 4 to 29 March 2019.
[12-02-2019]
The British Power Signalling Register
The British Power Signalling Register is a free listing and historical analysis of all power signalling equipment installations ever commissioned in Britain. Latest version 19.1 is now available on this web site. It has been compiled by SRS member Andy Overton and may be obtained here.
[06-01-2019]
Signalling Alterations
Preliminary notice of signalling alterations will be posted in the Announcements section of the Members' Forum. These will subsequently be included in the Signalling Digest published in each issue of the Signalling Record.
[17-10-2018]
FARSAP Videos
Two new videos have been added to the collection: Holywood and a cautionary tale recounted by Keith Steele.
Why not take a look by visiting the video page for details.
[16-10-2018]
Croydon Collection at NRM
The NRM houses a large collection of drawings known as the “Croydon Collection”. A finding aid to the collection is now available together with how to access the collection - see here for details.
[18-09-2018]
FARSAP Videos
Goodbye buffering! All available videos have now been transferred to the Vimeo platform which should make viewing the films a much more enjoyable experience. A number of new videos have been added as well. Why not explore what is available by visiting here for details.
[29-08-2018]
FARSAP Videos
For some while it has been evident that the FARSAP (Film Archive of Railway Signalling & People) videos have increasingly been suffering from 'buffering' whilst being played, an effect that was not usually noticeable originally unless the viewer had a particularly slow internet connection. Investigations have failed to reveal the cause of the buffering and it cannot be traced specifically to any specific cause such as slow broadband.
In an endeavour to overcome the problem the Friends of the National Railway Museum, the organisers of the project, have set up an account on the Vimeo® platform. This platform provides both a hosting facility and a means by which viewers may self-select the quality of the video as viewed. Self-selection in this way will benefit viewers, mostly but not exclusively, in rural areas who suffer from poor broadband speeds.
Videos already made available are gradually being transferred to the Vimeo® platform although the transfer process will take several weeks as there is a limit to the amount that can be uploaded in any one week. A number have been transferred already. Once all these are transferred they will be followed by additional locations as these are edited ready for viewing.
During this initial phase the videos are being compressed in order to get the maximum possible transferred each week. An unfortunate side effect is that viewing some of these in 'full screen' mode may, depending on the resolution of the viewer's display, lead to a reduction in picture quality. This effect is generally not noticeable if the videos are viewed in the smaller window on the web page as these windows do not exceed the resolution of the video itself. Once all existing videos have been transferred to the new platform it will be possible to replace most of the compressed versions with ones that will play in full screen mode without loss of quality. The exceptions to this are a few earlier videos that have been compiled with a lower resolution than the 1920 by 1080 pixels now commonly used.
[12-07-2018]
Charitable Status
On 16th June the committee of the unincorporated Society signed a deed of transfer which tranferred the membership and all assets of the Society to the Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).
On the same dated the trustees of the CIO signed a document accepting the members and assets of the Society.
[19-06-2018]
Annual General Meeting - Charitable Status
The very well attended meeting - 10% of the membership - voted unanimously in favour of the resolution to transfer the membership, assets &c of the Society to the registered charity that had been formed in anticipation. The web site will reflect this change once administrative activities to implement are at an appropriate stage.
[07-05-2018]
C H Betts Award 2017
The winner is Francis Voisey for his three part series “Ill Signalman Blamed for Accident” which appeared in the March-April, May-June and September-October 2017 issues of The Signalling Record. The judges particulalry praised the quality of research that went into preparing these.
[07-05-2018]
The British Power Signalling Register
The British Power Signalling Register is a free listing and historical analysis of all power signalling equipment installations ever commissioned in Britain. Latest version 18.1 is now available on this web site. It has been compiled by SRS member Andy Overton and may be obtained here.
[19-02-2018]
On-Line Bookstall
The On-Line Bookstall has gone live. Books, publications, CDs, and DVDs can now be purchased in a single order rather than having to post cheques to various addresses. Payment can still be made by cheque with the alternatives of direct bank transfer or PayPal now being possible. The front door to the Shop explains more and provides a link to the On-Line Bookstall as well as to the more traditional ordering pages.
For the present back issues of the Signalling Record cannot be purchased this way, nor can individual drawings from our drawing office.
Member's discounts continue to be available. To take advantage of this please make sure you tick the correct box when registering.
Please note that member's accounts will be checked against the current membership database to ensure eligibility for the discounts before any items are supplied.
[08-10-2017]
Renewal Notices for 2018
Members are advised that the membership renewal notice was not issued with the July-August issue of the Signalling Record. The form normally goes out with the September-October issue and will be circulated then. Unfortunately, the decision not to issue now was taken too late to amend the news section of the Record which was already rolling off the presses.
[20-08-2017]
Paypal Accepted for New Membership Subscriptions and Renewals
Electronic payment, both on-line banking (BACS) and Paypal are now accepted for new membership applications and for subscription renewals.
[21-07-2017]
Archive Reopens for Business
The Archive is now open again for business. There will be an introductory Open Day on Saturday 23 September from 1000 - you are cordially invited to attend and look at what the Archive contains and how it may be able to help you carry on your research and further your signalling interests. To give us an idea of numbers, please let the Archivist know if you intend to come. If you can't make that day, feel free to make alternative arrangements with the Archivist.
The Archive is located at Unit 6A, Princes Drive Industrial Estate, Kenilworth CV8 2FD. Location Map here - click on the map marker for satnav detail. If you are driving, follow the signs to Kenilworth Industrial Estates (not the Town Centre) from the A46 - there is normally no problem parking outside Unit 6A. By public transport, take Stagecoach bus X17 (every 15 minutes Monday - Saturday) from the bridge close to Coventry station, or from outside Leamington station, alighting in Coventry Road, Kenilworth where a footbridge (on the course of the closed Kenilworth - Berkswell line) crosses the road. A footpath from there leads to Princes Drive. There are Sunday buses, but less frequently.
I welcome your thoughts on how we should manage access to the Archive for the longer term. Is there a demand for regular Open Days? If so, when and how often? Unlike at Kithead, we are not limited to specific days of the week, though we have, of course, to avoid clashing with LNWR Society events.
[04-07-2017]
Archive Moving Home
The archive is effectively closed to visitors for the remainder of the removal period. An announcement will be made about accessibility at Kenilworth once the removal is completed.
Help is still needed to complete the move and sort the contents at the new location.
[30-04-2017]
Archive Moving Volunteers Needed
The archive will move in several stages starting in March and being completed by the end of June.
There is a lot of work to do to physically move the considerable quantity of archive material from Droitwich to Kenilworth. Offers of help will be more than welcome ‐ please contact the Archivist in the first instance. Help will be needed both at Droitwich and at Kenilworth. If you live within reasonable distance of either location please consider offering some of your time. Access by road is easy at both sites, and Kenilworth is accessible by a frequent bus service from both Coventry and Leamington Spa stations.
While the move is taking place, access to the archive material will necessarily be limited. If you wish to inspect any archive items and it cannot wait until the move has been completed, please contact the Archivist with as much detail as possible on the items you are interested in. Once the move is completed the, procedures for visiting the new archive at Kenilworth will be published on this web site and in the Signalling Record. Directions to the new location will also be published.
We hope to organise an open day for Society members at Kenilworth sometime in July. Details will appear on this web site in due course.
[06-03-2017]
Archive Moving Home
An agreement has been reached with the London & North Western Society to move our archive to their premises near Kenilworth. It is anticipated that the work to make the move will start in March and be completed by the end of June. The archive will be closed to visitors from time to time during the removal period. If you intend visiting it is essential you contact the Archivist first.
[01-03-2017]
More Swift Sketches
John Swift's sketches for the Cambrian & Shrewsbury, Birmingham (GW), Lancashire & Yorkshire east of Preston & Manchester Victoria East, London Tilbury & Southend, and North London areas are available as Research Notes 45 to 51a. They are generally less detailed than the previously published sections.
[30-12-2016]
Supplement to Research Note 37, SR Weekly Notice Alterations
Additional information has come to light since the disc was produced and is now gathered together in a supplement. The supplement is available free here and will be included on future supply of the CD.
[21-11-2016]
Research Note 39 Now Available
We are pleased to announce the publication of a new Research Note, No. 39, comprising the signalling alterations ("Section C" items) extracted from the British Railways, Southern weekly notices for the twenty year period 1969-1988. Thus it carries on from the information previously compiled in Research Notes 37 and 38, and is in similar format.
During this period the major panel schemes at Dartford, Feltham, London Bridge, Victoria and Three Bridges were completed, and much of the detail not found in the related "yellow notices" appears here. There are around 9000 individual items, plus 220 diagrams, on the DVD which is fully indexed - in addition, as a new feature, the text of the PDF files of notices is searchable. Thus you only need free software such as Adobe Reader® or similar to be able to search for words or numbers throughout the 865 pages of notices.
[15-08-2016]
The British Power Signalling Register
The British Power Signalling Register is a free listing and historical analysis of all power signalling equipment installations ever commissioned in Britain. Latest version 16.1 is now available. It has been compiled by SRS member Andy Overton and may be obtained here.
[25-07-2016]
George Pryer Diagrams
The Society has obtained four volumes of George Pryer's Signal Box Diagrams series which had lain for several years in the care of Oakwood Press.
These four volumes are now available for purchase on this web site.
[14-05-2016]
C H Betts Award 2015
The winner is Francis Voisey for his article “Confessions of a Signal Box Spotter: Part 1” which appeared in the November-December 2015 issue of The Signalling Record.
[14-05-2016]
Bookstall
It is with considerable regret that we have to report the sudden and unexpected death of our Bookstall Manager.
If you have contacted Anthony Moss, either direct or via the web site, and have not had a response please contact us again using this link on this web site.
[30-04-2016]
New Society Publication
Edward Dorricott's opus magnum "Samuel Telford Dutton - Railway Signal Engineer of Worcester" will be available to purchase at the Annual General Meeting on 14th May and orders for copies by post will be sent out commencing Monday 16th May. Click here for more information and to order your copy now.
[16-03-2016]
Royal Mail Charges
Royal Mail have announced that their prices will alter from 29th March. Order by 24th March to beat the price rise!
[16-03-2016]
Signal Box Diagram Drawings
The drawing office lists have been updated to include 61 newly scanned drawings.
[18-12-2015]
Signal Box Register Combined DVD
The combined edition Signal Box Register DVD-ROM has been updated to contain the latest correction sheet (November 2015), which is also available from this web site. The DVD-ROM has also been updated so that internet access is no longer required to access map tiles - in addition, register entries displayed using the map-based search [also available on-line] now show entries with all the latest corrections included.
[18-12-2015]
Signal Box Register - Ireland & Isle of Man
Volume 9 (Ireland & Isle of Man) softback endition was received from the printer on 4th September and orders are being sent out. Regrettably the hardback edition will not be available until the end of the month and we expect to despatch orders at the middle of October.
[08-09-2015]
Supplement to Research Note 38, BR SR Weekly Notice Alterations
Additional information has come to light since the disc was produced in 2007 and is now gathered together in a supplement. The supplement is available free here and will be included on future supply of the CD.
[12-08-2015]
Signal Box Register - Ireland & Isle of Man
Volume 9 (Ireland & Isle of Man) of this series will be available from the end of August (or the start of September) from the Bookstall.
The Register will be a strictly Limited Edition of 500 copies and will be available in your choice of softback, hardback or CD-ROM format. There is a special offer of a free copy of the CD with each book sold for orders received by the Bookstall Manager no later than 30 November 2015. In addition, if delivery is to a UK address as defined by the Royal Mail and the order is received by 30 November we will send it post free.
The usual Member discount will apply.
For shipments to non UK addresses or orders for more than one copy please ask for a quote from the Bookstall Manager.
[28-07-2015]
George Pryer's Signal Box Diagrams of the Great Western and Southern Railways
Volumes 1 and 2 of this series have now been reprinted and are available from the Bookstall.
For shipments to non UK addresses or orders for more than one copy please ask for a quote from the Bookstall Manager.
It is intended to reprint and / or revise the remaining 25 volumes of the series.
[26-07-2015]
Society Archive, Kithead
For many years the Archive has been located at the Kithead Trust's premises near Droitwich. Regrettably the Trust has decided that it needs the space we occupy to expand their own archive, and has asked us to find a new home by June 2017. The Committee is actively looking at alternatives, including the Kidderminster Railway Museum and the LNWR Society's premises in Kenilworth. We are most grateful to both of these organisations for their helpful response.
But we need to consider more widely. Please can anyone who is aware of other possibilities get in touch with David Garland as soon as possible. For an idea of what we are looking for, we currently occupy some 260 square feet (about 25 m2) of office / warehouse type accommodation, and we spent £1890 on the archive last year. While a new location in the Midlands would be ideal, we do not have to limit ourselves to that.
Meanwhile the Archive at Droitwich remains accessible in the usual way (contact the Archivist if you are considering a visit), and donations of new archive material are still very welcome.
[15-07-2015]
Royal Mail Postage Costs
From Monday 30 March 2015 new postal charges are being introduced by Royal Mail. We ship using the UK Standard service.
For shipments to non UK addresses or orders for more than one copy please ask for a quote from the Bookstall Manager.
[27-03-2015]
SRS Newsletter
With effect from January 2015 the Newsletter ceases to be published as an insert in The Signalling Record and becomes an integral part of the The Signalling Record itself. The editor of The Signalling Record will, in future, edit the items of news as well.
The decision to amalgamate was taken after the November-December Signalling Record went to press so the formal announcement will appear in the January-February issue.
[06-01-2015]
Drawing Office Updates
The lists for the LMSR, LNER and Southern have been updated to include 65 new drawings.
[25-06-2014]
Signal Box Register Entries On-Line
A revised edition of the CD-ROM version of the signal box register (now a DVD-ROM) has been circulated to those members who have subscribed to the update service. It includes the full content of the four registers so far published (Volumes 1, 3, 4 and 6) in both PDF and HTML form and also features a much improved method of map-based access to signal box register information.
The information available on-line about signal boxes has also been improved (to use the same method) so that individual signal box register entries can now be viewed. Simply click over any signal box icon as it is displayed on a 1940s Popular Series map view by following this link.
To bring up a view of a particular place simply add the grid reference as a hash to the link above (e.g. add #TG230059 to display Trowse Upper Junction). To find a signal box, just type in part of the name and click on Find. Once you have the area in question displayed, a click over a signal box icon (shown in the position given by its grid reference) will open any signal box register entries for that grid reference a click elsewhere will centre the map on the mouse position.
There are currently 1720 boxes from Volume 4 (Southern Railway), 2015 boxes from Volume 1 (Great Western), 2073 boxes from Volume 3 (LNER Southern Area), 2649 boxes from Volume 6 (Scotland) as well as 1607 partial entries (box name and Railref code only) from Volume 2 (Midland Railway), making a total of 10064 entries available.
Detailed information about register entries will not be made available on-line until at least 12 to 18 months after publication of the relevant printed register.
[25-06-2014]
Signal Box Register Updates 2014
The addenda and corrigenda to the Signal Box Registers has been reissued and can be downloaded here.
[02-06-2014]
Colin Betts Award 2014
This year's award for an article in The Signalling Record goes to Mike Walshaw for his article “Signalling the Swanage Railway - Corfe Castle New” which appeared in the January-February and March-April 2013 issues (numbers 157-158).
[21-05-2014]
Royal Mail Postage Costs
From Monday 31 March 2014 new postal charges are being introduced by Royal Mail. We ship using the UK Standard service. The revised shipping cost for single copies to UK addresses is shown on the order page - some have gone up and some down.
For shipments to non UK addresses or orders for more than one copy please ask for a quote from the Bookstall Manager.
[24-03-2014]
The British Power Signalling Register
The British Power Signalling Register is a free listing and historical analysis of all power signalling equipment installations ever commissioned in Britain. Latest version 14.1 is now available. It has been compiled by SRS member Andy Overton and may be obtained here.
[06-02-2014]
Warley Show 2013: Best Signalled Layout
Our award for the Best Signalled Layout went to the “Borchester Market” layout of the Newhaven and District Model Railway Club. The layout is fully signalled with all working, including the discs. They have a web site here.
[09-12-2013]
Great Western Signal Box Diagrams
Sections G,R & S have been updated with 48 newly scanned diagrams. The revised CD will be available from mid November. Order Form here.
[01-11-2013]
Web Site Changes
The web site is undergoing a number of changes, not least to resolve usability of the site on touch screen devices.
The changes will take a number of days to implement during which time there is the possibility of some links between pages being broken. Please let the webmaster know of any problems arising from the change, including any broken links, so these can be fixed promptly.
[27-09-2013]
Members' Discussion Forum
A discussion forum has been opened for the exclusive use of Society Members and a button has been added to the navigation panel to give access to it. The Forum page will open in a new window. To use the Forum you will first need to register first. The process is not instantaneous as all registrations need to be approved, the approval process taking the form of a check against the current membership list.
When registering please take the time to read through the 'Rules of Conduct' before proceeding. You will also find it useful to read through the choices in your Profile and change things, particularly in Look and Layout, where you can influence how the Forum operates for you. You should also bear in mind, that whilst membership is restricted to Society Members only, the discussions can be viewed by non-members although they will not be able to contribute to the discussions.
I would like to express my thanks to Andy Overton, Anthony Moss and John Creed for reviewing the test Forum set up prior to the premanent installation.
[19-05-2013]
Research Note 41: Southern Region Signal Box Diagrams on DVD
Over 1,100 drawings in PDF format scanned from the official ones used by the Southern Region S&T department to produce the paper copies. From Margate in the east, to Weymouth and Wilton in the west, almost every mechanical signal box is included. There are even a few west of Wilton that had closed before the Western Region took over.
A full list of the signal boxes included on this DVD can be seen here.
How to get the DVD will be found on the order form and members should note the much lower price available exclusively to them. Not a member? Apply here.
[19-04-2013]
Place Name Gazetteer and OS Map Page
A start has been made on adding a list of place names (stations, signalboxes, junctions etc.) to the OS Map Page. The list is far from complete at this stage and will gradually become more comprehensive with the passage of time as the locations are plotted against the map.
Some RailRef Line Code entries now include links to the map page. When used these will bring up a set of relevant markers with the lines picked out.
The map page is designed to be viewed full screen with the resolution set to 1280 x 1024 or more. It can be viewed in a window or at lower resolution but this will entail more scrolling about. The Gazetteer is below the map - scroll down the map page to view it.
[05-04-2013]
J T Howard-Turner Award 2012
The Society is pleased to announce that the winner of this award for 2012 is Raoul Beaman for his article “Welwyn Time Release Units and R E Thompson and Company” which was published in the November-December 2012 issue of the Signalling Record.
To read the article you first need to be a member of the Society. You can join here.
[27-03-2013]
Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Signalling School Centenary
Event at the National Railway Museum, York
The L&Y Signalling School at the National Railway Museum celebrates 100 years of service in January 2013 and plans are underway to commemorate its centenary with a three day event.
On Friday, 18 January, the Museum will be launching a new interpretive film about the history of the layout to be screened alongside the layout when it is not being demonstrated.
On Saturday 19 January all past students who trained at the L&Y Signalling School are invited to the Museum, between 11.00 and 16.00, to “take a trip down memory lane” and then to join staff for a celebratory event that evening. Anyone interested in coming along should contact Matthew Hick on 01904 685737 or by email.
Sunday 20 January will see the signalling layout open to the public, with slots available for those interested to try their skills, free of charge; places can be booked through the NRM website or at the entrance desks.
The track, signals, lever frames and baseboard were all made by the apprentices of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway at Horwich in 1912. The locomotives, carriages and wagons were supplied, bespoke, by the Basset Lowke Company. The L&Y Signalling School layout was then in use from 1913 to train staff in the rules and regulations; however, in 1995 redevelopment of Victoria Station in Manchester, where the layout was located, forced the signal school to close. Thanks to the efforts of a group of museum volunteers, it was recovered and bought to the National Railway Museum where it lay dormant until 1999 when reconstruction work began; it has now been restored to its 1925 reconfiguration. This was the year of the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley, so there were photographs and written evidence easily available to assist volunteer restorers with this project.
NRM location map here - click on the map marker for address detail.
[18-12-2012]
Signal Box Registers
Volume 6, Scotland, is now available and may be ordered here.
Volume 3, Eastern, is now available in hardback and may be ordered here.
Subscribers to the CD update service will automatically receive an amended version of the CD when it becomes available (probably mid December) although it is likely to be a DVD rather than a CD.
[09-11-2012]
40 Years of Sheffield Power Signal Box
This 160 page book charts the rise of multiple aspect signalling in the area which was to become controlled by Sheffield PSB, from the first small resignalling schemes of the 1960s to the widescale signal box closures of the 1970s when centralised power box signalling arrived in the Sheffield area. Later modernisations and rationalisations up to the present day are also fully covered.
Lavishly illustrated with over 400 mainly colour photos - many previously unpublished from private collections - the boxes and locations affected are described and contrasted with the scene today. The comprehensive text sections are based on fresh primary research and provide the reader with the complete picture of signalling in this complex area over the last half century for the first time.
The book is written by SRS Members Chris Booth and Andrew Overton in conjuction with Mick Charlesworth and published through Blurb. It can be ordered here.
[16-10-2012]
Signal Box Registers
A new update sheet is available containing corrections to volumes 1, 3 and 4. It may me downloaded free of charge here.
[26-09-2012]
Research Note 40: Tim Stevens Archive on CD
Tim Stevens has made available his collection of photographs and signal box diagrams of the former Metropolitan and Great Central Railway line from Great Missenden to Grendon Underwood plus some other places.
Locations represented are: Akeman Street, Aylesbury North and South, Bicester London Road, Blind Lane, Canfield Place, Carlisle, Cheddington, Claydon LNE Junction, Coundon Road, Great Missenden, Grendon Underwood, Llanwrtyd Wells, Ludborough, Minehead, Princes Risborough, Quainton Road, Rushall Crossing, St Albans South, Savernake, Stoke Mandeville, Sudbury & Harrow Road, Sugar Loaf, Swanbourne Sidings, Verney Junction, Wendover, Woodside.
Photographs on the CD are variously by Tim and John Hinson.
Click here to order.
[12-06-2012]
Signal Box Registers
Volume 3, Eastern, is expected from the printers in June and may be ordered here. Subscribers to the CD update service will automatically receive an amended version of the volmes 1, 3 and 4 CD.
[30-05-2012]
Shipping (Postal) Charges
Royal Mail increased its charges substantially from 30 April 2012. There are consequential increases in postal charges for many of the items we sell. As from May 2012 charges for postage on this web site will be designated as 'shipping charges' and these will include postage, packing and handling elements. Detail of the revised shipping charges will be found on the relevant pages.
Shipping charges for sending Bookstall items outside of the United Kingdom (UK) have been removed from this web site. Purchasers wishing items to be sent to addresses outside the European Union (EU) or elsewhere in the world should first contact the Bookstall Manager to obtain an appropriate quotation.
[09-05-2012]
The British Power Signalling Register
The British Power Signalling Register is a free listing and historical analysis of all power signalling equipment installations ever commissioned in Britain. Latest version 11.2 is now available. It has been compiled by SRS member Andy Overton and may be obtained here.
[11-11-2011]
Signal Box Diagram CDs
Since publication of the box diagrams CDs, about 150 new drawings have been added to the Society's Drawing Office collection, most of
the new drawings are Great Western box diagrams but they also include a number of LNWR diagrams. The new drawings have been digitised and
should now be available for print orders.
An update CD has now therefore been made available so that purchasers of the CDs may update their collection. The list of amendments will
continue to be available via the web site, as will changes and additions to the technical documentation (locking tables, lever leads etc.) but amended diagrams included on the CD will no longer be available 'on-line' at full resolution.
The update CD includes a description of each of the published CDs, a note of the amendments to the CDs (previously available in full via
the Society's web site) and a list of the new drawings now published. The CD also includes a copy of each Company List of Box Diagrams, GW, Southern, LMS and LNER and provides a link to a thumbnail image of every diagram held by the Drawing Office, some 3500 in total.
The update CD will be available from August 2011. Order Form here.
[11-07-2011]
Signal Box Registers
Amendment sheets to the volumes have been published and may be downloaded free of charge here.
[11-07-2011]
Signal Box Registers
Volume 1, Great Western, is now published as a second, revised, edition and may be ordered here. Supplies should be available about 8 June. The revised volume has 332 pages and includes a considerable number of amendments not previously published. Subscribers to the CD update service will automatically receive an amended version of the volmes 1 and 4 CD.
[09-03-2011]
Signalling Record CDs
The Committee is pleased to announce that the first two CDs containing backnumbers of the Newsletter and the Signalling Record are now available for sale to members. The first CD contains copies of the Newsletter from number 1 through to the final issue number 101, while the second CD covers the Signalling Record from number 1 to number 78. Both CDs are fully indexed. Details here. We would also like to take this oportunity to thank Chris Cock and his team for all their hard work in carrying out this project.
[09-03-2011]
Signal Box Diagram CDs
Three more CDs are now available:
'Great Western in North Wales', which includes Shrewsbury to Chester, the Cambrian Railway and the North & West line.
'Southern Railway Sections P, S and X', which includes Worting Junction to Weymouth, Yeovil and Southampton, as well as S&DJR and
Isle of Wight.
'Southern Railway SE&CR and LB&SCR', which includes joint lines.
[21-02-2011]
Signal Box Diagram CDs
The next three Signal Box Diagrams CDs will be published during March 2011, completing the coverage of the Great Western and Southern Railways. Detail of the coverage is given on the SRS web site, along with 'thumbnail' images of the box diagrams and ordering information as soon as they are available. The CDs are:
'Great Western in North Wales', which includes Shrewsbury to Chester, the Cambrian Railway and the North & West line.
'Southern Railway Sections P, S and X', which includes Worting Junction to Weymouth, Yeovil and Southampton, as well as S&DJR and
Isle of Wight.
'Southern Railway SE&CR and LB&SCR', which includes joint lines and subsumes the previous title 'SR Sections A & B' which is almost out of print.
[06-02-2011]
Signalling Atlas 2010
An amendment sheet has been produced and is now available here.
[7-01-2011]
Digital Archive Project
The Society is creating a Digital Archive from original paper material available in its Archives. The first items to be added will be copies of the Weekly and Periodical Operating Notices and their equivalents. As the Digital Archive expands other operating notices including Sectional Appendices and Signalling Notices will be added. It is hoped by doing this to make parts of the Archives more accessible and to overcome the deterioration of paper copies that were never designed to be kept more than a few weeks.
The Digital Archive will also contain material provided by members of the Society and members are invited to contact the webmaster with offers of material from their own collections that can be usefully added to the archive and make it as comprehensive as possible.
Details of what is already available and how it may be accessed will be found in the Archives section of the web site.
[6-12-2010]
Warley Model Railway Exhibition
The Society awarded a prize for the 'Best Signalled Layout' to “Midhurst”.
[6-12-2010]
Signal Box Diagram CDs
The 'South Wales' and 'West of England' volumes are now available.
[26-11-2010]
Signal Box Diagram CDs
The 'West of England' and 'South Wales' Signal Box diagrams CDs should be available from 18th November 2010. A few more diagrams have been added to the 'amendments' available for download for titles already published. If any member has additional information or corrections to the published information, then this would be most welcome.
[08-11-2010]
John Morris Collection
The late John Morris' collection of locking tables, amendment state pages, lever leads and other items for GW boxes, amounting to some 25 or more lever arch files, has been digitised and is now available to download from the Society web site (as well as being published on the signal box diagram CD series). This amounts to several thousand A4 sheets.
[08-11-2010]
2009 C H Betts Award
The prize for the best historical article for the year was awarded to Chris Cock for his contribution on "Edward Davy: Block Signalling Pioneer".
[30-08-2010]
Signal Box Diagrams
GW Sections E and F are in course of preparation with an planned release date of late September 2010; and sections H to Q and T, U & V for late 2010. More details here.
Amendments to the lists are available to download free of charge here.
[31-07-2010]
George Pryer's Signal Box Diagrams
The Society has been authorised to reprint George's series of 27 volumes. Work is now under way to review the content to incorporate information that has come to light since they were originally published. More information will be given in due course.
[30-06-2010]
Signalling Atlas
The 2010 edition of the Atlas was published in April. More details here.
[23-04-2010]
Signal Box Diagrams
GW Sections A and B are in course of preparation with an planned release date of March 2010. They will be issued on two separate CDs. More details here.
[04-01-2010]
Web Site Move
The Society's Web Site now has its own fully fledged domain rather than being hosted as a sub-domain by one of the members. The change took place on 25 November. Despite careful planning and sequencing, circumstances outside the control of the Society conspired to disrupt the smooth transition with the result that the site became invisible for a time after 1530 hours. We apologise if this caused you any inconvenience.
If you have bookmarked any specific pages, please ensure your bookmark is updated to www.s-r-s.org.uk/ pagename.
[26-11-2009]
Newsletter Copy
Members are reminded of the regular deadlines for sending in items for inclusion in the newsletter. These are set out here. Items can be sent through the web site here.
[23-08-2009]
Signal Box Diagrams
The GW Sections G, R and S box diagrams CD will contain several new items, not previously available, as well as the SRS box diagrams for the area: the new items include Bordesley South dog chart and 'cutaway' view of mechanical locking, Kingham SRS style diagram for 1949 and 1958 as well as a box-style diagram for 1949, SRS-style diagrams for Malvern Wells (1954) and Handsworth Junction (1956) also a hand drawn diagram of Kidderminster Station (BR) as at 1971 and box-style diagrams for Kidderminster Station (SVR) (2009) and Tramway Junction (October 1967). More details here.
[20-08-2009]
Howard-Turner Prize 2008
This prize is awarded every two years for the best technical article appearing in The Signalling Record for the year in question. For 2008 the judges, John Francis and David Stirling, found some difficulty in judging between several excellent articles. In the end they were most impressed by John Creed's article, "Early Trials with Axle Counters on the SR", which is therefore awarded the J. T. Howard-Turner Prize for 2008.
John Creed's article deals with a technical topic in an interesting and accessible way, including some of the internal railway issues associated with it. Detection of trains is so fundamental to any signalling system that we tend to take it for granted, although occasionally this trust is rudely shaken by changes elsewhere on the railway system. The SR was having
to deal with one of these challenges, where conventional track circuits could not be relied on in certain tunnels.
Congratulations to John on winning this well-deserved award. We look forward to future years when there are equally strong fields of contenders.
[01-07-2009]
New Web Site
The new web site of the Signalling Record Society went live on 3 May 2009. Our thanks indeed to Tim Bourne for running the previous web site and for ensuring a smooth transition.
[03-05-2009]