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Signal Box – Swithland Sidings

The signalbox at Swithland Sidings is situated on the Up side of the line (the original box was in a similar position but on the Down side of the line). The box was originally located at Aylesbury South and is a GWR box of 1905 vintage. The structure has a wooden top section which has been erected on a new brickwork lower section. The box controls the sidings and Mountsorrel branch.

The signals are a mixture of GWR and BR(WR) types. Of particular interest are the Up Starter - a right hand bracket signal which came from Cardiff East Dock, two GWR bracket signals controlling entry into the loops and the small bracket exit signal from the sidings which came from Banbury Junction. The Up line has a mechanically worked inner distant (accelerating distant) and associated colour light autodistant. The Down line has mechanically worked inner and outer distants. There is also a BR(WR) backing signal with mechanical type route indicator. There are detonator placers for both Up and Down lines. The majority of the points are mechanically worked but three of the furthest from the box (the Up and Down Loop entries and the Up Loop exit) are motor worked.

Work has been ongoing at Swithland Sidings for some 20 years but became the main focus for development following commissioning of Quorn & Woodhouse box in 2004.

Swithland Sidings signalbox was commissioned on 30th May, 2012. The fourth operational box on the Great Central Railway the commissioning of this box completes another phase of the Double Track Project. The box controls the Up and Down main lines, the Up and Down passing loops, access to the Mountsorrel Branch and access to the sidings at Swithland.

Technical information: The signalbox will work absolute block on the double line to the north and south and will be able to be switched out after the main running line signals have been cleared. It has a 55 lever GWR twist frame converted to direct tappet locking. The signalbox has a BR(WR) illuminated diagram. Point motors are HB type 110V machines. DC track circuits are provided.

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