Banbury signal boxes
There used to be five signal boxes on the ex-GWR line at Banbury but when I moved here in 1975, only three remained, from north to south:
Banbury Junction - added in 1900 for the GCR's Banbury Branch to Woodford Halse. Banbury North - immediately north of the station where the marshalling yards used to be. Banbury South - immediately south of the station where the engine shed used to be.
Banbury Junction was taken out in the late 1980s [check!] and Banbury North and South, in 2018, so now there are none. Elimination of the last two also saw removal of the ex-GWR semaphores. They'd lasted for so long.... Steam-era picture can be found separately (see links below) and I should say add that when I took interior pictures some thirty-five years ago it was common for signalmen to invite visitors into their cabins. That is no longer the case, indeed it is now an offence punishable by dismissal.
All pictures are my personal Copyright, no reproduction without prior agreement.
Banbury Junction
This signal box once stood at the north end of the sidings and marshalling yard where the Banbury Branch came in from the former GC Section. It wasn't just large, it became the largest junction box on the Western Region. But the Banbury Branch closed in the 1960s and the yards were gradually reduced, and eventually removed altogether.
I have two prints of photographs taken by S.W.A. Newton when construction of the GCR's Banbury Branch from Woodford was almost complete. Please note that one of the images is on the Leicestershire Record Office's w/s, "Railway Archive", and while the print is quite good, the caption is wide of the mark. Here's what the picture shows:
The Banbury Branch between Woodford and Banbury was surveyed in 1896, a year after construction of the Extension to Marylebone started, and was built between 1897-1900. This picture was taken a few months before completion in the winter of early 1900. It was opened to traffic on 1st June 1900.
On the left is the GWR main line between Paddington-Birmingham and, coming in from the right, the GCR branch is complete. This was laid first. The bridge over the River Cherwell (seen on the right) was extra wide to accommodate the GCR exchange yard whose throat lay there. Their construction is in hand, some contractor's wagons standing nearby.
The GWR signal box named "Banbury Junction", of course, has been erected but not all of the lever frame connected and it's unlikely to have been manned at this stage. Indeed, all the signals in view are fitted with white crosses to indicate they are not in use. The tracks in the centre foreground are GWR metals towards the yards at Banbury which allowed freight trains to avoid the GWR line to Birmingham. One is from the Banbury Branch proper and the other, the exchange sidings. The line on the far right is the GCR's reception and headshunt for the exchange sidings. Photo: author's collection, S.W.A. Newton, currently Leicester Record Office L1102.
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The second picture was taken on a different day, possibly a little later, and three of the exchange sidings are being laid (there were to be 7 altogether). Contractor's dumb-buffered wagons abound - they would not have been allowed on GWR metals, supplies at this stage still being delivered by MR and LNWR wagons from the Midlands via connections at Helmdon and the E&WJR (later part of the SMJ). It has been suggested that GWR wagons would have been used but there is as yet no evidence of that.
In the middle distance are Grimsbury Mill (now the Spiceball Arts Centre) and the Waterworks, from which arose the name of the original "waterworks road bridge", seen on the far left.
The early evening light has silhouetted the crosses on signal arms not yet in use and this includes connections with the GWR. Photo: author's collection, S.W.A. Newton, current Leicester Record Office ref not known.
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An old picture taken from the freight & yards topic, a view from the signal cabin in October 1948 with a Class C goods coming off the Branch headed by a WD 2-8-0, No 77318. Looking towards the ex-GCR exchange sidings. Note how the signalling had been expanded. Photo: Patrick Whitehouse, Millbrook House.
In these pictures from 1979 and the early '80s remnants of the yards were still in place near Banbury North but here only the running lines remained and sidings that were later used to store hard core for construction of the M40. Today that is occupied by Lafarge Aggregates. And the Up Goods Loop has been extended as far as where the junction used to be.
A winter's morning view in 1979 at Banbury Junction from the old waterworks road bridge. An unidentified Class 47 is approaching with a train that's probably for Paddington (in the days when there used to be a regular service). The signalling is in the process of being simplified.
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A view from the late 1970s taken from the old waterworks road bridge with Banbury Junction in the distance. An Up express is passing behind well-cleaned 47484 Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Possibly for Paddington, the 7 coaches contain a full-1st and a Buffet Car next to it.
It's useful because it shows more signals than in the other views where a gradual simplification took place.
A general view looking towards Banbury in November 1979. The signalling had been simplified leaving a conventional, single-post inner home in the middle distance.
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A closer view of the inner signals looking south with both arms off for the Up main line. A Class 25 is approaching with two 4-wheel wagons. 11/1979.
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Seen from across the tracks, with a simplified name board stating simply "Banbury Junction". 11/1979.
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Seen against a wintry sun, the classic arrangement of steps into the signal box. This set was painted black with a white handrail and extra support had been added. The attractive brickwork, often taken for granted shows nicely.
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It's 10.09am on a Saturday in November 1979 as Aubrey Radbourn pulls a home signal off at the north end of the lever frame.
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Now at the south end, Aubrey releases a home signal as a Class 47 speeds by. It looks like an empty MGR coal train heading north. November 1979.
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Finally, with a low wintry sun streaming in through the windows, it's time to complete the log. 11/1979.
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Close-up of an identifying plate going back to the Big Four period, showing DOWN MAIN AND LNER DETONATORS OFF - ON, which being on a white (spare) lever, I cannot explain! I need to get hold of Aubrey: he lived next door until recently and is now across town.11/1979.
New info:
Mark Hambly has come to the rescue (thank you!) by explaining that detonator-placing levers were also painted white, to indicate that they didn't actuate points or signals, but carried a pair of black chevrons with the points orientated either up or down according to the line to which they referred (and on single or other bidirectional lines, one chevron pointing each way). In this picture they are out of sight lower down the lever.
It's 1979 and Banbury Junction signal box has offered "double pegs" to an Up express behind an unidentified 47 on the long descent towards the station. The junction for the Banbury Branch and Woodford Halse had been to the immediate right.
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A parting view of Banbury Junction and the Up signals as the sun begins to set. 11/1979.
A misty winter's day in late 1979 sees a Class 47 with a northbound express at Banbury Junction. In the distance the inner home signal (all that remains of a more complex signal) is "off". In the Up direction, the inner home is off for a southbound train, but not the distant. The junction signal to the left was for what remained of the yards and the Up goods loop. To right are the sidings later taken over by Lafarge Aggregates. Comparison with steam era pictures may come as quite a shock!
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Banbury North
I never gained access to this signal box so no interior views, I'm afraid, but several exterior ones with trains passing.
A general view from 2011 shows a smart and well-maintained signal box, similar to the one at Banbury Junction but a couple of feet lower to help sight under the road overbridge. At the time, the steps had been painted chocolate brown with black top for the handrails. 28-3-11.
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A closer view of the steps and the vintage GWR cast iron plate on the door; all very nice to see, only spoiled by the yellow edges.
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An enlargement showing the original GWR notice on the door in perfect condition. :)
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The rear of the cabin tended to be shaded by trees but the scene is clear on a slightly misty day. Note how the steps were repainted from dark to light brown. The track, reading from left to right, is:
- exit from No 1 Platform and Down Goods Loop - the running lines - Up Goods Loop - Up siding.
Further over, a housing estate was built over the site of the marshalling yards proper. 2-5-12.
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An end view of the signal box with a Glasgow-Southampton cruise liner charter passing, headed by 37608+37601. Barely visible on the rear was 47810. Wedesday 2nd May 2012.
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A few days later the sun shines on the "Hampshire Hotchpotch" as it passes by. This charter ran Crewe-Eastleigh-Southampton Western Dock and back and was headed by 20312+20398 with 37409 Lord Hinton on the rear. Saturday 5th May 2012.
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Another charter, two years later, headed by D1035 Western Champion looks superb with its matching BR-period livery chocolate and cream coaches. Once again, the signalman has slid open a window and is leaning out to get a good view. 9-2-14.
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It's just gone 7am and the morning sun is slanting across the tracks and onto the signal box, now with hanging baskets on the steps, as it prepares for the most complex working of the day.
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A Mainline Silver set - the last one with slam door coaches and still in BR blue & grey livery - was stored overnight on the west side of the station in the Cattle Market Sidings to be used for the 07.44 Banbury-Marylebone. Here it is being drawn out of the Up Goods Loop and across the running lines to the Down Goods Loop. At the near end was recently received DVLT 82306, still in Arriva blue livery. In the distance is 67020 still in maroon livery. 21-5-14
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After a quarter of an hour in the Down Goods Loop, the train is drawing into No1 platform for the 07.44 departure. The platform was made bi-directional to allow this manoeuvre but will become a thing of the past when the carriage sidings and shed are built at the south side of the station, where the engine shed used to be. 21-5-14.
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A final view taken from the north end of the station shows the wonderful lower quadrant signal and Banbury North signal box just beyond the overbridge. At the time, it was still painted in traditional white. The change to grey was, to my eye, detrimental. The picture was taken in 1984 at dusk on Boxing Day when the station was closed and the lights turned off. 26-12-84.
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Banbury South
A panoramic view of Banbury South from the station platform in 1983 with the clock showing 8.10pm as a Class 50 approaches with a Down express.
From the left the signals are:
- Up Goods Loop - bay platform 4 - main line platform 3
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This view with the clock indicating 7.5pm in the evening shows 50006 Neptune swinging into the station with a rush-hour train from Paddington that terminated in Platform 2. The loco ran round the carriages - unusually they were all still Mk.1 (and had for some time been served by an ex-LNER Gresley Buffet Car) - transferred them to Platform 1, then returned to Oxford with a stop at King's Sutton along the way. August 1984.
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A fine summer evening sees an unidentified Class 47 throw the customary clag as it gets away past Banbury South Signal Box. The old joke was that no power was needed here, all you had to do was release the brakes and let the falling gradient do the work!
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A foggy night with the Up starters and the clock, which is showing 11.25pm, and the signal box well lit up. The external lamps were put on because of the fog. January 1983.
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A foggy night in late 1983 at Banbury South Signal Box. There used to be so many lights around it.
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And looking towards the station. The green hue was provided by fluorescent lighting on the station, later changed to sodium lights with an orange cast. On the left, the goods shed was still standing, to be demolished the following year and a new building for Network Rail built in its place. 1/1983.
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Revised caption - In the old days when signalmen would invite you inside the box (nowadays it's a dismissable offence), I took some pictures inside Banbury South at dusk. This one is looking north with a young Pete Saunders posing for the picture. The station is clearly visible through the end windows with a DMU in the bay platform. c1980. Peter was the last man on duty when this signal box closed at 00.20 on 30th July 2016. Now to make some prints for him off these two pictures, a sad tale of neglect, I have to confess, for I was young and having written his name down, managed to lose it. :(
The view looking south with the main line curving into the distance.
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Another view at night but some thirty years later. How much has changed? Well, the signal box is still there and so are the lower quadrant semaphores for the Up Goods Loop and the bay platform, but the Up main line is now protected by a colour light signal. To the right is one of two low semaphores that were installed to make platforms 1 and 2 bi-directional. 66522 is waiting in the Up Goods Loop. 14th March 2011.
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The two new semaphores are seen in this view from the station car park. Martin Crane, who worked at Banbury North for 14 years and was the last signalman there when it closed at 02.00 on 30th July, 2016, advises that, ahem, they did not come from the Severn Valley Railway (I have learned a little about the credibility of some local chaps)! They were brand new from Collis Engineering (he thinks) as part of the turn-back facility required by the Reading rebuilding and resignalling scheme possessions the other year. The spectacle plates were not traditional castings but fabricated from steel plate, while the finials were cast in solid aluminium. Say what you like about Network Rail, this is a really heartening story of people caring: they could have erected any old signals to hand but went to the trouble of making GWR-style replicas to marry with the local surroundings. For me it makes the loss of the semaphores more poignant, knowing that the spirit was maintained for so long. Then again, I could be talking a load of dewy-eyed twaddle...
66082 is heading north with coal empties from Didcot power station. 27th April 2011. This long-standing traffic ceased two years later when the power station closed on 22nd March 2013. So many things that we take for granted but are here today, gone tomorrow. Banbury, for so long a beautiful kind of time capsule is looking rather modern these days.
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Add finally for now, a view from the other side of the tracks with the "Hampshire Hotchpotch" charter headed by 20312+20398 drawing away from its stop to pick up passengers. 5th May 2012.
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Aynho Junction
Moving south of Banbury, by late BR days the next signal box was at Aynho Junction, the other side of King's Sutton and I only photographed it once:
Seen on a hazy sunny afternoon, the flying junction rises towards Bicester on the "new line" to Paddington and, on the right, descending after crossing the Oxford line by a girder bridge.
A Down express has been stopped by the cabin and it looks like a member of PW staff is giving the driver instructions. Beyond the train, a Class 56 waits in the Up laybye for a clear path.
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Banbury station pictures are here.
Banbury yards and freight pictures are here.
Banbury express passenger pictures are here.
Banbury loco shed pictures are here.
Banbury light engines are here.
