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The Lincolnshire Wolds Railway Signals and Telecommunications Department is a railway department on the preserved heritage railway in Lincolnshire, England. It installs, maintains and repairs all the signalling and telecommunications on the LWR. Based primarily at Ludborough, the department looks after the railways two functioning signal boxes at Ludborough and North Thoresby.
The original box was demolished by British Railways in early 1970s, after the line had closed to passengers. The new box was constructed by the LWR between 1994 and 1996, and is a close representation of the original. The 18 lever frame inside the box is the original frame from Hainton street in Grimsby. This box was standing until 1991 when it was destroyed by fire. Also inside Ludborough box is the original gate wheel from Hainton Street which opened the level crossing gates there. Ludborough box was passed by HMRI in October 2004 for use and was officially opened in April 2005.
Out of the 18 levers, at the present time, only 4 are in use. However a future scheme is currently being worked on that will bring 8 levers into use. All the signals with the exception of the Down Starter (LU3) have SPT's (Signal Post Telephones) fitted to them. These allow both the driver and signalman to contact each other. Ludborough currently operates two Great Northern Railway somersault signals (LU3 down starter and LU14 Up Inner Home). These type of signals were used all over the East Lincolnshire Railway, and is appropriate for the railway's needs.
Future plans will see the box operate 3 additional signals and a ground frame release operated from the box.
North Thoresby signal box is a 7 lever Eastern region ground frame that has been installed to operate the track and signalling layout at North Thoresby. It operates two main line signals, two shunting signal for access to and from the siding, a facing point lock and a facing point for access in and out of the siding. With No.1 lever being released by the annetts key making up the final lever in the frame. North Thoresby signal box was commissioned on 7 August 2009.
The signalling type used here is a mixture of both ex-BR signalling and Ex LNER. All signals are of the Upper quadrant signal variety. This means that when the signals are cleared the move upwards to a 45 degree angle to show all clear. If the wire snaps the signal automatically fails safe and returns to danger.
A track circuit runs over the main line and siding to give an indication to the signalman as to the whereabouts of the train and also to prevent the points from being moved under a train.
The future for the department is a good one. With over 8 miles (13 km) of railway to re-build and four level crossings to re-instate, there is a lot of work to carry out. The Lincolnshire Wolds Railway is currently aiming towards Utterby halt (the next adjacent level crossing in the direction of Louth) and is also currently rebuilding the whole layout at the Louth end of the yard.
This will include extending and altering the engine shed, laying new point work and extending the main line towards Utterby and updating the signalling accordingly. This will include 2 new signals and the ground frame. One of the new signals will be a 3 aspect colour light and the other will be a GNR somersault. When this work is complete the railway will then progress towards Utterby Halt and ultimately Louth.
North Thoresby is a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated between Louth and Grimsby, approximately 7.5 miles (12 km) from each, and has a village population of 1,068 (2011) with 50.5% of the population being over 60.
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable. Signalling control was originally exercised via a decentralised network of control points that were known by a variety of names including signal box, interlocking tower and signal cabin. Currently these decentralised systems are being consolidated into wide scale signalling centres or dispatch offices. Whatever the form, signalling control provides an interface between the human signal operator and the lineside signalling equipment. The technical apparatus used to control switches (points), signals and block systems is called interlocking.
The Lincolnshire Wolds Railway (LWR) is a heritage railway based at Ludborough station, near Louth, Lincolnshire, England and the only standard gauge steam railway in Lincolnshire open to the public. The line is part of the original Great Northern Railway (GNR), a rail system that opened in 1848 and once linked Grimsby, Louth and East Lincolnshire with London. In early 2002, 2009 and 2013 the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway received a top national award from the Heritage Railway Association for its heritage railway efforts.
Camborne railway station serves the town of Camborne, Cornwall, England. The station is 313 miles (504 km) from London Paddington via Bristol Temple Meads. It is located on Trevu Road in the town, adjacent to a level crossing and the Railway Hotel.
Wrawby Junction is a busy railway junction located a short distance west of Barnetby, North Lincolnshire, England and controls the confluence of the Network Rail routes from Lincoln, Retford and Scunthorpe towards Immingham and Cleethorpes. The junction was controlled by a large signal box of part-brick, part-wooden, construction and is now controlled from York Rail Operating Centre (ROC).
Ludborough is a heritage railway station in Ludborough, Lincolnshire, England, which is the base of the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway. The station, which was previously part of the East Lincolnshire Railway, closed in 1961 to passengers and 1964 to freight, but was taken over by the preservation society in 1984. The first trains from the station to North Thoresby, to the north, ran in August 2009, the first for 47 years. There are proposals to extend the line further in both directions towards Holton-le-Clay and Louth.
Kingthorpe railway station was a railway station that served the village of Kingthorpe, Lincolnshire, England between 1874 and 1956, on the Louth to Bardney line.
Wragby railway station was a railway station that served the town of Wragby, Lincolnshire, England between 1874 and 1960, on the Louth to Bardney line.
East Barkwith railway station was a railway station that served the village of East Barkwith, Lincolnshire, England between 1874 and 1958, on the Louth to Bardney line.
South Willingham and Hainton railway station was a railway station that served the village of South Willingham, Lincolnshire, England between 1874 and 1958, on the Louth to Bardney line.
Waltham was a railway station on the East Lincolnshire Railway which served the villages of New Waltham and Humberston in Lincolnshire between 1848 and 1964. It was originally named Waltham and Humberstone, but Humberstone was dropped soon after opening. The line through Waltham remained open for freight until December 1980.
Holton-le-Clay was a railway station on the East Lincolnshire Railway which served the English villages of Holton-le-Clay and Tetney in Lincolnshire between 1848 and 1964. It was originally named Holton-le-Clay and Tetney, but Tetney was dropped soon after opening, even though the station was more conveniently sited for that village. The line through Holton-le-Clay remained open for freight until December 1980, but could be reopened by the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway as its northern terminus.
North Thoresby is a heritage railway station in North Thoresby, Lincolnshire. The station, which was previously part of the East Lincolnshire Railway, closed in 1970, but has since been reopened by the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway. The first services to the station from Ludborough, to the south, ran in August 2009, the first in 47 years. The LWR aims to extend the line further in both directions, northwards as far as Holton-Le-Clay and southwards to Louth.
Utterby Halt was a railway halt on the East Lincolnshire Railway which served the village of Utterby in Lincolnshire between 1905 and 1961. The station, which opened as part of a new motor train service between Grimsby Town and Louth, is reputed to be haunted by the ghost of a ganger killed on the level crossing in 1953. The line through Utterby remained open for freight until December 1980.
Fotherby Halt was a railway halt on the East Lincolnshire Railway which served the village of Fotherby in Lincolnshire between 1905 and 1961. The station was opened on the site of a previous station named Fotherby Gate House which had closed in 1872. The second station closed in 1961, but the line through it remained open for freight until December 1980. The line through the station could be reopened by the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway as part of its extension south from Ludborough to Louth.
The East Lincolnshire Railway was a main line railway linking the towns of Boston, Louth and Grimsby in Lincolnshire, England. It opened in 1848. The ELR Company had leased the line to the Great Northern Railway, and it was the latter which constructed the line and operated it, as its East Lincolnshire Line.
The Louth to Bardney Line was an English railway line built by the Louth and Lincoln Railway Company, in Lincolnshire, England. It opened in stages between 1874 and 1876, after serious difficulties in raising subscription capital, and following alteration to the planned route. It was hoped to serve large reserves of ironstone along its route, but the deposits were not as large as hoped, and the line was never financially successful.
Grainsby Halt was a railway halt on the East Lincolnshire Railway which served the hamlet of Grainsby in Lincolnshire between 1905 and 1952. The station, which opened as part of a new motor train service between Grimsby and Louth, was opened to serve a Victorian hall situated 2 miles (3.2 km) to the west. The station, one of the smallest to be taken over by British Railways on nationalisation in 1947, never really justified its existence and closed in 1952 following a period of temporary closure during the Second World War. The line through Grainsby remained open for freight until December 1980.
Hainton Street Halt was a railway halt on the East Lincolnshire Railway which served the Welholme Road area of Grimsby in Lincolnshire between 1905 and 1961. The station was opened as part of a new motor train service between Grimsby and Louth. The station briefly closed in 1939 as a Second World War economy measure, but reopened in 1940. The line through Hainton Street remained open for freight until December 1980. The trackbed was later reused by Humberside County Council to construct the A16 Peaks Parkway which now runs through the site. Building of the road put an end to the aspirations of the Great Northern and East Lincolnshire Railway plc to reopen the line as a heritage railway.
Louth North railway station is the future southern terminus of the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway where it will occupy a new site on the Fairfield industrial site.