Railway Signalling in Burma - Part 6: Signal Boxes with Electrical Interlocking

The British built the extensive metre gauge railway network in Burma. 

Around Yangon and on main lines there's double track which is being extended but much of the network is single track with passing loops.

  Whilst the majority of the railway has fairly simple arrangements for the control of trains (see Railway Signalling in Burma: Part 3 - Control of Trains there are a number of areas with colour light signals and power operation of points.

Yangon Central

On my first trip to Burma in 2008, I travelled on the Circle Line in Yangon (see my post The Circle Line, Yangon) and that got me hooked on railways in Burma. Yangon Central was clearly controlled from a Power Box and the signalling was in a familiar, British style. All the signal numbers were prefixed 'R', which I was confident stood for the old city name 'Rangoon'. Although I suspected it was a Westinghouse Brake and Signal installation, it was some years before I got confirmation. Yangon Central had been severely damaged by bombing in the Second World War and I discovered that in January 1946, an order was placed with Westinghouse Brake and Signal Company for a Style 'L' miniature lever frame for Yangon Central (see my post here). I'm ashamed to say, I failed to find the Power Box itself until my visit in February 2013. The building is integrated with the post-WWII station buildings immediately over the north end of the main footbridge. Once spotted, its function is clear.

Yangon Central Power Box hides at the north end of the main footbridge.

Having found the Power Box, the next question was does the 1946 frame survive? Confined to public areas, this was hard to determine but a series of pictures using the power of the zoom on the Fujifilm F770EXR convinced me that the Style 'L' frame is alive and well.

The left hand end of the Westinghouse lever frame.

Insein

Insein is a fairly complex station area fully signalled by colour light or position light signals and with power-operated points. I noted that some signal numbers were prefixed 'R', which I initially assumed meant a satellite interlocking controlled from Yangon's power box. I abandoned that idea when I realised that signals reading away from Yangon were coded 'R' but signals reading towards Yangon were coded 'L'. So my candidate for the Insein Power Box is now the 3-storey building on platform 1 shown below.

Insein station. I believe the upper floor of the building in the background is the signal box. Note the radio mast.

My post Yangon Area Railways describes the Westinghouse Style 'L' miniature lever frame intended for 'Kemmendine' but not used there. Is it possible the frame was adapted for Insein? Yes, it is (there's precedent - the frame ordered for Preston was stored until after WWII and then modified for use at Euston). But, at present, I have no evidence. Can anyone help? The outside equipment at Insein doesn't look very British. Remembering that Myanmar has been largely closed to the West since the military takeover until the recent liberalisation, I believe Chinese involvement is possible - certainly some of the diesel-electric locomotives in use are from China.

Mandalay

Mandalay is the second largest city in Myanmar and it has a large railway station. The present station is quite modern and the whole station area has colour light signals and power operation of points. I'm pretty confident that the 3-storey building at the north end of the station (shown below) is the power box, but I don't know the extent of its control area or, indeed, the type of control panel. Bearing in mind the isolation of Myanmar described above, I believe Chinese supply of the signalling equipment is possible.



Signal Box at the north end of Mandalay Central station.

The next signal box I've identified going south from Mandalay is at Myo Haung, a few miles south. Myo Haung has a reasonably modern 2-storey concrete signal box with a low-slung gabled roof. The area is controlled by searchlight signals with position light subsidiary and ground signals. There is no route indication so I suspect a non-British influence. As at Mandalay, I believe Chinese supply of the signalling equipment is possible. Main line points appear to be power-operated but, to confuse the issue, there's also some point rodding which, if still in use, may mean that Myo Haung retains mechanical interlocking. I'm afraid more information is needed.

Myo Haung, showing signal box (centre) and searchlight signal (right).

Photographs

The Circle Line, Yangon (2013).
Myo Haung.
By Train to Maymyo

The above sets of pictures form part of the Collection Railways in Burma.