skip to main |
skip to sidebar
This report is based on information from Doctor Hla Tun, who also supplied the photographs.
The Bagan Clinic treated 5,337 patients in August 2013, bringing the total number of treatments since the Clinic opened on 6th August 2011 to 75,229.
Many patients have to set off very early in the day (or even the previous day, sleeping overnight in the Monastery compound), to register for treatment. For this reason, a free lunch is provided for patients.
Volunteers cooking meals for waiting patients at the Bagan Medical Clinic in the Monastery compound.
In the picture below, taken in front of the Bagan Clinic, patients are queuing to be served lunch by Monks. Local donors have provided blue plastic drinking water bottles for use by the Patients - you can see these under the green awning on the right of the picture.
The majority of Patients have travelled anything from 50 to 200 km to attend the Clinic. This is why lunches are provided with the help of the Monks.
Patients queuing to be served lunch.
Treatment Summary
The table below summarises the number of treatments per month and the total number of treatments since the clinic started.
| Month |
Patients treated |
Total treatments |
| August 2011 |
355 |
355 |
| September 2011 |
784 |
1,139 |
| October 2011 |
1,434 |
2,573 |
| November 2011 |
1,723 |
4,296 |
| December 2011 |
2,013 |
6,309 |
| January 2012 |
1,605 |
7,889 |
| February 2012 |
2,464 |
10,353 |
| March 2012 |
4,603 |
14,956 |
| April 2012 |
2,043 |
16,999 |
| May 2012 - Jan 2013 |
To be added |
To be added |
| February 2013 |
2,713 |
49,850 |
| March 2013 |
2,713 |
49,850 |
| April 2013 |
2,061 |
54,924 |
| May 2013 |
3,303 |
58,227 |
| June 2013 |
5,586 |
63,813 |
| July 2013 |
6,079 |
69,892 |
| August 2013 |
5,337 |
75,229 |
Clinic photographs in 2013
Bagan Medical Clinic (2013).
Related posts in this blog
You can find all the posts about the Bagan Medical Clinic here.
An evocative black-and-white picture of the Docks when Coal was King.
(Photo: Museum of Liverpool)
My earlier post Liverpool discussed my fascination with Liverpool. When I was young, the whole of the extensive dock system, operated by the The Mersey Docks and Harbour Board (M.D.& H.B.), was still active.
Although the docks themselves were 'enclosed', hidden behind massive walls, the Liverpool Overhead Railway gave a splendid aerial view of the activities on the many quays. See The Liverpool Overhead Railway.
The docks were served by extensive railway sidings and the M.D.& H.B. had a double-track 'main line' linking the landward side of all the docks and, for much of the route, this ran under the elevated tracks of the Liverpool Overhead Railway. Parts of this 'main line' track were 'inset' using granite setts and the cobbled route then also formed a vehicle thoroughfare.
The M.D.& H.B. ran its own fleet of steam locomotives and one of these has been preserved by Liverpool Musuem. Sadly, this locomotive is not currently on display, but is in a Museum of Liverpool store. I visited the Museum Store on 15th May 2010 (the visit is described here) and I was able to inspect the 0-6-0 saddle tank built in 1904 by Avonside. There are a few pictures of the Avonside here. A few years previously, I'd seen the locomotive when it was still on public display in the Transport Gallery at the old Liverpool Museum in William Brown Street (now called the 'World Museum Liverpool'). Prior to that (when I was quite young) I remember seeing these engines at work around the docks.
The preserved Avonside 0-6-0T is not on display,
but is in a Museum of Liverpool store.
From 1907 until 1994 the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board had their headquarters in the Port of Liverpool Building, usually called the Dock Office, an impressive building which, together with its next-door-neighbour the Cunard Building and next-door-but-one neighbour the Liver Building, form the 'Three Graces'.
The Dock Office, Pierhead, Liverpool.
After 1994, re-development as residential and office space restored the grandeur of this Edwardian Baroque Garde II* building. For more details, see the Wikipedia article here.
The portland stone exterior features extensive carving. The plaques on the ornamental gates feature gilded inter-twined letters 'MDHB'. Note the maritime reference on the gate pillars - gilded tridents.
There are more pictures of the Dock Office and the 'Three Graces' in my set of pictures Liverpool.
I was lucky to have seen Liverpool before major changes altered its role. Today, a reduced set of docks is operated by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company, part of Peel Ports.
External Links
The Mersey Docks 1949.
Mersey Docks and Harbour Company (Wikipedia).
Port of Liverpool Building (Wikipedia).
Book References
[1] 'Jesse Hartley - Dock Engineer to the Port of Liverpool 1824-60' by Nancy Ritchie-Noakes, published by National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside (ISBN 0 906367 05 0).
[2] 'L.N.W.R. and the M.D.& H.B. - The History of the Dock Lines from the Records' by J. C. James, Limited Edition published c1981.
[3] 'Prince's Dock - A Magnificent Monument of Mural Art' by Adrian Jarvis published 1991 by Merseyside Port Folios (ISBN 0 9516129 0 5).
[4] 'Liverpool and its Canal' by Mike Clarke and Allison Hewitt published 1992 by Merseyside Port Folios (ISBN 0 9516129 3 X).
[5] 'An Illustrated History of Liverpool's Railways' by Paul Anderson, published Irwell Press (ISBN 1-871608-68-6).
Over 50 years ago I was amused by a cartoon about a mouse and a cat. I can't remember the publication it appeared in or the cartoonist but I must have been impressed because I laboriously copied each frame by hand using a fountain pen onto a piece of foolscap paper (before 'International' paper sizes became commonplace). I found my copy (a little faded at the top), scanned it and here it is. I've called it 'Militant Mouse'.
Click here for a larger version.
With acknowledgments to the original artist.
Introduction
Railway Signalling in Britain developed over a long period and it continues to evolve. In the, as yet incomplete, series of posts 'Railway Signalling in Britain' (starting with Introduction), I described some of the equipment but I've not said much about the Signalmen themselves who made the whole system work.
The very early days of railways had something of a 'Wild West' flavour so railway companies brought ex-army men into management to impose some military discipline on the staff. But this discipline could be harsh, encouraging railwaymen, in turn, to become members of Trade Unions.
Back in the steam era, railwaymen of all grades were "a breed apart". Enginemen, in particular, had arduous working conditions but enjoyed wide respect for their skills. Signalmen were also respected for their knowledge and their ability to keep the trains moving.
In less-busy signal boxes, the work wasn't too physically tiring and there might be plenty of time for sitting around but in larger, busier signal boxes, the signalmen would be on the go throughout the shift. The majority of signal boxes were manned by one signalman at a time and locations were sometimes quite remote, so the work tended to appeal to men with independent minds who were happy with their own company (or, perhaps, were just plain 'cussed'). The safety of trains relied heavily on the integrity, concentration and training of signalmen so responsible, disciplined men were the ideal. The ideal was not always achieved and the history of signalling is a fascinating story of the piecemeal addition of ever-more-complex mechanical or electrical features to prevent signalmens' errors resulting in accidents.
Although 'mechanical' signal boxes (that is, signal boxes which rely on physical effort by the signalman to move points and semaphore signals) still survive in the United Kingdom, their use is much reduced. Power Boxes covering larger areas are now more typical, like Manchester Piccadilly Signalling Control Centre, which I described here following a visit in March 2013.
Manchester Piccadilly Signalling Control Centre.
The modernising trend is continuing towards what are called Integrated Electronic Control Centres (IECC) covering even larger areas. There's a brief description in 'Wikipedia' here. The picture below (snatched from a passing train) shows the futuristic West Midlands Signalling Centre at Saltley, Birmingham, which is progressively taking over control of the the railways in the West Midlands.
The futuristic West Midlands Signalling Centre at Saltley, Birmingham.
My Viewpoint
These notes principally relate to British Practice post-Nationalisation in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Although there was only one railway authority (British Railways Board), the system was divided into a number of 'Regions' which retained a fair amount of autonomy in some fields. In addition, those 'Regions' were the result of well over a century of amalgamations of private companies so it's perhaps unsurprising that equipment and working practices could vary significantly from place to place.
Most of the signal boxes I frequented were on the London Midland Region (and many were absorbed former London and North Western Railway establishments) so, in general, that's what I'll describe and illustrate because that's what I'm most familiar with.
In the late 1950s and 1960s I met many signalmen and, as in any walk of life, they varied a lot in knowledge and temperament. To some extent, their characters were formed by their working conditions, so I'll try to describe 'Life in the Signal Box' as I saw it.
In the post Visiting Signalboxes I talked about my interest in railway signalling and that started a whole series of posts about various mechanical signal boxes I managed to visit when I was young. There are some links in that post to articles about individual signal boxes, but I've not yet covered all the signal boxes mentioned.
Tipton Owen Street was one of the mechanical signalboxes I visited.
Unionisation
Most railway workers joined a Trade Union and many were members of the National Union of Railwaymen, usually known as the 'NUR'. In 1990 this union merged with the National Union of Seamen to form the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers, usually known as 'RMT' (Wikipedia article here). Most footplatemen were members of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen, usually known as 'ASLEF' (Wikipedia article here).
Day-to-day conditions and promotion were regulated by agreements of Byzantine complexity made between the British Railways Board and the Unions.
This blank L.M.S. 'Application for Vacancy' form E.R.O. 46075
was found inside a 1938 train register book.
Rules and Signalman's Regulations
Prior to Nationalisation, each railway had its own Rule Book. By 1950, British Rail had introduced its own Rule Book, a pocket-sized book used by all the regions. The Rule Book was reprinted in 1961, incorporating all the amendments to date.
Signalmen additionally worked to the "Green Book" or, to give its proper title 'Regulations for Train Signalling and Signalmen's General Instructions' issued in two versions in 1960. Whilst the Eastern, London Midland, North Eastern, Scottish and Southern regions managed to share one version, the Western region (never really regarded as a 'team player') needed a version of its own.
The 1961 Reprint of the 1950 British Railways Rule Book alongside the Signalmen's "Green Book" - 'Regulations for Train Signalling and Signalmen's General Instructions' (pound coin included to show size).
This was not all of the paperwork signalmen needed to be familiar with - there were also Sectional Appendices (more on Sectional Appendices can be found on Brian Robertson's site here), Local Instructions, Working Timetables and Weekly Notices (which included details of Engineering Work and Special Trains).
Classification of Signal boxes
Signalboxes were graded according to how much work was done, largely based on the number of lever movements, from Class 4 (relatively quiet) to Class 1 (busy) and Special Class (demanding). A single signalman could cope at most signal boxes but some large or busy boxes required more than one. Some boxes had a junior position which might be termed 'Telephone Boy' or 'Booking Lad' to share the work with the signalman. Strategically-important boxes sometimes had a senior position of Regulator, who would decide on the order of trains.
Hours of Opening of Signalboxes
Some signalboxes had to be open continuously if any trains were to run, such as Tipton, which controlled a busy level crossing. Other signalboxes might not be needed at night, or for parts of the weekend, such as Deepfields. There were also signalboxes that only needed to be open intermittently 'as required', such as Tipton Curve Junction. A publication showed the normal hours of opening of each signal box, but this could be changed to cater for special trains, engineering works or accidents.
Click here for larger image
Double-page from 'Hours of Opening of Signal Boxes' Book, showing the Stour Valley line.
Shift Working Patterns
This depended upon the specified opening hours but there were normally three 8-hour shifts: 6.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. (called 'Early Shift'), 2.00 p.m. to 10.00 p.m. ('Late Shift') and 10.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m. ('Night Shift'). Each week, these shifts would rotate so that the man on 'Earlies' in one period would be 'Nights' in the next period. Similarly, the 'Night' man would move to 'Lates' and the 'Late' man to 'Earlies'. Since Rest Days had to be given, three men could not keep a box open continuously and a fourth man was needed to cover Rest Days. Originally, there would be three 'Regular' men who would always work the same box and their 'Rest Days' would be covered by a 'Relief' signalman who would be trained to operate a number of signal boxes, providing Rest Day 'cover' at each of them. 'Relief' signalmen would also deputise for 'Regular' signalman who were on Annual Leave or Sick. Arrangements could become quite involved.
When I was visiting signalboxes around the West Midlands in the late '50s and early '60s, the number of 'Regular' men seemed to be reducing. Modernisation of the railways was well in hand and it was clear that re-signalling schemes were going to need much smaller numbers of staff in the future. The proportion of turns covered by 'Regular' men was reducing and, particularly as older signalmen retired, 'Relief' signalmen were kept busy making up the shortfall. Signalmen were allowed to work up to 12-hour shifts and some men (particularly those with young families) were happy to accept overtime. But, of course, the writing was on the wall and the period leading up to the commissioning of Wolverhampton Power Signal Box on Monday 16th August 1965 was a sad time as many of my friends received redundancy notices.
The Block System
Most double-lines were controlled by the Absolute Block system, where signalmen communicated with adjacent signal boxes using block signalling equipment comprising electric single-stroke bells and galvanometers. There's a brief description of Block Instruments here.
L&NWR-pattern 'DN' Permissive Block Instrument, originally in use at Watery Lane Signalbox.
The single-stroke bell was controlled by a tapper key, a bit like a Morse Key. This key protruded from the block instrument case. Most of the key was metal but there was a dished knob made of a material like Ebonite which could be pressed down by a forefinger to sound the bell in the adjacent box. A spring would push the key back up, ready for the next stroke. This is a bit different from a Morse Key where there would normally be a round knob you could grasp with a thumb and two fingers. The Ebonite knobs were often noticeably worn away, having been used for the passage of many thousands of trains. Also the spring return could become rather weak, so some signalmen would use their thumb to help push the key back up. It was a good idea to avoid touching the metal part of the key - when the electric current was disconnected at the end of a stroke, the coil in the bell at the adjacent box would generate a brief 'back e.m.f.' voltage which could be many hundreds of volts and give a nasty shock. If the signalman happened to be holding a lever with the other hand, providing a more efficient 'earth', the shock was more severe.
Signalling a through train involved accepting the 'Is Line Clear?' from the box in the rear ("Taking On"), obtaining 'Line Clear' from the box in advance ("Sending On"), clearing the signals ("Pulling Off"), observing the train as it passed, sending 'Train Entering Section' ("Section") to the box in advance, ensuring a tail lamp was carried, replacing the signals, giving 'Train Out of Section' ("Knocking Out") to the signal box in rear and waiting for the box in advance to send 'Train Out of Section'. Even this repetitive process could get quite demanding at busy times when trains followed one another on short headways and, of course, trains were being handled in both directions.
The Train Register Book
A key feature of signal boxes was the Train Register Book, which I've described here. Every bell signal was recorded with its time, together with explanatory notes. Entries were supposed to be made as things happened, so as to act as an aide-memoire to a temporarily-confused signalman. Some signalmen might let a number of trains pass, remembering only, say, passing time, before bringing the train register up to date and reconstructing all the individual timings based on their familiarity with the location. The Train Register was the equivalent of the 'Black Box Recorder' for the mechanical age. In the event of an incident, the Train Registers from all the signal boxes involved would be collected (each signal box would start a new Train Register so that they could continue to log movements). The collected registers would then be subjected to forensic study to try to establish whether any irregularity has been involved. Of course, all bell signals were logged in the registers of two adjacent signal boxes so the time Box A claims he 'Sent On' a train to Box B should be the same as the time Box B enters for 'Taking On' the train.
The Box Clock
For the Train Register system to work, boxes had to have an accurate reference to the time. Every signal box had a wall clock, often mounted above the desk holding the Train Register Book. These clocks were spring-driven and required winding on a regular basis. To ensure that clocks did not become inaccurate, a Time Signal was transmitted once daily. Where signal boxes had at least one telephones, the time signal could be issued by telephone, but, where necessary, the time signal could be relayed using the block bell from an adjacent signal box with a telephone. In the West Midlands, all the boxes I visited had at least one omnibus telephone (see 'Communications' below) connecting all the signal boxes on a stretch of line together and usually extended to the District Control Office in Birmingham. The Control Office would have had an accurate clock system and at 9.00 a.m. each day it would issue the Time Signal to all signal boxes by a series of short rings on the Control Telephone circuit, so that each signal box received a distinctive 'Buzz-Buzz-Buzz-Buzz-Buzz ...'. On receipt of the Time Signal, signalmen corrected their clock as necessary and recorded in the Train Register book the necessary correction. Anything more than two or three minutes correction would initiate remedial action. Sometimes, there would be no Time Signal at 9.00 a.m. In this case, it would often be sent at 10.00 a.m. I never found out quite why this occurred.
The Lever Frame
The role of the signalman was an interesting blend of the celebral and the physical. Working the lever frame was definitely physical but it was not a matter of brute force but rather of learning the correct technique for each lever to achieve success. Some levers, particularly for points and signals nearer the box, often needed only moderate effort. Levers which operated more than one set of points or signals at a greater distance could be harder. It was sometimes better to use body weight to get a 'swing' to move a set of point blades correctly, as otherwise the point blades might not move sufficiently. But too much 'swing' could cause the blades to 'bounce' and still not 'fit-up'. Failure could result in not being able to bolt the points with the associated Facing Point Lock lever (in the case of facing points) or clear the signal for the move (because the Signal Detector was 'tied'). Distant signals, often out of sight on the end of three quarters of a mile of signal wire, could be very problematic, particularly if the cable run had become fouled by weeds or temperature change had slackened the wire. Various forms of Slack Adjuster were often provided but correct adjustment could be tricky. Where distant signals were out of sight, electrical repeaters were provided with three indications - 'ON', 'OFF' and (where the signal arm stood between valid 'ON' and 'OFF' positions) 'WRONG'. It could be very dispiriting to have used what you were confident was the correct technique only to have the repeater stubbornly show 'WRONG'.
In some signalboxes, it was considered sacrilege to operate a lever with your bare hands, and the use of a duster was mandatory. It's certainly true that perspiration from the hands can tarnish metal levers but most of the boxes I visited, even those that were kept very clean, seemed to have a more robust view.
Part of a large mechanical lever frame. This is the preserved Exeter West signalbox, preserved at Crewe Heritage Centre.
Communication Facilities
In the early days, the block signaling equipment might be the only communication with the outside world. There were bell codes to cope with various mishaps such as 'Train passed without tail lamp', 'Train running away wrong line' but there were limits and over a period telephones were introduced in most signal boxes. The pictures below show a couple of patterns of telephones widely used in signal boxes. At larger boxes, a Key and Lamp Unit might be installed, so that a number of circuits could be answered using just one handset. A Key and Lamp Unit is described here.
Some signalmen, if not otherwise engaged, would talk incessantly about every topic under the sun on the 'Box-to-Box' omnibus telephone circuit to whoever would listen, some liked to "ear-wig", listening to the wide-ranging discussions but rarely making a contribution and some used the telephones only for operational reasons.
I hope to write more about railway communications in the future.
Wall-mounting Local Battery 2-button D.C.-ringing Omnibus Telephone with separate Microphone and Receiver displayed in Shackerstone Railway Museum.
Wall-mounting Local Battery 4-button D.C.-ringing Omnibus Telephone with combined Microphone and Receiver (Hand Micro-Telephone) displayed in Shackerstone Railway Museum.
Heating Signalboxes
Signal boxes could be cold, draughty places. The ground floor of a signal box, the 'Locking Room', was provided with a long slot at ground level to allow the signal wires and point rodding to be led outside. This admitted quite a gale, which could readily find an exit onto the operating floor 'upstairs' through the numerous slots which allowed the levers in the frame to be moved. It was not uncommon to find pieces of old carpet laid across the lever slots on the operating floor, leaving only the regularly-used levers exposed. In addition, there were usually lots of glazed window units on the operating floor, many of which could be slid open, giving rise to draughts even when closed. Finally, signal boxes were located based on operational requirements and the need to give the signalman a good view of the railway he was controlling. This often meant that signal boxes were in rather bleak locations.
Heating to counter the cold was usually by means of a cast-iron solid fuel stove. A signalman re-opening a signal box after a period of closure could find it cold and damp, so getting a good fire going was normally a priority. Once lit, it would normally be kept lit until the next period of closure. Often, the stove was the only method of boiling water or cooking. The picture below shows the stove at the preserved signal box at Shackerstone.
The Signalbox Stove.
Illumination of Signalboxes
A lot of the signal boxes I visited were gas lit, although some had mains electric light. At least one (Tipton Curve Junction) was lit by 'Tilley' pressurised paraffin lamps. I was delighted to find that 'Tilley' lamps are still available - the website is here.
Toilet Facilities
Not many signal boxes had facilities connected to a main sewer. The most common arrangement was an 'Elsan' chemical toilet, often housed in a small wooden 'shed' on the operating floor level, usually reached from the landing at the top of the (external) signal box steps. The arrangement at Bloomfield Junction - a sliding door on the back wall of the signal box gave access to a separate, small landing with metal handrails leading to the usual wooden 'shed'. A modernised arrangement provided a pre-cast concrete 'hut' adjacent to the signal box. 'Elsan' are still in business but the current arrangements shown on their website seem a vast improvement on what I remember.
Furnishings
Furnishings were usually fairly basic. Generally, the floor of the box would be covered by a heavy-duty brown linoleum but this was not universal.
There was always a tall writing Desk, with the Train Register book open on the sloping top. The sloping top was hinged to reach the storage space inside which held various documents such as a copy of the Working Timetable and Weekly Notices and supplies of Single Line Working forms. It was possible to find quite old documents abandoned in this storage space. The photograph below shows a rather nice 'high chair' but I think this refinement was missing at the signal boxes I visited - normally, signalmen would stand at the desk to enter times in the register.
The Desk in the preserved Crewe Station 'A' Box.
There would usually be some sort of 'easy chair' pulled up near the stove where signalmen would spend free time. This would be arranged so that the signalman could relax in the chair and talk on the box-to-box omnibus telephone circuit. Some of these chairs were life-expired and had had various repairs carried out. I particularly remember the throne-like chair at Bloomfield Junction. The 'wings' and back had been massively extended, using odd bits of orange box wood, presumably to shield the signalman from the draughts but creating the appearance of a rather beat-up sedan chair.
There would also be a Locker for Signalmen's personal possessions. The example shown in the photograph below is a common design, divided into three lockable sections so that up to three regular signalmen could each have private storage space.
The Locker in the preserved Crewe Station 'A' Box.
Reporting Responsibilities
Boxes with more freight involvement often completed a 'Freight Train and Shunting Record Book' detailing freight trains, time spent, vehicles attached and detached. Abstracts from this would be passed to the Control Office by telephone regularly.
Page from a Freight Train and Shunting Record Book (dated 1939).
Some locations had to submit a 'Daily Freight Rolling Stock Return' to assist the Control Office with keeping track of freight vehicles (some hope - see my short post here) and ensuring that yards had sufficient empty wagons on hand for traffic to be loaded. I didn't get a copy of this comprehensive return but I did do a quick sketch.
Click here for larger image
Daily Freight Rolling Stock Return FORM A (SMALL) BR87240: Sketch showing layout of this form.
These old document systems were eventually overthrown. In the late 1960s, British Rail invested heavily in computers and a system called 'TOPS' (Total Operations Processing System) which had worked well on the Southern Pacific Railroad in America was introduced. There's a 'Wikipedia' article on TOPS here. By the 1970s 'TOPS' was also controlling freight wagons, as described here.
Supervision of Signalmen
Each Stationmaster or Yardmaster would be responsible for one or more signalboxes in his area, making regular visits to each signal box. All official visitors to a signal box, such as the Stationmaster, would make an entry in the Train Register. The Stationmaster would also make a check of entries in the train register and entries of interest (like "Clock Correct at 9.00 a.m. Time Signal") would receive a 'Tick'.
The 'Green Book' specified the exact sequence of Bell Codes to be used and complying with this was called "Working 'Up'". However, it was common for signalmen to use a somewhat simplified version called "Working 'Loose'". For instance, receipt of 'Two Beats' (Train Entering Section) was supposed to be acknowledged on the bell and the Block Indicator turned to 'Train on Line'. When "Working 'Loose'" the bell acknowledgement would be omitted.
Provided a signalman spotted the approach of the Stationmaster whilst working 'Loose', the adjacent signal boxes would be warned to start working 'Up' by sending the unoffical bell signal '1-2-1, 1-2-1' ("Gaffer Approaching"). The genuine bell signal '1-2-1' was used (where authorised) for 'Train Approaching'.
The Signalmen's Inspector could also appear unexpectedly. He was responsible for 'passing-out' new signalmen and would periodically make visits to signal boxes. He could be relied upon to have a detailed knowledge of all the signalling regulations, so signalmen could not hope to bluff this gentleman.
Book References
There are a number of books written by men who were signalmen. I've listed a couple by Adrian Vaughan:-
[1] 'Signalman's Morning' by Adrian Vaughan, published John Murray (ISBN 0-7195-3827-0).
[2] 'Signalman's Nightmare' by Adrian Vaughan, published John Murray (ISBN 0-7195-4285-5).
I'd visited a number of signal boxes before being introduced to Catchem's Corner in the late 1950s. But "Catchem's" (as it was always called) was the first signal box I learnt to operate. It fired my imagination and led to a period where I spent long periods in various signal boxes around the West Midlands. My blog post Visiting Signalboxes describes these early visits.
Catchem's Corner Signal Box lay on the Stour Valley Main Line from Wolverhampton High Level to Birmingham New Street. The adjacent signal boxes were Monmore Green (1021 yards in the Wolverhampton direction) and Spring Vale Sidings (1474 yards in the Birmingham direction).
The double-track line was more-or-less straight on a rising gradient through Monmore Geen and past Catchem's Corner on an embankment, curving left through Ettingshall Road and Bilston Station and on to Spring Vale Sidings. The signal box controlled the access to Ettingshall Road Goods Depot which was at a lower level than the main lines, necessitating a fierce gradient on the access sidings. At the time of my visits, this was quite a busy depot as the immediate area was home to a number of large engineering works, notably John Thompson.
Gradient Diagram of Stour Valley Line.
The signal box, situated on a broad embankment on the down side of the main lines, was a standard L.M.S. pattern with a brick base, wooden top, gable roof and with the lever frame on the side of the box away from the track.
The L.M.S. lever frame placed all the interlocking on the operating floor in a compact form, behind the levers. The catch-handles on the levers were the 'trigger' pattern fitted behind the lever (like an old-fashioned car handbrake). To reduce the walking the signalman had to do, L.M.S. practice placed all the main running signals near the centre of the frame. Bracketed from the roof on a series of bars the block shelf ran the length of the lever frame and accommodating various electrical repeaters, two L&NWR Block Signalling Instruments and a Block Switch. The Signal Box Diagram was suspended above the block shelf, showing the layout of points and signals controlled by the signal box together with the distance to principal features from the box and a gradient diagram. Heating was provided by a coal stove situated in the middle of the glazed wall nearest the track. The floor was covered with heavy-duty brown linoleum.
Click here for larger image.
Sketch plan of area controlled by Catchem's Corner Signal Box.
I didn't have a camera of my own at that time so I have no pictures of the box. If I produced any sketches at the time showing the track layout, they don't appear to have survived (it was around fifty years ago), so the simplified sketch above is made from memory, combined with information from the John Swift diagrams (see 'References' below).
Ettingshall Road Goods Depot and Sidings
There were no facing points on the main lines so access to all sidings was by drawing ahead and setting back. The main sidings, crane roads and goods sheds were reached by setting back from the Down Main but there was another group of sidings which could be used by Up trains attaching or detaching.
On the Down side, there was a single, long siding reached by drawing ahead and setting back. I think that this was probably a addition during World War II, to act as a refuge for a Down freight train which Wolverhampton was not ready to handle, allowing the main line to be cleared for more important trains.
Ettingshall Road and Bilston Station
This was a modest affair served by stopping trains. It had two wooden platforms flanking the main lines and the main station buildings on the Up side were also wooden. Access to each platform was by long ramps from Parkfield Road, which crossed under the railway a few yards on the Birmingham side of the station. As far as I remember, there was an electric bell operated from the signal box to alert the station staff to an approaching stopping service.
Down Signals
Down Outer Distant was mounted underneath Spring Vale's Down Home on a short LMS tubular post outside Spring Vale box.
Down Inner Distant was mounted underneath Spring Vale's Down Starter - a distinctive 'Gallows' signal with the arms on a wooden cantilever to the right of a lattice main post [see Note 1].
Down Home 1 was an LMS tubular post.
Down Home 2 was a very short LMS tubular post, just outside the box, with Monmore Green's Down Outer Distant carried underneath.
Down Starter was an LMS tubular post, with Monmore Green's Down Inner Distant carried underneath.
Up Signals
Up Outer Distant was mounted underneath Monmore Green's Up Home on a LMS tubular post.
Up Inner Distant was mounted underneath Monmore Green's Up Starter on a LMS tubular post.
Up Home was an LMS tubular post [see Note 2].
Up Starter was Upper Quadrant on a tall wooden post - the post almost certainly a survivor from the previous L&NWR lower quadrant arrangement. A Distant for Spring Vale was carried underneath.
Detonator Placers
Emergency Detonator Placers on the Up and Down main lines were operated from two levers in the centre of the lever frame.
Block Instruments, Block Control, Track Circuit and Signal Repeaters
Two L&NWR Block Signalling Instruments and a Block Switch stood on the Block Shelf. The block instrument connected to Spring Vale Sidings had a larger bell dome, giving a lower tone, allowing the signalman to distinguish that block bell from the one to Monmore Green, which had a smaller bell dome and a higher tone. The Block Switch allowed Catchem's Corner to "switch out", so that the block section extended between the signal boxes on either side which remained "switched in". Much later, I remember working Tipton Station box when the next box was Wolverhampton No. 1 (because Bloomfield Jn., Deepfields, Spring Vale, Catchem's and Monmore Green were closed).
Three track circuits covered the two main lines within 'Station Limits' and, outside the first 'Stop' signal in each direction, there was a 'Berth' track circuit (probably 200 yards in length). If 'Line Clear' had not been obtained from the next signal box, the 'Berth' track circuit held the home signal electrically locked until an approaching train had been 'brought under control'. The state of each track circuit (Clear/Occupied) was shown by electromechanical indicators fixed to the front of the block shelf. There were certainly repeaters for the weight bars of the distant signals (slotted with the arm above - see the article Slotting). I can't remember whether any of the stop signals had arm repeaters, or which signals had lamp repeaters. There's a general description of signal repeaters in the article Signal Arm, Slot and Lamp Repeaters.
Hours of Opening
In common with a number of signal boxes on the Stour Valley at the time, Catchem's Corner was normally open from 6.00 a.m. Monday to 5.50 a.m. Sunday.
Historic Events
The splendid 'Railways Archive' site has a PDF of the report following an accident at Catchem's Corner in 1912 here. It gives a fascinating insight into how the railway was then, plus clearly showing how a moment's lapse of concentration can have disastrous consequences.
In 1965, after I'd stopped visiting Catchem's Corner, John Thompson shipped a series of loads called the "Heaviest Single Load carried by British Railways" through the Ettingshall Road Goods Yard. There's a detailed article with photographs about these loads in 'BRILL' (see 'references ' below). I did signal one of these loads through Tipton Curve Junction and I've described that here.
Notes
[Note 1] Near the end of mechanical signalling on this line, this signal was replaced by a conventional tubular post, with a 'Shunt Ahead' arm underneath. This later arrangement is shown in the post Railway Signalling: Spring Vale Sidings Box.
[Note 2] Near the end of mechanical signalling on this line, a motor-operated distant for Spring Vale Sidings was placed underneath the Up Home. This later arrangement is shown in the post Railway Signalling: Spring Vale Sidings Box.
References
For a track diagram produced by John Swift showing Catchem's Corner, refer to the Signalling Record Society publication 'British Railways Layout Plans of the 1950's', 'Volume 11: LNWR Lines in the West Midlands' (ISBN: 1 873228 13 9).
There's nothing left now except plain double track - see 'Railway Track Diagrams Book 4: Midlands & North West', published by Trackmaps (ISBN: 0-9549866-0-1).
'Keep Big Loads off the Roads - a record of the single heaviest load carried by BR' in 'British Railways Illustrated' ('BRILL') Volume 9 Number 3, December 1999.
The following brief report is based on information from Doctor Hla Tun, who also supplied the photographs.
Second Bhamo Cruise 2013
On 31st August 2013, the 'Road to Mandalay', on its second Bhamo Cruise in 2013, anchored off Shwe Paw Island, at the end of the Ayeyarwady River's Second Defile. The Guests were able to visit the island and participate in the distribution of stationery to the 103 students at the island's school.
Students at Shwe Paw Island school standing on benches, ready to recite poems to the visitors after the distribution of stationery.
There is no clinic, no doctor and no nurse on Shwe Paw island. Patients need to go to Shwe Ku Town on the 'mainland' if they wish to see a doctor. Doctor Hla Tun always treats patients during his visits to the island and the shelter at the ferry landing stage is used as a makeshift 'clinic'.
Treatment of patients in the shelter at the ferry landing stage.
Third Bhamo Cruise 2013
On 15th September 2013, a further visit was made to the island school and, once again, stationery was distributed.
On the same day, Doctor Hla Tun treated patients in the shelter at the ferry landing stage.
The photographs above are from the set RTM Social Contribution.
I've previously visited Shwe Paw Island myself in 2010 and 2012. My reports are here (for 2010) and here (for 2012).
[Visit during Third Bhamo trip added 25-Sep-2013]
The following brief report is based on information from Doctor Hla Tun, who also supplied the photograph.
During the 'Road to Mandalay' second Bhamo Cruise in 2013, a donation of 80 sets of Blood Bottles and Blood Sets was made to Katha District Hospital. These are used for collecting blood from blood donors at the hospital. The blood is used for transfusions during emergency surgical operations or emergency situations involving profuse bleeding.
This was the second occasion on which donations of Blood Bottles and Blood Sets have been made to the hospital.
Donation of empty Blood Bottles and Blood Sets to a Laboratory Technician at Katha District Hospital.
The photograph above is from the set RTM Social Contribution.
On 14th September, during the third Bhamo Cruise in 2013, a further donation of 48 sets of Blood Bottles and Blood Sets was made to the hospital. That was third donation of Blood Bottles and Blood Sets to the Hospital, bringing the total number of Blood Bottles donated to 128.
I've not visited the Katha District Hospital but I've been to Katha in 2010 and 2012. My reports are here (for 2010) and here (for 2012).
[Details of donation made on 14-Sep-2013 added on 29-Oct-2013]
When the Vintage Tea Party (described in a post here) was being planned earlier this year, an interest in letting people see some of the inside of Brewood Hall was discussed. There have been a number of visits in the past (including two organised by Brewood Civic Society). It was agreed that the Vintage Tea Party organisers would take bookings for conducted tours on the 14th and 15th September 2013.
About 120 people booked so they were arranged into four groups - 2.00 p.m. and 3.30 p.m. on Saturday 14th and at the same times on the Sunday.
Each group assembled in the Lounge Hall at the appointed time where there was sufficient seating for (most) people. Jan gave a talk lasting around half an hour about the history and architecture of Brewood Hall (the post Brewood Hall has some information about history and architecture).
Jan talks about the history and architecture of the Hall.
Marion and Visitors in the Lounge Hall.
The group was then divided into two. Jan led the first party on a tour of the principal rooms of the building, finishing in the oak-panelled Dining Room. At the same time, Marion Reeves led the second party on a tour of the Small Barn (which received a major restoration a few years ago - the post Brewood Hall Small Barn has a little more information) and the Gardens (when the weather permitted), finishing back in the Hall itself. Jan then took the second party around the principal rooms and Marion took the first party to see the Barn and Gardens.
Visitors climbing the Main Stairs to the First Floor.
Jan describes the Tibetan wall-hanging - 'Thangka' - on the panelling behind her in the Dining Room.
At the beginning of September, the weather had turned much colder. On the Saturday, the weather was bright, cold but mainly dry. The Sunday was dull, cold and with intermittent rain. If visitors found the weather too inclement for a tour of the Gardens, they were invited to spend additional time in the Oriental Room, which has numerous artefacts from various countries.
Everybody seemed to enjoy the event and a number of the Visitors commented that they found the tour very interesting.
No admission charge was made for these tours, but donations were invited towards the work of the Jan Ford Foundation which supports charitable initiatives in Myanmar (Burma) including a Free Medical Centre, various School Projects and a number of Orphanages. There are a number of posts describing these initiatives which can be found here.
There are a few pictures taken during these Conducted Tours in the set Tour of Brewood Hall, September 2013.
There are a number of posts which describe earlier visits to Brewood Hall:-
NADFAS visit to Brewood Hall
Visit to Brewood by 'History Walks'
Wulfrun College Retired Staff Association visit Brewood Hall
'Inner Wheel' visit to Brewood Hall
Brewood Scouts visit Brewood Hall
Staffordshire Libraries visit to Brewood Hall
Brewood Civic Society visit to Brewood Hall
You can find all the posts about Brewood Hall here.
The following brief report was received from Doctor Hla Tun:-
On 20th August 2013, a stationery distribution was made at Naba railway station, during the 'Road to Mandalay' Bhamo Cruise 1.
Dr. Hla Tun and a young Guest from 'Road to Mandalay' distributing stationery to students on the broad platform at Naba Railway Station.
This photograph is from the set RTM Social Contribution.
The rather odd venue for the stationery distribution is because the 'Road to Mandalay' Guests had travelled from Katha to Naba by Private Train and so the station was a convenient location for the stationery distribution.
I've previously visited Naba myself in 2010 (when I was allowed to travel in the cab of the diesel locomotive hauling the Private Train) and again in 2012. However, we didn't make a stationery distribution on either of these trips. My report of the trip in 2010 is Train Ride to Naba (with links to my photographs). My report for the trip in 2012 is By Train to Naba (again, with links to photographs).
Education Support in Myanmar
I've written a number of posts describing the support which the 'RTM Social Contribution' makes to education in Myanmar. You can find all these posts here. A number of these posts describe visits to schools to distribute stationery to students but, in general, these schools are in the Mandalay and Bagan area, accessible as the 'Road to Mandalay' ship carries out its regular cruise schedule on the Ayeyarwady River.
Each year, the 'Road to Mandalay' makes two or three extended cruises further upstream as far as Bhamo, accompanied by two 'Fast Boats' which act as ferries taking Guests ashore for various trips. Some of these trips include visits to schools with donations of stationery. In addition, a number of schools along the river receive donations of stationery, although the 'Road to Mandalay' does not stop. In these cases, the 'Fast Boats' load the stationery and, preceding the 'Road to Mandalay' up river, drop off the donated materials at each of the schools in turn. This means that, by the time the 'Road to Mandalay' comes abeam each school, the students are waiting on the river bank, waving exercise books which they have received and indicating their thanks by waving and cheering. I have been on Bhamo Cruises in 2010 and 2012 and can confirm that the excitement as the 'Road to Mandalay' passes, sounding her siren, is quite affecting.
Stationery Distribution in 2010
My first Bhamo Cruise was in 2010. All my reports on that trip can be found here. On 26th August 2010, after visiting the 'Pottery Village', we sailed past a number of schools which had earlier received stationery donations and there's a brief description in the post Nwe Nyein Pottery Village.
Students waving as the 'Road to Mandalay' passes in 2010.
There are a number of pictures of the schools we passed in the set Cruising North on the Irrawaddy.
Stationery Distribution in 2012
I repeated the Bhamo Cruise in 2012 and all my reports are here. The itinerary was similar to that on my first Bhamo Cruise and, on Thursday 13th September 2012, we visited the 'Pottery Village' and then sailed past eight schools where the 'Fast Boats' had earlier delivered stationery. The post Visit to a Pottery Village and Stationery Distribution to 8 Schools describes the day.
Children waving their new, blue exercise books in 2012.
All my pictures as we cruised north are in the set Schoolchildren and others along the Ayeyarwaddy.
In order, as we sailed north, these are the schools we passed:-
| Place |
Nbr of Students |
River Bank |
| Ma Au |
154 |
West |
| Pya |
58 |
East |
| Nyaung Pin Thar |
95 |
East |
| Yone Pin |
270 |
West |
| Kote Tet |
355 |
West |
| Ka Bwet |
327 |
West |
| Kyaw Lay Well |
60 |
East |
| Pon Ner |
108 |
East |
The following reports on the Bhamo Cruises are based on information from Doctor Hla Tun.
Stationery Distribution on First Bhamo Cruise in 2013
On the 15th August 2013, the 'Road to Mandalay' sailed north through the Third Defile of the Irrawaddy River, passing eight riverbank schools where the 'Fast Boats' had earlier delivered stationery to about 1300 students. As the 'Road to Mandalay' passed each school, students, assembled on the riverbank, waved in thanks.
There are about 300 students at Ka Bwet school which also includes a secondary school.
There are about 340 students at Kote Tet school which includes a secondary school.
There are around 125 children in Pon Ner Village.
Stationery Distribution on Second Bhamo Cruise in 2013
On the 28th August 2013, the 'Road to Mandalay' sailed north on the second Bhamo Cruise. Once again, stationery, exercise books, pencils, rulers and ballpens were distributed to the eight riverbank schools.
Stationery Distribution on Third Bhamo Cruise in 2013
During the third Bhamo Cruise in 2013, on September 12th stationery was again distributed to more than 1300 students of the eight schools along the Third Defile of the Ayeyarwady River.
Pictures showing these riverbank schools are included in the set Schoolchildren and others along the Ayeyarwaddy.
[Second Bhamo Cruise in 2013 added 16-Sep-2013, Third Bhamo Cruise in 2013 added 25-Sep-2013]
This report is based on information from Doctor Hla Tun, who also supplied the photographs.
The Abbot of the Min Ga Lar Pa Ra Hi Ta Monastery in Pagoda Hill Village, Twan-Taye Township, accepts about 700 girls and 460 boys who are orphans, single parent children or very poor. The Monastery provides accommodation, food, school attendance and teaches handicrafts to offer a future career. The Monastery is around 30 miles south of Yangon and, if the traffic is quiet, the journey from Yangon takes around 75 minutes.
Five volunteer teachers, the Abbot and the visitors.
Orient Express operate The Governor's Residence Hotel in Yangon, often referred to simply as 'TGR'. On 13th July 2013 Doctor Hla Tun, together with staff from The Governor's Residence visited the Monastery to make donations of old linen, uniforms, gloves and stockings from the Hotel, plus stationery and soap.
Linen, old uniforms, stationery and soap donated to the Monastery.
There is a Government-recognised Middle School within the Monastery Compound which accepts children up to Grade 9. Beyond this, students have to attend the Government High School in the Village. Between 25 and 30 students from the Monastery Graduated and around 15 of these now work as Volunteer teachers in the Monastery. In addition, about 20 Monks work as Guardians in the Monastery.
Girls in front of their hostel. The building in the background is used as a dining room but it is not large enough to take all 1,160 children at one time so Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner are each divided into two sittings.
Boys in their hostel building. Note the blue mosquito nets on the wall.
Inside view of hostel building.
Photographs
Min Ga Lar Pa Ra Hi Ta Monastery.
The Governor's Residence Hotel.
This report is based on information from Doctor Hla Tun, who also supplied the photographs.
In an earlier post ('Road to Mandalay' co-operation with other organisations) I described how the United Nations Childrens Fund ('UNICEF') had withdrawn funding from the Orphans and Vulnerable Children ('OVC') Project in Myanmar. I also explained that a German Foundation which provides help for HIV affected children, with local assistance from Doctor Hla Tun, started to provide funding in 2012 to allow the 'OVC' project in Myanmar to continue its work.
The 'OVC' Project in 2013
Between the 31st May and 2nd June 2013 (during the 'Road to Mandalay' 'off season' for 2013), Doctor Hla Tun visited Mon State and villages within Tha Nin Thar Yi Division to provide assistance to the Orphans and Vulnerable Children Project. The Project includes HIV infected children, HIV affected children and children whose parents can’t afford for them to attend school.
These children are helped by providing school enrolment fees and stationery. Twice a year a Forum is arranged providing snacks and cold drinks. Material and moral support is also provided to the Education Car Provider - the Self Help Groups ('SHG').
In the 2012-13 academic year, help was provided to 446 'OVC' students but in the 2013-2014 academic year (starting on 3rd June 2013) this number was raised and 758 'OVC' students were helped.
The distributions for 2013-2014 were made during Doctor Hla Tun's visits to Maw La Myaing City and Mu Don Township (included in Mon State) and the villages of La Mine and Kod Dut (included in Yaye township within Tha Nin Thar Yi Division). The numbers of 'OVC' students assisted at each location are:-
Maw La Myaing: 288
Mu Don: 142
Kod Dut: 202
La Mine: 126
Distribution at Mu Don
There are three Drop In Centres ('DIC') in Mu Don township (part of Mon state). Students from those centres came to the Win Sein Taw Ya Pagoda Compound on 1st June 2013 to receive support for the academic year 2013-14. Students were given school enrolment fee, stationery, a cold drink and a snack.
Distribution of support to OVC students at Win Sein Taw Ya Pagoda Compound.
The Win Sein Taw Ya Pagoda houses the World's Largest Reclining Buddha.
The World's Largest Reclining Buddha.
Incidentally, I visited the World's Largest Reclining Buddha in 2012 and that visit is described here. My photographs of this remarkable construction are here.
Distribution at Kod Dut
Distribution of stationery, snacks and drinks was made at the Drop In Centre ('DIC') in Kod Dut village on 1st June 2013.
Distribution of stationery, snacks and drinks at the Drop In Centre in Kod Dut village.
The Mon Ethnic Temporary School is about 5 miles from Kod Dut. It was founded by a Monk, has five classrooms and is recognised by the government.
Mon Ethnic temporary School.
Very poor Mon students attending the school were invited to Kod Dut on 1st June 2013 to receive stationery. They travelled from their school in the Monk's white pick-up, wearing the traditional Mon ethnic costume of white and red. The girls cheeks were covered with thanaka (the creamy, natural make-up and sun-screen made from the Thanaka tree), rather than cosmetics.
Students from Mon Ethnic temporary School.
Volunteers cooking meals for waiting patients at the Bagan Medical Clinic in the Monastery compound.
Patients queuing to be served lunch.
