The 'Peak Forester'

Following the success of the Steam Charter to Peak Rail operated by 'Oliver Cromwell' on the 27th May 2012, a similar tour visited Peak Rail on 14th April 2013.

The return working of the 'Peak Forester' approaching Darley Dale.

In 2013, the 'Peak Forester' was operated by unrebuilt 'Battle of Britain' Class 'Tangmere', named after RAF Tangmere. This famous RAF Station, near Chichester, played an important role during the Battle of Britain (see the Wikipedia article here).

On the day of the charter, Peak Rail ran a modified service between Rowsley and Matlock Town, with a 7-coach train top-and-tailed by a steam locomotive 'Lord Phil' at the north end and a Class 31 diesel electric locomotive at the south end. I was the driver on 'Lord Phil' and Phil was the fireman.

The passing loop at Darley Dale was used to allow the steam charter to pass the Peak Rail service. When the 'Peak Forester' arrived, the Peak Rail passenger train waited in the Up platform at Darley Dale. At Rowsley, 'Tangmere' was watered, coaled, turned and serviced. With the stock for the charter shunted to the loop, the Peak Rail service was able to use the single platform at Rowsley. To allow the 'Peak Forester' to return to Network Rail, the Peak Rail service ran Empty Coaching Stock (ECS) to Darley Dale, drew onto the single line to clear the loop points. A preserved Fire Tender with around 400 gallons of water then topped-up the saddle tank on 'Lord Phil'. The ECS was then signalled into the Down platform to await the passage of the charter. Once the charter has disappeared towards Matlock, the ECS was able to continue to Rowsley before forming the last passenger service of the day to Matlock Town and back.

My Pictures

'Peak Forester' 2013.

Crewe South Junction (1940) Signal Box

Crewe South Junction Signal Box was taken out of use in 1985 but survives in a semi-derelict form.

Crewe South Junction Signal Box controlled movements at the south end of Crewe Station from 1940 to 1985. The structure of the signal box survives in a semi-derelict form. This 'ARP' box, with a Westinghouse Style 'L' Power Frame, is the last-but-one in a series of signal boxes which have controlled the important junctions at the south end of Crewe Station.

In 1938, with the threat of war and aerial attack looming, it was decided that certain strategic signal boxes should be replaced by an 'ARP' ('Air Raid Precautions') design, better able to withstand blast damage. Accordingly, Crewe North Junction and Crewe South Junction signal boxes were rebuilt, replacing the earlier 1907 signal boxes which used the 'Crewe' All Electric System. New point machines were provided and the electrically-operated semaphore signals were replaced by colour light signals. 

Westinghouse Brake and Signal Company had been supplying the Style 'L' miniature lever frame since 1929 so it was a 'safe' choice. The L.M.S. order for Crewe South Junction (together with a second for Crewe North Junction and a third 'Standby' frame) was placed in March 1939.

The Crewe South Junction lever frame order called for 227 levers made up of 72 point levers, 127 signal levers, 8 'special' levers, 7 spare levers and 13 spare spaces. These levers were supplied as 19 off 12-way sections which were mounted in-line to form one large frame.

 

Detail showing miniature levers (picture shows a similar Style 'L' frame at Crewe North Junction. White are spare, Red are signals, Black are points. The lamps on the almost vertical panel behind the levers are repeaters).

Movement of each lever drives a vertical shaft via bevel gears. The vertical shaft carries the electrical contacts used for control and interlocking.

With covers removed, the bevel gears which drive the vertical 'drum' of contacts can be seen.

The associated relays which provided the electrical interlocking were mounted on steel shelves in a large Relay Room on the ground floor. 'Shelf' relays were used, interwired on site.

When I was young, I thought it a curious-looking box but, for me, it didn't quite have the air of mystery which Crewe North Junction possessed. I went inside Crewe South Junction once in the 1970s when my firm had started supplying telecommunication equipment to the railways but, sadly, I didn't take any pictures.

The Crewe North Junction (1940) Signal Box is briefly described here. 

In 1985 control of the Crewe area was transferred to Crewe Signalling Centre, built on part of the site of the famous Crewe North Shed.

References

'The Style L Power Frame' written and published by J. D. Francis 1989 (ISBN 0 9514636 0 8).

External Links

Crewe South Junction by Mark Adlington.

My Pictures

Crewe Area.

Easter at Peak Rail

Click for larger view.
The 6-coach top-and-tailed train (Drawn by Charlie Baulkham.)

I was driver at Peak Rail on Easter Sunday, 31st March 2013. We ran the normal Sunday Service of five round trips between Rowsley and Matlock Town, top-and-tailed by a steam locomotive at the south end and a diesel electric locomotive at the north end.

Following the swan-song of 'Royal Pioneer' at the recent Blazing Saddles event, this locomotive has retired from traffic pending heavy repairs. 'Lord Phil' is now the regular steam locomotive. On Easter Sunday, Phil was Fireman and Dave was Cleaner. We had a good day, although it was rather cold.

I didn't take any photographs on the day but my young friend Charlie Baulkham produced a splendid panorama of our train, shown above.

'Lord Phil' photographed two weeks after Easter, facing the other way.