Signalling at Workington, October 2016

The signalboxes are of LNWR origin, which followed the acquisition of the Cockermouth and Workington Railway and Whitehaven Junction Railway in 1866. Signalling between Whitehaven and Wigton is absolute block.

These pictures were taken between 16th and 18th October 2016.

Workington Main No. 2 stands to the south of the station. It is an LNWR Type 4 box, built in 1886, now with 58 levers. This signalbox controls a mixture of semaphore and colour light signals, the sempahore signals on the right (WM2 8) being for the reception siding at the yard (or what remains of it, as the British Steel facility is being demolished) at the back of the station. There was once an adjacent engine shed, of which the base can still be seen, after the structure was removed to storage at Swithland on the Great Central Railway. The up starter signal at station platform end is a colour light (WM2 5). Opening hours are 05:30 - 00:00 Mon - Sat and 12:00 - 23:40 Sun. Diagram.

Workington Main No. 3 is open 07:00-23:00 Mon-Fri and 07:00-15:00 Sat, otherwise is switched out - both boxes can be switched out. This box is a LNWR Type 4+ built in 1886, and now has 25 levers, at one time having 55. On the Maryport side, it controls access to the ground frame to the docks and industrial sidings.

The middle sidings are disconnected and partially lifted, yet the disc signals remain.

Main No. 3's down starter (signal WM3 23). Diagram.

Starter for exit from the reception sidings, looking towards Maryport (signal WM3 21).

Down home signal WM3 24 to protect the docks branch.

Home signal with distant signal is released by Workington No 2. (signal WM3 42) with subsidiary arm to enter the reception siding (signal WM3 41).

Workington Railway Station

Cumbrian Coastal Railway Capacity Study

Compendium of Signal Box Opening Times.xls (Network Rail, all of UK)