Wigan Album
Railways
4 Comments
Photo: Harry Gardner
Item #: 14778
Apparantly this signal box was specially built by British rail to serve the HJ Heinz plant with a dedicated rail connection to the national network,but was never used & became known as the signal box that never was.
I well remember playing in here as a child in the 60s. It was amazing with all the levers and switches. Fortunately, they weren't connected up to anything. Since learned that Heinz rejected the idea of railway freight transport due to the cost of a dedicated line. £100,000 was a lot back then but they must be kicking themselves now!
The signal box opened on 25th June 1958 and closed on 26th April 1964 (its disconnection date). Although capable of being used it does not appear to have been manned and was definitely out of use by 11th September 1961.
Does anyone know if this 'box replaced the one that is shown on Ordnance Survey map 25 inch 1892-1914?
David
Hello David, you are right, there was previously another much older signal box located here at Branckers Sidings, that one was located on the up side of the line (the opposite side to this flat roof BR box).. the original box had a 21 lever tappet frame.. I would assume that this BR box did replace that older box that is on the 1892 -- 1914 map..