End of an era at Stafford Station

LeeA

LeeA

Well-Known Forumite
Stafford's last two Signal Boxes, Stafford Number 4 and Stafford Number 5, signal their last trains tomorrow evening. They are two of the largest and most impressive boxes still in use. No4 has 130 levers and No5 has 150. .

No5 is the older of the two, dating from 1952. No4 is a 1962 box, both buildings replaced earlier boxes and have been in continuous use since opening.

Many local residents have been employed at the boxes over the years.

The Stafford area will be controlled from the new Rugby Rail Operating Centre from Tuesday.

Goodbye SD4 and SD5, your work is almost done.
 
photography_bloke

photography_bloke

Well-Known Forumite
My Grandad once took me to number 4, back in the BR InterCity days and at a time when heath and safety hadn't been invented and you were able to do that

I suspect the boxes will no doubt be torn down and chucked on the scrapheap, which is the real shame about it :(
 
stoofer34

stoofer34

Well-Known Forumite
queensville.jpg


Remember a "double peg" at Queensville from the " Crin"

S
 
potter

potter

Newbie
stoofer34 said:
View attachment 2033

Remember a "double peg" at Queensville from the " Crin"

S
Click to expand...

As a lad and rail enthusiast I worked that box a couple of times in the early 1970s.

And your photo looks very similar to one of two I took on 5 April 1974 to remind me of it, knowing it's days were numbered...

Queensville Signal Box, Stafford 1974 by Rob.S., on Flickr

And if anyone is interested, this...

Queensville Signal Box, Stafford 1974 by Rob.S., on Flickr

is the other one. :)
 
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