Signals at Craven Arms

26/5/07

Craven Arms is the junction where the Heart of Wales line leaves the North & West line from Shrewsbury to Newport. This is the view towards the level crossing from the station footbridge.

Further back is the tall down homes bracket. The up advanced starter can be seen beyond it.

The Heart of Wales line junction, at the opposite end of the station, with the down advanced starter and up main home also visible.

An up train departs towards Shrewsbury.

August 85

Back in 1985, the junction points, and the signal on the right, had to be worked by Heart of Wales train crews, from the small ground frame at the end of the platform. This delayed trains because departing trains then had to stop again while the route was reset, and arriving trains beforehand so the route into the platform could be set. The points have since been motorised.

The opposite view, with the sidings much more easily visible.

The signalbox. The disc leads to the up sidings.

A closer shot of the branch junction, ground frame and starter.

The view from the crossing towards the station.

A closer view of the connection to the up sidings.

The view north from the crossing, showing the exit from the down goods loop.

23/3/08

A much more recent view towards the station from the level crossing, with a couple of wagons in the siding.

The signalbox, which was completely re-clad in 2005: the full story is told on John Hinson's Signal Box website.

The view towards Marshbrook. The only discernable change is that the loop exit signal's original Westinghouse 'ice cream cone' finial has been replaced with a much plainer cap.

A close-up of the disc for setting back into the down loop or over the crossover.

The one on the other side of the crossing, reading into the up siding. Looks like its lamp case has been in an argument. :)

The up advanced starter, also with a plain cap rather than the original finial.

A closer view of the junction signal for the Heart of Wales line.

A face-on view of the up main home, south of the junction.

The up branch home for the Heart of Wales line - this is just round the curve, beyond the view from the station.