Norton Junction (Worcester)

19/9/06

At Norton Junction a chord round to the ex-Midland Railway Birmingham and Gloucester line (right) diverges from the Cotswold line (towards Evesham, left). Though the latter was, infamously, singled in the 1970s, it is still regarded as the main line here.

This is the view in the opposite direction, towards Shrub Hill. The former shunting crossover is used by down Cotswold line trains to cross to the down line. A train is signalled up the branch towards Cheltenham.

A face-on shot of the junction signal, with a train signalled up the Cotswold line.

A close-up of the junction signal. The lower-arm distant is quite unusual, because it is worked from Gloucester panel box - it's the repeater for the colour-light signal protecting the junction at Abbotswood. As far as I'm aware, this is also one of only two remaining worked lower-quadrant distants on Network Rail that are on the same post beneath stop signals - the other is under the down Hereford advanced starting signal at Severn Bridge Junction (Shrewsbury).

This disc controls movements over the crossover from the up to the down line, as used by down Cotswold line trains.

A close-up of the down starter.

A closer view of the crossover, with the facing point lock for down Cotswold running movements.

The down branch home. This colour-light was installed when Gloucester panel was commissioned.

The down main home on the Cotswold line.

The up distant.

A close-up of the signalbox.

The view back towards the signalbox from the Cotswold line.

The down starter and up junction signal.

January 1990

A down Cotswold line train pauses to give up the single line token. They try to avoid stopping trains here to receive or give up tokens - an additional token instrument is provided at Shrub Hill station so wherever possible they let the trains use that and the signallers here can then give them clear distant signals.

The above train crosses to the down line, with a clear road towards Shrub Hill.

A great description of the Worcester signalling is now available in former signalman Matthew Morgan's great book The Worcester Patch.

More information about the 1973 rationalisation can be found on the Railways in Worcestershire site run by the Malvern Industrial & Archaeology Circle.