OLD PLYMOUTH . UK
Plus parts of the South Hams and West Devon
www.oldplymouth.uk
 

©  Brian Moseley, Plymouth
Webpage created: April 10, 2018
Webpage updated: April 10, 2018

        

RAILWAYS IN OLD PLYMOUTH  |  MAIN LINE, BRENT STATION TO PLYMOUTH STATION (MILLBAY)

MUTLEY SIGNAL BOX

Mutley Signal Box on the Up platform of Mutley Station was opened in February 1894.

It had only eight levers: Down Distant and Down Home signals and Up Distant, Up Home and Up Starter signals.  Three levers were spare.

In the easrly days it is believed that Down trains were permitted to run over the Up line between Laira Junction Signal Box and North Road East Signal Box, a highly dubious practice.  It is not known when this arrangement was abolished.

Folloiwng the redevelopment of the signalling at North Road Plymouth Station in 1908, Mutley Signal Box was no longer required and was closed.

^So close was the Box to North Road East that the latter's Up Starting Signal was the same as the Mutley Up Home Signal and therefore slotted so that the signal only cleared when both boxes allowed it.  A similar situation applied on the Down side, where the Down Distant Signal was slotted with the North Road East Signal Box Down Distant signals.

  With grateful acknowledgement to the late Mr Laurence 'Larry' William Crosier (1929-2010) of the Great Western Railway Company (1943-1947);
British Railways (1948-c1994); the Plymouth Railway Circle, the Lee Moor Tramway Preservation Society, and the Signalling Record Society.