The LNER Encyclopedia

A4 60029 Woodcock passing through Welwyn Garden City on a up express circa 1960 with only 20 miles left to go before arriving in Kings Cross.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Welwyn-Garde ... s=aid%3D11...

The box was opened in 1926 and closed in September 1976.

I was a telegraph lad at the box between July 1972-March 1974 during the period when the lever frame was replaced by a NX panel in September 1973 and multi-aspect colour light signalling replaced semaphore signalling between Welwyn Garden City & Woolmer Green then shortly afterwards to Langley Junction near Stevenage.

The colour light signals seen in the photograph were 'approach lit' when either or both track circuit(s) situated 200 yards on the approach side to the Down fast line no.22 & Down slow line no.8 outer home signals at the Twentieth Mile bridge showed 'occupied' on the box track diagram.

The barrow crossing seen in the photograph was 'protected' by a set of single barrier arms that were worked off two separate brown coloured levers in the 'Luton frame' in the box. Also that barrow crossing became a 'death trap' during the later years and was eventually removed and lifted around 1976/77 after several near misses involving members of the public nearly being struck by passing trains while using it as a 'short cut' into the town centre.

Click on the picture to enlarge

A1 no.60139 Sea Eagle is seen passing through Welwyn Garden City at the head of a Down express circa 1960 with the tall Twentieth Mile bridge being seen in the far distance.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Welwyn-Garde ... s=aid%3D11...

In Welwyn Garden City box when this photograph was taken the signalman would usually be standing at the lever frame watching the approaching train as it passed under the footbridge and was about to pass the box and would have just given 'on line' to Welwyn North box and was about to 'throw back the boards' behind the train as it was passing outside before giving 'out' to Hatfield No.3 box.

Click on the picture to enlarge

1960. Nameplates gone already?

Photo of Sea Eagle , I think it was taken well before 1960 . Non lipped chimney and I could not see any signs of ATC or of nameplate fixings . But does look in a grim external condition to be running before being "named" . I'm sure some experts on rolling stock will come up with a more accurate date .
PS also the PW experts

I think you're right, Harvester. Blowing the picture up, it suggests that under the grime on the tender, the lettering BRITISH RAILWAYS can sort of be figured out. Agreed, she's pretty mucky at such a early age.

I agree with both the above posts, in particular with regard to the absence of witness marks for the nameplate on the smoke deflectors, and the tender insignia. Further, the buffer beam is lined out, which points to the original livery of LNER green with 'British Railways' lettering. Also, the visible coaching stock is all Thomson or Gresley, with not a MK 1 in sight.

So sometime between construction in December '48, and naming and repainting in BR blue in May 1950.

D

No 'shed plate' either.

John

No disputing you guys superior knowledge on locos with regards to dating the photograph of Sea Eagle as I just gave a 'guesstimated' date of around 1960 without giving it much thought and also not knowing the finer details of the loco concerned. Another minor point of interest is that the photographer was obviously standing off the Down slow line platform in the 4ft which is a bit odd(?) but in those days the B.R. staff probably wouldn't have taken any notice if they had seen the bloke standing on the track.

Of more interest to myself would be the date on which those upper quadrant signals which were WGC Down fast line/Down fast to Down slow line/Down slow line inner home signals were converted from GNR somersault signals to upper quadrant signals as shown in the photograph.