Great Western Coffee Shop

Hey,

This is a reasonably random and strangely pitched question, but who operates the signal boxes within Cornwall? Is it Network Rail..or another contracted company?


Thanks.

Network Rail operate all signal boxes in the UK. (obv not preserved)

Welcome to the forum TruroGuy, another poster from my area!

I think that Devon_Metro has answered your question.

Network Rail do indeed operate all signalboxes used by mainline trains - with exception where mainline trains pass onto preserved railways which are operated by the respective company.

There are also several large industrial concerns with their own internal signal boxes such as  Redcar steel works and Ironbridge power station.

I believe if I remember rightly FGW operates the depot box at St. Phillips Marsh (Bristol).

Chiltern Railways operate under LUL control from Harrow to Amersham.

Other wise it's Network Rail. Signalmen now have virtually no discretion to regulate trains.

So if the stopper is on time and the fast is late guess which goes first?

I was agreeably impressed a couple of weeks ago.  Picture the scene - a late "125" from Westbury heading for London, comes to a crawl before Bedwyn then a near stop ... "we're behind a local train that's due to arrive in Reading at 12:15" annouonced the train manager.  But - top marks to someone (or the system) - the Bedwyn train looped near Kintbury, and we speed past.

Grahame, you were dead lucky there. Firstly that there are still loops at Kintbury and they weren't ocupied by a stone train and that Reading panel must have had one of their few good days.