Image ID: 15165

Retford Station, c 1950s

Retford
England

Showing the south end of Retford station, with goods train with WD class engine no. 90480. This scene also shows the location of the 'diamond' crossing at Retford. The ex-GCR line can be seen on the left of the picture, behind the signal-post, running east to west (l to r). Here it crosses the East Coast Main Line on the level. The curving lines in the mid-ground on the left, running from east to north, allow passenger trains on the ex-GCR line to access Retford Station, and connect back to this line further west via Retford North and Whisker Hill Junctions. View southwards, from the island platform. On the extreme left of the picture is a partial view of a signal post revealing the west-most stop signal (a better view of this is provided by NCCN001607). You will see that this has been transformed into an ugly construction of girders and tubular steel! Note just in front of the signal there is a 'T'-shaped station-name sign illuminated by electricity. This feature is not present in NCCN001603. The structure behind the engine's tender is Retford South signal box. Behind the train are the semaphore signals' which controlled northbound traffic. Each post has a 'Home' (stop) signal with a 'Distant' signal beneath. The signals' on the tallest post refer to the most important route, and here at Retford informed the driver that the train was to continue along the 'Down Main' line (i.e. the line running along platform 2, on the left of the image). The other signals, on shorter posts, directed trains off the Down Main onto one of two other lines: signals' on the centrally positioned post indicated a diversion onto the 'Down Slow' line (because, for example, the engine needed water, or to allow a faster train to overtake). Signals' on the shortest post informed that the train was leaving the East Coast Main Line here, and approaching the Worksop Branch, which it would take to travel westwards (qv NCCN002990). This branch joined the Lincoln to Worksop line at Whisker Hill Junction. Each of these stop signals' were operated from Retford South signal box and therefore had names which began 'Retford South Down Home' signal.

Date: 1950 - 1960

Organisation Reference: NCCN001593

Organisation: