Crewe Bank

17/9/06

About 500 yards up the Crewe line from Crewe Junction is Crewe Bank, a small box whose main function is to control a goods loop and some sidings. This view is looking back towards Crewe Junction, and the exit from the up goods loop can be seen.

This is the down home, the signal on the far side of the tracks in the photo above. It is also Crewe Junction's starting signal, so both boxes need to have pulled their levers before it will clear. This is achieved by the arrangement of balance weights at the bottom of the post, which is known as slotting.

A closer view of the line towards Crewe Junction. The latter's up homes bracket can also be seen on the far left, as well as his innerhomes bracket on the Chester line, far right.
Crewe Bank also has an up starter but unfortunately it is obscured by the tree from this position.

This is the up starter that can't be seen in the photo above. The lower-arm distant is for Crewe Junction, and fixed at caution - hence its lack of a green spectacle glass.

Looking in the opposite direction - towards Harlescott Crossing - the up main home 2 can be seen, also having an outer fixed distant for Crewe Junction.

A closer view of the signalbox, a wartime LMS construction from 1943.

Further down the line, the entrance to the up loop can be seen, with the down starter a few yards beyond it.

A face-on shot of the down starter.

The up home 1 is on the other side of the overbridge I am shooting from, with a bracketed goods arm to signal movements into the loop. A short way beyond it is Harlescott Crossing's distant.

Crewe Bank's up distant is below Harlescott Crossing's starter, left, and is also fixed at caution.

26-28/5/07

The view of Crewe Bank from the castle is partially obscured by the buildings, but the signalbox, down home and up home 2 and starter can all be seen.

The up home 2, a nice lattice-posted signal, with the signalbox behind it.

A rear view of the same signal, with the down starter beyond it.

11/10/09

A closer view of the slotting on the down home. Crewe Bank was switched out when I took this, so its signal lever was cleared, raising balance weights A. Crewe Junction's signal lever was normal (danger), so balance lever B remained in the lowered position, holding balance weight C in the raised position via the metal cross-piece D because B's weights are heavier than C. The signal arm was thus maintained at danger, by its own weight. Only when Crewe Junction's signal lever is pulled will B rise, allowing C to fall and thereby pull the signal arm to the clear position.
The yellow gadget E is a sensor - you can see it is connected to balance lever B - which works an electrical 'Slot On/Off' indicator in Crewe Junction signalbox.

This signal has now been re-plated CJ92. As Crewe Bank is not normally manned, this tells drivers to contact Crewe Junction if they are held here.

The up home 1 has also been fitted with much more substantial ladders, platforms and railings. I was very surprised to see this, given that NR has obtained approval to abolish Crewe Bank and this had originally been due to happen in April 2009.