Signals from Kings Cross to Finsbury Park

Kings Cross

September 1972

Signalling of the station throat at Kings Cross prior to the 1970s suburban electrification and resignalling. One unusual feature of these colour-lights was their roller-blind route indicators. These would also show a route if a train was signalled past a signal in the opposite direction, as for example where the red signal on the right has '7' shown on its indicator.
The former York Road platform, used for commuter trains to Moorgate, can be seen in the background to the right of the Gasworks Tunnel portals.

June 1972

A closer shot of the group of signals by the entrance to the Gasworks Tunnels. These were the Kings Cross third homes, the left-hand pair for the Down Fast No 2 line and the right-hand ones for the Down Fast 1. Note the distinctive pattern of calling-on and shunt-ahead subsidiaries, and that the right-hand signal is unusual in having both types of subsidiary.

The starter at the end of the (up) York Road platform. This is an Underground-style signal with separate stop and repeater signal heads. It is also unusual in have a co-acting signal on the right-hand side of the tunnel portal.
This line joined what's now the Thameslink line immediately north-west of what until recently was Kings Cross Thameslink station.

January 1972

A close-up of the above signal. Note the lower head is extinguished when the upper one is showing red.
The numberplate reflects its ownership by Kings Cross 'C' (Metropolitan) signalbox, though it was also slotted by the main Kings Cross signalbox as its Up Metropolitan starter.

The platform starters at the end of platforms 8 and 9, affording a closer view of the shunt-ahead subsidiaries.

Finsbury Park

June 1972

Finsbury Park No 3's down distants - what a signal! Apologies for the skew, I normally rotate out-of-train-window shots like this, but here I didn't want to lose anything as there are so many other signals in the background.
The gantry carried three arms for the Down Slow No 2 (leftmost), three for the Down Slow No 1, and a single distant for the Down Fast (rightmost). Trains could cross between the two slow lines either way at Finsbury Park No 3, or could be routed onto the Down Canonbury which ran to the left of the two slow lines. The highest arm for each of the slow line groups is the one for continuing on that same line.
The signalbox in the background is Finsbury Park No 2, aka Clarence Yard, and controlled most of the stop signals visible in that area.

November 1972

These "platform starters" with stenciil-type route indicators were actually the down homes for Finsbury Park No 5 signalbox, which can be seen beyond. The signals were for the Down Goods, Down Canonbury and Down Slow No 2 lines.

Thanks to Steve Gwinnett for identifying these signals and boxes for me.