Signals in South Wales

This page contains photos of South Wales locations for which I have too few shots to warrant creating individual pages.

I have also taken the opportunity to group the link buttons for my various other South Wales locations into a single toolbar, which is now included only in this and the other South Wales location pages.

Llandaff Loop Junction

May 1983

Here the Llandaff Loop from the the goods yard at Radyr Quarry Junction joined the main line from Radyr Junction. By this time it had been singled and restricted to then down direction only. The cleared goods signal leads to the up relief line to Radyr Junction, which was signalled under permissive block.

The down starter, at the opposite end of Llandaff station.

Aber Junction

May 1983

Aber Junction, just north of Aber station on the Rhymney Valley line, was where the "big hill" from Walnut Tree Junction joined. On the main line, it worked to Heath Junction southwards and Ystrad Mynach South northwards.

The signalbox.

A closer view of the goods signal brackets in the first photo.

A view across the junction with the branch lines in the foreground.

The sidings on the up side had seen better days. :(

The rear view of the signalbox.

At this time some of the local trains terminated at Aber, then running empty here to reverse.

Gyfeillon Upper

May 1983

A signalbox at Gyfeillon Upper, between Pontypridd and Porth on the Rhondda branch, survived until 1984 to serve a local colliery.

The up starter; note the unusual elevated disc for shunting movements.

Porth

May 1983

At Porth, the double-track Rhondda branch reduced to single line. This is the down starter towards Pontypridd.

This was the last mechanical signalbox ever built by BR(WR). It replaced Rhondda Fach Junction South in March 1981.

There were obviously some rail fans here!

The up home. The disc read to the Maerdy branch, which still existed then.

Swansea (High Street)

May 1973

Swansea station had a good collection of semaphores prior to the 70s Port Talbot resignalling.

A closer view of the station approach, with the signal cleared for a departing train.

Shunting moves signalled simultaneously from both platforms.

Pantyffynnon

June 1991

Pantyffynnon controls the Heart of Wales line right through to Craven Arms, using the No Signalman Token Remote (NSTR) system. Ironically, there is no passing loop at Pantyfynnon itself.
This is the view towards Hendy Junction, controlled from Port Talbot, and Llanelli.

A branch diverges here to Gwaun-cae-Gurwen. This was disused for many years but has now been reinstated for new coal traffic.

The view north towards Llandeilo.

A closer view of the signalbox and line towards Llanelli.

East Usk

May 1983

East Usk controls the junction of the Uskmouth branch to the South Wales Main Line between Newport and Llanwern. It's one of these small islands of semaphore signalling within what seems an ocean of TCB - the main (and relief) lines here are controlled from Newport Panel. This is the view towards Newport.

The view towards Llanwern, with the branch diverging to the right.

A closer view towards the signalbox, as a loco shunts on the down relief line.

A closer view of the junction, with Llanwern steelworks visible on the skyline.

Lime Kiln Sidings

September 1994

Lime Kiln sidings controlled a level crossing and the double-to-single junction for the section to Park Junction.

The signalbox, which was closed with the crossing converted to CCTV operation when the line was resignalled for the new Ebbw Vale passenger service.

The view in the opposite direction, towards Aberbeeg. On the right, a disused branch line to Markham colliery diverges.

A little higher up, the down home and a fixed distant board for the branch can be seen.

Aberbeeg

September 1994

Aberbeeg was the northernmost box on the Western Valleys line to survive beyond the 1980s. It was also formerly the junction for Abertillery. It served its latter days as a double-to-single junction, working TCB to Lime Kiln Sidings.

The signalbox.

My thanks to Mike R for providing corrections to some captions here, and the Signalling Record Society, whose Signal Box Register Volume 1: Great Western has been of enormous assistance in preparing the photo captions for these pages.