Signals at Wrexham

21/9/05

Croesnewydd North Fork signalbox, visible on the left here in this view from General station towards Gobowen and Shrewsbury, now controls the entire Wrexham area. Its mechanical lever frame has since been replaced with a panel, and all signals now colour lights. Oh, what a difference from when I first came here in 1982...

This is the view towards Chester and Bidston from Wrexham General station. The tracks on the left are the ex-GC line from Central station to Bidston; the line on the far side of the opposite platform is now solely a chord between this and the ex-GWR line.

The view in the same direction from the London end of the station. A goods train waits on the chord for the signal to proceed towards Bidston.

This is the view from the end of the platform served by the line from Wrexham Central. Formerly known as Exchange station, this is now regarded as just the fourth platform of General. The main Chester - Shrewsbury line is on the far right.

June 82

How different the view towards Croesnewydd looked in June 1982!

This shot from the footbridge gives an even better view. This portion of today's track layout is eerily unchanged, but, oh, the signalling...

A face-on shot of the down starters - the bracket on the right in the photo above.

A curve round to the Brymbo branch diverged just beyond the level crossing. On the right is an ex-GWR backing signal - this was one of the last two that survived on BR - controlled reversing movements from the down main onto the branch line.

A rear view of the up junction signal. Both lines had goods loops that diverged immediately beyond the junction.

A rear view of the backing signal.

Croesnewydd North Fork signalbox.

A closer view of Croesnewydd North Fork junction. The up main and goods loop starters can be seen in the distance, just before the next overbridge.

From that overbridge, this is the view of the layout at Croes Newydd South Fork junction.

The view back in the opposite direction, towards Croesnewydd North Fork junction. On the branch line, a locomotive can be seen.

Croesnewydd North Fork junction from the south

A loco is signalled onto the branch line past the ex-GWR ringed goods line signal. Errr, where's yer tail lamp, mate?

The South Fork signalbox. Interesting that Croes Newydd is spelt as two separate words here.

Croes Newydd South Fork junction from south

Croes Newydd South Fork junction from the next overbridge towards Gobowen, as an up goods passes. Note the elevated disc controlling the exit from the leftmost siding, and the triple disc on the right.

On the other side of that bridge were the down innerhomes. In the distance (enlarged portion inset) the colour-light up starter can just about be made out; opposite it is the semaphore down outerhome.

This was the closest shot I had time to get of the West Fork junction, at the third corner of the triangle. Sadly, the Brymbo branch closed just weeks after I had taken these photos.

At the country end of General and Exchange stations, two more signalboxes still survived. Each of the two companies had built their own boxes: the ex-GCR Exchange box is on the left, and ex-GWR North on the right.

The corresponding view from Exchange station.

Wrexham North's up starter, with Croesnewydd North Fork's inner distant beneath. This would have just off the right-hand side of the previous photo.