Signals at Yeovil

Pen Mill Station area

26/2/06

Yeovil Pen Mill is a passing station on the single-line ex-GWR line from Castle Cary to Weymouth. This is the view from the road overbridge at the country (south) end. To the right of the station are two goods loops and a siding.

This is the view from the other side of the same bridge. The left-hand line continues towards Maiden Newton; the one on the right is a chord round to the ex-LSWR line at Yeovil Junction.

The lines to Weymouth and Yeovil Junction

A closer shot of the junction points, whose facing point lock equipment can be clearly seen. There is also a disc for shunting moves into the goods loops.

This is the view from the down platform. Note there is yet another style of signal numberplating here (cf Tondu and Ystrad Mynach).

Down main starter and down main to Yeovil Junction

The down main starter (YM63), cleared for a departing train, and the down main to Yeovil Junction (YM59).

This delightful wooden-posted signal with its route indicator controls reversing moves from the up platform. The indicator below the signal will display which line the train is signalled onto. The signal has two numbers because there are separate levers in the signalbox for each route.

A closer view of the front of the route indicator. It is operated by the metal bars mounted through the aperture in the signal post. The tee-piece that can be seen just in front of the aperture is a slot bar fixed to the bar that operates the signal arm. When one of the levers is pulled in the signalbox, the wire lifts the corresponding bar which causes a stencil to appear against the white background. The slot bar then causes this action to also raise the bar connected to the signal arm, causing it to lower.
There is a similar route indicator on the up platform to down main/branch starter at Worcester Shrub Hill.

A rear view of the route indicator. The two wires connecting the control bars to the levers in the signalbox can be seen. You can also see that this signal's post in fact formed of two separate pieces of wood, the upper one being held in place by iron plates fixed to the sides of the post. These iron plates also hold the spindle on which the bars that control the signal's operation are pivoted.

A Weymouth-Cardiff train (left) crosses one from Bristol.

The disc that controls the exit at the down end of the goods loop.

The view from the other end of the station, towards Castle Cary, with the up starter in the background.

The train for Weymouth departs...

... shortly followed by the one for Cardiff.

The signalbox, from the end of the up platform.

A closer view of the up starter (YPM4). The two discs control shunting moves from the down platform and the goods lines.

The up starter again, with the down home and down to up platform signal in the background.

The down home and down to up platform bracket. A pair of discs can be seen at the base of the signal, to control moves into the goods lines.

A rear view of the up starter.

Finally, a closer view of the up home bracket.

Thanks to Mike Quinlan for sending me the following, much clearer, shot of the down homes:

This trackside shot shows the discs and signal numberplates much more clearly.