Signalling history
The Severn Valley Railway was opened to traffic on 17 January 1862 from Shrewsbury to Hartlebury. Thereafter connections were opened to Tenbury in August 1864, from Bewdley to Kidderminster on 1 June 1878. Branches were also constructed from Buildwas to Much Wenlock and Coalbrookdale. There were originally five places on the line between Hartlebury and Kidderminster where trains could be crossed, Stourport, Bewdley, Bridgnorth, Ironbridge, and Buildwas.
Trains were signalled by telegraph. This required each Station Master or Signalman to seek permission for a train to enter a section by exchanging beats on a telegraph instrument and “pegging” the instrument to a particular indication. The late 19th century was a time of major change in railway signalling driven by a series of accidents which had exposed the lack of coordination between the operation of signals and points as well as the potential for two trains to be in a section at the same time!
As a consequence, investment began in signal boxes equipped with interlocking between the points and signals. The first place to see investment was Bewdley where the GWR contracted Mckenzie & Holland of Worcester to construct Bewdley North and Bewdley South. These were opened in 1878.
Interestingly the operation of the lines to Bewdley used a variety of different methods. The line to Kidderminster was worked by train staff and ticket in conjunction with a block telegraph, that to Tenbury by train staff and ticket, and the main Severn Valley Route remained signalled by telegraph alone to the dissatisfaction of the Board of Trade.
In 1882 the GWR accepted tenders from McKenzie & Holland for signal boxes and locking at Highley, Hampton Loade and Arley with additional platforms being provided at Arley and Hampton Loade. The boxes were inspected and given BoT sanction in June 1883. It was another 8 years before train staff and ticket working was introduced on the Severn Valley Line. This was replaced in January 1894 by electric train staff (ETS) working initially from Hartlebury Junction to Buildwas Junction and in a later phase to Burnt Mill Junction in Shrewsbury. In 1906 the provision of telephones and occupation key instruments was approved which would have meant that for the first time signalmen and station masters could speak to their neighbours.
An additional signal box was opened to serve New Billingsley Colliery between Arley and Highley in April 1913. The box, Kinlet and Billingsley Sidings was the only one on the line that could “switch out”. The short sections were worked by train staff with the long section being worked by electric tablet. It was closed in March 1943.
After the World War II electric train token (ETT) working was introduced between Hartlebury and Bridgnorth apart from the double line sections between Stourport North and South and Bewdley North and South. The one oddity was that in spite of the recommendations following the Abermule disaster the token instruments at Arley and Hampton Loade remained in the booking offices!
Token working gradually replaced electric staff working with Buildwas – Cressage – Berrington being the only sections remaining in 1960. To facilitate the working of trolleys occupation key instruments and telephones were installed in huts along the line. As demonstrated above change was an incremental process with the GWR keeping a tight control on finances.