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11-Oct-1999Hamworthy Junction Signalbox is a London & South Western Railway (LSWR) Type 3C which was opened in 1893 with a 56 lever frame and replaced the original smaller Poole Junction signalbox. The lever frame was extended in 1901 to add another 3 levers, the extended 59 lever frame is still in use although many levers are now spares. It was originaly built with smaller windows than it has today, the original small window frames having 64 panes on the front of the box, 4 frames with 16 panes per frame in a 4 x 4 configuration, were replaced in 1972 with those still seen today, 12 panes on the front of the box with 8 large panes of glass and the 4 lower large panes boarded over, 4 frames with a 1 x 3 configuration. The original box style roof ventilator (which was not a standard feature of Type 3 boxes) was removed in the mid 1960s. The interlocking room windows below the operating floor are still in their original form today. (May 2003)
Here the Old and New are working side by side on a daily basis, with the section of South Coast mainline from Holes Bay, west of Poole to Holton Heath east of Wareham operated from the Original Mechanical 59 lever signal box. The signals are now controlled with electric signalling equipment but the electrical control circuits are still operated directly from the mechanical lever frame. There are two sidings left (at the Poole end of the station with point/switch situated over the `Blandford Road' bridge) The points for these sidings are still manually operated from the original mechanical lever frame through a system of rods and cranks. The points on this end of the Hamworthy Goods branch line are also mechanically operated from the signalbox, operating even the closely situated points manually through the levers requires a reasonable amount of strength and a fair bit of skill in the best way of `throwing' or `pulling' a lever, it is certainly not as easy as it is made to look when you watch experienced signalpersons working the levers. I have been told that there is an accquired knack to it that only comes with time and experience.
Some of the Original signalling equipment in the Hamworthy Junction signal box, these are the original indicators used to accept & offer trains to and from adjacent signal Boxes at Poole and Wareham. The signalling equipment was installed by the Southern Railway in the late 1800s and early 1900s and is still in use every day controlling the Hamworthy section of the Waterloo - Weymouth Mainline. The Hamworthy box is `switched out' when not in use, extending the block to the Poole Signal Box. I am not sure of the authenticity of the tea pot, I have reason to believe it is not an `original' item but it certainly looks the part and has been well used. Water is now boiled in an electric kettle for making tea, This does not have the rustic charm of the traditional old stove that was once commonplace but I have been assured that these modern methods can still produce a decent mug of tea.
Here you can see the old "Electric Key Token" system (the blue box on the right shaped like a little Wurlitzer;) which controls the Hamworthy Goods line, leading to Poole's Cross-Channel Ferry terminal & Poole Harbour Commission's Warehouses and trans-shipment yard.
On the Left you can see a large Cabinet with a glass front which contains the modern microprocessor based control systems. Both old & new equipment are `interlocked' with the signal box lever frame with 59 levers, although only a small number are still in use, most being repainted white to indicate it is a "spare" lever. There used to be a double line connection with the Southern end of the SDJR (Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway) via Broadstone & Wimborne, several goods & carriage sidings, private siding (pottery/brickworks) and a small engine shed.
There are more Interior Views of the box taken on August 21st 2002.
The semaphore signal protecting the entrance to the Hamworthy Goods branch to Poole Quay is still in use (May 2003) although it is permanently fixed at danger the semaphore is still illuminated by an Oil burning signal lantern which requires frequent re-fuelling and trimming of the wick. The driver of a train must collect the `token' from the signalbox before passing this signal on to the Hamworthy Goods branch, thus being allowed to pass the signal at danger with the signalman's permission. This is the last remaining full-size semaphore signal in use on on the Waterloo - Weymouth route. The lever frame is original but has had various modifications to the equipment `below the floor' over the years. The Point levers are still mechanically operated and It takes a fair bit of effort to pull a point off even though it is only a short distance from the box, pulling a distant signal would also be a somewhat daunting task at distances of 200 yards and quite often further, the effort required increases dramatically when the signal rodding & control wires are situated around a curve! Added to the task of controlling and signalling all train movements in his section there was also the general day-to-day maintainance of the signalling aparatus under his control. The Railway Signalman's job is by no means an easy one.
The signalbox was attacked by vandals whilst refurbishment was underway. 04-Jun-2002
Hamworthy box was fitted with three PIR (Passive Infra Red) triggered security lights and four CCTV cameras in February 2003. Over tha past 6 months the Hamworthy goods branch has been busy with trainloads of Mendip stone coming into Hamworthy, C.O.W. trains (Contaminated Oil Waste) being collected from Poole docks and the occasional trainload of steel coils. There has also been the occasional train collecting scrap steel from Dawkins Road industrial estate at Hamworthy (The same yard is also used for the stone traffic from the mendips) These workings have all been during daylight hours and have kept the signalbox busy.
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