Fletton Junction Signal Box, ECML ,Peterborough

[92227]

Hi

I have just purchased a 8 inch GNR clock which was first used in Fletton Junction Signal Box and spent its last of its railway working days in Newark Northgate Booking office. The clock was originally numbered 285 (GNR), became LNER 9997, then probably on closure of the signal box became a 'stock' clock and was renumbered BR 7334 for its period at Newark. The clock was supplied by Walkers.

I understand that Fletton box was opened in 1872, renamed Fletton Junction in 1890 and closed in 1973. I have just found a photo of the box in the Peterborough edition from the 'Rail Center' series of books. If anybody has any further info or pictures of the Signal box it would be much appreciated.

Regards

Ian

[Mickey]

Yes i remember seeing the box on a number of occasions from between 1970-1972 on my occasional Kings Cross-Peterborough North return trips (usually on Saturday afternoons riding on loco hauled BR Mk1 & Mk2 stock) and it stood on the southern approaches to Peterborough on the Down side of the line next to the Down Goods line on the 4 road section between Yaxley (box) & Crescent Junction (box just south of Peterborough North station) and from memory the box closed in or about February of 1973 as part of the Peterborough PSB area re-signalling project, Fletton brickworks were nearby with there tall chimneys and i believe there was a siding on the Down side of the line near to where the box stood leading in & out of Fletton brickworks as well.

If you can get hold of a 'rare' BBC video of The Flying Scotsman train 40th anniversary non-stop run from Kings Cross to Edinburgh in May 1968 behind Alan Pegler's 4472 Flying Scotsman loco (with it's then double tender) it features a lovely long shot taken trackside looking along the Down cess trackside of 4472 and it's train as she is approaching Fletton Junction (box) with the box 'framed' in the centre of the shot for a minute or two as 4472 with 'steam on' and it's rake of BR Mk1 coaches following is seen approaching and then passing the box (i think you may even see the signalman throwing the levers back behind the train as well although i havan't seen this film footage since the mid/late 1980s).


Mickey

[92227]

Mickey

Many thanks for your response. The photo in the Rail Centers book is of a Class 47 hauling MK1 passenger coaches past the Signal Box, taken in the late sixties, early seventies, so you may have been on that!

I am currently in Australia, just tried to download the Flying Scotsman !968 film from the BBC website but it will only allow this if you are in the UK, so that will have to wait until I return, thanks for the info.

Regards

Ian

[Mickey]

That BBC film footage of The Flying Scotsman train 40th anniversay run in May 1968 with 4472 Flying Scotsman appears to be quite a rare thing to find at any time since the 1980s when it first appeared i originally had a copy of it on video cassette circa 1988/89 and i believe i saw it once only on dvd maybe 10 years ago?.

R.Pike who comes on here most days of the week has probably got the track diagram from the box (he seems to have virtually every other box diagram between Kings Cross & Peterborough) and he would post it.

At a pure guess i would say from memory the box would have contained a lever frame of about 35-40 levers maybe 45 levers maximum no more.

After Fletton Junction (box) was closed in February 1973 i believe Crescent Junction (box) worked TCB (Track Circuit Block) with Yaxley NX panel for a couple of years before Peterborough PSB eventually took over the whole area but thats from memory so i could be alittle out with a few facts?.


Mickey

[thesignalman]

At a pure guess i would say from memory the box would have contained a lever frame of about 35-40 levers maybe 45 levers maximum no more.

45 it was indeed, Mickey.

John

[Mickey]

At a pure guess i would say from memory the box would have contained a lever frame of about 35-40 levers maybe 45 levers maximum no more.

45 it was indeed, Mickey.

Thanks John always good to get your clarification on any subject to do with signalling.

Fletton Junction (box) wasn't a bad looking box as boxes go and from vague memory i believe it was a all wooden construction with a slate grey gable roof with the rest of the box painted in a off white/grey colour but i could be wrong it was over 40 years ago and i only saw the box maybe a dozen times in all.

Going back again to the BBC film footage of 4472 Flying Scotsman and it's train approaching Fletton Junction (box) in 1968 and thinking about it again and plus after not seeing the actually film sequence again for nearly 30 years from memory the camera is set up track side beside the Down Goods line looking towards Fletton Junction (box) seen in a 'long shot' in the distance and as 4472 and it's train passes by the cameraman the camera 'zooms in' on the 'long shot' capturing 4472 it's train and Fletton Junction (box) all in the same film frame the whole sequence maybe lasts about a minute?.

* * *I amended my previous 2 posts on this topic thread due to my mis-spelling of 'Crescent Junction' (box) i left the letter C out of the name (i thought there was a letter c in it to be honest??).* * *

Mickey

[92227]

Mickey & John

Thanks for the additional information.

For those interested the 1968 BBC film can be viewed through the BBC iPlayer, just google 'BBC 1968 Flying Scotsman' and it comes up

Regards

Ian

[Danby Wiske]

For those interested the 1968 BBC film can be viewed through the BBC iPlayer, just google 'BBC 1968 Flying Scotsman' and it comes up

But, as has been pointed out above, this only works in the UK...

[Full steam ahead]

Hello there,
Just to add that my father Tony Nicholls was signal man at the Fletton signal box and he was also the said person on the famous video of the Flying Scotsman going through Felton who pulled the levers to pass it through. i remember as a child watching the film at school with great pride pointing out that's my dad and him also telling me about the filming of it. He once told me that he got an award for the best kept signal box where even downstairs had to to be well presented and clean. He also served as a fireman on the M&GN line and signalman at Cowbit box where we grew up. So he would be famililiar with your clock.
And yes he is still alive at 84 years and got all his marbles living at Pinchbeck , Spalding , Lincs. He even got recently done for car speeding ...so he still keeps pace with life.
So look after the time piece and I'll let him know the timepiece is still keeping time.....if the clock is looking for a new home....let me know...

Be nice out there....Jonathan Nicholls"........

[R. pike]

Fletton Junction is a diagram i don't have but Cowbit..

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pwayowen/7335295096/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pwayowen/7851275094/

[92227]

Hi Jonathan

Many thanks for your post, great to know that someone who used the clock to keep the trains moving up and down the ECML is still around and even keeping the local constables busy! I am still working in Australia so I have not yet had the opportunity to download from BBC iplayer the film of the 1968 Flying Scotsman run. I attach a couple of photos of the clock, before and after restoration. If ever the clock needs a new home you will have first refusal!

Best Regards

Ian

[StevieG]

" .... Hello there,
Just to add that my father Tony Nicholls was signal man at the Fletton signal box and he was also the said person on the famous video of the Flying Scotsman going through Felton who pulled the levers to pass it through. .... "

[ Hello Jonathan,
May I just ask you (noting that your father's name was Tony), during the era of the current signalling, when I was in Kings Cross Box some approx. 30 years ago, one of my opposite number shift supervisors in Peterborough PSB was, I'm pretty sure, known as Tom (or Tommy) Nicholls.
If I'm correct, might he have been any relation of yours? ]

[Full steam ahead]

Hello folks,
Just had my 'just got done for speeding' father round and he appreciates that the clock has found good home the other side of the world. He is living history of the era with plenty of stories. Just to reply to a few of your enquiries.
Yes I am related to the late 'Tom Nicholls' being my uncle, my fathers elder brother. He was station master at Peterborough station and to keep the tradition in the family, his son Jeffrey Nicholls is a signalman.
My father has in his possession the original signalling diagrams of Cowbit and Fletton and a book type signal box layout from Doncastor. Also several of his signalling and fireman hand books. On my bookcase I have a glass LNER glass ink well that he gave me for my birthday some years ago. Will have to dig that out of the loft and photograph them. I have even got his original 1950s-60s long Macintosh signal coat . The things people keep ........
Regarding seeing the bbc I player from outside the uk....you can. The normal way is that it sees you from your IP address from being outside the uk , but you can get round this by either subscribing to a service with a vpn or getting a programme to make bbbc iplayer believe you are in the uk called a 'identity cloaker'...search on the Google for ' how to view bbc I player in Australia ' and it will give the various options.
Father told me that Fletton box was known as the best and cleanest signal box along the kings Cross line during its era. Even any brass bolts and screws had to be polished not matter where they were.
So if there are any questions that need answering about the boxes of Fletton and Cowbit or any boxes within the locality , my father would be more than happy to help before he gets put away for speeding again or looses his marbles and can' t remember where he left them....
Cheers for now and be nice out there.....
Jonathan Nicholls ....son of a steamer ......

[Jubilee55]

Hi. I have recently purchased one off the name boards from Fletton Junction signalbox. I have also got a close up photo of the box if you are still looking.
Keith

[92227]

Hi Keith

Thanks for the message.

Would appreciate a copy of the photo of the box. The only one I have located to date is in the inside cover photo within the Peterborough 'Rail Centers' book series.

Best Regards

Ian