Fletton Junction Signal Box, ECML ,Peterborough

[Jubilee55]

Hi Ian. I have tried to post a copy on this forum but file is to large.You are welcome to a copy of the photo. If you mail me keithsrailwayana@live.co.uk I can send you a copy. Hope that's ok with site admin.
Regards Keith

[Retiarius]

Hi,

Could someone please contact me regarding Fletton Junction Signal Box in which I spent many hours in the mid to late 60's?

Thanks,
GM
Bristol.
tickettyboogam@gmail.com

[Mickey]

Could someone please contact me regarding Fletton Junction Signal Box in which I spent many hours in the mid to late 60's?

A Interesting post. I have a interest in reading the official railway accident reports that can be found on the Railway Archive website and wondered if you was working Fletton Junction around the time of the Connington South derailment in March 1967?.

[strang steel]

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...

I think you might be able to access the 4472 film via Youtube.

Try - https://youtu.be/plLTPWZuW7Y

[Retiarius]

Apologies to Mickey and any others I misled.

I was never a signalman but as schoolkid trainspotters me and my pal spent hours spotting in Fletton Junction goods yard. One day to our surprise and delight the signalman beckoned us across to the box. No doubt against the rules......but it was the first of many such visits and I learned a lot about signalling practices and procedures. He let us operate some of the levers, including one which put a pair of yellow fog detonators across the mainline. He wouldn't let us operate the block instruments as the next box would spot the change in 'style' - rather like experienced Morse code operators.

He was a huge chap, an amusing and fascinating character with the biggest bicycle I'd ever seen - I think he lived in Alwalton. But eventually school exams and college loomed, we lost touch and I moved far, far away. I'd like to know more about him and what happened to him. He wasn't called 'Tony' but I'm hoping Tony Nicholls may have some info - his son Jonathan said he'd ask his Dad. I do recall his first name.

I am being slightly circumspect until I know I've got the right guy, because there is an intriguing angle to all this.

Regarding the Connington crash I don't know anything, but when I was cycling to school across Fletton Bridge (1968 I think) one morning I did see the aftermath of a collision between two flyash trains on the Up Goods just south of Peacock Bridge. It was 'slow speed' but even so a crewman was killed and his mate was trapped for hours by his foot. Our GP Dr Harkness (who lived in London Road), heard the crash and raced through neighbouring gardens to give first aid.

Any info about the 'mystery' signalman gratefully received - would there be employment records?

GM
Bristol.

[Mickey]

You probably read the previous posts on this thread GM because a member calling himself Full steam ahead posted something about four years ago in March 2016 saying that his dad was a signalman at Fletton Junction box during the time of the 1968 40th anniversary non-stop run of 4472 Flying Scotsman between Kings Cross & Edinburgh and his dad was working the box that day when 4472 and it's train was captured on film passing Fletton Junction box. Full steam ahead's dad's name was Tony Nicolls according to his post.

Unfortunately no ex-signalmen from around the Peterborough area during the 1960s & 1970s ever come on this forum although a small number of members who were around during the late 1960s & early 1970s on the GN main line between Kings Cross & Hitchin contribute some regular posts.

[SteveBrissle]

It is indeed a small world. The 1968 collision involving two flyash trains just north of Fletton Junction is dealt with in the accident report: http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/docume ... gh1968.pdf. Dr John Harkness who attended the accident and was assisted by my father (another GP in the same practice) for part of the time. John died last year and my parents attended his funeral.

I heard the collision (I was living in Fletton Avenue), heard my father quickly leave the house, and saw the collision the next morning from Peacock Bridge as a Deltic-hauled passenger train moved slowly passed on the down slow line.

My photo of Fletton Junction SB taken from the goods yard in 1972 is attached.

[Grandad]

Hello,this is my first post.I was looking for this subject as I have been uploading to a newer iPad and lost the file.I was the 17 year old crescent jnct telegraph lad (booking boy who kept the train register etc) on this date.This train was the second one for the flyash pits that evening,unusual to be timed that way.As the report stated,the train was slowed down before entering the section as the previous one was still on the block.All was normal,it was getting near the end of the shift but when 6 bells rang from the Fletton instruments on both main and goods instruments the tragedy had unfolded.Of course rules and training were immediately applied by the signalman,Harold Smith,and later all emergency services were at the scene.
The line to March and Cambridge was used for services to continue.We left our box in the small hours later after giving our information to inspectors.A few days later it happened I was again on duty when the sheeted over locomotive was taken back to New England sheds.
The rear of the first flyash was still waiting to crossover the running lines and we were told its tail lamp could have possibly been obscured by a dip in the trackbed , also on the midland ,where the crew were from calling-on arms for goods lines on permissive was the norm but on the GN ,slowing the train was normal as the driver would know another train was in section as he was entering a goods line.

[Mickey]

Hello Grandad, you was a 'tele lad' at Crescent Junction box in 1967/68 so was you at the box when the Connington South crash happened in 1967?.

Crescent Junction in 1966- https://www.peterboroughimages.co.uk/wp ... on1966.jpg
Crescent Junction- https://tillyweb.biz/abcw/crescentjunc1.jpg

[Grandad]

Hello,no ,I stated on the railway in late September ‘67 at the training school that used to be at Hatfield station then.I was then at crescent junction from November ‘67 to early ‘69,as 18 was the minimum age to apply for a signalmans position.

[Mickey]

Yeah the old signalling school at Hatfield located on the Up platform in the old 'royal waiting room' I believe?. I believe they closed the Hatfield signalling school sometime around 1969/70(?) after which new telegraph lads and new starters as signalmen 'off the street' went to the Ilford hostel & classrooms on the border with east London & Essex. The new telegraph lads did a 2 weeks single needle course and the new starter signalmen 'off the street' did a 6 weeks signalmen's course before going to a box. One fella I remember on a signalmen's course who was attending the Ilford school in 1972 was going to Huntingdon North No.2 (I wonder what became of him?) but the others about 6 or 7 trainee signalmen were all going to the GE from memory?.

[Mickey]

Hello,no ,I stated on the railway in late September ‘67 at the training school that used to be at Hatfield station then.I was then at crescent junction from November ‘67 to early ‘69,as 18 was the minimum age to apply for a signalmans position.

That is correct regarding the age at becoming a signalman Grandad.

The old way of becoming a signalmen on most railways but especially on the GN/LNER/B.R.(ER) was to start off as a telegraph lad/box lad at 15 or 16 and doing the booking in the train register book, answering the phones and getting to know the single needle telegraph plus observing the signalman working the box and on the lever frame and block instruments and also being allowed to 'work the block & lever frame' under the watchful eye of the signalman and also becoming conversant with the rule book and block regulations. Then at about 18 years of age the local District Inspector would ask the box lad if he was ready to take his rules exam and when he was ready to the D.I. would take him on his rules and on passing the new signalman on his rules he would probably go to a lower grade box like Hornsey No.1 or Hornsey No.2 to gain confidence in working a 'easy box' first before going on to a busier box a year or two after passing out as a signalman.

Later on by the start of the 1970s due to a overall shortage of new signalmen B.R. had to recruit new starters 'off the street' and put them through the signalling school which at that time was a 6 weeks course. These days a signallers course is something like 2-3 months I believe?.