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GWR Single Line Sections
West Country Railway Archives
GWR Crest Great Western Railway
Single-Line Sections
and their methods of working		 GwR Crest
Key to Methods of Working Index to Lines List of Sections

This page gives details of single-line block sections on West Country lines of the former Great Western Railway and British Railways (Western Region). For further information on the general subject of single-line sections, and details of sections for other West Country railway companies, please see the Introduction page.

This page was updated last on 22 October 2007. Further information will be added as it becomes available. Sections are listed in line order, and lines are listed geographically from north-east to south-west. There is an alphabetical Index to Lines for quick access.

© Chris Osment 2002

Key to GWR Methods of Working
C2 Table C2 Working see Note OES One Engine in Steam (train staff)
EKT Electric Key Token OTW One Train Working (train staff) see Note
ETS Electric Train Staff TST Train Staff & Ticket
ETT Electric Train Tablet (Tyer's No 7?) USC Under Signalman's (or Shunter's) Control see Note
NS 'No Staff' Block YARD Yard Working
NSKT No Signalman Key Token
 

NOTE:

C2/USC. During the 1960s onwards a number of goods-only lines previously worked by OES were placed under the control of a nominated person (usually a signalman or shunter) and the train staff was abolished. Later these lines were listed in a new Table C2 in the Sectional Appendix and thereafter the method of working was described simply as "Table C2".

OTW. Originally this was simply OES described by another name after the demise of steam locomotion and the term is used on this page for any later sections specifically listed as OTW in BR records. More recently again it has been adopted to reflect working without a train staff, but it is not used in that context here.

Index to GWR  Lines
Abbotsbury Cheddar Valley Looe Portishead
Ashburton Clevedon Lyng Princetown
Barnstaple Drinnick Mill Kingsbridge Radstock
Blagdon Exe Valley Kingswear Royal Albert Bridge
Bodmin Falmouth Minehead St Ives
Bridport Fowey Moretonhampstead Teign Valley
Brixham Helston Newquay Tiverton
Camerton Hemyock Perranporth Yealmpton
Chard Launceston Portland Yeovil

 

Great Western Railway Sections
From To Method Config Notes

Portishead Branch
Ashton Junction Portishead OTW Sq Blue + B? key From 1965?
Clifton Bridge Pill ETS?   Until 1929
EKT   Long section 1929-32 Note 14
Oakwood EKT   Short section 1929-60
Portishead ETS   Long Section 1932-65 Note 14
Oakwood Pill EKT   Short section 1929-60
Pill Portbury Shipyard EKT   Short section 1918-64
Portishead ETS   Until 1918
  Long section 1918-?post-1924
EKT   Long section ?post-1924-32
Note 14
Portbury Shipyard Portishead EKT   Short section 1918-64

Clevedon Branch
Yatton (West) Clevedon TST Sq Red Until 1902
ETS   1902-1917
OES Round
(Blue?)		 + Key (no config nib) from 1917
Blagdon Branch
Congresbury Blagdon OES    
Cheddar Valley line (including East Somerset line)
Yatton West Sandford & Banwell ETS   1896-1901
Congresbury ETS   1901 onwards
EKT A by 1948
Congresbury Sandford & Banwell ETS?   1901 onwards
Sandford & Banwell Axbridge ETS    
Axbridge Cheddar ETS    
Cheddar Lodge Hill ETS   1896-1952
Wookey     1952-54
Wells Tucker Street EKT   1954 onwards
Lodge Hill Wookey ETS   1896-1952
Wookey Wells Tucker Street ETS    
Wells Tucker Street Wells 'A' NS -  
Wells 'A' Wells East Somerset NS -  
Wells East Somerset Shepton Mallet ETS    
EKT D  
Shepton Mallet Cranmore ETS    
Cranmore Witham ETS    
EKT B  
Camerton Branch
Limpley Stoke (North)
Note 6		 Dunkerton ETT   1910-25 Note 7
Camerton ETT?   1925-27
TST   1927-31?
OES Square From 1931?
Note 5
Dunkerton Dunkerton Colliery ETT   Note 7
Dunkerton Colliery Camerton ETT   Note 7
Camerton Hallatrow TST   1909-10
ETT   1910-32
Radstock Branch (North Somerset line)
Marsh Junction Pensford ETS?    
EKT    
Radstock West OES Sq Blue +'B' EKT key, from 1964?
Pensford Clutton ETS?   Until 1911
Pensford & Bromley Colliery Sidings ETS   Short section 1911-60
Clutton ETT   Long section 1911-circa-1932
EKT C (Long section) circa-1932-1964
Pensford & Bromley Colliery Sidings Clutton ETS   Short section 1911-60
Clutton Hallatrow ETS    
Hallatrow Old Mills ETS   Short section until 1931?
Radstock North ETS   Long section
EKT B circa-1932 onwards
Old Mills Radstock North ETS   Short section until 1931?
Mells Road  Note 13 Frome West ETS   Note 12
Frome South EKT D? Note 12
Frome North EKT D Until 1966
OES Rnd Red +'D' EKT key, 1966-68?
NSKT D? ?1968 onwards
Yeovil Branch
Langport West Martock     ?-1964
Martock Montacute     1908-64 Short section
Hendford ETS   ?-1964 Long section
Montacute Hendford     1908-64 Short section
Hendford Yeovil Town West     ?-1916
Yeovil Town ETS   1916-65?
Worked as Siding? 1965-67?
Yeovil Pen Mill Worked as Siding? 1967-68?
Yeovil Town West Yeovil Town East NS   until 1916
Yeovil Town East Yeovil Pen Mill South ETS   ?-1916
Yeovil Town Yeovil Pen Mill South ETS   1916-?
EKT   ?-1937
Yeovil Pen Mill EKT D 1937-67?
Bridport Branch
Maiden Newton Bridport ETS   1894?-1965
OES Rnd Red 1965-75
Bridport West Bay ETS   1894?-1927
OES Rnd Grn 1927-?
Abbotsbury Branch
Upwey Junction Abbotsbury OES Sq Red  
Portland Branch
Weymouth Junction
Note 24 		Portland TST   Until 1892
Rodwell ETS   1892-circa 1919
EKT   c.1919-54 Note 25
Portland Goods Jcn EKT?   1931-35 Long section
Portland EKT   1935-57 Note 26
Weymouth Portland EKT   1957-65
Rodwell Portland     1892-1905
Portland Goods Jcn ETS   1905-16
Portland Siding ?   1916-19
Portland Goods Jcn ?   1919-35 Note 25
Portland EKT   1935-54 Note 25
Portland Note 27 Easton OES   1900-02 Note 27
Portland Temporary ETS?   1902-05
Portland Station ETS   1905-35
Portland ETS   1935-55
OES   1955-65
Lyng line
Athelney Durston Junction ETS    
Chard Branch
Creech Junction Hatch ETS   Short section
Hatch Ilminster ETS   Short section
Creech Junction Ilminster ETT A 1912?-24?
Long section
EKT   1924/34? onwards
Long section
Ilminster Chard Central ETS A  
Chard Central Chard Junction see L&SWR Single-Line Sections
Minehead Branch
Silk Mill Crossing Note 11 Williton EKT D 1970-71
Norton Fitzwarren Junction Crowcombe ETS   1898-1906
Bishops Lydeard ETS   1906-32
EKT D 1932-36 (doubled)
Bishops Lydeard Crowcombe ETS   1906-34
EKT B 1934-67
Williton EKT D 1967-70
Crowcombe Williton ETS   1898-1933
EKT D 1933-67 Long section
Leigh Bridge EKT A 1933-64 Short section
Leigh Bridge Williton EKT B 1933-64 Short section
Williton Watchet ETS   1896-1926
Washford EKT C 1926-52 Long section
Kentsford EKT A 1933-64 Short section Note 10
Blue Anchor EKT A 1964-71
Watchet Washford ETS   1898-1926
Kentsford Washford EKT D 1933-52 Short section Note 10
Blue Anchor EKT   1952-64
Washford Dunster ETS   1898-1904
Blue Anchor ETS   1904-34
EKT A 1934-52
Blue Anchor Dunster ETS   1904-26
Minehead EKT A 1926-34 Note 8
Dunster EKT B? 1934-71
Dunster Minehead ETS   1898-1926 Note 8
Minehead (Main Line) Note 9 OES Sq Blue  + 'B' key 1966-71
Minhead (Bay Line) Note 9 OES Rnd Red + 'A' key 1966-71
Barnstaple Branch
Milverton Wiveliscombe EKT C  
Wiveliscombe Venn Cross EKT A  
Venn Cross Morebath EKT   Until 1963
Morebath Junction EKT   1963-64
Dulverton EKT D 1964-66
East Anstey EKT B From July 1966
Morebath Morebath Junction EKT   Until 1963
Morebath Junction Dulverton EKT A Until 1964
Dulverton East Anstey EKT B Until July 1966
East Anstey Bishops Nympton & Molland EKT C  
Bishops Nympton & Molland South Molton EKT D  
South Molton Filleigh EKT A Until 1964
Swimbridge EKT?   From 1964
Filleigh Swimbridge EKT B Until 1964
Swimbridge Barnstaple East Loop TST C Note 1
Barnstaple (Victoria Road) EKT C Note 2
Barnstaple Junction 'A' EKT   From 1960
Barnstaple East Loop Barnstaple (Victoria Road) TST Red Note 1
Barnstaple South Loop TST White Note 1
Barnstaple (Victoria Road) Barnstaple South Loop TST Yellow Note 3
Barnstaple Junction 'A' TST Red Note 2
Barnstaple South Loop Barnstaple Junction 'A' TST Blue Note 1
Exe Valley Branch
Morebath Junction Bampton TST Triangular Green 1884-1907
ETS   1907-57
EKT C 1957-63
Bampton Tiverton North TST Sq Red 1884-1907
ETS   1907-12
Tiverton ETS   1912-53
EKT D 1953-63
Tiverton South Cadeleigh TST Oblong Blue 1885-1907
ETS   1907-12
Tiverton ETS   1912-56
EKT B 1956-63
Cadeleigh Thorverton TST Rnd Yellow 1885-1907
ETS   1907-48?
EKT A 1948?-63
Thorverton Stoke Canon Junction TST Triangular White 1885-1907
ETS C 1907-56
EKT C 1956-64?
Note 15 ?1964-66
Tiverton Branch
Tiverton Junction Tiverton North TST Rnd Blue 1884?-1912
Tiverton TST Rnd Blue 1912-32
EKT C 1932-64
Note 15 1964-67
Hemyock Branch
Tiverton Junction Hemyock OES Sq Grn  
Note 23  
Teign Valley line
City Basin Junction Christow ETS   1903-16
Longdown ETS A 1916-58
Longdown Christow ETS B 1916-58
Christow Heathfield ETS   1903-11
Trusham ETS C 1911-58
Heathfield OES   1958-61
Teign House Heathfield OES Rnd Green 1882-1903 Note 17
Trusham Heathfield ETS   1911-43
EKT   1943-58
OES   1961-65 Note 18
Moretonhampstead Branch
Newton Abbot East Bovey TST Sq Red 1889-92
Heathfield TST Sq Red 1892-1901
ETS   1901-11
ETT   1911-26 Long section
ETS   1926-43
EKT   1943-65
USC   1965 onwards
Newton Abbot Goods Yard ETS   1911-26 Short section
Newton Abbot Goods Yard Heathfield ETS   1911-26
Short section
Heathfield Bovey TST Note 19 1892-1901
ETS   1901-52
EKT   1952-59
Moretonhampstead OES   1959-65
Bovey OES   1965-66
USC   1966-70
Bovey Moretonhampstead TST Rnd Blue 1889-1892
Rnd Green 1892-1901
ETS   1901-45
EKT   1945-59
Kingswear line
Paignton South Churston     Until 1928
Goodrington Churston EKT B ?1928-1968
Kingswear OTW   1968-72
Churston Kingswear      
EKT A ?-1968
Brixham Branch
Churston Brixham OES   by 1884-99
ETS   1899-1923
EKT   1923-58
OES   1958-63
Ashburton Branch
Totnes Buckfastleigh TST Sq Red  
OES Sq Red  
Buckfastleigh Ashburton TST Rnd Blue  
OES Rnd Blue  
Kingsbridge Branch
Brent Gara Bridge ETS    
EKT    
Gara Bridge Kingsbridge ETS    
EKT    
Launceston Branch
Marsh Mills Bickleigh ETS   Until 1955
EKT C 1955 onwards
Bickleigh Yelverton ETS    
Yelverton Horrabridge      
Horrabridge Tavistock      
Tavistock Lydford ETS C Note 4
Lydford Lifton ETS B Note 4
Lifton Launceston EKT A  
Princetown Branch
Yelverton Dousland Barn ETS    
Dousland Barn Princetown ETS    
Yealmpton Branch
Plymstock Brixton Road ETS?   Until 1918
Yealmpton ETS   1918-31
OES Sq Black 1931-41
EKT   1941-7
OES   1947-60?
Brixton Road Yealmpton ETS?   Until 1918
Royal Albert Bridge
Royal Albert Bridge Saltash ETS   1902-?
EKT A ?-1961
Note 16   1961 onwards
Looe Branch
Liskeard Branch Coombe Junction ETT   1901 - ?
EKT   ? - 1964
Liskeard (main line box) EKT D? 1964-81
NSKT B 1981 onwards
Coombe Junction Looe ETT   1901 - ?
EKT C ? - 1964
OES Rnd Red + 'A' key 1964 onwards
Moorswater OES   1901 - 1921
YARD   1921 onwards
Bodmin Branch
Bodmin Road Bodmin General ETS?    
EKT A  
Bodmin General Boscarne Junction ETS B Note 28
EKT B  
Fowey Branch
Lostwithiel Carne Point     Until 1954?
Fowey EKT   ?1954-68
Carne Point NSKT?   post-1968?
Carne Point Fowey     Until 1954?
Fowey Pinnock Tunnel     Until 1958
Par Bridge Crossing EKT D From 1958
Pinnock Tunnel Par Bridge Crossing     Until 1958
Par Bridge Crossing St Blazey   C  
Newquay Branch
St Blazey St Blazey Bridge Crossing EKT B  
Goonbarrow Junction EKT A From 1973
St Blazey Bridge Crossing Luxulyan ETS   Until 1914
EKT A 1914-64
Goonbarrow Junction EKT A 1964-73
Luxulyan Goonbarrow Junction EKT D Until 1964
Bugle Roche EKT C  
Roche Tregoss EKT A  
Goonbarrow Junction St Dennis Junction EKT C  
St Dennis Junction St Columb Road EKT D  
Newquay EKT D 1965-87
NSKT D? 1987 onwards
St Columb Road Tolcarn Junction EKT C  
Drinnick Mill line
St Dennis Junction Kernick      
Kernick Drinnick Mill      
Drinnick Mill Burngullow EKT A  
Perranporth Branch
Tolcarn Junction Perranporth     1903-05 Note 20
Shepherds ETS   1905-?
EKT D ?-1963 Note 21
Shepherds Perranporth ETS   1905-?
EKT C ?-1963
Perranporth Blackwater Jcn North     1903-09
St Agnes ETS A 1909-63 Note 22
St Agnes Blackwater Jcn North     1909-24 Note 22
Chacewater ETS C 1924-63 Note 22
Falmouth Branch
Penwithers Junction Perranwell ETS   Until 1955?
EKT B ?1955-66
Penryn EKT C 1966-71
Perranwell Penryn ETS   Until 1962
EKT C 1962-66
Penryn Falmouth ETS    
EKT D ? - 1966
NSKT D? 1966-71
Truro Falmouth NSKT C From 1971
Helston Branch
Gwinear Road West Helston OES Rnd Black 1887-1908?
Nancegollan Loop ETS   1908-37
Nancegollan ETS   1937-64
Nancegollan Loop Helston ETS   1908-37
Nancegollan ETS D 1937-64
St Ives Branch
St Erth St Ives ETS?    
EKT A  
OES Rnd Red  
Notes:

1

 Summer section only, abolished 12-June-1960
2 Winter section only, abolished 12-June-1960
3 Summer section only, abolished 12-June-1960 and line converted to siding
4 Lydford was spelt Lidford on the staffs
5 Staff was varnished wood (no trace of colour) with Annetts key (no configuration nib) in BR(WR) days
6 Limpley Stoke North SB reduced to GF in 1927 and section control passed to former South box
7 Dunkerton and Dunkerton Colliery SBs closed during the Great War and it is unclear if one or both re-opened afterwards for a short period, so the status of the sections is not known.
8 Dunster SB closed 1926. New SB opened 1934 and line from Dunster to Minehead doubled.
9 Minehead SB closed 1966 and double-track to Dunster converted to two independent single lines.
10 'Switching-out' facility removed from Kentsford SB in 1952 upon closure of Washord SB.

11

 In 1970 the line between Norton Fitzwarren Junction and Bishops Lydeard was singled, both SBs were closed and thereafter the junction for the branch was further east at Silk Mill Crossing.
12 It is believed that the change from ETS to EKT may have taken place when Frome West ceased to be a block-post in 1933.
13 Mells Road SB opened 1910 to replace separate North and South boxes
14 From 1932 onwards Oakwood, Pill and Portbury Shipyard all closed togther for long section working.from Clifton Bridge to Portishead only.
15 USC by June 1966
16 Listed as "Track Circuit and Interlocking Lever", believed to be "Direction Lever" system
17 Supplemented by Block Telegraph 1882-1893, staff configuration details uncertain pre-1893
18 In 1965 line cut back to Crockham Siding and worked OES initially, then (by June 1966) as 'Table C2' working by person-in-charge at Heathfield until final closure in 1968
19 1894 Working Time Table says semi-circular blue staff, but 1898 WTT says hexagonal blue staff
20 The Tolcarn Jcn to Shepherds section of the line used part of the route of the earlier Treamble Branch, which subsequently diverged at Shepherds
21 The Perranporth line closed 4-Feb-1963, but a short section from Tolcarn Jcn to Trevemper Siding remained in use until 28-Oct-1963
22 It is not yet confirmed that St Agnes was a block post prior to the station re-building in 1937
23 USC by June 1966, C2 by Sep 1969
24 Named Portland Junction until 1899
25 Short section working after switching-out facilities added at Rodwell in 1931
26 Long section working until closure of Rodwell in 1954, then normal section
27 Goods working only - actual start of block section not known
28 Bodmin General was marked as Bodmin Town on the staffs

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© West Country Railway Archives 2002
Page last updated: 22 Oct 2007
Home Page: http://www.railwest.org.uk
E-Mail: railwest@bigfoot.com


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