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L&SWR/SR Single Line Sections
West Country Railway Archives
L&SWR Crest L&SWR and Southern Railway
Single-Line Sections
and their methods of working		 L&SwR 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 London & South Western Railway, Southern Railway, and British Railways (Southern Region). For further information on the general subject of single-line sections, and specific details for other West Country railway companies, please see the Introduction page.

This page was updated last on 17 October 2012. Further information will be added as it becomes available. Lines are listed geographically from east to west, and their individual sections are listed in line order. There is an alphabetical Index to Lines for quick access.

© Chris Osment 2002

Key to L&SWR/SR Methods of Working
EKT Electric Key Token (see note) METS Miniature Electric Train Staff ('M' type)
ETT Electric Train Tablet (type unknown) NSKT No Signalman Key Token
ETT 1 Tyer's No 1 ETT OES One Engine in Steam (train staff) [later re-named One Train Working (OTW)]
ETT 3 Tyer's No 3 ETT
ETT 6 Tyer's No 6 ETT TST Train Staff & Ticket
ETT 7 Tyer's No 7 ETT YARD Yard Working

NOTE: in many cases EKT working was introduced in British Railways days on lines which had passed from the control of the Southern Region to the Western Region. Unless otherwise indicated, any entry in the table below for EKT introduced after 1948 on a section west of Exeter may be assumed to be of the BR(WR) pattern. The BR(WR) key-tokens were made of alloy, whereas most of the BR(SR) examples were brass.

 

Index to L&SWR/SR Lines
Amesbury Exmouth Lyme Regis Seaton
Bodmin Fawley Lymington Sidmouth
Bude Fordingbridge Lynton Swanage
Budleigh Salterton Hamworthy North Cornwall Torrington
Callington Hurn North Devon Turnchapel
Cattewater Ilfracombe Okehampton Wendfordbridge
Chard Longparish Ruthernbridge

 

L&SWR / Southern Railway Sections
From To Method Config Notes
Longparish line
Hurstbourne Junction Fullerton Junction ETT 6   Singled 1913
Amesbury Branch
Grateley Newton Tony Junction ETT 6   1904-54
Amesbury ETT 6   1954-63 Note 25
Newton Tony Junction Newton Tony ETT 6   1901-04
Double track 1904-54
Newton Tony Amesbury ETT 6   1901-04
Double track 1904-53
TST   1953-1954 Note 25
Amesbury Bulford ETT 6   1906-14
Ratfyn ETT 6?   1914-19
Bulford ETT 6   1919-35
NSKT A 1935-63 Note 19
Ratfyn Bulford ETT 6?   1914-19
Fordingbridge line
Alderbury Junction Downton TST   c1875-1884/5
ETT 1   1884/5-?
ETT 6 A? ?-1922
Breamore ETT 6 B 1922-64
Downton Breamore TST   c1875-1884/5
ETT 1   1884/5-?
ETT 6 B? ?-1922
Breamore Fordingbridge TST   c1875-1884/5
ETT 1   1884/5-?
ETT 6 A ?- 1964
Fordingbridge Verwood TST   c1875-1885
ETT 1   1885-?
ETT 6 B ?-1964
Short section
Verwood West Moors TST   c1875-1885
ETT 1   1885-?
ETT 6 A ?-1964
Short section
Fordingbridge West Moors METS C 1931-64
Long section
Fawley Branch
Eling Junction
(1950 renamed Totton)		 Fawley ETT 7   1925-43
Marchwood EKT   1943-82 Note 18
Marchwood Fawley ETT 7   1943-59 Note 34
EKT   1959-60 Note 34
Frost Lane Crossing EKT   1960-80
Fawley GF OTW   1980-87
NSKT   1987 onwards Note 24
Frost Lane Crossing Fawley EKT   1960-78
OTW   1978-80
Lymington Branch
Lymington Junction Lymington Town OES   Until ?
TST Square Red ?1884-1898
ETT 6 A 1898-1967 Note 41
Lymington Pier OES   1967-1978 Note 9
Lymington Town Lymington Pier TST Diamond Green 1884-1898
ETT 6 B 1898-1967
Hurn line
Ringwood West Hurn ETT 6   Until 1927
Christchurch ETT 6   1927-35
Hurn Christchurch ETT 6   Until 1927
Hamworthy area
Hamworthy Junction Broadstone EKT C Singled  1932
Closed 1966
Hamworthy Junction Hamworthy Goods OES Diamond  
NSKT B Post-1930 Note 21
Swanage Branch
Worgret Junction Corfe Castle TST   Until 1898
ETT 6   1898-1914
ETT 7   1914-61 Note 36
EKT   1961-72 Note 36
Furzebrook OES   From 1972 Note 8
Corfe Castle Swanage TST   Until 1898
ETT 6 B 1898-1967 Note 42
OES Note 23 1967-1972 Note 42
Chard Branch
Chard Junction Chard Town ETT ?   Until 1917 Note 1
Chard Central ETT 6   1917-1935
OES Key 1935-66?
Lyme Regis Branch
Axminster Lyme Regis OES?   1903-1906
Combpyne ETT   1906-1921
Lyme Regis ETT 6   1921-1960 Note 35
OES   1960-65 Note 35
Combpyne Lyme Regis ETT   1906-1921
Seaton Branch
Seaton Junction Seaton ETT 6 A Closed 1966
Note 2
Sidmouth Branch
Sidmouth Junction Ottery St Mary ETT 3   Until 1955 Note 29
ETT 6 A 1955-67 Note 29
Ottery St Mary Tipton St Johns ETT 3   Until 1955 Note 29
ETT 6 B 1955-67 Note 29
Tipton St Johns Sidmouth ETT 3   Until 1954 Note 27
ETT 6 A 1954-67 Note 27
Budleigh Salterton line
Tipton St Johns Budleigh Salterton ETT 6 C Closed 1967
Budleigh Salterton Littleham ETT 6 B Closed 1967
Littleham Exmouth ETT 6 A Closed 1967
Exmouth Branch
Exmouth Junction Topsham Note 5   Singled 1973
Topsham Lympstone ETT 6 C Until 1962
Exmouth ETT 6 B 1962-1968
OTW Round Red 1968-? Note 21
Lympstone Exmouth ETT 6 B Until 1962
Okehampton line
Cowley Bridge Junction Crediton EKT   A Singled 1984?
Crediton Okehampton EKT   Singled 1971
OTW   From 1972
Meldon Quarry Meldon Junction EKT D Singled 1966
Closed 1968
St Budeaux Junction Note 22 Gunnislake OTW   Singled 1970
Callington Branch
Bere Alston Calstock TST Note 3 Until 1968
Gunnislake OTW Round Red 1968-1970 Note 21
Calstock Gunnislake ETT 7   Until 1951?
EKT Note 16 1951?-1968
Gunnislake Callington TST   Until 1916?
ETT 7 B  1916? - 1962/3
EKT B 1962/3-68 (SR type)
Turnchapel Branch
Plymouth Friary 'A' Plymstock OES   1892-1897
TST Round Red 1897-8
Cattewater Junction ETT 6   1898-1963?
Worked as Siding ?1963 onwards
Plymstock ETT 6 C Long section 1938 - 63?
Cattewater Junction Plymstock ETT 6   1898-1963?
Worked as Siding ?1963-?
Plymstock Turnchapel ETT 3   1897-1961 Note 48
 for branch to Yealmpton see GWR Lines
Cattewater Branch
Cattewater Junction Cattewater goods OES Round Green 1898-?
YARD   By 1930
North Devon line
Crediton Eggesford EKT C 1971-87 Note 21
Copplestone Morchard Road ETT 3   Until 1952 Note 46
EKT A 1952-64 Note 46
Lapford EKT B 1964-70
Eggesford EKT C 1970-71
Morchard Road Lapford ETT 3   Until 1952 Note 31
EKT B 1952-64 Note 31
Lapford Eggesford ETT 3   Until 1953 Note 32
EKT C 1953-67 Note 32
King's Nympton EKT D? 1967-69 Note 10
Eggesford EKT C 1969-70
Eggesford Note 10 South Molton Road Note 51 ETT 3 A Until 1953 Note 33
EKT D 1953-67 Note 33
EKT D 1969-70
Umberleigh EKT D 1970-71
Barnstaple EKT D 1971-87 Note 21
South Molton Road
Note 51		 Portsmouth Arms ETT 3   Until 1955 Note 28
EKT A 1955-66 Note 28
Umberleigh EKT A 1966-70
Portsmouth Arms Umberleigh ETT 3   Until 1955 Note 28
EKT B 1955-66 Note 28
Ilfracombe line     Note 50
Barnstaple Junction West
Note 11		 Braunton TST   1874-1890
Pottington TST   1890-?
ETT 3   ?-1898
Barnstaple Town ETT 6 B  1898-1967?
EKT C 1967?-70
Barnstaple Town Pottington ETT 3 A 1898-1967 Note 4
Ilfracombe OES Round Red+Key 1967-70
Braunton Mortehoe TST   1874-89
Mortehoe Ilfracombe TST   1874-91
For Lynton & Barnstaple Railway see Minor Lines
Torrington lines
Barnstaple Junction West
Note 11 & Note 49		 Fremington ETT 3   Until 1952 Note 30
EKT A 1952-68 Note 30
Instow TST Round Red 1968-79 Note 12
Torrington TST Round Red 1979-80 Note 12
OTW Round Red 1980-83
Fremington Instow ETT 3   Until 1952 Note 30
EKT B 1952-68 Note 30
Instow Bideford ETT 6   By 1911-1920
ETT 7   1920-51
EKT C 1951-67
Torrington EKT C 1967-68
TST Square Blue 1968-79 Note 13
Bideford Torrington ETT 3   until 1915
ETT 6   1915-51
EKT D 1951-67
Torrington Petrockstow ETT 6 B 1925-67 Note 17
Meeth Worked as Siding From 1967
Petrockstow Hatherleigh ETT 6 A 1925-65
Meeth Worked as Siding 1965-1967 Note 6
Hatherleigh Hole ETT 6 B 1925-65
Hole Halwill Junction ETT 6 A 1925-65
Bude line
Meldon Junction Ashbury TST Diamond Blue 1879-1899?
Maddaford Moor ETT 6   1899-1919
Ashbury ETT 6 A  1919-66?
Maddaford Moor Ashbury ETT 3   1899-1919
Ashbury Halwill Junction TST Round Red 1879-early 1900s?
ETT 3   Early 1900s?-1943
EKT B 1943-66 (SR-type)
Halwill Junction Dunsland Cross ETT 3 C Until 1961 Note 39
EKT D 1961-66 Note 39
Holsworthy EKT D Jan-Oct 1966 (SR-type)
Dunsland Cross Holsworthy ETT 3 A Until Jan 1966?
Holsworthy Whitstone & Bridgerule ETT 6   Until 1954 Note 26
EKT A 1954-66 Note 26
Whitstone & Bridgerule Bude ETT 6   Until 1951?
EKT B by 1952-1966
North Cornwall line
Halwill Junction Ashwater TST Green 1886-post-1893
ETT 3   post-1893-1961
EKT C 1961-65 Note 37
Launceston EKT C 1965-66 (SR-type)
Ashwater Tower Hill TST Yellow 1886-post-1893
ETT 3   post-1893-1920
Launceston ETT 3   1920-43 Note 14
Tower Hill ETT 6 B 1943-65
Tower Hill Launceston TST Blue 1886-post-1893
ETT 3   post-1893-1920 Note 14
ETT 6 A 1943-1965
Launceston Egloskerry TST Green 1892-post-1893
ETT 3 B post-1893-1960
ETT 6 1960-66 Note 43
Egloskerry Tresmeer TST Red 1892-post-1893
ETT 3 A post-1893-1960
ETT 6 1960-65 Note 44
Camelford EKT A 1965-66 (SR-type)
Tresmeer Otterham TST Yellow 1893-?
ETT 3 B ?-1960 Note 45
ETT 6 1960-Feb 1965
Camelford     Feb-Nov 1965
Otterham Camelford TST Blue 1893-?
ETT 3 A ?-1961 Note 40
EKT A 1961-65 Note 40
Camelford Delabole TST   1893-?
ETT 3   ?-1923
ETT 6 B 1923-66 Note 47
Delabole Port Isaac Road ETT 3   1895-1923
ETT 6 A 1923-66 Note 47
Port Isaac Road St Kew Highway ETT 3   1895-1961 Note 38
EKT B 1961-65 Note 38
Wadebridge East EKT B 1965-66 (SR-type)
St Kew Highway Wadebridge Junction ETT 3   1895-1907
Wadebridge East ETT 3   1907-54 Note 20
EKT A 1954-65 Note 20
Wadebridge Junction Wadebridge East ETT 3   1895-1907
Wadebridge West Padstow ETT 6 A Until 1966
OES Round Red 1966-67 Note 7
Bodmin Branch
Wadebridge Junction Boscarne Junction     1895-1907
Wadebridge (East) Boscarne Junction ETT 3 B 1907-67
Wadebridge (West) Worked as siding 1967-78
Boscarne Junction Bodmin North ETT 3    
ETT 6 A By 1923-67
Dunmere Jcn GF

Worked as siding

 1967-?
 for branch to Bodmin General see GWR Lines
Ruthernbridge Branch
Grogley Junction Note 15 Ruthernbridge Worked as siding Closed 1933
Wenfordbridge Branch
Boscarne Junction Note 52 Wenfordbridge Worked as siding Closed 1983
NOTES:
1 The situation is unclear about the operation of the link line from Chard Town to Chard (GWR) prior to closure of Chard Town signal-box - see Chard Branch page for more details.
2 During L&SWR days some special arrangements existed for additional ETT instruments to be brought into use at Colyton when required, in order to split the branch into two sections, but this was not normal long/short section working. Instruments removed 1922.
3 Staff was round steel rod. SR records state green tickets, but it has been claimed that in BR days the tickets were blue.
4 Some BR(SR)-pattern brass key tokens ('A' configuration) exist for this section, but it is believed that these were manufactured for replacement work that was never done.
5 Worked by Acceptance Lever and track-circuit block. See Current Lines table for subsequent details.
6 Line from Meeth to Halwill Junction closed completely in 1965.
7 ETT replaced by OES 9-Jan-1966. Staff provided with Annetts Key 'A' for unlocking Padstow GF.
8 Line closed completely south of Furzebrook sidings in 1972. Worgret SB replaced by GF in 1976.
9 Lymington Junction abolished 1978 and branch extended as independent line to Brockenhurst. See Current Lines table for subsequent details.
10 Eggesford signal-box closed (flood damage) Nov 1967, new box opened 1969.
11 Renamed Barnstaple Junction 'B' in 1949.
12 Staff and Metal tickets provided with Annetts Key 'A' for unlocking Fremington GFs.
13 Staff provided with Annetts Key 'B' (paper tickets).
14 Tower Hill signal-box closed 1920, new box opened 1943.
15 Grogley Junction was only an intermediate ground-frame in the Wadebridge East - Boscarne Junction section.
16 One document mentions 'B' configuration, but some contemporary information suggests 'A' and a surviving key-less example (WR pattern alloy) has traces of red paint.
17 Example of these tablets which have been sighted are marked 'Torrington Jct' rather than just 'Torrington'.
18 Totton SB closed 1982 and section then converted to TCB working to Eastleigh panel.
19 Altered 9-April-1935. SR pattern key-token, but alloy not brass (originally?).
20 ETT replaced by EKT 25 July 1954 (WR pattern key-token)
21 See Current Lines table for subsequent details
22 Formerly the ex-GWR St Budeaux Ferry Road signal-box
23 Originally triangular wooden staff (varnished), but replaced at unknown date by round steel staff
24 An example of a Key Token has been sighted which was alloy, 'D' configuration notch, square hole in handle with red band, but it is not known from which period this originates.
25 Line singled Amesbury - Newton Tony 25-Oct-1953. Line singled Newton Tony - Newton Tony Junction and Newton Tony Junction abolished 17-Oct-1954.
26 ETT replaced by EKT 26-May-1954 (WR pattern key-token).
27 ETT3 replaced by ETT6 28-Feb-1954.
28 ETT replaced by EKT 16-Jan-1955 (WR pattern key-token).
29 ETT3 replaced by ETT6 20-Nov-1955.
30 ETT replaced by EKT 6-Apr-1952 (WR pattern key-token).
31 ETT replaced by EKT 14-Dec-1952 (WR pattern key-token).
32 ETT replaced by EKT 15-Feb-1953 (WR pattern key-token).
33 ETT replaced by EKT 8-Mar-1953 (WR pattern key-token).
34 ETT replaced by EKT 26-Apr-1959. 
35 ETT replaced by OES 27-Mar-1960.
36 ETT replaced by EKT 17/18-June-1961.
37 ETT replaced by EKT 27-Aug-1961 (SR pattern key-token).
38 ETT replaced by EKT 24-Sep-1961 (SR pattern key-token).
39 ETT replaced by EKT 10-Dec-1961 (SR pattern key-token).
40 ETT replaced by EKT 17-Dec-1961 (SR pattern key-token).
41 ETT replaced by OES 3-April-1967.
42 ETT replaced by OES 6-June-1967.
43 ETT3 replaced by ETT6 26-June-1960.
44 ETT3 replaced by ETT6 3-July-1960.
45 ETT3 replaced by ETT6 10-July-1960.
46 ETT replaced by EKT 10-March-1952 (WR pattern key-token).
47 Although some examples exist of Camelford - Delabole tablets re-engraved as Camelford - Port Isaac Road, photographic evidence suggests that Delabole was still a block post when the line closed and no formal record has been found of any earlier closure and amendment to the block sections.
48 Although ETT3 was in use by 1923, there is circumstantial evidence that a different pattern may have been used initially.
49 Barnstaple Junction 'B' signal-box closed 1971 and section extended to former 'A' box renamed 'Barnstaple'.
50 Line from Barnstaple Junction West to Ilfracombe opened in 1874 as single-track, but all doubled 1889-91 except for Barnstaple Junction West to Pottington.
51 Renamed King's Nympton in 1951.
52 The actual divergence of the branch was at Dunmere Junction ground-frame, within the Boscarne Junction - Bodmin North section.

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© West Country Railway Archives 2002
Page last updated: 17 Oct 2012
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