12 Hours at Philips Park No.1 

At that time in the morning you certainly could. They made some impressive sounds !!!!

The sound of diesel locomotives and the sight of mixed rolling stock is almost sexual. Brilliant video. Ta.

Hmm... You are correct with this comment, Platting's up signal was indeed slotted with Collyhurst. Being a section signal, it was also locked by the block but it was still technically Plattings signal. Looks like we were both right here. Besides, Collyhurst always left the slots in the off position anyway... Those naughty boys...

This is terrific stuff! Thanks for uploading. Shame it wasn't 1981 instead but you can't have everything.

Rode that stretch daily from 1966 through 1971

It's odd but in all the time I worked the signal you mentioned (No.62 if memory serves me) I never photographed it from the approach side. It also had a strange lock that prevented the lever being replaced to the on (or danger) position until certain track circuits were clear.

At least the scrapyard didn't operate on the night shift. It was a good box to work on nights, nearly as good as Baguley Fold.

Sorry Dave, I think that the distant was for Park 1 No. 58 signal (Junction towards Brewery) and the outer distant for Miles Platting. It wasn't as rare as you might think although I have known power semaphore distants to be used for the same thing when going towards colour light area's. Windsor Bridge had those going towards Deal Street. The colour light head had the advantage of showing a 4 aspect display though.

that soddin scrapyard across the road! how did we, ahem "relax" during the shift? superb footage!

Ah Park 1....bet you could hear the stone trains climbing up the hill from Ashburys way before we offered them on from Park no.2.

like 47541 looks nice and look at trans pennine now!

Great to see 47541 The Queen Mother

I know where this box is or was located now. Next Signal Box east was Bagueley Fold on this route heading towards Ashton and Stalybridge. Unfortunately this box covered a seriously bad blackspot for trespassing and vandalism located roughly where the three blocks of flats on the horizon looking eastwards are. Manchester Victoria's terminating platforms 1 to 3 were notorious for the piles of glass which came from smashed train windows thanks to what went on here! Then in 2000 an attempt was made to prevent access to the line side by unauthorised persons when double lines of 10 foot high galvanised steel fencing replaced the damaged single line on both tracksides. But by 2003 the scrotes living round there were noted crossing the line again from a new unauthorised short cut which was evident about 50 metres up (westbound) of the old problem site. Drivers at Newton Heath Depot nicknamed this stretch of line 'The Gauntlet' as in 'Running The Gauntlet' for ages until 2000 but then the area gained notoriety with this name again three years later.

now these are trains. better than the DMUs we see these days cramming loads of people into

The 2nd January 1991 was actually a Wednesday.

were where the tp services going

The day I was born no less. Pointless info for you there.

Pointless? Perhaps... perhaps not. Either way you've made me feel old :o)