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This is Crabley Creek signal box on the Hull to Selby railway, opening in 1840 after the act of parliament was passed in 1836.
In 2018 whilst Network Rail were updating and upgrading the line between Ferriby and Goole. The intention was to take the Steam Era Crabley Creek Signal Box out of use along with nine others along the route.
Then there was a problem, a big one that Network Rail didn’t realise and couldn’t fix!
The Farmer at Crabley Creek Farm said that it would be dangerous for him to move his livestock across the level crossing if it was not manned by a qualified signal man. Network Rail refused this and stated that automatic level crossings were indeed safe.
What Network Rail did not realise is that written deep in the deeds of the farm, is that back in 1836 when the act of parliament was passed is that the then farmer of Crabbley Creek Farm, demanded that the level crossing should always be manned as long as there is a farm crossing the railway. This was agreed in parliament and added to the act for the railway.
The £50m project to update signalling was completed - and nine signal boxes on a stretch between Gilberdyke to Goole were taken out of service after over a century of use.
Now fully automated and operated from the York Rail Operating Centre, known by signallers as York ROC, where controllers can monitor hundreds of trains from their computer screens - the railways equivalent of air traffic control.
The signallers from the closed boxes have been redeployed, or in some cases have retired, Network Rail stated that there have been no compulsory redundancies.
Down the nine-and-a-half-mile stretch, which includes part of the longest straight section of railway in the country, the semaphore system bells and clanking levers have fallen silent.
Crabley Creek signal box lives on and at 181 years old - remains in business, to serve Crabley creek Farm, isolated on the banks of the Humber, on the opposite side of the tracks.
A screech from an annunciator - rather than bells - signals that a train is coming, and the crossing should not be opened.
The upgrade forms part of the Great North Rail Project, which has seen six signal boxes close all over the region, also transferring signalling to York.
In 1948, there were over 10,000 signal boxes in the UK.
Now there are just 42 left in Yorkshire according to Network Rail. And the number continues to drop, due to advances in electronic control systems and communications technology.
How long will Crabley Creek signal box continue to be manned? Well, this is a question Network Rail do not know the answer to. During the re signalling scheme planners and designers consulted the farmer with several proposals, including a bridge. Unfortunately, sheep cannot be shepherded on to bridges very easily so this was refused.
An underpass brought a similar problem, inclines are not something sheep will undertake even with encouragement.
Network Rail even proposed to build the farmer a new farm on the other side of the railway, but due to the land being valuable for arable crop growing this was also turned down.
The decision to leave Crabley Creek as a manned signal box was not made until the final hour and Network Rail have committed signalling staff to continue to work there around the clock 365 days a year.
Network Rail Safety Advisor present during filming of track areas.
Credit Music by; thewilburproject.co.uk/
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18 авг 2021
