The Film Archive of Railway Signalling & People

In 2013 Network Rail announced their strategy of concentrating all railway signalling activity into just a handful of Rail Operating Centres (ROCs). Implementation would, of course, not happen over night but would progress steadily and see the eventual demise of all remaining mechanical signal boxes, including those that had been equipped with panels, power signal boxes and most of the signalling centres that were still coming on stream at this time. The order of change would be influenced by the life expectancy of existing equipment and need to increase line capacity, and it is relevant to mention that some mechanical signal boxes outlived their power signal box neighbours that were several decades their junior.

The Friends of the National Railway Museum contacted various bodies with a view to recording railway signalling as it stood in the middle of the second decade of the 21st century and before it was consigned to history. Thus FARSAP was born. In this there was a parallel to the driving force behind the formation of this Society in 1969 - the desire to record matters before they were lost for ever in the rush to introduce ever larger power signal boxes.

Whilst the 2013 announcement was the call for action, the archive is not confined to Network Rail locations. You will find Northern Ireland Railways and Heritage Railways represented here as well.

A start was made

With funding from both the Friends (FNRM) and the Railway Heritage Trust (RHT) plus Network Rail's support allowing access to their premises, recording commenced in January 2014 using a team of volunteers. The other partners in the project are The Institution of Railway Signalling Engineers (IRSE), Institution of Railway Operators (IRO), National Railway Museum (NRM), Heritage Railway Association (HRA), Retired Railway Officers Society (RROS) and, of course, the Signalling Record Society (SRS) from whose ranks the majority of volunteers were drawn.

The FARSAP Story

In February 2024 a video recording how the project started and how it was managed was created. It features key players in the project and is narrated by Frank Paterson.

Click this button to view the recording

The Videos

On this web site you will find the edited videos that use the 'footage' and 'pictures' gathered by the volunteers. In time you will also find other 'footage' gathered together by Society members that is made available in similar manner.

Each video is set within a page that gives some additional information about the location. Controls are provided that allow the video to be paused or the play start point to be moved and the sound volume to be adjusted. Each video can also be viewed 'full screen' by selecting the symbol found bottom right of the play area; the symbol consists of four arrows pointing to the four corners of the display you are using. Some videos will have 'captions' and/or 'sub-titles' associated with them that can be turned on by selecting the relevant control. Not all browsers support the facilty.

Please bear in mind that once the recording are made time has to be found to edit the footage and provide a narrative &c and then add the location to the mapping page. This can take a lot longer than the time spent recording as can finding time in busy schedules to carry out the task!

The lists further down the page includes recordings made at specific locations plus others explaining how signalling works and some signalling career memories. Click on the buttons below to see what is available.

The Jargon

When listening to and watching the videos you may encounter some technical and jargon terms you are not familiar with. Some of the terms are explained on this web page.

The Signalling Record Society

If you are interested in railway signalling please feel free to explore their web site. Better still, Why not join the Signalling Record Society.

Locations

The list is in alphabetical order. The locations have been nominated and selected because they meet at least one of the following criteria:

1. Locations: where the location itself is significant, for example because of history, activities or even an accident, perhaps which resulted in improvements subsequently being made to signalling equipment, rules and regulations or operations.
2. Structures: where a structure is significant or different - for example a listed building, the last of its type (regional or company design), or the design is unique. Various types will be included to cover the range of control including mechanical signal boxes, panels, power boxes, IECC's, level crossings, swing bridges, etc.
3. Equipment: where the equipment is significant or different ‐ for example last remaining equipment, non-standard or unique equipment.
4. Operations: where signalling operations are different or unusual.
5. Educational: where signalling is explained in operational or technical ways.

Each location included is listed separately but may be included with others, or may be mentioned in a video primarily about somewhere nearby.

The project would love to hear from you, especially if you worked or still work in a signal box that isn't included in the list, and you are willing to provide reminiscences and / or pictures. Please contact the The Friends of the National Railway Museum. Contact information is at the bottom of that page.

Heritage Railways

Signalling Primers and Educational Videos

These videos are aimed at beginners and those in the early stages of their learning curve. However, there may well be some more experienced people who will appreciate a 'refresher' on the basics of the subject. The videos will be of particular use to course leaders and instructors who wish to use video as part of their course material. For this reason some of the videos included are extracts from the longer ones in this section.

Presenter: Phil Graham

Phil spent much of his career in senior operations management and, after privatisation, was Zone Movements Manager for the NE Zone and then for the LNE Zone. Latterly this gave him responsibility for every signal box and level crossing from King's Cross to Berwick on Tweed plus all of Yorkshire and Northumberland.

More than 40 years ago he first initiated and then ran classes on operating Rules and Regulations and has continued doing so in retirement. Students attending these classes include railway industry professionals, volunteers in the heritage railway sector and from abroad.

Phil is a regular speaker and presenter at the National Railway Museum, specialising in railway operating and signalling matters.

Presenter: Charles Weightman

Joining the railway at Nottingham, Charles was a signalling engineer whose career took him variously to Newcastle, Reading and York. As a senior manager, Charles' last post was Signalling Principles Engineer for Network Rail.

Charles keeps his hand in by working in retirement as a volunteeer signalling engineer in the heritage sector and by being a team member at the L&Y Signalling display at the National Railway Museum.

Subjects Covered

Each video deals with a specific subject or a group of related subjects. Those available are:

Using the Lancashire & Yorkshire School Railway located at the National Railway Museum

Using Network Rail's Training Facility at Perth

Using Network Rail's Training Facility at York ROC

Entrance/Exit (NX) Panels

VDU Workstations

At Other Locations

Signalling Memories

Personal Memories

People who have spent all or most of their working lives in or around railway signalling tell of their experiences:

Events

Momentious events are recounted or re-enacted: