The Film Archive of Railway Signalling & People

Pat Bowker & Lawrence Hunt

Pat Bowker

Part 1 features Pat Bowker talking about his career which started in 1942 as a booking boy at Taunton West Station signal box and progressed through the signalling and relief signalling grades until the Exeter MAS scheme replaced the semaphores. Subsequently, Pat then volunteered as a signalman on the West Somerset Railway line to Minehead including boxes he had worked earlier in his career.

These videos are intended for viewing at a maximum screen resolution of 1920 pixels wide by 1080 pixels high. Please be aware that viewing at a larger size may result in a loss of clarity and a 'grainy' appearance.

Places mentioned in Video 1 include: Athelney, Blue Anchor, Chard, Cogload, Crowcombe Heathfield, Dunball, Exeter PSB, Ilminster, Minehead, Norton Fitzwarren, Silk Mill Crossing, Somerton, South Molton*, Taunton East Junction, Taunton East Loop, Taunton West Junction, Taunton West Loop, Taunton West Station, Victory Crossing, Wellington, Whiteball Siding, Williton.
* - misspelt as South Malton in the video.

Lawrence Hunt

Part 2 features Lawrence Hunt talking about his career which started at Athelney in 1979 with a statement that the role of signalman would only last two years. Promotions and moves ahead of changes and redundancy saw him based at Truro and at boxes westward to Penzance followed by moves to the Exeter area, Westbury and Bristol. Lawrence then became a signalling inspector for the Western Route and later with signal sighting for the Crossrail project and elswhere. After covid emergency cover duties, Lawrence ended up working at Exeter PSB and volunteering on the West Somerset Railway.

Also included are some extra contributions from Pat Bowker.

Places mentioned in Video 2 include: Ashton Gate, Athelney, Avonmouth, Bristol PSB, Chard Junction, City Basin Junction, Cogload, Cowley Bridge Junction, Drump Lane, Exeter Central, Exeter Middle, Exeter West, Exminster, Exmouth Junction, Hele & Bradninch, Penzance, Roskear Junction, St Erth, Stoke Canon, Taunton West Station, Tiverton Junction, Truro, Westbury PSB, Whiteball Siding.

Video Credits

Filmed by:	Nick Jones
Filmed on:	8 April 2022
Additional historic material:	Dave Hayball, Lawrence Hunt, Mike Morant, Chris Osment, Simon Turner (GW Railwayana Auctions Ltd.), Stephenson Locomotive Society. Ordnance Survey maps courtesy National Library of Scotland.
Interviewer:	Nick Jones
Video Editor:	Nick Jones

Copyright Notice

FARSAP videos are the copyright © of the Friends of The National Railway Museum.
The material may be freely used except for sale or advertising purposes.

Can you help?

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