| The completion of the above scheme in March 2012 sees the transfer of the work undertaken at Gillingham (Dorset), Templecombe, Sherborne Crossing, Yeovil Junction, Chard Junction, Honiton and Feniton Crossing boxes to Basingstoke. It also eliminates the token exchanges between Yeovil Junction and Pen Mill boxes. Gillingham (Dorset), Templecombe and Sherborne Crossing were closed over the weekend of 25/26 February. Yeovil Junction and Chard Junction over the weekend of 10/11 March and Honiton and Feniton Crossing over the weekend of 24/25 March. Some changes have happened and some improvements, notable the introduction of new block signals at Sherborne, Crewkerne and Feniton which will increase the number of paths for First Great Western diversions, steam and other excursions and other special traffic. |
| GILLINGHAM (DORSET) The loop here has been marginally extended to improve clearances and a new signal is installed to make the loop bi-directional. |
| Looking westwards. |
| The rarely used siding behind the signalbox has been lifted and the headshunt now provides a safety overrun only. |
| Two 159 units cross on 23 February. |
| The signalbox (and frame) will remain to control the upsiding and associated shunt signals. Five levers are operational and electrically released from Basingstoke. |
| TEMPLECOMBE A new signal await commissioning. |
| Information poster. |
| Good patronage. The disused platform on the left will be extended out to the running line (May/June 2012?) and the present platform will become disused. |
| Signalbox and Waiting facilities. Unsure at present whether these will be retained. |
| Remaining siding. |
| SHERBORNE This becomes a block post in both directions under the new scheme. A new banner repeater has been provided in the 'Up' direction close to the platform. |
| To enable public who are unable to use the footbridge to cross the line the level crossing has been altered. Access to the platforms can now be made from the road (assuming you arrive before the barriers come down!). Gas House Hill was closed for several weeks and a down train on 23 February is seen passing the raised barriers! |
| YEOVIL JUNCTION New shunt signals in down sidings with the old still in place. |
| East end down sidings. |
| The down sidings will be partly track circuited and the double slips motorised. New stop boards have been provided at the west end at the end of the track circuiting. The points leading to the Yeovil Railway Centre are unchanged although one (at the east end) has detection added. |
| 28 February sees materials being delivered via the Centre's premises. |
| The switch ends of the double slips are being renewed along with many of the timbers. |
| Double slips at the entrance to the down sidings. |
| New dummy. The point seen here will remain hand operated but have detection added. |
| New signal on Pen Mill branch with semaphore gantry still in use. |
| Lots of 'Stop' signs whilst the down sidings are worked on! |
| 6 March 2012. Despite the appearance, the branch to Yeovil Pen Mill is closed whilst the signalling is changed. (Photo courtesy Roger Marsh) |
| 6 March 2012. Preparations to remove the signal gantry commence. (Photo courtesy Roger Marsh) |
| A series of photos show the removal of the iconic gantry. (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| The gantry has been taken down. |
| Photos taken inside the Yeovil Junction signalbox during its last days of service follow.The diagram indicates a train on the branch (but probably the engineering trolley). (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| Block to Chard Junction (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| One of the blocks to Templecombe (reversible line). (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| Instruments (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| Token machine to Yeovil Pen Mill for the single track. (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| Block bell from Yeovil Pen Mill. (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| Looking across to Yeovil Railway Centre. (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| During the last couple of weeks of life, Yeovil Junction box worked to Basingstoke and a small temporary panel was installed to indicate trains in the section to/from Sherborne (now being a block post once again). (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| Work being carried out of the double slips as seen from the signalbox. (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| Photos of the lever frame. (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| South West Trains units passing - branch to Yeovil Pen Mill temporarily out of use. (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| A last look. (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| Down the stairs. (Photo courtesy Craig Northcott) |
| 6 March 2012. The signalbox name has been removed. (Photo courtesy Roger Marsh) |
| 7 March 2012. New metalwork goes into the slips. |
| A sea of Orange Jackets at Yeovil Junction during the 54 hour blockade to commission the works at Yeovil Junction, Chard Junction and Axminster over the weekend of 10/11 March 2012. |
| Still a fair few Orange Jackets on Sunday 11 March. (Photo courtesy Brian Haigh) |
| 'STOP and Telephone' instructions at the east end of the down sidings (photo facing east). |
| 'STOP Await Instructions' face westwards. |
| Lots of redundant material to be removed. (Photo courtesy Brian Haigh) |
| YEOVIL PEN MILL The only change here is the abolition of token working with Yeovil Junction although this signalbox is planned for closure in a few years time. On 26 February, South West Trains ran a service to/from Yeovil Pen Mill to Waterloo via Westbury whilst the Junction box was being worked on. Here 159007 and 159014 are seen at Queen Camel. A significant amount of track relaying is taking place between Yeovil Pen Mill and Castle Cary and it is understood that, once this is complete, the speed limit will be increased and current speed restrictions on anything other than 'Sprinter' units will be removed. (Photo courtesy Bob Tucker) |
| 159008 and 159102 at Yeovil Pen Mill. (Photo courtesy Bob Tucker). |
| 159009 is unusally stabled in the yard at Yeovil Pen Mill. (Photo courtesy Bob Tucker) |
| 159021 and 159019 near Trent (Photo courtesy Bob Tucker) |
| 159022 at the rear snakes past the signalbox. Note the HST Stop marker sign and the lower quadrant signal. A mixture of upper (new) and lower quadrant (old) exist at this interesting location. (Photo courtesy Bob Tucker) |
| CREWKERNE This becomes a block post in both directions. A newly installed (but yet to be commissioned) signal is seen for up trains. |
| A recent inovation has been the formation of 'Friends of Crewkerne Station'. The flower tubs are a tangible sign of their activities and more details can be viewed by CLICKING HERE |
| 2 March 2012. The soon to be closed (and demolished) signalbox is seen on 2 March. (Photo courtesy David Tozer) |
| 2 March 2012. Note the disconnected siding. The point was removed on 5 December 2011 (Photo courtesy David Tozer) |
| 2 March 2012. 37688 leaving Honiton. In front of the second coach is the back of the new turnback signal which will enable units arriving in Honiton loop from the Exeter direction to reverse without running to the 'down' platform. However the 'up' loop cannot accessed from the Yeovil direction so it is not bi-directional. (Photo courtesy David Tozer) |
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