Lansdown Junction Signal Box Train Register 4 February 1956

A 1956 view of the junction from the box. In the right foreground are the lines from Andoversford with Lansdown station beyond the

bridge arch on the left and Malvern Road, St James' and the Honeybourne line through the wartime built right hand arch. Trains from

Gloucester came past on the left. This is the layout put in during the 1942 widening. Photo by Robin Stanton who was a Booking Boy

here at the time.

Operations at Lansdown Junction

Cheltenham Lansdown Junction Signal Box dealt with train movements in and out of Lansdown and Malvern Road stations, on the main lines between Gloucester and Birmingham - the ex-Midland one via Ashchurch and the ex-GWR route via Honeybourne, plus the Cheltenham - Kingham branch which also had trains for the ex-MSWJ line from Andoversford to Andover. In 1956, the box was a very solidly built reinforced wartime structure opened on 26 July 1942; so solid that even though closed in November 1977, the stripped out box remains extant to this day. It dealt with over 300 movements on weekdays in 1956 and employed a booking boy as well as a signalman, and was open continuously.

I have been fortunate to have had access to two Lansdown Junction train registers, one from February 1956, the other from December that year, and have attempted to analyse the entries with the help of working time tables and my own local knowledge. The attached pages show just a few hours of one day, from 11am to 2.30pm on Saturday 4 February 1956, and provide a snapshot of the activity at this busy junction. There is  a page for UP trains and one for DOWN workings. In this context, main line trains were UP from Gloucester and DOWN in the other direction. Trains from Andoversford going into Cheltenham were also shown as UP and trains the other direction as DOWN, though just to confuse things trains heading from Cheltenham towards Andoversford were UP once on the branch. Additionally there were loco movements between Malvern Road and Lansdown station or Cheltenham High Street goods yard. I have attempted to interpret the various movements which took place, using the working time tables in force at that date. There were two, an LMR one covering Derby to Bristol, both for freight and passenger, while other movements were detailed in the Western Region table, which also contained summaries of all movements between Gloucester and Cheltenham.

Bell codes at Lansdown Junction were quite complicated, as they incorporated route codes, not just for Cheltenham, but also for Gloucester where trains could be routed via the Gloucester South avoiding line; Gloucester Eastgate; and Gloucester Central. Trains coming up from Gloucester might be going to Cheltenham Lansdown; Cheltenham St James'; or the Honeybourne line via Malvern Road. A former Lansdown Junction signalman wrote an article in the April 1978 'Railway World' magazine which described the bell codes, so I am not going to explain them here, but I have transcribed the various codes  used in the train register and shown the routing where I know it. 

On the line to Gloucester the next box was Hatherley Junction, just half a mile away. In the other direction on their respective routes were Lansdown Station and Malvern Road West boxes, both less than half a mile distant. On the branch, Andoversford Junction was the main box, nearly seven miles away; there were nearer ones at Gloucester Loop Junction - but this was 'temporarily closed', while Leckhampton Station and Andoversford station boxes were only open for short periods during the day for shunting operations.

The main line tracks were, nearest the box, the down relief, then down main, up main and up relief. Generally speaking trains from Malvern Road used the down relief and up main in the other direction; whilst trains out of Lansdown utilised the down main and up relief. But there were plenty of exceptions to that generality, so the signalman had to be very alert to all the bell codes from other boxes. The working time table specified which track should be used for each train, but obviously operating circumstances could change. There was a Joint Traffic Inspector located at Gloucester Engine Shed Junction Signal Box who was responsible for coordinating the movements of LMR trains between Lansdown Station and Gloucester Tramway Junction and WR trains from Lansdown Junction to Tramway Junction. Then there were phone calls from other boxes and LMR and WR Control offices, with instructions on what to do with various services which might be running late, whether to hold them back or let them through ahead of other trains, cancellations, changes to schedules, problems with signalling equipment, calling out linemen and fogmen, extra services and so on. Not much time to rest on some shifts!

A problems for years at the Junction was that clay and water was always being forced up through the ballast, leading to speed restrictions. In 1957/58 extensive work was carried out on the drainage and blanket ballasting was done. Whilst work was underway, some track alterations were made with temporary connections brought into use to enable trains to still run on all routes. Also permanent alterations were made to the layout, with the eventual loss of the connection from Lansdown Station to the Andoversford branch.

Two pictures of Lansdown Junction Signal Box staff.The first picture is on the Andoversford line in a quiet moment. The connections from Lansdown station to the Andoversford line have been removed. The second shows the box interior in a busier moment. Both date from the early 1960's Photos Robin Stanton

Down Trains

Now to the down trains on 4 February 1956 between 11am and 2.30pm, listed in the train register reproduced above. Weather records indicate that this was the coldest day in the whole of 1956, with temperatures as low as -9 degrees centigrade in London, so no doubt caused problems for train operating.

First movement was the light engine off the 7.50am passenger over the MSWJ from Andover which terminated at Lansdown station. After detraining the passengers, the loco pulled the ECS up to Alston Junction before backing the stock into the Vineyards sidings. It would then run round and come onto the down line through the station and out to Lansdown Junction before crossing over and returning first to St James' for turning, then to Malvern Road shed for servicing. As it went down and then up both movements are recorded in the train register. I am not entirely sure whether it used just the crossovers on the main lines or went up the branch to do the manoeuvre, these were all possibilities. Maybe the movements depended on other traffic at the time.

Certainly the signalman would not want a light engine delaying the next down train, which was 'The Cornishman' class 'A' passenger, 9am Wolverhampton - Penzance via the Honeybourne line, with a stop at Malvern Road station. This was shown as passing at 11.14am, while the light engine was still waiting, from 11.8 to 11.21am, so I wonder where it stood. One interesting feature of 'The Cornishman' was that it stopped at Gloucester Eastgate station and took the Midland route into Bristol, unusual at that time for a Western Region service.

After a couple of freights headed out of Lansdown for Eastgate came the 11.45am from St James' to Paddington. This was a class 'A' probably with five or six coaches which were attached to another London bound service at Swindon. Though most Chelteham - Gloucester passengers were handled by tank locos, this one quite likely had a tender engine, as it was the return working for the loco which arrived in Cheltenham at 8.41am from Hereford, normally a Collett 22XX 0-6-0.

Another freight on the Midland was followed by a light engine, which came from Stratford-on-Avon via Broom Junction and Ashchurch and went to Barnwood shed. On Mondays to Fridays this loco worked the 10.5am class 'F' express freight from Stratford.

Out of St James' came the 12.2pm stopping passenger up the branch to Kingham, normally just two coaches.

A message from Bromsgrove Signal Box was then noted in the register referring to the semi-fast passenger from Sheffield to Gloucester Eastgate, due away from Lansdown at 12.22pm being 54 minutes late. Bromsgrove box was a reporting point for passenger trains.

Next was a light engine from Malvern Road shed going to High Street goods yard via Lansdown station to work the 12.48pm class 'H' freight to Andover Junction over the MSWJ. Motive power would be a Western Region loco, a 'Mogul' 2-6-0 or a freight 2-8-0 of the 28XX or WD type - I saw all these classes on the train. Gloucester Horton Road shed still had two ROD 2-8-0s at this date, so it is conceivable one of those could have worked it.

The 12.30pm passenger to Cardiff from St James' was soon passing the junction. By the late 1950s this service was being worked mostly with DMUs.

The 7.32am Bradford - Bristol class 'A' was reported 15 minutes late at Bromsgrove and had lost a couple more minutes when it came over the junction at 12.49pm. This delayed the 12.48pm freight off High Street, it was 14 minutes late going onto the branch, which could have knock-on effects further along, as the MSWJ was single line from Andoversford Junction. At 1.15pm, the Southern engine ex the 7.50am Andover was off Malvern Road shed and going to the Vineyards sidings to pick up its carriages to form the 2.1pm class 'A' passenger to Southampton Terminus**. The loco probably ran wrong line from Lansdown Junction and through the station for operating convenience; this was allowed in the Gloucester Traffic District sectional appendix.

The late running 8.6am Sheffield - Gloucester finally appeared at 1.36pm, nearly an hour and a quarter late, not having a good trip!

A couple of regular freights, one on the main from Lansdown and one on the relief ex Honeybourne, would have been virtually alongside each other going over the junction at 1.43pm and 1.44pm respectively (see pictures LansdownJunction006 and 007).

It was quiet on the down until 2.15pm with a local Cheltenham St James' - Gloucester Central passenger, followed by the late running 'Pines Express', Manchester to Bournemouth. Due away from Lansdown at 1.50pm, it was running nearly half an hour late. As this connected with the 2.1pm to Southampton, the latter was delayed, departing at 2.25pm.

U Class 2-6-0 31621 takes the 3.20pm Cheltenham High Street - Eastleigh freight over the junction before heading up to Andoversford,

then along the MSWJ line to Andover. The loco arrived on the 10.10am class A passenger from Southampton Terminus, due in at 1.35pm.

So there was not much spare time for the crew from Andover sub-shed, who had to put the empty passenger stock in the Vineyards

sidings just north of Lansdown station, run light engine over the junction to St James' station to turn the loco, before going onto

Malvern Road shed for servicing. Then light back over the junction, through Lansdown station, and out to the goods yard at Cheltenham

High Street. Undated, but probably 1956.Photo Robin Stanton

BR Standard class 5MT 4-6-0 73068 brings an express out of Lansdown station and heads towards Gloucester Eastgate. It will use the

down main line. Undated but probably 1956. 73068 was built at Derby in 1954 and was shedded there for a while, before moving to

Bristol Barrow Road, then to Gloucester Barnwood with a short stint at Gloucester Horton Road as well, so spent virtually the whole of

its working life in the area; withdrawal came in December 1965. Photo Robin Stanton

Up Trains

There was an interesting up working at 11.16am which travelled onto the Honeybourne line. The bellcode indicates it was a train containing an out-of-gauge load. Don't know what it was, possibly military heading for the army camp at Long Marston.

The Bristol - Newcastle express which passed at 11.38am was a few minutes late, being due in Lansdown at 11.31am. But the next train appeared to be even later. At 11.47am was a local service which would appear to be the 10.50am from Gloucester Central to St James', due at 11.5am; wonder what caused the lateness. That came up the main, it was followed up the relief by another local service, 11.28am Eastgate to Birmingham New Street via Lansdown and Worcester Shrub Hill, running a few minutes behind schedule.

Next in was the 10.48am Swindon - St James' class 'A' with through carriages from London Paddington, only six minutes late. That came up the main line, as did the next working, the 1.30am Tavistock - Crewe class 'D' express freight (see picture LansdownJunction002).This utilised the line through Lansdown and on up to Worcester. It included perishables traffic from the West Country, hence the importance of running to schedule. Unfortunately it was about an hour and a quarter late today, possibly due to the cold weather conditions. The Crewe was followed into Lansdown by an engine and brake van working, on the surface not as important. However this was a daily working from Gloucester Barnwood to Evesham via Ashchurch for another important service, the 2pm Evesham to Water Orton class 'C' freight, carrying perishables traffic from the Vale of Evesham. This service was so important that it was one of the very few freights allowed to travel via Birmingham New Street station.

The line to Malvern Road became busy with three trains in succession; a local from Gloucester to St James'; the 9.35am Swansea to Birmingham Snow Hill express via Honeybourne and Stratford-upon-Avon; a passenger ex -Kingham off the branch, seemingly running to its Saturday time, which was a few minutes later than other days. From May 1957 DMus were introduced on the South Wales to Birmingham trains - which had seen GWR railcars working the services in the 1930s.

The 'Pines Express' was virtually right time, going past the box at 1.12pm on its way from Bournemouth to Manchester (see picture LansdownJunction007). At the same time there was another engine and brake van off the branch from Andoversford into Malvern Road, after working the Swindon Town to Andoversford class 'K' pick-up goods. Very occasionally it would operate as a freight into Cheltenham High Street, but only if there were six or more loaded wagons for the London Midland Region. The loco, usually a GW 'Mogul' and sometimes running-in ex-Swindon Works, went back on the 5.25pm stopping passenger from Lansdown to Andover Junction. Another MSWJ working was soon going into Lansdown - the 10.10am from Southampton Terminus, another class 'A' passenger ***- non-stop from Cirencester Watermoor - about ten minutes late at 1.45pm, hauled by a Southern Region 2-6-0, probably a 'U' class, but sometimes a BR Standard class 4. This was a connection for the up 'Devonian' - Paignton to Bradford - which was just five minutes behind (see picture LansdownJunction003). Control at Gloucester Eastgate made the decision as to whether to hold the 'Devonian' before Lansdown Junction if the Southampton was running a bit late. That did not always happen, possibly leaving some passengers annoyed that their connection to the north had gone ahead without them.This is where Lansdown station could be something of an operating bottleneck, having only one up platform and effectively only one on the down; the down bay was no longer used for passenger trains. Following the 'Devonian' was a stopping service from Eastgate to Birmingham via Worcester.

It was a relatively busy period for the branch, with the pick-up freight from Kingham coming down at 2.20pm, about an hour earlier than timetabled. Being a Saturday, there may not have been much traffic on offer and probably also the crew wanted to get finished. On freights, brakes were pinned down at Andoversford before descending the 1 in 60 gradient, and picked up before Lansdown Junction. Soon the 1.40pm passenger from Kingham was down and heading for Malvern Road and St James'. Some of the Kingham trains provided good connections from and to London Paddington via Oxford and were a viable alternative to the more circuitous service through Gloucester and Swindon.

This was a Saturday in winter; summer Saturdays were far busier, with masses of holiday trains to and from the West Country and via the Somerset & Dorset route. These started coming down late on Friday night and continued through the early hours and all day Saturday on both the Honeybourne and Ashchurch routes.

6804 'Brockington Grange' passes Lansdown Junction on 14 September 1955 with a class D express goods, almost certainly the important

1.30am Tavistock Junction to Crewe, which was due through at 11.4am. Although booked to come up the relief line from Gloucester South,

it has come on the main and is crossing over to traverse Lansdown station. The working time table marked this as one of the few

'Western Region freights passing over LMR operating lines' between Lansdown Junction and Abbot's Wood Junction outside Worcester;

most Western Region freights took the Honeybourne route. A Bristol St Philips Marsh based loco when this photo was taken, 6804 came

to Malvern Road loco shed for storage in November 1961, at which date it was an 83D Plymouth Laira loco - and still had the 83D

shedplate on the smokebox door -  leaving in July 1962 for further service at 87F LLanelly. Photo E R Morten.

A photo taken on 28 June 1958, this time of express M240, the up 'Devonian, Paignton to Bradford, due into Lansdown

station at 1.49pm. Loco is 22A Bristol Barrow Road's 'Jubilee' 45662 'Kempenfelt', one of nine of the class allocated there for top link

work.The up and down 'Devonian' duties were shared by Barrow Road and Leeds Holbeck sheds, normally a 'Jubilee' but quite a number

of Holbeck 'Black Five' 4-6-0s also appeared. Footplate crews from the two sheds worked through between Bristol and Leeds.

The fireman is leaning out of the cab with the loco blowing off, so appears to have the job well in hand. Photo E R Morten.

Southern 'U' class 'Mogul', 31613 of 71A Eastleigh, on the branch behind the box running from Alstone carriage sidings. where it had left its train. to St James to use the turntable before going to Malvern Road shed for servicing and later return either to Alstone to pick up carriages for the train to Southampton or to High Street to collect its freight to Eastleigh.

On one occasion, 7 June 1956*,St James' turntable was not available and the 'U' class went to Gloucester to turn on the triangle there.

Photo Robin Stanton

Some wrong line working in Summer 1960 probably  due to engineering work at the junction  - the train is coming 'down' from Malvern Road on the 'up' line - means a pilotman is in operation and he is on the engine footstep, complete with his official 'Pilotman' armband. WD 2-8-0 90149 was a regular performer, allocated to both Gloucester sheds as well as Cardiff and Newport, in the period 1952 to 1962. Photo Robin Stanton

With Lansdown Junction Box in the background another Southern Region based engine works down the main line towards Gloucester.

'Black Five' 45440 was a long-time resident at 71G Bath Green Park on the Somerset & Dorset line, but here it is heading the daily

11.18am Washwood Heath - Westerleigh class 'D' express freight. Gangers on the down relief pause from their labours to watch the

train go by on 28 March 1956. The box bellcode for this was a straightforward '5' heading for Gloucester Eastgate goods line where

the loco  will take water. Photo E R Morten.