Carlisle Power Signal Box locomotive marks 50 years of progress

Carlisle Power Signal Box (PSB) is celebrating half a century of operation after being created as a central hub to control all rail movements during modernisation of the WCML’s northern section in the 1970s.

To put these plans on track, the Carlisle PSB was one of three built across the region — others were installed at Warrington and Preston, along with a signalling centre at Motherwell.

This followed the government giving the green light to electrification of the line, heralding an arrival of new electric locomotives, modern coaching stock and colour light signalling.

Completed in 1973, Carlisle PSB had overall control of a 75-mile WCML section from just north of Carnforth to Kirkpatrick-Fleming over the Scottish border, along with lines towards Newcastle, Windermere, Settle, Wigton and Annan.

Signal boxes which controlled the north and south end of Carlisle Citadel station (Image: Cumbrian Railways Association)

Progress, however, did have some drawbacks and marked the end of the line for a raft of small individual signal boxes across the area.

Southwaite’s was the first to go, followed by Plumpton, two in Penrith, two near Shap, Tebay, Grayrigg, Oxenholme and Milnthorpe.

Fifty years this month, more than a dozen more in the Carlisle area were then also shut down, with railway staff either transferred to other posts within the industry, taking retirement or, in the case of scores of other employees, being made redundant.

Retired, long-standing railwayman Ken Harper, of Castletown, Penrith, was one of those to lose his signalling job at that time.

“I started off as a 16-year-old signal box lad in Penrith number one signal box, and then was a signalman at Eden Valley junction at Clifton near Penrith, before being made redundant ,” recalled Ken.

He became a guard for a spell and spent some time in Appleby’s signal box before being appointed traffic manager in charge of Penrith.

One of the signal boxes which controlled the north and south end of Carlisle Citadel station (Image: Cumbrian Railways Association)

After 13 years in that post he took on the role of operations manager with responsibility for signal boxes Cumbria-wide, retiring in 2007.

“It was a massive step and a big undertaking,” said Ken of modernisation and the construction of Carlisle PSB in 1973. “It was part of dragging the old Victorian railway into the 20th Century and speeding up traffic on the main line.

"Electric trains started running from London to Glasgow the following year.”

And over the years, scheduled passenger journey times between north Cumbria and the capital have been slashed to just over three hours, while the line also carries a huge volume of freight.

To commemorate 50 years of Carlisle PSB, its name has been given to a 3,250 horsepower diesel locomotive run by city-based Direct Rail Services (DRS) — one of several freight operators — which has the unique number 66433.

Ken added: “The PSB has done sterling service for 50 years and I’m just pleased it’s being recognised. The engine itself will be seen from the north of Scotland to the south coast, from Sellafield in the west to East Anglia in the east, and everywhere in between.”

Formal unveiling took place at a Carlisle ceremony attended by staff, invited guests and rail enthusiasts last week. The task was performed by Ken along with David Hunter, also from Penrith.

For David, a 47-year-old senior regional freight manager for Network Rail’s north west and central region, it was a double celebration as that morning also marked 30 years to the very day that he started work in the industry.

1984 photo of the Carlisle Power Signal Box, which celebrates half a century of operation this year. (Image: Cumbrian Railways Association)

A railway enthusiast himself, David spent a lot of his childhood at Penrith railway station and started work as an announcer in Carlisle signal box before climbing the industry ladder.

“It’s special,” said David of the 50th anniversary locomotive naming. “It’s a big deal because the signal box has been here for 50 years and it’s made a big impact on the way that trains run through the county.

"There’s a lot of history with the box and with the people who’ve had worked it. It ’s good to celebrate it.”

Andrew Butler, communications manager of Nuclear Transport Solutions — which operates DRS — said the newly-named locomotive would be particularly popular with railway enthusiasts.

Often better known as train spotters, they log their prized sightings either digitally or, more traditionally, in notebooks.

“They’ll be very keen to see a loco with a new nameplate,” said Andrew.

“They enjoy taking pictures and spotting locomotives so a new nameplate is a big deal in the enthusiast community because it’s something they haven’t seen before.”