Over the years, I have visited the site of South Pelaw Junction on numerous occasions and, from other pointers was able to work out where the signal box was but assumed that, apart from a few bricks, nothing survived. Last week, I was surprised to see, on Flick, a photo that stated it was the remains of the foundations of the box. A quick trip to the site and, amazingly, still in situ is, not the foundations, but what must have been the first floor of the box as in the photo below.
Never having noticed this before, I can only assume that some has, recently, pulled the undergrowth back making it visible…
I was relief Signalman on the Consett branch
South Pelaw was one of my boxes.George Morton and Raymond Thomson where the resident men in box happy memories of a lovely branch line to work on.
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This post and photo shows an old structure next to Derwent Walk just before location of railway sidings of Westwood colliery and next to “SP” on Victorian OS map. Think it is railway related so is it right for base of similar signal box ( on steep embankment )
Stephen, interesting notes. I was a Relief Assistant Freight Controller in Newcastle Divisional Control from January 1977 until December 1980. The posts principle function was the working of the ore trains, though the only reporting box on the branch was Carr House West, which advised of the arrival and departure of the ore trains. We did occasionally communicate with the other boxes on the branch, so its possible that we spoke in the course of duty, though I never knew any of the branch signalmen by name.
In 1978 a group of controllers visited Consett branch locations as part of an official day out by railway pool car. We called in on South Pelaw Box, but cannot recall which other boxes we visited. I also remember us patronising the Jolly Drovers for a liquid lunch. Imagine that sort of thing happening today. Things were so much more relaxed then.
From your recollections of working Annfield box, what was the method of working for trains conveying traffic for Ransom, Hoffman and Pollards Sidings? And can you recall when the Oxhill spur coal traffic ceased?