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Report - - Clipstone Pit West Signal Box, Sidings and Branch Line, Kings Clipstone - July 2016 | Industrial Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Clipstone Pit West Signal Box, Sidings and Branch Line, Kings Clipstone - July 2016

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Shatners

Silly Bugger
28DL Full Member
I have a bit of an obsession with Clipstone pit, visited twice once with film https://www.flickr.com/photos/urbexomd/albums/72157662704397090 and once digital https://www.flickr.com/photos/urbexomd/albums/72157663258402206and whilst passing through the town today thought I would have a wander down the branch line from the pit through to the main Sheffield to Lincoln line to see what’s left and found some great bits I have not seen reported before.

A large concentration of sidings were built at Kings Clipstone which served Clipstone, Mansfield, Thoresby, Ollerton, Welbeck and Rainworth pits.

A few nice bits still in situ but after a good hours walk to the main line I was greeted by a pristine Clipstone West Signal Box. Given that its sat 300 yards from the main line, in the middle of nowhere with the track removed I was totally confused to find it is still fully commissioned and manned 18 hours a day!! I was met by the signal man at the door who turned out to be sound, he’s been there 22 years and not sure what the future holds now Thoresby has closed but the box currently retains a few switches and signals on the main line so stays in service. As it remains part of the commissioned network he was telling me BTP still respond to the alarm and CCTV out of hours with two separate arseholes having been arrested for trying to steal the sign off the box since February which is great news :)

He told me a lot of history about the site, in particular that he got the job there over two decades ago because no one else wanted it due to how busy the box was. When all six pits were putting trains through it was the busiest signal box in Notts.

It was built in 1917 for the Great Central Railway by the Railway Signal Company and is an all-timber box with a Welsh slate roof and horizontal timber panelling. All the track side windows have been replaced with UPVC glazing and only one original window survives. There is a narrow walkway outside the windows supported on cast iron brackets. On the west side there are part glazed doors on both floors and a timber staircase. The box reputedly houses a 37-lever frame of 1917, with 1986 modernisation's.

All the signal pulleys, chains and cables still remain as pictured below, and a diagram of the track and signalling layout is mounted above the lever frame, showing the relevant lever numbers adjacent to the signals and points.

With the closure of Thoresby the sidings have now all been lifted and are rapidly returning to scrub and forest.

Anyway, on with the pics... a lovely bit if industry :D

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With the headstocks just visible in the background

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End on the line... drops out at the back of the head stocks

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Last edited:

Session9

A life backwards
28DL Full Member
Fantastic report....
The line is being retained to test track machines with a very faint possibility it will reopen to passenger traffic between Ollerton and Nottingham via Shirebrook. Of course the line the box is situated on lead down to numerous collierys including Clipstone.
Thoresby Box is worth a peep too :)
 

Bolts

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Lovely stuff, loving the old levers. The signalman sounds like an absolute legend too :thumb
 
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