Bristol Powerbox

<googlemap lat="51.451065" lon="-2.579985"> 51.450176, -2.580822, Bristol Powerbox </googlemap>

To Temple Meads Old Station: Temple Meads Old Station
To Wales, the North or Bath: River Avon

History

The opening of this signal box at Temple Meads in 1970 resulted in the closure of 70 other signal boxes and the loss of 343 staff.

Items under the control of the box at the time of opening included: 243 point machines, 163 controlled signals, 177 automatic signals, 556 track signals, 50 ground frames, 3 level crossings, 200 WR AWS ramps, 24 BR AWS indicators and 114 route miles .

Gallery

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  A view inside the box taken just after it was opened. The signalmen in this photo are Jack Trigg and Alan Bryant. Alan Bryant was the man who signalled the first train away from Temple Meads on the night the panelbox opened for the first time in 1970.
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  Bristol Powerbox in December 1985. (L-R) Signalmen are: George Bee, Dennis Smith and Chilston Frampton. © Peter Rendall
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  Bristol Panel 'D' position (otherwise known as the 'Stoke' panel). © Peter Rendall
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  General interior view of Bristol Panel. Staff (l-r) are: George Bee, Dennis Smith, Chilston Frampton on the main panel and Chris Lloyd on the D-position. Relief signalman Frank Morgan sits at the Train Announcers position and signalman Colin Gingell sits behind him at the Information position. © Peter Rendall
• 
  © Mike Radford
• 
  © Mike Radford
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  © Mike Radford
• 
  Some views of the powerbox taken on 1.7.06.
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  Temple Meads' Platform 1 visible in the background.
• 
  The box viewed from inside the original Temple Meads station showing how it was built in such a way to completely block the entrance to the station.