Odd Signal COMPLETE

[Phodgetts]

Hi all, anyone out there interested in unusual things?

I have a picture of Blyth Northumberland's High Ferry, a chain ferry which crossed the River Blyth from Cowpen Quay to North Blyth / Cambois. On the North Blyth side of the river is a signal which has nothing to do with the surrounding railway lines, the signal is purely for the ferry. Has anyone seen anything like this before, or does anyone from the area remember it and its use?

Any info gratefully received.

Philip

[Geoff-E]

I suppose the signal is for road traffic waiting to go down the ramp to the ferry.

About 50 years ago, there was a branch line in Worcester ("The Vinegar Branch") which had level crossings on which the road traffic was controlled by semaphore signals.  There is something about it here (about 2/3 down the page).  Somewhere I have a magazine of the crossing in action. http://www.steamindex.com/gwrj/gwrj7.htm

I seem to recall that some swing bridges had a signal to control shipping.

[Phodgetts]

Thanks for the pointer Geoff. I have never heard of this practice / method.

I looked up your info and came across this site with pictures of the Vinegar Branch signals, one a corker with a car waiting as a train passes by.

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~mercurytravel/notebook/232/notebook.htm#shrub

Thank you very much 

Philip

[Geoff-E]

Thanks for the link Philip   I hadn't realised exactly where it went.  It seems to pass within about 50 yards of our son's house.

[Redroger]

I believe that this practise was rare in Britain, but much more common in the USA where the signal was usually a raised and lowered ball. Was the ferry owned by the railway company? If so, that would be a very strong pointer.

[Phodgetts]

A 'Today' picture of the location for comparison would be very interesting to see. The long gone railway is still traceable to the river, by the line of trees and curve of the buildings. Are the long flat roofed buildings those that appear in the view down Shrub Hill showing both signals in the dropped position?

I have marked just below the line of the railway in red. The red cross is the location of the crossing.

Philip

[Phodgetts]

I believe that this practise was rare in Britain, but much more common in the USA where the signal was usually a raised and lowered ball. Was the ferry owned by the railway company? If so, that would be a very strong pointer.

I don't believe the ferry was owned by what was BR at the time of the photo, and I don't think the LNER owned it prior to WW2 as it is not marked on a 1934 LNER property map I have of the area. It is simply marked as High Ferry. It was owned and operated I think by the Blyth Harbour Commision. When the ferry was not in use it seemed to be kept at the Harbour Commision's own dock. There are pictures of it at the BHC dock. A fascinating subject.

Philip

[Redroger]

The entire area is rooted in the very origin of railways, so it would be unsurprising to me if at some time early in its history the harbour was not at least part owned by an early railway company. From the red line shown on the picture, it would seem that the line was industrial terminating at a siding,probably owned by a company.

[Phodgetts]

The Port of Blyth (previously Blyth Harbour Commission) was an independent trust.

http://www.portofblyth.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=65

It has never been owned by a railway company, though it has worked in harmony with the railways of the region since their first inception. Here is a link to a historical photo of the ferry on the Port of Blyth website in its context to the ferry signal and the staithes on the North Blyth side of the river.

http://www.portofblyth.co.uk/index.php?option=com_zoom&Itemid=54&catid=2

Yes, the red line on the map of Worcester marks what was the Vinegar Branch, which did terminate within a short distance of where the end of the red line lies.

Philip