BIRMINGHAM New Street’s iconic signalbox, with its Brutalist external appearance, signalled its last train on December 24.
Opening in 1966 and replacing 64 manual signalboxes, situated at the west end of the station’s throat, the Grade II Listed structure controlled between Hampdenin-Arden, through Birmingham and towards Stourbridge and was one of four power signalboxes in the region.
Controlling up to 1200 trains per day, the signalbox houses a huge telephone exchange linked to mechanical relays controlling signals and points, staff manually setting safe routes for trains through the busiest station outside of London.
Grade II status was conferred on the signalbox in 1995, the citation referencing its ‘dramatic and exceptional architectural quality’ and ‘strongly sculptural form’.
It is the only surviving signalbox to use the Westpac Mk.1 signalling system. However, since 2005, as technology has improved and spare parts are increasingly difficult to obtain, the control area of the ’ box has been gradually reduced as signalling has been modernised and sections transferred to West Midlands Signalling Centre in Saltley.
Final closure came during the Christmas shutdown with the transfer of the area controlled to Saltley, the final piece of a £700m jigsaw to digitalise the West Midlands railway network.
No longer signalling trains, early suggestions to repurpose the
