The ex Upper Portland Sidings signal box has been purchased but needs to be restored, and installed, to control the trains at Holt. This is a vitally important precursor to the development of the station complex there. Please help us give a new lease of life to this historic box.
Donations by credit card or Switch may be made through our secure server for this project. Or we would welcome people with joinery or glazing skills. Please help if you can. Contact Enquiries@nnr.co.uk for further details.
Upper Portland Sidings signal box was situated on the former Midland Railway secondary line running from Pye Bridge Junction to Worksop via Mansfield. In latter years, this double track route has been mainly used for coal traffic although the section from Kirkby Summit Junction northwards has recently been incorporated into the 'Robin Hood Line' scheme, meaning that passenger trains once again run on part of the route.
The box itself is a Midland Railways type 3a (similar to the box formerly provided at Stalham on the M&GN) and opened on 19th March 1905. The adjacent boxes were Pinxton (still open) 1 mile 544 yards to the west and Bentinck Colliery Sidings 1689 yards towards Kirkby Summit with absolute block working between.
A 20 lever Midland frame was provided, controlling a layout which included a main line crossover with up and down trailing connections to the various colliery sidings and also a mechanical bolt release to a three lever ground frame in the yard. The up distant signal was on the same post as Bentinck Colliery's up starter and would therefore have been slotted with this signal.
The wheel worked level crossing gates, on the busy B6018 road which ran south from Sutton in Ashfield, had an unusual mechanism that only moved one gate at a time to avoid hitting one another. The gates were notoriously difficult to operate in high winds and often an extra member of staff had to be called on to assist!
The frame was shortened to twelve levers around the time that the gates were replaced with full barriers controlled from the box.
Closure finally came on 3rd. February 1988 when an Automatic Half Barrier crossing was commissioned, leaving the block section as Pinxton - Kirkby Summit Junction.
The frame is a 4.5 inch pitch REC type with tappet interlocking, a development of the earlier Midland Railway Co. tumbler and tappet frames, and very similar in appearance with the locking above operating floor level. This frame was originally installed in Steeton Station box on the Leeds - Settle Junction line and was installed there in 1940.
The cost of the whole signalling project at Holt will be £10,500. The box is now on its base, the roof has been re-slated and made weather-tight. The cast iron guttering and finials have been renewed and repainted. The windows and woodwork in the box are currently being renewed whilst a volunteer has been contracted to make the landing and steps for the box. These will be installed during the summer. This sum will also include the erection of the platform starter signals at Holt.
The project is well underway but we would be very grateful for any assistance, financial or otherwise, you feel you may be able to make to this project.
If you wish to 'purchase' a signal they are available for £100 or ten monthly payments of £10. Contributors may have a name of their choice engraved upon a brass plaque in the box in recognition of their sponsorship and will receive an invitation to the official opening of the Box.
