Hoylake Station Signal Box

Hoylake Station Signal Box Circa 1981/2

I have long had an interest in railways which began as a child and was inspired my father's love of model railways and the fact that we lived across the road from Birkenhead Steam Shed situated in Mollington Street. The sound of engines shunting is one of my earliest childhood memories combined with watching the coal lorries come and go from the coal yard which was alongside the shed. The sound of the shunting was combined with the periodic clattering of the coal from the hoppers into the tenders of the huge British Rail 9Fs which would probably be starting their run on the iron ore trains from Bidston Dock to Shotton Steel Works.

I will return to my railway memories from the 50's and 60's at a later date. While researching another topic, I came across some information on Hoylake's former signal box. In the early 80's, I had another spell of interest in railways travelling all over the country. I regret now that I didn't record too much of the local scene especially the architecture because so many parts of the Merseyrail system have been demolished since then. This is especially true of the signal boxes including Hoylake Station's signal box which was demolished in 1994 as part of the re-signalling of the Wirral Line.

The above photo was taken on a summer's day after we had alighted from a train on route to a visit to Red Rocks in Hoylake. I can recall seeing the Class 503 approaching and thought the backdrop of the signal box would add an element of interest. It was taken from the footbridge over the line.

Hoylake Station is a wonderful example of art deco railway architecture and was recently restored to it's former glory for the Open Golf Tournament this summer which the town hosted to great success. One pleasing aspects of the planning of the tournament's success was the use of the Merseyrail system to transport the spectators to and from the golf course.

The first Hoylake Station was originally part of the the Seacombe, Hoylake & Deeside Railway (SHD) which was a late provider of proper signalling - Hoylake box opened in 1889. The Board of Trade were not impressed when they inspected the new work either, finding the level crossing hand-worked and not interlocked, with the signal box at the other end of the station controlling the good yard. They suggested the box be moved nearer the level crossing but this advice was ignored.

However, when the line was doubled from the Birkenhead direction in 1895, they found the situation unaltered. At their first inspection (on 5th November) they demanded the gates be interlocked with the box. They returned on the 19th to check the newly completed arrangements and then stipulated once again that the box must be moved. It was only then that the box was moved to the position seen here, next to the level crossing.

The box was of standard Railway Signal Company design, although the lower row of windows normally provided on that design did not appear on any boxes in this area. Hoylake box did not remain in the SHD's ownership for long - passing to the Wirral Railway in 1891.

Inside the box was a standard Railway Signal Company lever frame of twenty-one levers (the original frame had just thirteen), and as can be seen nearly all were operational. The red and yellow lever (with white band) controls an Intermediate Block Home signal at Meols which was provided after the box there was abolished.

At the far end of the frame is the gate wheel, whilst visible on the block shelf is one of the two London & North Western type block instruments. It is likely these were installed during London, Midland and Scottish Railway ownership, replacing one-wire, two position instruments previously in use.

I was fortunate during the early 80's to firstly live next to a driver who took me on several cab rides around the Wirral Line and then I moved next door to the signal box man for New Brighton who let me into the box on several occasions.