Handing over of the Section Key

We took Jasper and his best doggy friend Archie on a big walk today (approx 7 miles).

On our way out we had to cross the train line and were lucky enough to see a "double header" - basically a steam train at both ends of the carriages. Never seen this before but its a special event to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the line being closed as part of the Beeching Act.

Anyway, as its a single track steam line, every time the train passes a signal box the driver/fireman needs to swap a "section key" with the signal man (as seen here).

If the train doesn't have the right section key it cannot go any further. It is apparently a failsafe to ensure that only one train at a time is using parts of the track.