An unusual working at the end of the day.

Back at Wittersham Road today for my last turn in the Signal Box until next Easter. A simple 4 train service with only one crossing move at the station.

A beautiful day, clear skies, calm and brilliantly sunny. The station was surrounded by water on most sides with the railway running on an embankment just above the floods.

Arrived at the box to find it had been left "open" rather than closed and switched out at the end of the service yesterday. It seemed that this was owning to faults with the telephone connections from the box and a faulty down platform starter signal. So that made the beginning of the day a little different to usual.

The service worked well, with all trains on time. Just when we thought it'd all be over by the booking off time we got a call to say that a freight train was to run between Rolvenden and Northiam coming to our box and waiting on the through line until the last passenger train had passed through the loop. Then we were to send it on its way to Northiam.

This caused great entertainment in the box as it was an unusual working. So after the passenger train had departed we shunted the freight into the loop, closed the box with the train in the platform (which we are allowed to do) then sent the train on its way with the long section staff.

As it was getting dark by the time of the last up train we had to put oil lamps in all the signals that were not electrically lit. For me, that included a 500m walk to the up home signals and a climb to the lamp box on the signal post. (That is, after we'd got the lamps to light). We decided to leave the lamps in and lit as there is a train serivce tomorrow and we didn't fancy the 500m walk along the track in the dark. (which I have done)

In this shot the freight is waiting in the loop for the right of way. The platform lights are on, the oil lights in the up signals can be seen and steam is drifting around the loco. A good end to the season.