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L&SWR/SR Single Line Sections
West Country Railway Archives
L&SWR Crest L&SWR and Southern Railway
Single-Line Sections
and their methods of working		 L&SwR Crest
Index to Lines List of Sections Key to Methods of Working

This page gives details of single-line block sections on West Country lines of the former London & South Western Railway, Southern Railway, and British Railways (Southern Region). For details of other West Country lines please see the Register of Single-Line Sections page. For general information about the block working of single-line sections please read the Introduction to Single-Line Block Working page.

This page was updated last on 19 September 2021. Further information will be added as it becomes available. Lines are listed geographically from east to west, and their individual sections are listed in line order. There is an alphabetical Index to Lines for quick access to individual lines.

© CJL Osment 2002-21

Key to L&SWR/SR Methods of Working
EKT Electric Key Token (see note) METS Miniature Electric Train Staff ('M' type)
ETT Electric Train Tablet (type unknown) NSKT No Signalman Key Token
ETT 1 Tyer's No 1 ETT OES One Engine in Steam (train staff) [later re-named One Train Working (OTW)]
ETT 3 Tyer's No 3 ETT
ETT 6 Tyer's No 6 ETT TST Train Staff & Ticket
ETT 7 Tyer's No 7 ETT YARD Yard Working

NOTE: in many cases EKT working was introduced in British Railways days on lines which had passed from the control of the Southern Region to the Western Region. Unless otherwise indicated, any entry in the table below for EKT introduced after 1948 on a section west of Exeter may be assumed to be of the BR(WR) pattern. The BR(WR) key-tokens were made of alloy, whereas most of the BR(SR) examples were brass.

Index to L&SWR/SR Lines
Amesbury Exmouth Lyme Regis Seaton
Bodmin Fawley Lymington Sidmouth
Bude Fordingbridge Lynton Swanage
Budleigh Salterton Hamworthy North Cornwall Torrington
Callington Hurn North Devon Turnchapel
Cattewater Ilfracombe Okehampton Wendfordbridge
Chard Longparish Ruthernbridge

L&SWR / Southern Railway Sections
From To Method Config Notes
Longparish line
Hurstbourne Junction Fullerton Junction Double Track 1885-1913 Note 53
ETT 6   1913-34
Longparish OES   1934-56?
Amesbury Branch
Grateley Newton Tony Junction ETT 6   1904-54
Amesbury ETT 6   1954-63 Note 25
Newton Tony Junction Newton Tony ETT 6   1901-04
Double track 1904-54
Newton Tony Amesbury ETT 6   1901-04
Double track 1904-53
TST   1953-1954 Note 25
Amesbury Bulford ETT 6   1906-14
Ratfyn ETT 6?   1914-19
Bulford ETT 6   1919-35
NSKT A 1935-63 Note 19
Ratfyn Bulford ETT 6?   1914-19
Fordingbridge line
Alderbury Junction Downton TST   c1875-1885
ETT 1   1885-c1911
ETT 6 A? c1911-1922
Breamore ETT 6 B 1922-64
Downton Breamore TST   c1875-1885
ETT 1   1885-c1911
ETT 6 B? c1911-1922
Breamore Fordingbridge TST   c1875-1885
ETT 1   1885-c1911
ETT 6 A c1911- 1964
Fordingbridge Verwood TST   c1875-1885
ETT 1   1885-c1911
ETT 6 B c1911-1964 Short section
West Moors METS C 1931-64 Long section
Verwood West Moors TST   c1875-1885
ETT 1   1885-c1911
ETT 6 A c1911-1964 Short section
Fawley Branch
Eling Junction
(1950 renamed Totton)		 Fawley ETT 7   1925-43
Marchwood EKT   1943-82 Note 18
Marchwood Fawley ETT 7   1943-59 Note 34
EKT   1959-60 Note 34 Note 24
Frost Lane Crossing EKT   1960-80
Fawley GF OTW   1980-87
NSKT   1987 onwards Note 24
Frost Lane Crossing Fawley EKT   1960-78
OTW   1978-80
Lymington Branch
Lymington Junction Lymington Town OES   Until ?
TST Square Red ?1884-1898
ETT 6 A 1898-1967 Note 41
Lymington Pier OES   1967-1978 Note 9
Lymington Town Lymington Pier TST Diamond Green 1884-1898
ETT 6 B 1898-1967
Hurn line   (line closed 1935)
Ringwood West Note 59 Hurn TST   by 1895-1898?
ETT 6   ?1898-1927
Christchurch Junction ETT 6   1927-35
Hurn Note 60 Christchurch East     until 1886
Christchurch Junction TST   by 1895-1898?
ETT 6   ?1898-1927
Christchurch East Christchurch West Double Track Note 61
Christchurch West Bournemouth East Note 62     until 1885 Note 63
Bournemouth 'A' Note 62     1885-86 Note 63
Hamworthy area
Hamworthy Junction Broadstone Double Track Until 1932
EKT C 1932-66
Hamworthy Junction Hamworthy (Goods) Double Track Until 1905
OES Diamond 1905-38
NSKT B 1938 onwards Note 1
Swanage Branch
Worgret Junction Corfe Castle TST   Until 1898
ETT 6   1898-1914
ETT 7   1914-61 Note 36
EKT   1961-72 Note 36
Furzebrook OES   From 1972 Note 8
Corfe Castle Swanage TST   Until 1898
ETT 6 B 1898-1967 Note 42
OES Note 23 1967-1972 Note 42
Chard Branch
Chard Junction Chard Town / Chard Joint TST Round Red by 1892-1898? Note 21
Chard Town ETT   ?1898-1916
Chard (Joint) ETT 6   1917-1935
OES Key 1935-66?
Chard Town Chard South (GWR) TST   ?1898-1916
 for sections northwards from Chard Joint see GWR Lines
Lyme Regis Branch
Axminster Lyme Regis OES?   1903-1906
Combpyne ETT   1906-1921
Lyme Regis ETT 6   1921-1960 Note 35
OES   1960-65 Note 35
Combpyne Lyme Regis ETT   1906-1921
Seaton Branch
Seaton Junction Seaton TST Round Red by 1892-1899
Colyton ETT 6   1899-1922 Note 2
Seaton ETT 6 A 1899-1965
OES   1965-66
Colyton Seaton ETT 6   1899-1922 Note 2
Sidmouth Branch
Sidmouth Junction Sidmouth TST   1874-1884
Tipton St Johns Note 54 TST Square Green 1885-1898?
Ottery St Mary Note 54 ETT 3   ?1898-1955 Note 29
ETT 6 A 1955-67 Note 29
Ottery St Mary Tipton St Johns ETT 3   ?1898-1955 Note 29
ETT 6 B 1955-67 Note 29
Tipton St Johns Sidmouth TST Round Red 1885-1898?
ETT 3   ?1898-1954 Note 27
ETT 6 A 1954-67 Note 27
Budleigh Salterton line
Tipton St Johns Budleigh Salterton OES   1897-1903
ETT 6 C 1903-67
Budleigh Salterton Littleham ETT 6 B 1903-67
Littleham Exmouth ETT 6 A 1903-67
Exmouth Branch
Exmouth Junction Topsham TST Round Red by 1892-1908
Double Track 1908-44
Newcourt Double Track 1944-73
Topsham Note 5 1973-88
Newcourt Topsham Double Track 1944-73
Topsham Exmouth TST Half-moon Green by 1892-? Note 55
Lympstone     Note 55
ETT 6 C ?-1962
Exmouth ETT 6 B 1962-1968
OTW Round Red 1968-? Note 1
Lympstone Exmouth     Note 55
ETT 6 B ?-1962
Okehampton line
Cowley Bridge Junction Crediton EKT   A Singled 1984?
Crediton Okehampton EKT   Singled 1971
OTW   From 1972
Meldon Quarry Meldon Junction EKT D Singled 1966, Closed 1968
St Budeaux Junction Note 22 Gunnislake OTW   Singled 1970
Callington Branch
Bere Alston Calstock TST Note 3 Until 1968
Gunnislake OTW Round Red 1968-1970 Note 1
Calstock Gunnislake ETT 7   Until 1951?
EKT Note 16 1951?-1968
Gunnislake Callington TST   Until 1916?
ETT 7 B  1916? - 1962/63
EKT B 1962/63-68 (SR type)
Turnchapel Branch
Plymouth Friary 'A' Plymstock OES   1892-1896
TST Round Red 1897-98
Cattewater Junction ETT 6   1898-1963?
Worked as Siding? 1963
Plymstock ETT 6 C Long section 1938 - 63?
Worked as Siding? 1963 onwards
Cattewater Junction Plymstock ETT 6   1898-1963?
Worked as Siding? 1963
Plymstock Turnchapel ETT 3 A 1897-1961 Note 48
 for branch to Yealmpton see GWR Lines
Cattewater Branch
Cattewater Junction Cattewater goods OES Round Green 1898-?
YARD By 1930
North Devon line     Note 51
Crediton Eggesford EKT C 1971-87 Note 1
Coleford Junction Copplestone TST   1877-1883 Note 51
Double Track 1883-1971
Copplestone Morchard Road     1873-1892 Note 51
ETT 3   1892-1952 Note 46
EKT A 1952-64 Note 46
Lapford EKT B 1964-70
Eggesford EKT C 1970-71
Morchard Road Lapford     1873-1892 Note 51
ETT 3   1892-1952 Note 31
EKT B 1952-64 Note 31
Lapford Eggesford     1873-1892 Note 51
ETT 3   1892-1953 Note 32
EKT C 1953-67 Note 32
King's Nympton EKT D? 1967-69 Note 10
Eggesford EKT C 1969-70
Eggesford Note 10 South Molton Road Note 57     1873-1892 Note 51
ETT 3 B 1892-1953 Note 33
EKT D 1953-67 Note 33
EKT D 1969-70
Umberleigh EKT D 1970-71
Barnstaple EKT D 1971-87 Note 1
South Molton Road Note 57 Portsmouth Arms     1873-1892 Note 51
ETT 3   1892-1955 Note 28
EKT A 1955-66 Note 28
Umberleigh EKT A 1966-70
Portsmouth Arms Umberleigh     1873-1892 Note 51
ETT 3   1892-1955 Note 28
EKT B 1955-66 Note 28
Umberleigh (Barnstaple Junction)     1873-1890 Note 51
Chapelton Double Track 1890-1966
Barnstaple Junction 'A' (ex-East) 1966-1971
Chapelton Pill Bridge Double Track 1890-97
Barnstaple Junction East (later 'A') 1897-1966
Pill Bridge Barnstaple Junction East TST   1890-91
Double Track 1891-97
Ilfracombe line     Note 50
Barnstaple Junction West
Note 11		 Braunton TST   1874-1890
Pottington TST  Round Red 1890-1895?
ETT 3   ?1895-1898
Barnstaple Town ETT 3   1898-1910
ETT 6 B 1910-1967
EKT C 1967-70
Barnstaple Town Pottington ETT 3 A 1898-1967 Note 4
Ilfracombe OES Round Red # 1967-70 #with 'A' pattern Annett's Key
Braunton Mortehoe TST   1874-89
Mortehoe Ilfracombe TST   1874-91
For Lynton & Barnstaple Railway see Minor Lines
Torrington lines
Barnstaple Junction West
Note 11 & Note 49		 Fremington TST Half-round Yellow by 1892-1894?
ETT 3   ?1894-1952 Note 30
EKT A 1952-68 Note 30
Instow TST Round Red 1968-79 Note 12
Torrington TST Round Red 1979-80 Note 12
OTW Round Red 1980-83
Fremington Instow TST Round Red by 1892-1894?
ETT 3   ?1894-1952 Note 30
EKT B 1952-68 Note 30
Instow Bideford TST Square Green by 1892-1894? Note 58
ETT 3   ?1894-?
ETT 6   By 1911-1920
ETT 7   1920-51
EKT C 1951-67
Torrington EKT C 1967-68
TST Square Blue 1968-79 Note 13
Bideford Torrington TST Round Blue by 1892-1894?
ETT 3   1894?-1915
ETT 6   1915-51
EKT D 1951-67
Torrington Petrockstow ETT 6 B 1925-67 Note 17
Meeth Worked as Siding From 1967
Petrockstow Hatherleigh ETT 6 A 1925-65
Meeth Worked as Siding 1965-1967 Note 6
Hatherleigh Hole ETT 6 B 1925-65
Hole Halwill Junction ETT 6 A 1925-65
Bude Branch
Meldon Junction Ashbury TST Diamond Blue 1879-1894
ETT 3   1894-1899
Maddaford Moor ETT 6   1899-1919
Ashbury ETT 6 A  1919-66?
Maddaford Moor Ashbury ETT 3   1899-1919
Ashbury Halwill Junction TST Round Red 1879-1894
ETT 3   1894-1943
EKT B 1943-66 (SR-type)
Halwill Junction Dunsland Cross TST Square Yellow 1879-98?
ETT 3 C ?1898-1961 Note 39
EKT D 1961-66 Note 39
Holsworthy EKT D Jan-Oct 1966 (SR-type)
Dunsland Cross Holsworthy TST Half-round Green 1879-98?
ETT 3 A ?1898-Jan 1966
Holsworthy Whitstone & Bridgerule ETT 6   1898-1954 Note 26
EKT A 1954-66 Note 26
Whitstone & Bridgerule Bude ETT 6 A 1898-1951?
EKT B by 1952-1966
North Cornwall line
Halwill Junction Ashwater TST Diamond Green 1886-1894
ETT 3   1894-1961
EKT C 1961-65 Note 37
Launceston EKT C 1965-66 (SR-type)
Ashwater Tower Hill TST Square Yellow 1886-1894
ETT 3   1894-1920
Launceston ETT 3   1920-43 Note 14
Tower Hill ETT 6 B 1943-65
Tower Hill Launceston TST Round Blue 1886-1894
ETT 3   1894-1920 Note 14
ETT 6 A 1943-1965
Launceston Egloskerry TST Half-round Green 1892-1894
ETT 3 B 1894-1960
ETT 6 1960-66 Note 43
Egloskerry Tresmeer TST Triangular Red 1892-1894
ETT 3 A 1894-1960
ETT 6 1960-65 Note 44
Camelford EKT A 1965-66 (SR-type)
Tresmeer Otterham TST Oblong Yellow 1893-94 Note 56
ETT 3 B 1894-1960 Note 45
ETT 6 1960-Feb 1965
Camelford     Feb-Nov 1965
Otterham Camelford TST Oblong Blue 1893-94 Note 56
ETT 3 A 1894-1961 Note 40
EKT A 1961-65 Note 40
Camelford Delabole TST   1893-94
ETT 3   1894-1923
ETT 6 B 1923-66 Note 47
Delabole Port Isaac Road ETT 3   1895-1923
ETT 6 A 1923-66 Note 47
Port Isaac Road St Kew Highway ETT 3   1895-1961 Note 38
EKT B 1961-65 Note 38
Wadebridge East EKT B 1965-66 (SR-type)
St Kew Highway Wadebridge Junction ETT 3   1895-1907
Wadebridge East ETT 3   1907-54 Note 20
EKT A 1954-65 Note 20
Wadebridge Junction Wadebridge East ETT 3   1895-1907
Wadebridge West Padstow ETT 6 A 1899-1966
OES Round Red 1966-67 Note 7
Bodmin Branch
Wadebridge Junction Boscarne Junction     1895-1907
Wadebridge (East) Boscarne Junction ETT 3 B 1907-67
Wadebridge (West) Worked as siding 1967-78
Boscarne Junction Bodmin North ETT 3    
ETT 6 A By 1923-67
Dunmere Jcn GF

Worked as siding

 1967-?
 for branch to Bodmin General see GWR Lines
Ruthernbridge Branch
Grogley Junction Note 15 Ruthernbridge Worked as siding Closed 1933
Wenfordbridge Branch
Boscarne Junction Note 52 Wenfordbridge Worked as siding Closed 1983
NOTES:
1 See Current Lines table for subsequent details.
2 Colyton was not a regular block post. During peak holiday periods additional ETT instruments were brought into use at Colyton under special arrangements to split the branch into two sections, but this was not normal switchable long/short section working. The additional instruments were removed in 1922 and Colyton was reduced to GF status thereafter.
3 Staff was round steel rod. SR records state green tickets, but it has been claimed that in BR days the tickets were blue.
4 Some BR(SR)-pattern brass key tokens ('A' configuration) exist for this section, but it is believed that these were manufactured for replacement work that was never done.
5 Worked by Acceptance Lever and track-circuit block. See Current Lines table for subsequent details.
6 Line from Meeth to Halwill Junction closed completely in 1965.
7 ETT replaced by OES 9-Jan-1966. Staff provided with Annetts Key 'A' for unlocking Padstow GF.
8 Line closed completely south of Furzebrook sidings in 1972. Worgret SB replaced by GF in 1976.
9 Lymington Junction abolished 1978 and branch extended as independent line to Brockenhurst. See Current Lines table for subsequent details.
10 Eggesford signal-box closed (flood damage) Nov 1967, new box opened 1969.
11 Renamed Barnstaple Junction 'B' in 1949.
12 Staff and Metal tickets provided with Annetts Key 'A' for unlocking Fremington GFs.
13 Staff provided with Annetts Key 'B' (paper tickets).
14 Tower Hill signal-box closed 1920, new box opened 1943.
15 Grogley Junction was only an intermediate ground-frame in the Wadebridge East - Boscarne Junction section.
16 One document mentions 'B' configuration, but some contemporary information suggests 'A' and a surviving key-less example (WR pattern alloy) has traces of red paint.
17 Example of these tablets which have been sighted are marked 'Torrington Jct' rather than just 'Torrington'.
18 Totton SB closed 1982 and section then converted to TCB working to Eastleigh panel.
19 Altered 9-April-1935. SR pattern key-token, but alloy not brass (originally?).
20 ETT replaced by EKT 25 July 1954 (WR pattern key-token)
21 According to L&SWR Instruction 88/1892 the TS&T section extended to both Chard Town and Chard Joint. Nothing is known about the working between the original L&SWR and GWR boxes at Chard Joint. See the Chard Branch page for more details.
22 Formerly the ex-GWR St Budeaux Ferry Road signal-box
23 Originally triangular wooden staff (varnished), but replaced at unknown date by round steel staff
24 An example of a 'Marchwood - Fawley' Key Token has been sighted which was alloy, 'D' configuration notch, square hole in a round handle with red band. Another example was brass (bronze?), 'B' configuration notch, with uncoloured square handle and hole. It is not known from which periods those examples originate.
25 Line singled Amesbury - Newton Tony 25-Oct-1953. Line singled Newton Tony - Newton Tony Junction and Newton Tony Junction abolished 17-Oct-1954.
26 ETT replaced by EKT 26-May-1954 (WR pattern key-token).
27 ETT3 replaced by ETT6 28-Feb-1954.
28 ETT replaced by EKT 16-Jan-1955 (WR pattern key-token).
29 ETT3 replaced by ETT6 20-Nov-1955.
30 ETT replaced by EKT 6-Apr-1952 (WR pattern key-token).
31 ETT replaced by EKT 14-Dec-1952 (WR pattern key-token).
32 ETT replaced by EKT 15-Feb-1953 (WR pattern key-token).
33 ETT replaced by EKT 8-Mar-1953 (WR pattern key-token).
34 ETT replaced by EKT 26-Apr-1959. 
35 ETT replaced by OES 27-Mar-1960.
36 ETT replaced by EKT 17/18-June-1961.
37 ETT replaced by EKT 27-Aug-1961 (SR pattern key-token).
38 ETT replaced by EKT 24-Sep-1961 (SR pattern key-token).
39 ETT replaced by EKT 10-Dec-1961 (SR pattern key-token).
40 ETT replaced by EKT 17-Dec-1961 (SR pattern key-token).
41 ETT replaced by OES 3-April-1967.
42 ETT replaced by OES 6-June-1967.
43 ETT3 replaced by ETT6 26-June-1960.
44 ETT3 replaced by ETT6 3-July-1960.
45 ETT3 replaced by ETT6 10-July-1960.
46 ETT replaced by EKT 10-March-1952 (WR pattern key-token).
47 Although some examples exist of Camelford - Delabole tablets re-engraved as Camelford - Port Isaac Road, photographic evidence suggests that Delabole was still a block post when the line closed and no formal record has been found of any earlier closure and amendment to the block sections.
48 Although ETT3 was in use by 1923, there is circumstantial evidence that a different pattern may have been used initially.
49 Barnstaple Junction 'B' signal-box closed 1971 and section extended to former 'A' box renamed 'Barnstaple'.
50 Line from Barnstaple Junction West to Ilfracombe opened in 1874 as single-track, but all doubled 1889-91 except for Barnstaple Junction West to Pottington.
51 In 1873 new signal-boxes were erected at all the intermediate passing-loops and block working introduced (as far as Umberleigh) using the single-line variant of Preece's 3-wire instruments, but the relevant L&SWR Instruction 133/1873 makes no mention of TS&T working. However the abolition of TS&T working was mentioned specifically in connection with the subsequent doubling of various sections of the line in 1883 and 1890. Consequently the situation prior to 1892 is unclear.
52 The actual divergence of the branch was at Dunmere Junction ground-frame, within the Boscarne Junction - Bodmin North section.
53 Line from Hurstbourne Jcn to Fullerton Jcn singled in 1913 and closed completely from Hurstbourne Jcn to Longparish in 1934.
54 According to L&SWR Instruction 601/1884 Tipton St John became a staff post at noon on 31-December-1884, but its prior status is unclear. The early status of Ottery St Mary is also unclear, as it was not listed as a staff post in 1892 yet appears to have had a passing-loop by 1889 (if not from opening).
55 The status of the signal-boxes at Woodbury Road and Lympstone during the period of TS&T working is unclear.
56 L&SWR Instruction 140/1893 depicted the Tresmeer-Otterham staff with a vertical oblong and the Otterham-Camelford staff with an horizontal oblong, but it is unclear how these 'oblongs' differed in practice.
57 Renamed King's Nympton in 1951.
58 The status of Bideford Junction box, located between Instow and Bideford, is unknown but it may have acted as an intermediate block, but not staff, post prior to 1894.
59 Renamed Ringwood on 20-Jan-1929 (when Ringwood East reduced to GF status).
60 Various sources suggest station originally named Hearne, or Hearne Bridge and renamed Hearne in 1888, and renamed Hurn in 1897.
61 In 1886 Christchurch East and West boxes were closed and replaced by a new Christchurch Junction box, in readiness for the opening of the new line from Lymington Junction via Sway. The station was reduced to a goods depot and replaced by a new station further to the west.
62 Station opened as Bournemouth in 1870, renamed Bournemouth East in 1874/5. Replaced in 1885 by new Bournemouth East station further west, renamed Bournemouth Central in 1899.
63 Extension opened in 1870 as single-line from Christchurch to Bournemouth, the latter renamed Bournemouth East in 1874/5, extended to new Bournemouth East station in 1885, and doubled in 1886. From 1888 onwards it became part of the new line from Lymington Junction via Sway to Branksome (which is not covered in this Register) and remains in use.

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Page last updated: 19 September 2021
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