Semaphore sunset on the Wherry Lines

摘要

The Wherry Lines have, in recent years, been viewed as a sleepy backwater of the UK railway system, with archaic rolling stock and semaphore signalling dating back to the Victorian era, but not anymore. With the introduction of modern trains in the form of smooth-riding Abellio Greater Anglia Stadler Class 755 bi-mode units and the completion of Network Rail's £68 million Norwich, Yarmouth and Lowestoft re-signalling scheme, they will finally form part of a network fit for the 21st century. The renewal programme saw the closure of seven heritage mechanical signal boxes at Brundall Junction, Acle, Yarmouth Vauxhall, Cantley, Reedham Junction (this closed during a 2019 phase of re-signalling works, on March 22), Oulton Broad North Station and Lowestoft, and the gate boxes at Lingwood Station Lane, Chapel Lane and Strumpshaw. Remote signalling control (using solid state interlocking) of the 46.5 mile network of Wherry Lines has transferred to two workstations at the Railway Operating Centre (ROC) at Colchester.