Snodland Signal Box: Behind the Scenes

Snodland Signal Box

Behind the Scenes

After an operational life of around 120 years, the signal box's career was brought to a close on 23rd June 2013 when its functions were transferred to the cabin at Aylesford. This arrangement is a short-term measure, for in 2015 it is proposed that control of the entire Medway Valley Line will transfer to the ''North Kent Operations Centre'' at Gillingham. Of the latter, the structure for this had originally been completed in 1994 as part of the ''Networker'' project and it was to become one of four Integrated Electronic Control Centres (IECC), the others being at Ashford, London Bridge, and Victoria. That at Gillingham never realised its original purpose at the time and the building's shell became an archive for ''Railtrack''. Brought back from the dead as part of Network Rail's ‘’East Kent Resignalling Programme’’, by 3rd January 2012 Gillingham IECC controlled an area stretching from Sittingbourne to Minster (via Herne Bay), and Faversham to Buckland Junction (Dover).

Happily for the cabin at Snodland, protection of its existence was the order of the day and in July 2013, it became one of twenty-six signal boxes nationally to be granted Grade II Listed status. Among that number were also sister cabins along the Medway Valley Line at Cuxton, Aylesford, Maidstone West, and Wateringbury.

15th June 2013

The signal box still presented a tidy appearance when seen little over a week before closure. © Wayne Walsh

15th June 2013

Now within the main clapboard section of the cabin, we can see standard SR block instruments upon the

wooden shelf, these having been used for communication with adjacent signal boxes. Hanging up to the

left is a line gradient chart, whilst upon the desk can be seen a computer system which would be quite at

home in the 1980s! © Wayne Walsh

15th June 2013

This is the signalling switchboard, seen in the previous photograph sitting upon the wooden shelf, showing the

boundaries between Snodland and neighbouring cabins at Cuxton and Aylesford. © Wayne Walsh

15th June 2013

A close-up of the gradient chart of the northern part of the Medway Valley Line between Strood and Maidstone

West (extending on the diagram to East Farleigh), dated 10th July 1961. Click the above for a larger version.

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