Resignalling between York and Newcastle

[tango4262]

Does anybody know when the signalling was upgraded from semaphore to colour light on the ECML between York and Newcastle. The WVR route by Derek portrays semaphores and the standard York - Newcastle route portrays colour light signalling.

I understand that Derek's route is set in the 1960's and the ECML route is 1970's?

Could somebody please be kind enough to pinpoint the years that the upgrade took place?


Many thanks


David

[malkymackay]

The ECML between York and Newcastle was changed to colour light signals over a protracted period of well over 40 years. The earliest colour light installations were short runs between Eryholme and Black Banks, north of Northallerton in 1928 and Cowton to Wiske Moor in 1932. The first major scheme was in 1933, when the run between Skelton Bridge and Northallerton was converted to colour lights, along with with laying in of most of the slow lines as present in the old Kuju route. Northallerton station was resignalled in 1939 and the line to Darlington station was dealt with in the same period, so the WVR route's version of Darlington with semaphores is not accurate for it's supposed time period. The remodelling of York started at the same time wasn't finally completed until 1951. Newcastle PSB was finished in 1958 IIRC. The section between Northallerton and Skelton Bridge finally became fully 4 tracked in the early 1960's and Tyne Yard and Gateshead PSB's were opened around the same time. Ferryhill and Durham were dealt with at the end of the 60's/early 1970's to remove the last semaphores. The pre-war works mainly used 3 or 4 aspect searchlight signals but most of these were replaced as equipment became life expired or replaced when Thirsk, Northallerton, and Darlington were simplified around the same time as Ferryhill and Durham were finally dealt with. The last major change to the route, prior to electrication, was the simplification of the north end of York station in 1974 and the removal of Skelton New Yard ( which lay just to the north of the junction with the Harrogate line) in 1977 and that is more less the route as is represented in the game.

EDIT: Nearly forgot, the York area was never fully converted to colour lights until the new signalling scheme in 1990. York Yard North box still controlled semaphores on the station avoiding lines.