Signalmen are the eyes and ears of the railway
By: Web Editor
IN the same month that the editor calls for ‘night watchmen’ to help combat the problems preserved railways are experiencing through metal theft (Sep issue), it is reported that Network Rail is planning to eliminate virtually all mechanical signalboxes.
Over the years, signalmen have effectively been the eyes and ears of the railway and, with their elimination, I wonder how much money Network Rail will really save. In Yorkshire, as in many areas of the country, millions of pounds are lost due to cable theft and general vandalism and it’s probably no coincidence that the worst-affected areas are those where, for mile after mile, there are no permanently-employed railway officials.
If the cost of such problems were put alongside the savings made by the installation of power signalling, I suspect they might make interesting reading!
EDDIE PARKER,
Beverley, East Yorkshire
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