Grimsby Docks station


(authors collection)
A busy picture of Grimsby Docks station taken in the early years of the 20th Century.


(photo - Dave Bell)
A superb shot taken from the footbridge at Grimsby Docks station. Virtually none of the buildings seen here remain,
all sidings, station building, cooling towers and maltings have gone. The station is now reduced to a single platform and bus type shelter.

Notes on semaphore signals at this location on above photo

(courtesy of John Nicholson)

Looking from left to right, we have the New Bridge Siding Down Distant.  This was "Fixed" meaning that it was not wired to be pulled off and as such was a simple warning to drivers to go forward at caution and look carefully at each signal beyond.  Most "Distants" could be "Pulled off", but only when all stop signals - classically two - in the block were pulled off.   A driver seeing a Distant pulled off could proceed at full line speed through the ensuing block section, though it was still his duty to observe the individual signals, any one of which might have been placed "On" because of an emergency. (Not a regular occurrence!)

On the other side of the same post we have the Cleethorpe Road Junction Up Starter for the main route forward (Hence the higher post).  A starting signal, as opposed to a Home signal, is a signal which permits a train to pass into the following Block Section, in this case Fish Dock Road.  Underneath it is the Fish Dock Road Up Distant, also "Fixed".

On the centre post is the signal for the route into Royal Dock East Side.  This would be a Home signal since there was no block section beyond - it leads to sidings.  Indeed, looking back, I am rather puzzled as to why and how it was a "Running signal" rather than a subsidiary signal of some sort. Does any old hand have any knowledge to expand on that?

The right hand post has on it the Cleethorpe Road Junction Starting signal for the route to Union Dock, which was a conventional block section.  As with other similar slow speed locations, there was a dispensation from any requirement to provide a distant signal, so there isn't one!

Both Fish Dock Road and Union Dock boxes were barely a quarter mile beyond Cleethorpe Road Junction box, New Bridge Siding a little more.


(photo - Dave Bell)
Black 5 44817 heads an excursion train through Grimsby Docks station in early 1960s.


(photo - Dave Bell)
Jubilee 45562 "Alberta" with a Cleethorpes special from Leeds area 21st May 1961.

 
(photo - Dave Bell)
An improvised headboard on 45217.

 
(photo - Dave Bell)
A named B1 61015 "Duiker" en route to Cleethorpes.

 
(photo - Dave Bell)
K3 61948(?) with Gresley coach behind tender.

 
(photo - Dave Bell)
Dave Bell says Grimsby Docks was his favourite place for spotting on a summer Sunday
or Bank Holiday Monday - with this variety of steam power it`s easy to see why!

 
(photo - Dave Bell)
Finally a rarity to the area, a V2 loco, passing through Grimsby Docks
with a Cleethorpes excursion train.


(photo - Jim Smith)
Grimsby Docks down platform station buildings in 1972, with The Royal Hotel seen on left.

(photo - Jim Smith)
Grimsby Docks up platform - 1972.
(photo - Jim Smith)
The now demolished footbridge which spanned the Cleethorpes line and the access to docks west side.
The Riby Square flyover can be seen beyond the footbridge with Dock Offices clock tower on left. 1972.
(photo - Jim Smith)
The line to Royal & Union Dock once passed under the left side of footbridge.
(photo - Jim Smith)
Following demolition of the footbridge the flyover is now the only way to cross the single line to Cleethorpes.

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