Leek Brook Junction Question
(3 years ago) NSRC News Posted by NSRC 1978
We require the assistance of our more knowledgeable supporters out there. We are trying to decipher the history, and present status, of our Grade II listed box at Leek Brook Junction. We have two questions that we are unable to get a straight answer for, and hope there is someone out there who can help.
1) Is Leek Brook South the oldest box still standing in its original position? When one of our directors had it listed thirteen years ago, only two older boxes were found - one altered/in use box in the South West from 1866 and one moved from its original location to the Midland Railway Centre from 1865. We have three documented dates of late 1840s, 1867 and 1872. Any clarification would be appreciated.
2) When the box becomes operational once more, will this make it the oldest operational signal box in England/the North/anywhere? Will it be the oldest working box still in its original location?
Having trawled through numerous documents our volunteers are puzzled with the seemingly conflicting information we have. We know it opened as Cheddleton Junction, was renamed Leek Brook South, then the internal lever frame got upgraded in 1905 to accommodate the Waterhouses branch, and it was altered once more in 1935 following the closure of North and East boxes when the surviving box lost its South title. But what other fascinating facts lay hidden away?