St Leonards Bridge Junction

Location type

Junction

Names and dates

St Leonards Bridge Signal Box (1886-1962)
St Leonards Bridge Junction (1962-)

Opened on the Scottish Central Railway.
Opened on the Dundee and Perth Railway.

Description

This was a large signal box to the south of Perth station and the St Leonard's overbridge. The box controlled quite a number of lines. Perth station had a ticket platform, St Leonards Bridge Ticket Platform, 300 yards to the south of the bridge for northbound trains.

It replaced Dundee and Perth Junction box, original name of the junction, and Craigie Bridge Junction box (which was a little to the south). It may have replaced another box called 'Workshops Junction' was to the north - this was probably replaced by Edinburgh Road Bridge Junction Signal Box or perhaps St Leonards Bridge Junction Signal Box.

To the north of the St Leonards Bridge, from west to east, were:

- the double track goods bypass of the Perth passenger station, which ran as far north as Balhousie Junction, from which the approach to Perth Goods [NB] began, controlled from St Leonard's Junction Signal Box (a)

- a double track leading to a three road carriage shed which was on the west side, and adjoining, the station's west wall (b)

- approach to station sidings and through platform 7 and bay platforms 6 and 5, leading to Perth Down Centre Signal Box (c)

- approach to through platform 4 and the Perth Carriage Sidings, leading to Perth Up Centre Signal Box (d)

- approach to 'Hotel Platform' 3 and the Perth Carriage Sidings (e)

- approach to platforms 2 and 1, the Dundee platforms, leading to Orchardbank Signal Box (f)

- goods yard lines (g)

South of the bridge connections were made between these groups of line. In particular the Dundee lines joined the Aberdeen/Inverness lines. Most lines merged to join the central two main lines just north of the cabin and then subdivided again south of the cabin, with the goods line to the west sidestepping the junction but with connections to it.

The groups of lines to the south were, from west to east

- the goods bypass lines, running south to Edinburgh Road Bridge Signal Box, with a connection to Perth Shed [NB], approached from the south (h)

- a headshunt for the carriage sidings (i)

- the double track mainline (j)

- the Dundee loop lines, extending from the south end of the station to near, but to the north of, Edinburgh Road Bridge Signal Box (k)

- a loading bank and sidings leading to three carriage sidings and on to the Perth Railway Works, latterly a carriage and wagon works, and its sidings and on to Edinburgh Road Bridge Signal Box (l)

The box closed in 1962, replaced by the new Perth Signalling Centre (built on the site of the sidings to the south of Perth Shed [NB]) and although there was some rationalisation most lines remained. Removal of the large box allowed some realignment.

Subsequent rationalisation has reduced lines further. The through goods line was closed. With the change from locomotive hauled to use of Sprinters in the late 1980s most of the carriage sidings fell out of use and although used for some years are now largely lifted. The sidings on the east side of the Dundee platform and sidings to the south fell out of use. Lines a, b, g, the the north and h, i, j to the south are all lifted or out of use.

Tags

Junction signal box

Aliases

Dundee and Perth Junction




Chronology Dates

  /  /1847Dundee and Perth Railway
Further Act authorising change of alignment at Perth. The line will now meet the Scottish Central Railway south of Perth station at Dundee and Perth Junction (St Leonards Bridge Junction). Trains from Dundee will reverse into Perth station.

Books


A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: The North of Scotland v. 15 (Regional railway history series)

A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: The North of Scotland v. 15 (Regional railway history series)

An Illustrated History of Tayside's Railways

An Illustrated History of Tayside's Railways

Bradshaw's Guides Scotlands Railways West Coast - Carlisle to Inverness: 5

Railways of Dundee (Oakwood Library of Railway History)

Scottish Central Railway (Oakwood Library of Railway History)