Blackrod Junction Signal Box

Blackrod Junction Signal Box is easily visible to the north of the station, beyond the area once occupied by the coal sidings, at the point where the Horwich Branch joined the main line. All that is now gone and the box has just a crossover and some colour light signals to control.

For more on Blackrod Junction SB, take a look at the detailed history and pictorial pages in this section.

Adjacent signal boxes to Blackrod

By 1922, the adjacent boxes to Blackrod where Whittles (in the Chorley direction), Horwich Fork (in the Bolton direction) and Horwich Junction on the branch. 

Whittles was opened in1875, in the White Hills area near Grimeford. Iit seems likely that "Whittles" was a corruption of that name - possibly the way "White Hills" was spoken locally. In 1927, it was closed making Grindford Bar the adjacent box to Blackrod (1m 610yds away). Grindford Bar box was closed on 15 December 1963 and Adlington Junction (2m 342yds away) became the adjacent box. Adlington Junction box was closed on 05 March 1972 and Chorley No.1 (4m 712yds away) became the adjacent box. Chorley No.1 box was closed on 22 October 1972 as part Stage 1 of the commissioning of Preston Power Signal Box.

Horwich Fork Junction box, opened in 1886, (1111yds away) was closed on 14 September 1969 which made Lostock Junction box 3m 1495yds away) the adjacent box. Lostock Junction box was closed on 21 January 1990 when Manchester Piccadilly SCC became the adjacent box.

Horwich Loco Junction, opened in 1886, (880yds away) was closed on 24 September 1967 when the Horwich branch was reduced to siding status.

Other signalling around Blackrod Station

At the Bolton end of the station was Blackrod Junction Ground Frame which was opened in ? It was built for the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway by Saxby & Farmer to their Type 9 design. By the 1937 sectional appendix it was named Blackrod Up Sidings Ground Frame. And at some stage it was replaced by a 2 lever open ground frame which was taken out of use on 15 December 1963.

Thanks to David Ingham for the above information.