LMS Route: Trent Valley Line

Shilton Station: lnwr_shil1098a

This close up of image "lnwr_shil1098" shows that Shilton the same configuration as Brinlow station. The road bridge that the station building fronted on to was however constructed of brick and therefore had arches rather than the steel girder construction of Brinklow's road bridge. Therefore to quickly identify whether you are looking at Brinklow or Shilton just look at the opening under the station building. If its square its Brinklow, if arched then its Shilton.

Reg recalls this station from his schoolboy days. He writes, "The dot on the horizon and the end of the up slow was a small signal box which apparently existed to control the down loop. The box is hidden by trains on the photographs showing up trains approaching Shilton".

"I got involved with the box when at school in about 1950. In those days we had Tuesday and Thursday afternoons off and worked Saturdays untill 1.00pm. One Tuesday or Thursday afternoon a gang of us were at Shilton on the Barnacle Lane bridge and two lads ventured along the embankment end entered the box which was presumed out of use as some of the windows were broken. The lads pulled levers with gay abandon until a bell started clanging in the box".

"I was watching from a distance and no one did anything until we saw a figure walking along the track towards us. It was obviously the signalman from the box south of the station. We all scarpered. Next morning at assembly an announcement was made that all boys who were at Shilton the day before should report to the headmaster's office. The police were there. Apparently at least two trains had been stopped by the caper. The two lads were expelled. The rest of us were given a severe lecture".

"Incidentally I only ever saw the down loop used once in my hundreds of visits.. The new diesel 10000 pulled into the loop with a hot box on a fitted freight from Willesden. We ventured along the bank to have a closer look and we were invited into the cab by the driver. To this day that is the only diesel or electric which I have ever cabbed". C1950

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