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KEARSLEY SIGNAL BOX
HISTORY
Kearsley Junction signal box was an all timber L&Y box built in march 1908 & supported on timber piles high at the top of the embankment on the Manchester side of Kearsley Stn on the up side of the line opposite to the junction of the line to Linnyshaw Moss (collieries).
When new in 1908 the box replaced an earlier brick built Yardley box of 1877 vintage & by 1927 the box had been fitted with a 40 lever L&Y lever frame.
In 1927 the box also took control of extensive new sidings in connection with the Lancashire electric power company power station at Kearsley & a branch was built to the power station also.
On the 15th august 1971 the branch to Linnyshaw Moss closed north of Kearsley branch sidings but the sidings remained in use until the power station branch closed in 1977.
By 1983 Kearsley junction was operating only as a block post working absolute block to Burnden jct in the Bolton direction & absolute block to Pepper Hill in the Manchester direction (the box retained its trailing crossover right up to closure).
In December 1985 Bolton west, Bolton east, & Burnden junction signal boxes closed
& Kearsley Junction became a temporary "fringe box" to the new (& temporary power
signal box at Bolton) working track circuit block to Bolton PSB in connection with
stage one of the Bolton area re-
The box at kearsley junction closed along with the signalbox at Pepper Hill on the 7th September 1986 when the temporary power signal box at Bolton took control of the line as far as a Agecroft junction, (Agecroft Jct becoming temporary "fringe box"working track circuit block to Bolton at the same time).
Sadly the box at Kearsley junction became vandalised almost as soon as the staff had gone & the box was destroyed in an arson attack on the 7th October in 1986 before BR had a chance to demolish the disused structure.
What a sad & undignified end to a loyal servant,(if only signal boxes could talk)