© Great Cockcrow Railway 2023

Signalling

The line is fully signalled with 3 signal boxes and 1 gate box based on mid -1950’s British signalling practice.The main terminus of the line is Hardwick Station with 4 platforms with another 2 platform terminus at Cockcrow Hill that also has 2 through lines that avoid the station. In the middle of the layout is a through 3-platform junction called Everglades Junction. There are Westinghouse style L all electric miniature lever frames in Hardwick Central and Everglades Junction Signal Boxes. Cockcrow Hill Signal Box has a 16-lever "Stevens Knee" frame. The Railway Signal Co manufactured this frame and it was originally installed at Waterloo Station on the "Waterloo and City" line and is thought to be over 80 years old! The Railway gratefully recognises the support and sponsorship by: Alstom Signalling Ltd, Siemens and Westinghouse Signals Ltd in providing various pieces of equipment plus some pre-wiring – all design, on-site wiring, installation and testing is carried out by our own Signal and Telegraph (S&T) Department

Click here for the main Signalling Information page

Locomotives

The GCR has over 30 steam and 3 instant start locomotives, many of which will be operational during the summer season. The majority are miniatures of engines that would have run on the four main pre-War British railways, ie Southern, LNER, LMS and Great Western, and their successor, British Railways. We also have representatives from even earlier companies and some industrial/shunting engines.  All of our steam, and most of our diesel-electric, locos are 1/8th scale, ie 1 ½ inches to the foot, and the steam locos operate at a working pressure of around 80psi, which I am told is 551 kPa for all you Metric types. The GCR operational stock is constantly changing and sometimes includes visiting locomotives, especially on Gala Weekend.

Please Note: Public access is not available to the GCR engine sheds or workshop facilities unless under prior arrangement.

Click here for the main Engineering page

Permanent Way

Permanent Way (usually abbreviated to P-Way) is the correct term for the track bed of a railway together with the track and other permanent equipment. During the operating season, our P-Way team carry out any light repairs or realignments necessary to ensure smooth running. In the winter season they are busy replacing, repairing and levelling track, rebuilding points and reinforcing embankments ready for the new year.

With 2 miles of track, there's a lot of work to do. If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty and you’re good with a shovel then drop us an email and come down and give us a hand.

Click here for the main Permanent Way page

Buildings and Structures

We have quite a variety of buildings to maintain, some of which date back to the early days of the railway and some, like our Station Building, are brand new.They all take a lot of looking after and in recent years we have removed the old viaduct and nearby Phillip’s Bridge, which were showing their age, and replaced them with new galvanised structures. As the facilities in the Station building have been completed, we have done away with all the old “temporary” sheds and buildings. There is always plenty to do, replacing rotten timbers, painting and fixing anything that needs fixing.

Click here for the story of the new Station Building