April 14, 1961
This photo was taken at Leixlip, Co. Kildare and shows P. McCormick and other C.I.É workers in the middle of a Staff Exchange. It’s a little blurry, but that’s all part of the flurry of a staff exchange, which Mr McCormick seems to be thoroughly enjoying…
Decided not to attempt a technical explanation of what a staff exchange involved, because I know we have train experts on here who’d do it far better justice. Step forward blackpoolbeach who explained:
"The train cannot enter a single-track section without a token. The fireman puts his arm through the hoop while on the move, or simply swaps it with the signalman. Interlocking machinery in signal boxes ensures that only one token at a time is released." He also gave this link to Wikipedia…
Salmon Leap has a stunning photo of this station in the Big Freeze of 2010, and says that this station "Looks completely different nowadays, of course. The siding to the right is long since lifted, the semaphores long gone and the platform has been extended."
Date: Friday, 14 April 1961
NLI Ref.: ODEA 25/12
My hometown station! Looks completely different nowadays, of course. The siding to the right is long since lifted, the semaphores long gone and the platform has been extended.
flic.kr/p/7stsbk This is the only shot in my stream of the station now, the NLI shot appears to have been taken at the far end of the now westbound platform. In those days this was the only one as far as I know).
Beautiful scene
The train cannot enter a single-track section without a token.
The fireman puts his arm through the hoop while on the move, or simply swaps it with the signalman.
Interlocking machinery in signal boxes ensures that only one token at a time is released.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Token_%28railway_signalling%29
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/32428096@N05] That’s a brilliant photo! And thanks for letting us know the changes in your hometown station…
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackpoolbeach] Phew! Thanks for saving me the embarrassment of an incomprehensible Staff Exchange description…