Signal box

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey signal box aligned N-S along the railway line just beyond the S end of the ‘up’ (E) platform which controlled the signals and points at Portrush Station.

Hipped natural slate roof with deep oversailing eaves and boarded soffits. Small metal flue at SE corner. Plastic rainwater goods. Painted, cement-rendered walls (over brick).

FF is timber-framed to its N, W and S elevations and contains the signalling levers. It is accessed by a replacement steel staircase on its N elevation. GF of this elevation has a flat-headed metal-sheeted door. At FF is a small staircase at top of stairs, in front of a semi-glazed doorway flanked at left by a 2x2 window.

E elevation is blank. Abutted at GF right by a single-storey lean-to with monopitched artificial slate roof, plastic rainwater goods, painted/rendered walls, and sheeted door to side.

S elevation has infilled segmental-headed window ope (with concrete cill) to GF, and two 2x2 windows to FF.

W elevation, facing the line, has two infilled segmental-headed window openingss to GF. At FF are three contiguous panels, each with two sets of 3x2 windows. Painted stucco platband below window with attached wooden letters reading ‘Portrush’ in painted surround. This banding extends around N and S sides as well, but without lettering. Rods run out from base of GF and under the tracks to pulleys and onwards to points.

To N of signal box, at S end of ‘up’ platform, is a wooden signal post. There are also two identical signals to S end of ‘down’ platform. All are of semaphore ‘lower quadrant’ type, with centrally pivoted (‘somersault’) arms accessed by inclined metal ladders.

Setting:

The two platforms N of the signal box continue onwards almost to the original station building (HB03/010/003A) which has been superseded by a modern single-storey block.

To E of cabin is rubble masonry boundary wall to station premises.

Ground to S of cabin has been gravelled over, the lines eventually being merging into a single track and continuing on to Coleraine.
To immediate W of box is railway line, and to NW are two water tanks (HB03/010/003C).

Roof: Hipped natural slate
Rainwater goods: Plastic
Walls: Brick and timber
Windows: 2x2 and 3x2 timber

Historical information

The former Portrush Station was the northern terminus of the Coleraine-Portrush branch line of the Belfast-Londonderry Railway. This branch was originally the main line between Ballymena and Portrush and was built by William Dargan in 1853-55 for the Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine & Portrush Junction Railway (BBCPJR). A small ‘railway terminus’ is captioned on the 1855 OS map (although it was probably added to the original printing plate sometime later). In 1861, the line was sold to the Belfast & Northern Counties Railway (BNCR).

In 1891, the BNCR began upgrading work on the Coleraine-Portrush line under the direction of its Chief Engineer, Berkeley Deane Wise (appointed in 1888). The most evident development was the rebuilding of the station building at Portrush (opened in 1893). New signalling was also installed, of which this signal box is an example. It is first shown on the 1904 OS map at the S end of the station platforms, and on all subsequent editions.

The BNCR was taken over by the Midland Railway (Northern Counties Committee) in 1903. This company was reconstituted as the London, Midland & Scottish Railway (Northern Counties Committee) in 1923. At nationalisation in 1949, the line was taken over by the Ulster Transport Authority, the precursors of Translink, its present operators.

The signal box has recently been refurbished and its original exposed red brickwork rendered over. It is still in everyday use and has the distinction of being one of the few remaining signal boxes in Northern Ireland to retain its hand-operated mechanical signal frame.

References – Primary sources:
1. Second edition OS six-inch map, Co Antrim sheet 6 (1855).
2. PRONI OS/10/1/6/2/1. First edition OS 25-inch map, Co Antrim sheet 6-02 (1904).
3. PRONI OS/10/1/6/2/2. Second edition OS 25-inch map, Co Antrim sheet 6-02 (1931).
4. PRONI OS/10/1/6/2/3. Third edition OS 25-inch map, Co Antrim sheet 6-02 (1946).
5. PRONI OS/11/6/9/1. First edition IG 25-inch map, sheet 6-09 (1965).

References – Secondary sources:
1. J.R.L. Currie, The Northern Counties Railway, vol.1, p.221 (Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 1973).
2. S. Johnson, Johnson’s Atlas & Gazetteer of the Railways of Ireland, p.107 (Leicester: Midland Publishing, 1997).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
F. Structural System
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance
X. Local Interest
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

A two-storey timber and brick signal box erected by Belfast & Northern Counties Railway in 1890s to design by Berkeley Deane Wise. The cabin at Coleraine Station (HB03/020/001B) is similar.

Although recently refurbished, some original character survives, notably the deep eaves, timber-framed FF, and external staircase (albeit a replacement). Standard layout with signal levers at FF level, and lever connections to linking rods on GF. The hand-operated levers are now a rare survival of national interest as most other cabins on Translink’s network have been automated.

The cabin survives in its original setting at the S end of the station and also has group value with the station building (HB03/010/003A) and water tower (HB03/010/003C).

General comments

Listing Criteria R - Age; S - Authenticity and T - Historic Importance also apply.