Westinghouse miniature power lever frame - Wembley Park

Wembley Park signal box with its Westinghouse Brake & Saxby Signal Co. Ltd. Style 'L' Power Lever Frames located a was was opened on 3rd January 1932 by the Metropolitan Railway and the signalbox was built to the Metropolitan Railway Type 4 design. It was fitted with a 95 lever 'L' frame (frame number 50). A Westinghouse switch panel was installed in addition to the frame on 9th December 1932 but was removed on 29th May 1938.

The box was closed on 26th June 1954 and was replaced by a temporary box. During the closure the 'L' frame was reduced to 59 levers and tappet locking replaced the electric locking, and a push button panel was installed. The temporary box was closed and the 'L' framed box re-opened on 25th September 1954.

This situation lasted until 29th October 1984, when frame was replaced by a conventional Integrated Machine room set-up still controlled from the push button control desk until control passed to Baker Street on 12th April 1987

Picture fof the lever frame before it had been converted from a 'L' style all electric frame to an 'N' frame by the provision of mechinaical locking at the front of the frame in before June 1954.

Levr frame after conversion to an 'N' frame

The Westinghouse Brake & Signal Co. Ltd lever frame, installed for the Metropolitan Railway in 1932 with its indicators behind the levers is clearly visible. If one looks very carefully one can just make out the 'N' for normal indicator on the points, adjacent to these are the 3 aspect 'roundels' signal indicators. On top of the lever frame the three block bells can been seen in this very clean setup. The train describer descriptions are in the bottom left of the diagram indicate that notice is given of up to three trains approaching on each line. Picture Modern Transport / Ian Allan Library The Wembley frame had the early type of cases with the heavier doors and the indication panel mounted vertically instead of a slight tilt back of the later frames, the early frames were not fitted with "F" lights either.

Diagram for the 1954 re-signalling, I think it came from a Railway Magazine volume 100 issue number 644 (12/1954). I think the two line drawings attached here are drawn in reverse to the track diagram above the lever frame.
Click on either of the two diagrams for a larger image

Wembley Park Push button panel circa 1987

A later photograph of the Push Button Panel circa 1987 which replaced the lever frame. This controlled the Metropolitan and Jubilee lines. Picture is reproduced by kind permission of the Henry Davidson. © Henry Davidson

The serial number of this frame was L50 and was ordered in October 1930