Rushey Platt Ground Frame

Rushey Platt Ground Frame
Location:		78m 40c (ish) MLN
Key Config:		C (plus others)
Levers:		9
Release No:		384, 386, 387
Date Opened:
Date Closed:

Rushey Platt GF diagram in all its glory.

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Origins

The ground frame was just west of Swindon, and had a very varied life. It controlled, at various times, connections from the Down Main to the sidings that were formerly the link to the MSWJ Railway; a crossover between the main lines; the exit from the down Engineers' Sidings (the other end was at Swindon West Jn); and a connection from the Up Goods to the works sidings. This diagrams shows all of them in operation.

Three releases were available from Swindon Panel

• 384: For the points into the Up Siding (7)
• 386: For the main-main crossover (4)
• 387: For the points into the Down Siding (3) and from the Engineers Siding (5).

1.	Disc from Siding or Down Main to Up Main or Up Goods
2.	FPL for 3A
3.	Down Main Facing - Siding
4.	Main - To Cross
5.	Down Main - From Engineers Depot
6.	Disc Up Goods to Down Main or Siding
7.	Up Goods Facing - Up Siding
8.	FPL for 7
9.	Disc Engineers Depot to/from Down Main

(Names suggested, lever leads not available)

It looks like there was no route from the MSWJR Siding (SN.211) to the Engineers' Sidings (as otherwise the locking on lever 1 would be extremely complex!), and doubtful whether there were any routes at all to the Up Siding.

1976

Rushey Platt in later life with the MSWJR siding and the crossover removed. Also reversible signalling installed.

The frame itself from Rushey Platt, now in use in a contractor's training school in Derby.

The main-main crossover at Rushey Platt was recovered in 1976. At that time SN.211 was made inoperative, as it had no routes remaining. although it is not mentioned in the WON entry, it is supposed that SN.276 also had no routes remaining, so would have been inoperative. (This signal is not shown has having been converted to an LOS until June 1978, see below).

The connection to the MSJ sidings was removed in 1977, along with GPL SN.211. GPL SN.209 was replaced by a main aspect SN.653 in readiness for the commissioning of reversible signalling:

The GF was reduced in operation to:

1.	Spare
2.	Spare
3.	Spare
4.	Spare
5.	Down Main - From Engineers Depot
6.	Spare
7.	Up Goods Facing - Up Siding
8.	FPL for 7
9.	Disc Engineers Depot to/from Down Main [Also shown as temp spare...?)
10.	Space
11.	Space

(Names suggested, lever leads not available)

Eleven levers is quite a few for a ground frame! Yet to find evidence of why numbers 10 and 11 were added....

The frame was rescued when taken out of use and is now part of Signet's training school in Derby (shown in picture, right, relocked for its new use, with Swindon Panel Society mug in situ!).

1979 - Replacement

In September 1979 the connection between the Engineers Sidings and the Down Main was removed, along with GPL SN.282.

At this point the now-11-lever GF was replaced by a 2-lever one, to control the last remaining function the connection between the Up Goods and Works Siding.

1986 - Removal

The ground frame was taken our of use in May 1986:

The ground frame is shown as being taken out of use AGAIN in April 1991.

Further Reading

In the Impermanent Way books, there is one on Wiltshire, pages 69-71 covers Rushey Platt in colour in 1976. The ex MSWJR spur was still there until 1978 about, was used for construction work on the M4 and served the Moredon Power Station before it shut in 1973.