Inside Stanley Junction signal box - where 60-year-old signal levers and bells are still in use
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00:00 I'm Alistair Dalton, Transport Correspondent of the Scotsman. I'm on the Highland main
00:09 line between Perth and Inverness at Stanley Junction signal box just north of Perth. Here
00:15 with Lindsay Hunter who's in charge of signalling for Network Rail Scotland. Lindsay Network
00:22 Rail uses a range of signalling including old style semaphore signals and lever arch,
00:30 so levers which control them. Why is that still used on the network? Our railway forefathers
00:37 knew what they were doing and they designed a system that was suitable for the capacity
00:42 that was designed at the time and for a number of the railway lines within Scotland's railway
00:48 that remains appropriate because that's what our customers, be it the travelling public
00:52 or the freight operators, need from the service. And as we can still sustain the equipment
00:57 and can safely maintain that and allow for the onward safe travel of trains, that will
01:03 remain appropriate for a good time to come. And how much longer would you expect that
01:07 sort of technology to remain on the network? Well for as long as we can safely maintain
01:12 it then it can stay forever as long as we can manage the obsolescence. However there
01:17 will be things that will trigger a change and that might be forthcoming electrification
01:22 to help with the decarbonisation of the railway. It may be capacity enhancements through either
01:28 line speed increases or loop enhancements to try and attract more users onto the railway
01:33 and that is what may trigger a change. And ultimately it may come a point where the kit
01:38 cannot be safely maintained and that is also when we would have to act. Thanks very much
01:42 Lindsay. Follow everything to do with the railway in Scotland and all other forms of
01:48 transport at thescotsman and scotsman.com.
01:52 [Music]