Doncaster PSB

Doncaster PSB (Power Signal Box) is a signalling centre on the East Coast Main Line railway in the United Kingdom, principally covering the line from London to Edinburgh but also encompassing other lines diverging and converging to the ECML. The signal box celebrated its 25th birthday in 2006.

The beginning of Doncaster PSB

On Sunday 8 July 1979, the first section of the control panel in the new signal box at Doncaster became operational, controlling the movement of all trains in the immediate area of Doncaster station. Not only was this a significant landmark in the progress of the whole resignalling and track rationalisation project, but it also represented a further major step forward in British Rail's drive towards the complete modernisation of the London - Edinburgh East Coast Main Line. The signal box was completed in 1981 and was officially opened on 8 December 1981.

East Coast Main Line upgrade

The Doncaster installation was the third major signal box to be commissioned on the East Coast Main Line, the previous two being King's Cross, completed in 1977 and Peterborough in 1973. Prior to the scheme's authorisation in 1974, train movement was controlled by a mixture of outdated semaphore and colour light signals operated from 52 signal boxes mainly containing mechanical lever frames, many dating from the 19th century.

Power signalling, however, was installed in two signal boxes, one at the north and the other at the south of Doncaster Station. The work was planned...
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