Signalling Centres in the North East No 1 York from Early Days to Rail Operating Centre

York became a major centre in the early days of the railway - and this remains the case for signalling because it is now the location of a Rail Operating Centre, one of only twelve or so which are planned to eventually control most of the lines across the country. This history concentrates mainly on the area within the city boundary but for completeness it also extends out to a number of places which subsequently became fringe locations to the 1951 York power signal box. It covers how York's signalling infrastructure developed and modernised to meet traffic demands from the early pointsmen with un-coordinated signals, the growth of mechanically interlocked signal cabins, the new 1877 station, how the 'York Yards' goods lines were controlled, expansion of the early twentieth century though to post World War Two modernisation and the more recent IECC and Rail Operating Centre.