Keith Long is a retired railway signalman who worked in signalboxes for 45 years. His main interest is transport in general but railways and SAAB cars in particular, which explains the origin of his 'Cabsaab' flickr name. Keith also likes photography, cooking and travelling. His other interests are Motor Sport and Ice Hockey (Toronto Maple Leafs). Keith's own words are in blue text... 

I started working in signalboxes in 1960 at the age of 15, first as a train recorder and then passing out as a signalman in 1965. Until 1967 I worked in Leeds, but with the opening of the new Leeds Power Signalbox I moved to the Newcastle-Carlisle line for two years before moving again to work on the Woodhead electrified route for a further five years. In early 1975 I returned to Leeds, working the fringe boxes, and a few in the Wakefield area, before becoming a signalman in Leeds PSB in 1988. I remained there until I closed the box for good at 00.30hrs on 16th June 2002 when the work was transferred to York IECC. I then moved to Barnsley box from where I retired at the end of 2005 after working in 21 different boxes. It's odd that in 45 years of working in signalboxes I have only been made redundant twice, the first when Leeds PSB opened in May 1967 and the second when Leeds PSB closed in June 2002.

(Above) Armley Canal Road No 2 signalbox on 2nd August 1965. The name on the signalbox diagram was Armley Canal Junction. (Right) At the levers is a dapper-looking young Keith wearing a drip-dry Double-2 shirt, pencil tie (and obligatory tie-clip) drainpipe trousers and what looks suspiciously like suede hush puppy shoes to me...it could only be the Sixties! 

My first camera was a Kodak Box Brownie. I used it for three years before graduating to an Ensign 120; a very good camera which would take ether 2.5" x 2.5" or 2.5" x 3.5" negatives on 120 roll film. I mainly used the larger size because although you only got 8 negatives instead of 12 from one roll they were larger and at that time I didn't own an enlarger. Most of my B&W pictures were taken on Ilford HP4 film, though some of the early ones were on Kodak. All B&W films and prints were developed at home in a makeshift darkroom.

In 1967 I started taking 35mm colour slides using a Halina camera and Agfa 64ASA film, unfortunately I used Agfa until changing to Fuji film in 1981. The Agfa slides have not worn very well over the years and I should have used Kodak as Bill Wright did. (Keith is referring to 'Barking Bill who has a Flickr site - see Page 40). I used the Halina followed by two Yashica cameras until I bought my first Canon camera in 1981, and since then have exclusively used Canon up to the EOS 300 I still use for slides. It was only in 2005 that I started digital photography using a Canon S70. I have a total of over 14000 colour slides of which I an currently scanning the best to put on my flickr site, having previously scanned my B&W negatives. As with my cameras I prefer to use a Canon 9900F scanner.

STEAM AND EARLY DIESELS ON SHED 

(Above) In pre-digital days - before cameras were equipped with auto-focussing and through the lens light metering - few photographers attempted interior shots of steam sheds. The results could be very  rewarding, but engine sheds were dark and dismal places where the change in light and shade made it very difficult to get the exposure right. Nonetheless, Keith managed to produce a few 'gems' for his collection. (Above Left) Introduced in 1929, CB Collett's 0-6-0PT 3F 5700 Class became the standard shunting engine for the GWR. Eleven members of the class, Nos 9700-9710, were fitted with condensing apparatus and larger side tanks for working over the LT Metropolitan line. Here No 9707 shares the company of 0-6-0 diesel mechanical shunter No D2126 in a corner of Old Oak Common shed on 16th September 1961.  (Above Right)  'Patriot' class No 45546 Fleetwood, still fitted with the original Belpaire boiler and single chimney, was photographed at Willesden shed (1A) on the same day. 

(Below) One of the great things about opening a free Flickr account is that visitors to your site are given the chance to comment on your photos. For example, this excellent interior shot at Willesden depot of HG Ivatt's Co-Co No 10000 on 2nd July 1961 created some dialogue. It goes to prove that there must be countless thousands of enthusiasts who are disappointed that such an important locomotive was not saved from the cutters torch. Indeed, Keith has posted his own comments - 'The real shame is that the loco survived so long after being withdrawn in December 1963 (it was not cut up until January 1968). It would have been better to have saved something like this rather than say eleven out of the thirty 'Merchant Navy' class. It's not that I have anything against the MNs, or steam in general; it's just that the preservation scene is so unbalanced. Still I remember watching 10000 & 10001 at Watford Junction heading the 'Royal Scot' express during the 50s and 60s and a lot of people didn't have chance of that.' Click on this link to visit Keith's main collections of railway photos. The collection contains 17 sets:  Cabsaab 900 photostream'.

(Above) During the transition from steam the new diesel fleet acquired a fair degree of grime after only a short while in service. In this view of Neville Hill shed in April 1963, brand new Brush Type 4 No D1515 has yet to turn a wheel in revenue-earning service, while the EE Co Type 4 (could this be the celebrity Class 40 D345?) has acquired a fair degree of dirt on the nose end. However, the bodyside discolouration was the main problem, as inorganic dust originating from brake shoes spread along the bodyside from rail level upwards, which, together with oil seepage from the engine compartment could quickly eradicate any semblance of a loco livery. 

Below) Unfortunately, it would take several years before suitable premises could be constructed for the stabling and maintenance of the new diesels throughout the BR Regions, therefore the fleet had to share the same facilities as steam locomotives. As a result, the reliability of the new diesels was seriously impaired by the dire conditions which they were kept. During the early years, it came as no surprise that, in spite of BR Publicity Department trumpeting facts about the new diesels being significantly cleaner than steam, the fleet ended up just as filthy as its predecessors. By its very nature, a diesel locomotive requires a clean environment where fitters can work on the various automative and electrical faults, along with  the complicated circuitry attributed to the different types of traction introduced in the 1955 Modernisation Plan. This shot of the fourth production 'Peak' class D14 - retaining gangway doors in the nose end (as used on the ten pilot scheme locomotives) and carrying a 55H shedcode plate - was taken at Neville Hill on 28th July 1961. 

(Above) Class A1 No 60126 Sir Vincent Raven at Leeds Neville Hill shed on 6th February 1960. As mentioned earlier, the original steam shed followed NE practice - a large building containing four turntables all interlinked beneath one roof. At any given period during the immediate post-war years, the following types of engines usually made up the shed's allocation: five A3s, ten B16s, thirteen B1s, two D20s, four D49s, eleven J39s, five N13s, 2 A8s and four G5s. The shed was reduced by half during the late 50's and demolished in its entirety in September 1970. In this view, a surviving part of the shed wall can be seen to the left of the A1s smoke deflector and on the right by the coaling stage in the distance. It is difficult to imagine this spot being part of the shed interior, but evidence of the line leading from the third turntable can be seen in the right foreground, and the original lines feeding the stalls from the fourth turntable in the middle distance.

(Below) Fast-forward 4 years and a new DMU refuelling shed has been constructed at Neville Hill. The DMU facility was separate from the main line locomotive part having been built between the locomotive shed and 'down' Goods Yard. DMUs arriving from Leeds would run into this shed and refuel, then if they were going straight back into service they would proceed to the Carriage Sidings at Neville Hill East to await their next duty, but if they wanted maintenance they would run to the Maintenance shed between the locomotive shed and the main line. Both these buildings were built during the 1955 Modernisation Plan in the late 50s when DMUs first started operating from Neville Hill. In the foregound Class A3 No 60051 Blink Bonny is serviced on a cold foggy 29th February 1964 after working a football special from Newcastle to Leeds. Built at Doncaster Works as Class A1 No 2550 in October 1924 she was rebuilt as an A3 in November 1945 and withdrawn on 23rd November 1964. The loco was scrapped at Hughes-Bolckow, North Blyth in February 1965.

(Below) Doyen of Sir Henry Fowler's 'Patriot' class 6P - No 45500 Patriot at Carnforth shed on 28th October 1959. This locomotive was rebuilt from the LNWR 'Claughton' class No 2511 Croxteth in November 1930 at Derby Works and retains, together with 45501, the original wheels with the large bossed centre. All the others were only paper rebuilds constructed at Crewe with all new parts fitted. You wouldn't believe that this shot was taken with a Box Bownie and very slow Kodak film, mind I have done some work on it. Click on link to Keith's Cabssaab 900 Flickr photostream of 'LMS Steam Locomotives'.
 

(Above) Visits to BR Workshops were a relatively easier option - orderly, spacious and the amply glazed roofs provided sufficient light to risk a hand-held shot without the need of a clumsy tripod. (Above Left) Bowen-Cooke ex-LNWR 0-8-0 Class 7F rebuilt with G2 boiler and Belpaire firebox, No 49025, is under repair at Crewe Works on 8th October 1961 - the unusual wheels with 'H'-section spokes can be clearly seen. (Above Right) Class A4 No 60006 Sir Ralph Wedgwood in the paint shop at Doncaster Works on 9th August 1961.

Working on the railway gave me the benefit of free travel by train that I used extensively. Visits to Swindon Works were relatively easy as every Wednesday afternoon you just met at the gates paid your fee and a guide took you round. The view of 6000 was taken on one such trip when I had a Wednesday rest day. I was also a member of the RCTS since 1963 and the West Riding Branch made monthly vists to Doncaster Works, the view of 60006 was taken on one such visit. I also made visits with them to Crewe Works and coach tours to the Scottish, Western and Southern Regions where my camera was in constant use.

(Below) Within weeks of entering service on 29th June 1927, the first of CB Collett's 4-cylinder 'King' class No 6000 King George V, was shipped to America to take part in the centenary celebrations of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, taking a 543-ton train from Washington DC to Philadelphia at speeds of up to 74 mph. To commemorate the visit, the Railroad struck medallions for the cabside and a typical railroad brass bell for the b8ufferbeam. For the benefit of artists and modellers, this excellent shot of No 6000 under repair at Swindon Works 19th June 1963 shows a novel aspect of the 'King' class; the plate-frame front bogie in which the four wheels are independently sprung. The front bogie was responsible for instability in riding (derailing No 6003 at speed in 1927) and modifications were carried out to resolve the problem. No 6000 was withdrawn in December 1962. Visit Keith's Flickr photostream of 'GWR Steam Locomotives'