THE SIGNAL BOX

LEVER FRAMES

Evans O'Donnell standard frame

Evans O'Donnell & Co wasted no time in introducing their own pattern of frame when they set themselves up as an independent concern.

This model was technically quite advanced, and featured a nifty method of operating the locking by the catch handle with a reduced-action process too. The locking itself was inclined at 45 degrees which made maintenance very easy.

From the operating point of view, there was little to class the frame as outstanding in looks or ease of use, but many of these frames were installed around the country and abroad.

The example illustrated was at Merstham, more details of which will be found in the Photo Gallery.

Evans & O'Donnell lever frame for the Great Northern Railway

Not all of Evans O'Donnell's output was of the above type. There were odd examples of other, non-standard designs (such as that shown here) that they supplied notably to the Great Northern and Great Eastern Railways. It may be that these companies specified a more straight forward type of frame, with more conventional tappet locking.

The example illustrated here is at Lea Road, Gainsborough, on which more details can be found in the Photo Gallery.

Evans & O'Donnell lever frame for the Furness Railway

This Evans O'Donnell frame has many features in common with the example above, but it is by no means the same.

Common features of all EoD frames are flat tops to the lever handles.

The lever badges and description board behind may well be original features provided by Evans O'Donnell when the frame was new.

The blue lever in the foreground is a replacement, probably from a Saxby & Farmer Furness frame.

This example is at Dalton Junction, more details of which can be found in the Photo Gallery