Great Eastern Railway

Opened: 1912

Closed: 1984

Location code: E34/07

Ipswich Goods Junction was the largest of the boxes at Ipswich, controlling not only the junctions to the goods yards but also the east end of the station.

Here, the main line split into four tracks, dividing traffic for the Norwich or east Suffolk routes before reaching the physical junction at the next box, East Suffolk Junction.

This box was originally an all-timber box of the Great Eastern's standard design introduced in 1886, but the strategic importance of this location led to brick cladding being provided below operating floor level. A small number of boxes were built in brick (see Trowse Yard) bit this is not one of them.

A 120-lever frame is squeezed into the cabin to operate the layout. This frame is an early example of the Westinghouse "A" pattern, actually branded under Saxby & Farmer's name. It dates from the opening of the box in 1912.

The layout is extensively track-circuited, and as a result a large number of paper-sealed emergency releases (the square boxes) for the levers can be seen along the block shelf. These would be used if a track circuit failed and locked a lever. Beneath these are signal and points repeaters. Four BR standard blocks signal the trains.

All of the boxes at Ipswich closed in 1984 and the area is now controlled from Colchester panel.