Most stations on the Highland Railway
were provided with two signal boxes (one at each end of the passing loop) but
those at Acnasheen were not at opposite ends of the station. Achnasheen West,
seen here, was nearest the platform and controlled the station area and the
west end of the long passing loop. At the other end of the loop, of course, was
Achnasheen East.
Achnasheen is on the branch from Dingwall to Kyle of Lochalsh, which was signalled as late as 1894 by McKenzie & Holland. The boxes were to McK&H's post-1875 design, although with features individual to the Highland Railway such as the battened boarding.
The
West box frame was slightly larger, at sixteen levers. Notice the sheer
functionality - unpolished levers, bare boards and a distinct lack of
furniture. This was, of course, because the boxes were not continuously manned.
The lever badges are of interest, they seem to be manufactured from dull grey
metal in the style of LNE lever plates and probably date from alterations made
in 1935 by the LMS. The black lettering on them is barely visible.