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The remote station of Barrhill, on the Glasgow to Stranraer line, has been served by three signalboxes during its lifetime. The first dated from 1877, but was renewed in 1907, and the second box was burnt down by fire in 1935.

By this date, the Glasgow & South Western Railway had been absorbed into the London, Midland & Scottish Railway, but the replacement cabin was most certainly not of LMS origin. Conveniently, a small Glasgow & South Western cabin at Portpatrick had become redundant in 1934, and this was transported to Barrhill and re-erected there.

Portpatrick box had opened in 1908, and the box is thus an example of the GSW's post-1901 design and contrasts interestingly with Elderslie No.1. Notice that Barrhill demonstrates one of the alternative glazing arrangements used on cabins during that period.

The diminutive box houses the original 18-lever frame from the earlier, destroyed signal box, although it was substantially renovated during the 1940's.

The line here is single, and the box remains in use to control a passing loop. The single lines are controlled by Tyer's Electric Tablet (like that illustrated at Dingwall South), although the instruments are housed in the booking office to allow the signalman to also carry out other duties. These are two of the only three single-line sections in the country still worked by these antiquated instruments.

All photographs copyright © John Hinson unless otherwise stated