Ground frame shelters

At all six of the Forge Valley Railway stations, there were never signal boxes. Instead, a ground frame was positioned on the platform. Underneath the platform, there was a gap where the signal wires and point rodding would lead to the points and signals within the ground frames control.

The ground frame itself was covered by a wooden shelter, with double doors at the rear. This arrangement wasn't unique to the Forge Valley Railway, being found at several stations across the southern division of the North Eastern Railway network such as some on the Malton & Driffield Railway.

Incredibly a single example still exists and even more hard to believe, it continues in use on the national network. This survivor is at Hammerton on the York to Harrogate line and is now Grade II listed. It closely resembles those which would have stood on the Forge Valley. Although there has been some contradiction to its authenticity, it is confirmed to be original by the North Eastern Railway Association.

Some information about Hammerton ground frame shelter can be found on the Historic England web site here:
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1416398