North of Long Marton station were the Gotham Co Ltd Siding and T McGhie’s Thistle Siding.
Figure 51 shows the signalling diagram for Long Marton and nearby McGhies Siding, based upon information available in 1961.
Figure 52 is a track plan detailing the additional siding for the Silverband Mine at Long Marton, from a survey by the LMS District Engineer’s office (Leeds) 1941.
Figures 53 and 54 respectively show the track layout for each of these Sidings.
Figure 53 is based upon information from an LMS survey for May 1927. An agreement of 1924 between Gotham Co Ltd and the railway resulted in the provision of rail connection for the shipment of gypsum. A lever frame was provided, protected by fixed signals. Trains were not allowed to stop between sunset and sunrise, and signal lamps were not lit during the night. The lamps were illuminated during daylight hours if there was fog or falling snow. The siding could not be used as a lie by siding.
Figure 54 shows the track layout for T McGhie’s Thistle Siding at New Biggin based upon information from a Midland Railway survey for 1911. The Thistle Alabaster Works of T McGhie & Co Ltd was situated on the west side of the line adjacent to milepost 282 (/location-summaries/structure-282000). It was controlled by a 4 lever ground frame which was brought into use in 1906. Operational procedures were similar to those at the Gotham Co Siding, a quarter mile to the south.
Figure 55 shows the track layout of the New Biggin Gypsum Ltd Siding based upon information from a BR survey from around 1968. The railway continued to call the siding McGhies although British Gypsum had absorbed the undertakings of both McGhies and Gotham Co Ltd. The siding developed to combine and extend those shown in Figs 53 and 54, removing the southerly rail connection (formerly Gothams). The remaining rail connection came under the direct control of Long Marton signal box, following the replacement of the 1906 ground frame by an open type (4 lever) which was brought into use on 17 September 1947. From that date, it was possible to use the sidings as a lie by, thus allowing following trains to pass. This procedure continued until closure of the Long Marton box on 22 March 1970 when control was passed to Appleby North box (/location-summaries/structure-277420).
In 1960, a proposal to develop a site on the ‘up’ side, adjacent to McGhie’s, was considered which would have provided sidings and a signal box. The latter would have been called “Dunfell Iron Mines” and was to contain a standard 1943 pattern lever frame. The scheme came to naught.