RAILWAY bosses have drafted in engineers from India to work on five Victorian signal boxes in Stockport.


Network Rail says there are not enough British workers to do the job. And the Indians are particularly well qualified because railways there still rely heavily on Victorian signal boxes built by the British.

The signal boxes at Stockport, Edgeley and Heaton Norris had been due to be scrapped and replaced with one computer-controlled `super signal box' at Edgeley.

But the ancient signal boxes, which rely on a system of up to 60 rods and levers, had to be pressed back into service when it was discovered the new, high-tech Italian system would not work on the complex Stockport line.

Stockport station has been closed for nine weeks, and trains to and from Manchester replaced by buses, as part of the é85 million West Coast Mainline upgrade.

When finished, the upgrade will make the line suitable for 120 mph tilting trains.


Network Rail turned to the dozen Indian engineers to make sure the line reopens by the September 5 deadline.

A spokesman said there are not enough British engineers to carry out all the work necessary in the UK, but could not say how much the Indian workers are being paid.

They are refurbishing the system of locks and levers, underneath the Stockport signal boxes, which connect to signals and points.

The Network Rail spokesman said: "They are qualified mechanical engineers brought over from India to work on the mechanical interlocking mechanism under the signal boxes.

"A new signalling system at Edgeley was supposed to replace five signal boxes in Stockport, but they will now have to continue working for another five years or so.

"There are not enough signal engineers in the UK, because there is so much work going on and resources are stretched to the limit on various projects around the country.

"The West Coast team decided to bring in expertise from India to make sure the project did not overrun. You can only stretch resources so far, and the Indian engineers have the same skills and knowledge as our guys."