Signal Fitter GNR

[DaveLoy]

My great grandfather was a signal fitter on the GNR. (I assume that this the Great Northern Railway) His name was Isaac Loydall and he must have been employed from 1870 into the 1900's. Although he lived in Northants, he met and married a girl from Forfar.

The questions are:

What did a signal fitter do and would they cover a large area?

What area did the GNR cover and did it go that far north?

Are there any employment records for the GNR?

Any help gratefully received.

[Peter Goodey]

See this research guide (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=124) for an overview of what is available.

For info on the GNR, see Wikipedia.

I think you'll be safe to assume that a signal fitter did pretty much what the term implies - he was a fitter specialising in railway signal mechanisms.

[DaveLoy]

Thanks Peter