Wigan Album

Always seemed to me that they built De Trafford Junction signalbox facing the wrong way.

Most of the traffic passing here would be on the main Whelley line to/from the Platt Bridge direction, not on the spur to Hindley. So why not give the signalman a proper view of most of his trains?

It's facing the right way, the signal man can see the Whelley line through those two windows. It's also in this position to see the signals on the gantry next to number 2 box.

The box is in that position because it helps to reduce the sun light away on a hot summers day.

The signals on the gantry would be repeated by signal repeaters on the block shelf ad also have NC (Normal Contact) & HNC (Home Normal Contact) as part of arm/aspect proving.
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH VIEWING SIGNALS ON THE GANTRY