Went past this signalbox last night (around 00:20) and saw a train going towards the tunnel (presumably the Sheffield to Manchester Airport service) and there appeared to be nobody in the signalbox at all.

Does this signalbox close of a night-time, and if so, how do the signals clear? Maybe the poor chap was having a "lights off" night I don't know.

Not important, just wondered! :)

I think that the Sheffield > Manchester train is the only one on the line at that time of night, so the signal box doesnt need to be manned.

Could be wrong though. But ive never passed another train at that time of night on that line!

Totley Tunnel East is a 24/7 signal box, so are all the boxes between there and Manchester.

The line is in use all 24 hours and although there is only 2 late trains (past midnight and god knows what time around 3) there is a lot of freight during the night.

The box controls about 10 light signals as well as the three points needed for the crossover and the Baslow Road Down Sidings.
The signals and points are lever controlled. and the signals the box controls are between Balsow Rd (the one with the feather is controlled by sheffield PSB) to the middle of the tunnel.

The reason this box is still open and these signals aren't controlled by sheffield PSB is that TTE is a fringe box, i.e. one foot in the North Eastern Region and the other in North Western Region.

Ah right! Thanks for the clarification ;)