londonbus.

Without going into lots of detail (I was a train driver) you must be careful with this selection of photos. 

The odd "searchlight" signals with a single lens, and the ones with two lens spaced apart, are a type of colour light alternative to semaphore signals, and NOT multi aspect colour lights (MAS) signals. They therefore worked under semaphore signal rules, and could show simultaneously a green and a yellow, as would a semaphore starter and distant positioned one above the other on the same post, seen at night.

The photo with the DMU appears to show 3 aspect (3 lenses) MAS signals NOT IN USE, as they are turned sideways, and are therefore of a totally different type of signalling to the other signals shown. 

Semaphore signals (small) with horizontal red/white/red stripes are subsiduary signals, in this case "Calling on" signals. They allowed a second train to enter an already occupied platform for the purpose of coupling up.

The small but otherwise normally coloured semaphores, are for routes not allowed to loaded passenger trains. As two are positioned one above the other they relate to 2 separate routes and are read: "Top to bottom = left to right".

If you are going to use Eckon/Berko 3 aspect i.e with 3 lenses then these are MAS type signals and should not normally be mixed with semaphores controlled by the same signalbox, as the two systems of signalling used totally different rules !!!!!

Best regards (Basingstoke in OO) Anthony   

Thanks Anthony, Really useful info on the searchlights and the subsidiary, calling on signals, I didn't know the distinction between the smaller arms with the horizontal and vertical white.

The DMU photo is not just the signals decomissioned, virtually the whole station was, just a DMU service remained until they closed the line totally.

The combination of semaphore and light signals were there, at the same time. So the two questions that i've still got to get an answer to are which routes the two smaller "normal" signals controlled. The only two non-passenger routes were only accessed from the up line (i.e. the opposite side) reversing into the siding and engineering / turntable. Could these two signals be intended for the opposite reverse running?

The 2nd qu is what combination of lights the two lens signal would display. My understanding is that the top light is yellow, either on or off. The lower signal is red / yellow / green. However if it's mimicking a set of starter and distant then this might not be right?

Tremayne

And I guess what controlled access to the two bays?

From left to right these were the routes

1) Down Goods
2) Down Slow
3) Down Fast
4) Bay 4
5) Bay 3

There is also the question of what the purpose of the disk ground signal was.

Here is a cropped signal plan from the Signalling Record Society...

Just to wrap up these open questions I posted on the signalling forum.

The Question about the searchlights have been resolved HERE

The question about the semaphores and Bay access have been solved HERE

The signal you took a picture of at Quorn on the GCR is a mechanical searchlight, basically a semaphore signal without an arm and with a searchlight head.

MAS signals are commonly used in absolute(semaphore) block areas, usually 2 aspect, but 3 aspect signals are used, the auto distant signals at Quorn are one example, and the 3 aspect signals at Leicester Central were probably semi automatic, the red and yellow aspects being controlled directly by the controlling signalbox, and the green aspect showing only if the next signal or all of the following signals controlled by that box are cleared.

Different signalling rules apply to absolute block, which can be all semaphores or a mix of semaphore and colour light, and the more modern track circuit block, which is all colour light signalling.

Chris

The signal you took a picture of at Quorn on the GCR is a mechanical searchlight, basically a semaphore signal without an arm and with a searchlight head. MAS signals are commonly used in absolute(semaphore) block areas, usually 2 aspect, but 3 aspect signals are used, the auto distant signals at Quorn are one example, and the 3 aspect signals at Leicester Central were probably semi automatic, the red and yellow aspects being controlled directly by the controlling signalbox, and the green aspect showing only if the next signal or all of the following signals controlled by that box are cleared. Different signalling rules apply to absolute block, which can be all semaphores or a mix of semaphore and colour light, and the more modern track circuit block, which is all colour light signalling. Chris

Thanks for the information, I did have a look behind it at the time and noticed it was exactly as you described. All fascinating stuff.

I remember it being installed, the post is an original GCR signal post apparently and the signal was an LNER development.

Chris