Ground Signals - Unknown Manufacturer

[warringtonbankquay]

Could anybody assist me with identifying the manufacturer of these rather good, for their time, working ground signals (4mm).

 

They probably date from around the mid sixties and appear to be mostly whitemetal castings.

 

They have a diamond logo on the underside but I cannot decipher the inscription within the diamond.

 

Thanks for any assistance.

 

Chris

[warringtonbankquay]

Thanks Nigel.

 

I always thought they were a rather nice representation with a delicate operating mechanism considering they were made probably 50 years or so ago.

 

Chris

[detheridge]

IIRC S&B used to do signals?

[D51]

These are S&B Productions ground signals. There were two varieties, one with semi-circular arm as shown here, the other with a rectangular arm.  The diamond logo with 'S' and 'B' within it is the S&B trademark.

 

The 'S' in the name is the same Rex Stedman who ran Leeds Model Company.

 

When Stedman died about 1959, S&B closed down and many of the models, including the ground signals, were taken over by George E Mellor of 'GEM' fame.

 

Frank

[warringtonbankquay]

Thank you Frank, most informative.

 

Chris

[Il Grifone]

They are a tad overscale I understand (not unusual in model signals), but in compensation they do actually work. They cost around 2/6d IIRC hence I only had one. It had a yellow rectangular arm, which is unusual. (I forget its function now beyond that it is not a 'distant' - lost in the mists of time like the signal itself.... (I'll have to look it up!)

Edited November 19, 2017 by Il Grifone

[roythebus]

A yellow ground signal can be passed at danger. When cleared it would only apply to a route for instance onto a main running line.

[vitalspark]

They are a tad overscale I understand (not unusual in model signals), but in compensation they do actually work. 

 

 

If anyone is looking for high quality scale ground discs Palatine do a finescale etch for the LMS type at £5 / signal which I can recommend.

 

They can be stacked or used single and also made to work with a little care.

 

We need loads of these for the new layout including an interesting side by side triple on a lattice post plus a quad stack in addition to the doubles and triples.

 

First attempt at one to see how it went together and pleasantly surprised.

 

The etch folds up cleanly to form the body easily and some 0.45 wire tacked on to the back of the discs then brass tube to act as bearings soldered on to body and thats 90% of it built.

 

We need these operational so a little beefing up of the crank area is needed but they surprised me as I am not a signal builder. 

 

Its not a kit so no instructions but its self explanatory.

 

With little modification it is operational and quite substantial without looking overscale.

 

Apologies for the paint finish..but this was only really an exercise to find out if they are practical..which they are.

Following examples will be better!

[beast66606]

A yellow ground signal can be passed at danger. When cleared it would only apply to a route for instance onto a main running line.

 

A yellow signal can be passed at danger for routes to which it does not apply.

[vitalspark]

A yellow signal can be passed at danger for routes to which it does not apply.

 

A good example would be a loop with a connection to a main  line but which also continues to a headshunt.

 

A loco in the loop can draw forward past the yellow disc at danger to utilise the headhunt but if leaving the loop for the main it would require the yellow disc to be off.

 

If the disc was red then shunting past it would be passing a signal at danger.

 

Dave.

[Il Grifone]

A good example would be a loop with a connection to a main  line but which also continues to a headshunt.

 

A loco in the loop can draw forward past the yellow disc at danger to utilise the headhunt but if leaving the loop for the main it would require the yellow disc to be off.

 

If the disc was red then shunting past it would be passing a signal at danger.

 

Dave.

 

Thanks for all the replies. I did know a long time ago, but had forgotten....  (Old age creeping up!    )