Banner Repeater Signals

[turtlebah]

Hi Everyone,

 

My Western Region suburban terminus station has a bridge cutting through the middle of the platforms which, for shorter trains, would obscure the view of the platform starter signals at the station throat.

 

I think I’m after some steam era banner repeater signals, but any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Is there anything off the shelf that would work?

 

Kind regards,

Nick

Edited June 19, 2019 by turtlebah

[RailWest]

If we are talking about a starting signal from a terminal platform, then would not a simple illuminated 'OFF' indicator be the usual solution?

[bécasse]

Normally the platform starters would be positioned in such a way (on short posts) that they would be visible to the driver of even a short train. In the unlikely event of that not being possible, banner repeaters might be used although examples of such a use were very rare. I can think of one example - at Ilfracombe, suspended under the canopy, but that was Southern, not Great Western.

"OFF" repeaters were intended for use by the train dispatchers and guard.

[The Stationmaster]

22 minutes ago, RailWest said:

If we are talking about a starting signal from a terminal platform, then would not a simple illuminated 'OFF' indicator be the usual solution?

As Becasse has noted technically 'OFF' indicators were not repeaters for the use of footplate crews.  Hence the use of internally illuminated banner repeater 'symbols' at paddington post 1967 resignalling and they in fact replaced miniature repeater signals.

 

So it really depends on the locale and the era in which the signalling is set.  But I'm struggling to think of any sort of GWR terminus which had banner repeaters; as far as I can remember (and check from published photos) there weren't any at Windsor where it would have been impossible for the Driver of a short train to see the platform starting signal on some platforms.

[turtlebah]

2 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:

As Becasse has noted technically 'OFF' indicators were not repeaters for the use of footplate crews.  Hence the use of internally illuminated banner repeater 'symbols' at paddington post 1967 resignalling and they in fact replaced miniature repeater signals.

 

So it really depends on the locale and the era in which the signalling is set.  But I'm struggling to think of any sort of GWR terminus which had banner repeaters; as far as I can remember (and check from published photos) there weren't any at Windsor where it would have been impossible for the Driver of a short train to see the platform starting signal on some platforms.

 

To some extent is sounds like crews just winged it on obscured platforms. I can also raise the bridge slightly so the view is less obscured.

[bécasse]

Having drawn attention to the existence of such a banner repeater at Ilfracombe set me off wondering why it was provided. Then the penny dropped - heavy passenger trains leaving Ilfracombe (very much "uphill") were banked in the rear, so the banner repeater was provided for the benefit of the banker's driver.

There were other terminals located at the foot of bank (Glasgow Queen Street comes to mind), but whether any of them were similarly equipped I don't know. In relationship to the original question, the Ilfracombe example was a total red herring, not only the wrong company but provided for an irrelevant purpose.