SR Rail-Built Signals

[sem34090]

Evening (Morning!) All,

 

Just a quick question - When did the Southern begin introducing Rail-Built posts for Upper-Quadrant Signal Arms? I'm assuming, with that question, that the posts may have been brought in before the adoption of Upper-Quadrant arms (1926/8?) for new installations and renewals, though I seem to recall the rail posts were a later invention. 

 

I ask this for a layout which is intended to be set between 1930 and 1932, for now, though later on it will probably be set in 1937/8 when I lay 3rd Rail.

[Kubes]

Pryor's 'Pictorial Record of Southern Signals' which is my normal 'go to' for any questions on SR signalling does not give any dates for the introduction of rail built posts. I would have thought that pre-grouping installations would still have predominated throughout the twenties unless there was significant layout remodeling and as for lower quadrant arms on rail built posts, Im not saying it didn't happen but I think it would have been rare.

[bécasse]

The Southern used concrete posts (without any relieving holes) for "simple" signals during the mid-1920s. It seems to have decided fairly quickly that these weren't entirely satisfactory and posts built from old rails were in use for both new works and replacements by the end of the 1920s, initially with LQ arms. UQ arms were used from the mid-1930s. With a lot of analysis of photographs, particularly of new works with known dates, it should be possible to tighten up on these dates.

 

Ironically, most "Southern" rail-post signals actually date from the mid-1950s!

Edited July 22, 2019 by bécasse

[sem34090]

I know that most of them were installed by BR, and given the late date for UQ arms I might very well replace it on the layout with an LSWR LQ.