S&DJR Linemen's Boards

[RailWest]

Some of you may be familiar with the oval boards which used to be hung outside S&DJR signal-boxes in earlier times to indicate the state of the electrical equipment and call the attention of a lineman if necessary – see the 1905 WTT Appendix instructions at http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee224/railwest/SDJR/Indicator%20Board%20instructions_zpsqft4ncp2.jpg . [Although not shown in the instructions, there was in fact a cross painted on each face – white on black or black on white as appropriate.] There is/was one of these boards on display in the S&DRT Museum at Washford, although I can’t recall now whether it was an original or just a replica.

 

The late Robin Atthill mentioned these boards in his history of the S&D, but he also mentioned rectangular boards measuring approx 21”x15” allegedly used to call the attention of the signal lineman. Now I‘ve not come across any other mention of such items in S&DJR records, nor have I ever seen a photo of one on a signal-box. However I note an entry in an old catalogue for the S&DRT museum for a ‘Lineman’s Board’ described as ‘“from Stalbridge, red, with hanging bracket, 21" x 15" ‘, although I don’t recall ever seeing that item on display, so it would appear that such things did in fact exist.

 

Now, the oval boards seem to have been hung outside the signal-boxes all the time, obviously usually indicating ‘all OK’ and only being moved around in the event of a problem, so some appear in several old photos. However it is probable that the rectangular boards were hung outside only in the event of a problem, so therefore it would have been rare to see one in use anyway and even less likely for it to have been captured on film.

 

Can anyone add anything on this subject please?