Signals - Present-Day Semaphore, Lights and Repeaters

[phil_sutters]

Unusually a fairly close-up photo of signals' rear views.

[Coach bogie]

I stumbled across this one, yesterday on a weekend away in Rockhampton, Australia. Mainline station approach signal from the North, with theatre and shunt giving access to three platforms and the loco depot. It is the position that is unusual- mounted by the side of the pavement, just into the road. I will show more, tomorrow, when I get home and upload the SLR shots.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[Mike_Walker]

14 hours ago, melmerby said:

OK

So we saying a train has left Oxford for Worcester but before it gets to Charlbury a problem has be identified further on needing to stop the train.

Train is therefore sent into the up platform and when ready it can now be signalled back to Oxford, which it couldn't do if it was on the down line.

 

Further on~:
What is Evesham 2453 used for?

It's similarly placed facing Worcester at the west end of the up platform at Evesham.

However it must have more than just a red aspect, else it could never be used for anything.☹️

 

It doesn't have to be due to a problem being discovered on the Cotswold line whilst the train is en-route.  It can be a planned move if, say, the line is closed beyond Charlbury for engineering work.  It also allows, in extreme cases, for a train to be diverted to Charlbury to reverse if there is an issue on the main line north of Wolvercote Junction although that would require the driver to have competency on the Cotswold Line.

 

E2453 is  indeed used for a similar purpose but in many ways a mirror image of the Charlbury set up.  It allows for an Up train to be reversed back towards Worcester and the signal therefore (like E2457 on the Down Line) shows either a red or green proceed aspect.  There is no yellow as the next stop signal in the Worcester direction is Norton Junction's Down Home (NJ25) which has its own Distant (NJ26).

 

A similar reversing facility was incorporated into the Cotswold Line redoubling at Moreton-in-Marsh.  A new semaphore (MM27, already illustrated earlier in this thread) was provided at the London end of the Down platform to allow reversals there.  Previously the crossover was signalled by a ground disc (MM20) which also gave access to the Down Refuge Siding beyond the A44 London Road bridge.  Today it is used for the latter only.

 

Limit of Shunt signals were mentioned and there is one at Moreton-in-Marsh at the Worcester end of the Up platform.  This obviously applies only to shunting moves within the station limits as there is no provision for a train to arrive directly from the London direction into the Up platform as there is at Charlbury.

[melmerby]

Hi Mike

Thank you for that detailed explanation, all clear (sic!) now.

[Coach bogie]

21 hours ago, Coach bogie said:

I stumbled across this one, yesterday on a weekend away in Rockhampton, Australia. Mainline station approach signal from the North, with theatre and shunt giving access to three platforms and the loco depot. It is the position that is unusual- mounted by the side of the pavement, just into the road. I will show more, tomorrow, when I get home and upload the SLR shots.

 

Mike Wiltshire

Here is the reason why. The mainline runs through the middle of a main road. And it is not an occasional service. I photographed four container trains in just over an hour. Here is a southbound container train (and they are very long) approaching the signal. Note that cars continue to drive alongside the full length of the road, in both directions. There is also a passenger service that runs late at night.

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

[uax6]

On 20/05/2023 at 09:26, Coach bogie said:

I stumbled across this one, yesterday on a weekend away in Rockhampton, Australia. Mainline station approach signal from the North, with theatre and shunt giving access to three platforms and the loco depot. It is the position that is unusual- mounted by the side of the pavement, just into the road. I will show more, tomorrow, when I get home and upload the SLR shots.

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

And theres nothing stopping anyone climbing that ladder either.... Its like the public are trusted...

 

Wouldn't ever happen here..

 

Andy G

[melmerby]

1 hour ago, uax6 said:

 

And theres nothing stopping anyone climbing that ladder either.... Its like the public are trusted...

 

Wouldn't ever happen here..

 

Andy G

Also it's sitting in the roadway with a flimsy looking barrier near ground level.

In the UK a truck would've wiped it out pretty quickly.

[Dagworth]

34 minutes ago, melmerby said:

Also it's sitting in the roadway with a flimsy looking barrier near ground level.

In the UK a truck would've wiped it out pretty quickly.

Or parked in front of it and blocked sight of it

 

Andi

[Coach bogie]

41 minutes ago, melmerby said:

Also it's sitting in the roadway with a flimsy looking barrier near ground level.

In the UK a truck would've wiped it out pretty quickly.

 

Luckily there was a car parked against the barrier, otherwise it would have been close.

 

 

Of greater concern is the car driver turning right out of an entrance expecting to reach the far side of the road......... I leave you to judge who won. Lets just say the car ended up going the wrong way towards oncoming traffic.

Edited May 21, 2023 by Coach bogie

[iands]

Barnetby East before the 2016 resignalling replaced the semaphore signals with colour lights. From left to right: Down Goods 61, 71. Down Main 47, 48, 50 (off) with Wrawby Junction distant (WJ132) below.

 

[iands]

Towards the top end of the Rylstone branch there is a TMO operated crossing at 5m 17ch (the only 'public highway' crossing on the branch, all the others being UWC and one foot path crossing). The crossing is protected by Stop Boards in each direction, and in the rear of these are two fixed distants. This is a photo of the one in the Up direction (towards Skipton) which is located between 5 3/4MP and 6MP. I'm not sure if the distants have now been replaced by 'reflectorised' type fixed distants.

 

[Rugd1022]

Bescot before it was resignalled...

 

 

 

 

[Michael Hodgson]

That's a good illustrtation of how you can't see the aspect when you are up too close to the signal, and especially when you're not at the same level.  It may only become a SPAD when you get a buffer past the signal post but it's still good idea to stop a little ways back from the post.

[Rugd1022]

 

The fixed distance on the Colnbrook branch at the West Drayton end, I was having a wander about after brake testing a mate's train down there and thought ''I'd better grab a shot of that...''

 

 

[Mike_Walker]

That's gone now, there's a 3-aspect signal (T3502) some distance further back towards Colnbrook.

[Rugd1022]

21 hours ago, Mike_Walker said:

That's gone now, there's a 3-aspect signal (T3502) some distance further back towards Colnbrook.

 

I'm glad I took the photo now 😉

 

The north end of Oxford station before the remodelling...

 

[Rugd1022]

A preservation pic (Loughborough Central) but a nice structure all the same...

 

[uax6]

11 hours ago, Rugd1022 said:

A preservation pic (Loughborough Central) but a nice structure all the same...

 

 

And I have a claim to fame with it... I spent a day facing off the concrete foundation around the base of this beast after it was erected, with a 1" chisel and lump hammer. I also helped fit the boarding on the landing and the fittings to the dolls... I was young then though...

 

Andy G

Edited June 14, 2023 by uax6

[Michael Hodgson]

A few more photos of signals at Loughboro.  Three shunt discs reading to three different places, you can see wires running thorugh the point detection

 

Edited June 15, 2023 by Michael Hodgson

[Michael Hodgson]

Excellent signals provided by the S&T at Loughborough. 

 

[Michael Hodgson]

With four signals on the post you need four counterweights!  Worked by the two double-stacked pulleys to the left; the pulleys on the right work another bracket signal on the opposite side of the line ....

 

[Michael Hodgson]

Lattice post bracket signal at Loughborough ...

Edited June 15, 2023 by Michael Hodgson

[Michael Hodgson]

Video explaining working of signal box with GWR key token instruments, signal box opening procedure, testing single line instruments, use of king lever, running of trains with token exchange, closing box where section signal is locked by the block.

 

 

[Michael Hodgson]

Similar procedure for opening & closing box with passing loop using keys as single line staffs, all locked together for long section working.

 

 

[St Enodoc]

52 minutes ago, Michael Hodgson said:

Video explaining working of signal box with GWR key token instruments, signal box opening procedure, testing single line instruments, use of king lever, running of trains with token exchange, closing box where section signal is locked by the block.

 

 

Excellent training video and well done both to the instructor and trainee. I have to say that the duster technique needs a little more work though!