jukebox Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 I know the LNER dabbled with colour light signalling on the ECML in the 1930's - there's the iconic photo of A4 Empire of India with the down Coronation passing a 3-aspect light at Potters Bar in 1938 - but can anyone shed any light on when directional "feathers" first appeared on UK railway signals? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micknich2003 Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 I know the LNER dabbled with colour light signalling on the ECML in the 1930's - there's the iconic photo of A4 Empire of India with the down Coronation passing a 3-aspect light at Potters Bar in 1938 - but can anyone shed any light on when directional "feathers" first appeared on UK railway signals? The late George Pryer, in his book"A Pictorial Record of Southern Signals" OPC 1977, page 23 refs to as a "New Feature" "Three - Light position Junction Indicators", or as we now call them "Feathers".This was part of the Waterloo re-signalling and done in stages between 17 May 1936 and 18 October 1936. I'm sure the events would have been well documented in the technical press of the day. Mick Nicholson. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted February 20, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 20, 2012 The position light junction indicator (to give it the full proper name, known nowadays as a 'JI') originated on the LNER in the 1930s. It was found that on splitting signals with a separate head for each route the colours could merge and produce a white light when sighting the signal at a distance. One idea tried to get round this was to use approach lit signals (i.e. there was no light in the signal until the train operated an approach track circuit) but the next step was to use a neon tube to indicate the route placed above the head and at an angle to it for diverging routes or vertical above it for the straight ahead route. The neon tubes weren't, it seems an outstanding success so the next step was to use a row of 5 'lunar white' lights and not bother with one for the straight ahead route - thus giving the 6 positions for JIs which we have known ever since. Both types are illustrated on p.58 of Michael Vanns' 'An Illustrated History of Signalling'. Vanns doesn't quote a date although he implies it came along with the Thirsk resignalling in 1933 but I have suspicion from something I read elsewhere that it might have been a little later although definitely no later than 1935 The Southern had not been bothered by the 'white light' phenomenon as its colour lights were not only more closely saced than the LNER 'racing stretch' around Thirsk but were not visible from such great distances . And just to be different when it adopted teh JI it used 3 lights instead of 5. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 ......The Southern had not been bothered by the 'white light' phenomenon as its colour lights were not only more closely saced than the LNER 'racing stretch' around Thirsk but were not visible from such great distances . And just to be different when it adopted teh JI it used 3 lights instead of 5. Similar equipment to the Southern's is in use to this day on many above-surface junctions of the London Underground system. Even the Westinghouse signal heads are much the same models. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Feather signals and pigeon specials spring to mind for some reason... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Feather signals and pigeon specials spring to mind for some reason... Let's not get in a flap about this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted February 20, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 20, 2012 Similar equipment to the Southern's is in use to this day on many above-surface junctions of the London Underground system. Even the Westinghouse signal heads are much the same models. Even more fun - I wonder if any still survive - was the UndergrounD's use of 'Fog Repeater JIs which were a miniature version mounted above the repeater for the junction signals. There used to be one at Edgware Road but alas it's long gone (maybe not enough fog in the tunnel between there and Praed St Jcn is 'smokeless London?). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Even more fun - I wonder if any still survive - was the UndergrounD's use of 'Fog Repeater JIs which were a miniature version mounted above the repeater for the junction signals. There used to be one at Edgware Road but alas it's long gone .... I think there are a few in use at Earls Court, and also around Acton Town and Hammersmith. They look like a cube with three diagonal lights drilled out of them! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jukebox Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 Excellent information - special hat tip to Mick and Mike - best of all, it suggests that a late LNER-era theme would not preclude using a feather at the appropriate place... which seems like the punchline to a rather blue joke I once heard, so I'll get my coat now... Thanks for the responses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted February 21, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 21, 2012 Excellent information - special hat tip to Mick and Mike - best of all, it suggests that a late LNER-era theme would not preclude using a feather at the appropriate place... which seems like the punchline to a rather blue joke I once heard, so I'll get my coat now... Thanks for the responses. Strange to relate while the LNER had thoroughly got a grip of the JI principle by the late 1930s in its Northern Area some junctions were newly resignalled after the war in its Southern Area using multiple signal heads! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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