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Good book on the subject - other suppliers are available https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mid-Suffolk-Light-Railway-Peter-Paye/dp/090686741X

One I've posted before but a photo taken today for a signalling facebook group Eccles Road 16/06/2023 (Friday) Eccles Road signal box, Opened 1883, GER 4, McK&H, 21 levers, Abolished 01/12/2012 when Cambridge PSB took control of the level crossing and signalling

Drop in trap is the term David, used when there's no obvious "safe" way to deflect a runaway vehicle so the aim is for it to drop into the middle

Past tense after the 2016 resignalling

The sidings at Llandudno Junction where the ballast wagons are sitting are known as the Quay Sidings. At Conway, the goods yard was through the arch of the castle walls where you shot is looking, the yard crane is still there.

I'm back on here again Paul, not as often as I used to be but available again for messages if you need anything

Off topic a bit. Opposing locking omitted is a more recent way of doing it, a yellow disc reading into a headshunt saved a signal, meaning a lever, locking, detection etc. They (yellow shunts) weren't particularly uncommon in steam days and for many years after (on the LMS lines at least) , there were a "lot" (as in not an odd one here and there) of yellow discs around until the 1980s (and most left at that stage went with the boxes as power schemes swept them away). I don't think anyone really got confused, local knowledge would solve most chances of a slip up, I have an LNWR signal box diagram with yellow shunts drawn controlling a scissors crossover with part of it exiting to a four track main line, to my knowledge nothing untoward ever happened on it as the staff knew what the signals meant and it lasted in that form until the 1970s, so 50+ years. The difference in those days was the controlling box was nearby and a shout of "Oi BOBBY" would attract attention and get things sorted, power schemes lost that ability.

A fine array of semaphores in the distance, Derby PSB was commissioned (in the Derby station area) on 12/07/1969 and the colour lights can be seen, blanked out with an X waiting to take over a week or two after this shot

Bit more info (sorry to wander Dave) - In the 1937 sectional appendix Thurso is listed as "worked by staff" with the option to use "electric token block should more than one train be required to use the line". Sadly the 1931 sectional appendix for Scotland (LMS Northern Division), which would still have the box open, has eluded me despite searching for 40+ years, I only have the 1937 et seq versions.

Thurso box closed in 1936 so the station was already worked by ground frames, one is visible in C0004 by the toe of the non platform end of the crossover

Don't know if you've seen this ? https://www.wrexham-history.com/caia-road-railway-sidings/

Ely had semaphores until 1985, Cambridge until 1982

LOR had the first daytime colour lights

One at North Walsham today https://bbc.in/45nyDpt

It was 4 or 5 EWS 66s heading for Carlisle

We (when I worked at BNFL, Capenhurst, in the early 1980s) used HF for etching aluminium welds after we'd cross sectioned them so we could pass or fail the welders based on voids etc. in the work. I once spilt some HF on my finger and had to have it scrubbed under running water for 30 mins each morning for 4 weeks. The site had it's own surgery and medical staff and the girls in surgery (who I eventually worked with in the IT department) were a good laugh so it wasn't an unpleasant experience.

If you want to read a bit more about Mirfield, the notice for it's commissioning is on this page - click on the Midland series, 1932 link

Speed signalling has never been popular in the UK, I think Mirfield was the only (mainline) installation and that's long gone so it's not something you will have seen.

You'd need a time machine and go to Mirfield pre Healey Mills PSB (1970)

Here's a modern signal, although it's been in use for over 10 years now, Eccles Road 10/05/2023 (Wednesday) EN8148 signal, 2-aspect single lens (R/G), into use 01/12/2012 when Eccles Road abolished and control transferred to Cambridge PSB Notice I have caught it returning to red from green

Quite a long time ago in the early days of RMWeb I started to write some articles on aging a layout, starting from the (generally) pre grouping track plan and then winding the clock forward with "what ifs?" for example, Warrington with the line to Chester shut. It was reasonably well received but one ex member couldn't see the fiction side of the thought process and would argue the t0ss about "but in reality XYZ station didn't lose it's branch line service" or similar so I gave up. Widnes Vine Yard was initally a model heavily based on the Widnes No.1 area. For various reasons we went through a "What if?" discussion which involved it seeing increased traffic as we closed other lines and re-routed services and so it (the model) ended up remaining as double track and the Tanhouse branch was upgraded to passenger standards and a few other changes.

03397 is one, just been looking at a photo of it at Norwich in July 1984 - I've cut out the small part of the photo with the loco and truck. Image is copyright Mark Brammer who has a fantastic collection of Anglian photos.

Returned for a brief visit to post my disgust at this act - I've posted on my Facebook page, not that I have a huge reach but any reach is better than none.

Great stuff Russ - Happy Christmas !