Colour Light Signalling for Model Railways (Out Now)

[Dungrange]

So it is a complex history and probably best avoided beyond a relatively brief historical explanation.

 

Okay - I think I agree with that.  If the book is to be accessible (ie one that can be understood by the average layperson), then it's probably best to be brief.

[St. Simon]

Hi,

 

Well, I've started, I'm currently in the process of writing the introduction to the book, under the working time 'Modern Railway Signalling - A Handbook for the Railway Modeller'.

 

I have been thinking about the history chapter, and I'm thinking about getting a 'guest' writer in to write this chapter as I'm more a technical sort of person and haven't got the patience for researching history that well, so I'm more likely to make an obvious mistake.

 

Simon

[PaulRhB]

I'd question if it's really necessary if you don't feel like doing it yourself? I'd go for just providing an appendix suggesting existing books, which you could ask for recommendations here.

Unless you have someone keen to collaborate on that, the why it evolved to what it is is less important than how to do it and reason for it. Here I mean reason as in to allow certain moves or protection.

I know I have many books that I've not fully read because the introduction potters around too much and it's hard to get out the facts, the reference pictures are all that saved its place in my library. A good writer can make that work and keep you hooked long enough but this is in reality a technical manual. Heavy on diagrams with annotations and short info boxes would be better than padded out pages of text referring to distant pages of diagrams. If short and to the point is your strong point use it, even mock up a few pages in two different styles and show them to others to see what works best. I say this because people on here asking for help always 'get it' easier with a diagram. Remember Home, Distant, Banner Repeater etc are all new to many so the diagram helps as they don't have to work that out each time

The scenario diagrams I've suggested before could even include a couple of examples to show the different approach over pre-grouping, the big four, BR and modern to show how requirements changed by diagram rather than lots of text. A diagrammatic history sort of thing.

Edited August 27, 2017 by PaulRhB

[The Stationmaster]

I'd question if it's really necessary if you don't feel like doing it yourself? I'd go for just providing an appendix suggesting existing books, which you could ask for recommendations here.

Unless you have someone keen to collaborate on that, the why it evolved to what it is is less important than how to do it and reason for it. Here I mean reason as in to allow certain moves or protection.

I know I have many books that I've not fully read because the introduction potters around too much and it's hard to get out the facts, the reference pictures are all that saved its place in my library. A good writer can make that work and keep you hooked long enough but this is in reality a technical manual. Heavy on diagrams with annotations and short info boxes would be better than padded out pages of text referring to distant pages of diagrams. If short and to the point is your strong point use it, even mock up a few pages in two different styles and show them to others to see what works best. I say this because people on here asking for help always 'get it' easier with a diagram. Remember Home, Distant, Banner Repeater etc are all new to many so the diagram helps as they don't have to work that out each time

The scenario diagrams I've suggested before could even include a couple of examples to show the different approach over pre-grouping, the big four, BR and modern to show how requirements changed by diagram rather than lots of text. A diagrammatic history sort of thing.

 

I think Paul makes quite a good point Simon.  

 

The history of colour light signalling in Britain has some considerable complexities plus one or two amusing blind alleys (fluorescent tube junction indicators being one of the latter of course) and even in terms of aspects (about from the principal running signal aspects, as long as you don't count various different practices involving single yellows approaching terminal platforms).  But especially in relation to subsidiaries there were considerable differences between Regional practices right up to, really, the early 1990s when things at last became standardised in new work.  Then add in the differences between the main manufacturers plus some stuff produced by railway workshops and again you don't reach really comprehensive standardisation until around the end of the 1980s - and that's before you throw in different practices and designs in signal structures and signal numbering which was again subject to Regional variation.

 

Logically perhaps all you need is an explanation of the differeences between 2, 3, and 4 aspect signalling and how running divergences are signalled?

[St. Simon]

Hi,

 

You are both right, I was thinking of just a short brief history rather than a year by year account to help people figure out how and why certain things have happened. Something along the lines of colour light signalling was first used in [year], then was developed by xyz, the forth aspect was added in 1923 and then various junction signalling methods were added and finally modular was invented...., but padded out a bit, probably only a few pages rather than 20!

 

I want this to be a book that a person can have on their workbench or layout as they design or install signalling rather than a heavy textbook to be read once and put back on the shelf. 

 

Simon

[St. Simon]

Hi,

 

Another thing I was thinking off is how to separate out the rules, advice and options that I will write about, as the problem is that there are a lot of things on signalling that depend on other things, so it makes it harder to pick out what are rules and what is good practice.

 

I've had the idea of a colour coding system, much like our signalling design standards, that use red for rules, yellow for variations and green for guidance. Would that make it easier to separate out, or would people prefer a different way?

 

SImon

[Nearholmer]

In a book that one is meant to sit down, read, and enjoy, too much of that sort of thing can get annoying.

 

Have you got a copy of the old Ian Allan book on signalling, roughly A5, hardback, very well illustrated? That is a model of clarity, while remaining very readable.

 

K

[Joseph_Pestell]

Hi,

 

Well, I've started, I'm currently in the process of writing the introduction to the book, under the working time 'Modern Railway Signalling - A Handbook for the Railway Modeller'.

 

I have been thinking about the history chapter, and I'm thinking about getting a 'guest' writer in to write this chapter as I'm more a technical sort of person and haven't got the patience for researching history that well, so I'm more likely to make an obvious mistake.

 

Simon

Writing an Introduction will be a useful exercise for you in getting your thoughts together about what you want to put into the book. Trying to set out a Contents page may have the same benefit.

 

But neither should appear in the finished book. The Introduction that the purchasers will read should be written after you have completed the rest of the text.

[Dungrange]

Hi,

 

Another thing I was thinking off is how to separate out the rules, advice and options that I will write about, as the problem is that there are a lot of things on signalling that depend on other things, so it makes it harder to pick out what are rules and what is good practice.

 

I've had the idea of a colour coding system, much like our signalling design standards, that use red for rules, yellow for variations and green for guidance. Would that make it easier to separate out, or would people prefer a different way?

 

SImon

Simon,

 

I think your worked examples should cover the options and guidance on best practise.  There are clearly some fundamental rules that the reader needs to understand at the outset such as the concept of Movement Authority and the importance of offsets in terms of the safety provided when a train passes beyond the end of its Movement Authority (ie a signal passed at danger).  There is then the obvious definition of what each type of signal and signal aspect means.

 

However, I'd tend to cover the rest within your worked examples stating how you would go about designing the signalling at location X.  What I'd hope to learn would be your thought process, the assumptions that you are making when designing the signalling and whether a change in these assumptions would result in a different solution. I would then hope that I could understand how my particular situation, which might be similar to but not quite the same as one of your worked examples may be signalled.  This may mean that you present two alternative signal arrangements for a particular track layout - one for a high frequency service and one for a lower frequency service.

[ruggedpeak]

In a book that one is meant to sit down, read, and enjoy, too much of that sort of thing can get annoying.

 

Have you got a copy of the old Ian Allan book on signalling, roughly A5, hardback, very well illustrated? That is a model of clarity, while remaining very readable.

 

K

This one? It is very readable (read it on holiday) and comprehensive. A book that then applied this to common or not so common layout situations would be most useful.

 

Edited August 31, 2017 by ruggedpeak

[Nearholmer]

I was thinking of this one. When you see the authors, it is no surprise that it was well written.

[St. Simon]

This one? It is very readable (read it on holiday) and comprehensive. A book that then applied this to common or not so common layout situations would be most useful.

 

 

Hi,

 

Yes, I have this in my library at work for reference  material and my thinking behind my book is an extension of the above to include application for model railways

 

Simon

[slilley]

Hi,

 

Well, I've started, I'm currently in the process of writing the introduction to the book, under the working time 'Modern Railway Signalling - A Handbook for the Railway Modeller'.

 

I have been thinking about the history chapter, and I'm thinking about getting a 'guest' writer in to write this chapter as I'm more a technical sort of person and haven't got the patience for researching history that well, so I'm more likely to make an obvious mistake.

 

Simon

 

 

Simon

 

I am just starting on my fourth book. Feel free to PM me. I am more than happy to talk through some of the things that I do, which might be of use to you in your project. I can also give you some guidance on publishers and contracts etc if you wish.

 

Best wishes

 

Simon

[The Stationmaster]

I was thinking of this one. When you see the authors, it is no surprise that it was well written.

 

Even more important to its contents were those (a couple of signal engineers) who are not named or acknowledged anywhere in the book a couple of whom I know and one of whom regularly supplied ammunition for a column one of the authors penned in 'Modern Railways'.

[ruggedpeak]

Hi,

 

Yes, I have this in my library at work for reference  material and my thinking behind my book is an extension of the above to include application for model railways

 

Simon

Sounds great, count me in for a signed copy!

[St. Simon]

Hi,

 

A long overdue update.

 

Chapters 1 & 2 have been finished, they are currently going through a spelling and grammar check, before it'll go through a technical check with one of my colleagues.

 

Although I was only going to do a short brief history of colour light signalling, it has turned into over 4000 words!

 

Simon

[Nearholmer]

Very much looking forward to it.

 

Are you covering the Overhead and Underground angles? They tend to get forgotten, because they were 'metros', but I think I would be right in saying that the Liverpool Overhead had an important place in automation (although semaphore) and the C&SLR was, I think, the first in GB to dispense with arms on signals, and had some interesting automation, designed by Spagnoletti, and the American influence post-1900 was huge.

 

K

[The Stationmaster]

Very much looking forward to it.

 

Are you covering the Overhead and Underground angles? They tend to get forgotten, because they were 'metros', but I think I would be right in saying that the Liverpool Overhead had an important place in automation (although semaphore) and the C&SLR was, I think, the first in GB to dispense with arms on signals, and had some interesting automation, designed by Spagnoletti, and the American influence post-1900 was huge.

 

K

 

The Liverpool Overhead was of course also the first railway in Britain to use 'daylight colour light signals'

[Nearholmer]

I have either forgotten, or never knew, that.

 

Being an 'electrical' chap, it's actually more the circuits behind the signals, rather than whether they waggle up and down and shine, or just shine, that I tend to get unhealthily excited about.

[St. Simon]

Very much looking forward to it.

 

Are you covering the Overhead and Underground angles? They tend to get forgotten, because they were 'metros', but I think I would be right in saying that the Liverpool Overhead had an important place in automation (although semaphore) and the C&SLR was, I think, the first in GB to dispense with arms on signals, and had some interesting automation, designed by Spagnoletti, and the American influence post-1900 was huge.

 

K

 

Hi,

 

I have covered the Liverpool Overhead Railway, although it is just a sentence! I hadn't thought about London Underground, but you are right, I should include it, I'll add in a section!

 

Simon

[slilley]

Hi,

 

I have covered the Liverpool Overhead Railway, although it is just a sentence! I hadn't thought about London Underground, but you are right, I should include it, I'll add in a section!

 

Simon

So you will be covering the SELTRAC system then. If you need any help with that I may be able to point you in the right direction.

 

Simon

[St. Simon]

Hi,

 

I've decided to start showcasing progress on my blog here:

 

https://sjpmodels.wordpress.com/

 

I've added a new entry introducing the project and I've asked a question about whether I should write two books? 

 

Simon

[St. Simon]

Hi,

 

A little update, I've had a little bit of writing gap due to work and exhibition commitments, but I'm starting work once more.

 

I've finished drafting the first 2 chapters, and I'm currently writing Chapter 3, which is a Track Design Chapter (yes, I know a slightly odd subject for a signalling book, but still relevant), I hope to have Chapters 1-6 drafted in some form for the SWAG do at Taunton for people to have a sneek peek at.

 

Simon

[St. Simon]

Hi All,

 

I've been thinking about the worked examples that I'm going to use, and I'm just starting out drawing a 'master' layout, a plan with all of the examples on connected together that I can cut up for use in the book (I think it should make things flow a little better than drawing individual plans). However, I'm struggling.

 

I want to be able to use popular track plans (I had posted a topic on it, but not much came out of it), so that I can make the examples relate to real layouts and something for the reader to aspire to. After all, if I drawing Reading and Kings Cross, that might be a bit much.

 

So, does anyone have immediate thoughts on track plans that would cover the average model railway, in terms of terminus layouts, mainline junctions, BLTs etc?

 

I also hope to draw up a couple of formats for how I intend to present the examples over the next few days for people to have a look at and discuss.

 

Simon

[Nearholmer]

Not wishing to be unhelpful, but I think you might have a minor challenge on your hands here, because relatively few people seem to want to build models set in the ‘modern signalling era’, it might be that the dull efficiency of modern operations is part of the reason, which means that there are fewer archetypal model railway layouts.

 

A modern BLT, on the archetypal single track branch, is likely to consist of not much more than a single track with a platform and a train arrestor (=buffer stops), with no visible signalling beyond some fixed signage. ‘Minories’ is an absolute must. It might also be worth doing a multi-platform through station, with some roads signalled for bi-directional working, because that seems fairly popular as a modern layout concept, and a double line to single line, single-lead junction, which can be used for several different purposes (branchline, bay platform, lay-by loop). One of those odd places where a freight-only line continues beyond the limits of the passenger railway might be interesting too, Aylesbury Vale, or Coombe. Probably also the entry/exit from an MPD, which definitely is a popular them, and the entry/exit to a set of sidings, the sort of thing that could be an intermodal freight terminal or an engineer’s yard.

 

In fact, just throw in a a big fold-out signalling diagram for the Chiltern Railways routes between Marylebone and the West Midlands, including the Aylesbury area; they contain pretty much all that and more. Even a couple of interfacing preservation operations. Start here http://www.opentraintimes.com/maps/signalling/me_1 and continue to Oxford and Birmingham.

Edited April 10, 2018 by Nearholmer