How would signalling be done for leaving an engine shed/depot and getting onto the main lines? From my shed area there is a single track connecting to one of four main loops. Would it be semaphore or ground signals? Where generally are ground signals used. I don not model any particular region, just roughly Uk 1950-60+ so it does not need to be 100% accurate, just an idea would be appreciated.
Hi,
The wife doesn't know it yet, but she bought me a copy of Bob Essery's Railway Operation for the Modeller at the w/e (at the Wigan Show). I haven't had much time to get to grips with the detail but there are 15 pages alone on signalling (out of 96). It did cost £14.99 but it's packed with information right across the UK rail spectrum. Well worth a look. I am not an expert at this, but a quick glimpse shows at the very least ground discs and if important or busy enough then semaphores. The other thing that is emphasised in the book is the prevalence of catch and trap points. So in your case you should also be protecting the main with a trap point!
Regards
Len
Hi
Well here in the south ground disc or dummies are used. However, if the exit line has a head shunt as well as the exit to the main line then you would see a black disc with yellow bar or white/red stop white/yellow proceed colour light dummy. If you need pictures let me know.
Basically, if the line is set to the head shunt, the yellow signified that the signal can be passed with the shunters permission into the siding but needs to be off or clear to go out to the main line.
How would signalling be done for leaving an engine shed/depot and getting onto the main lines? From my shed area there is a single track connecting to one of four main loops. Would it be semaphore or ground signals? Where generally are ground signals used. I don not model any particular region, just roughly Uk 1950-60+ so it does not need to be 100% accurate, just an idea would be appreciated.
In article , GLANVILLE CARLETON writes
I have a niggle - I'm comfortable with the ground disc assumption so long as the block is protected by an advanced starter or other running signal. But what would happen if there weren't a further running signal?
In this situation, assuming it's not a major busy shed, a single ground dolly would do. If you wanted route indicating signalling, you could use 4 dollies, but on a model, especially if they're working signals, that's a lot of work. Also, as you're joining a main-line, a catch or trap point would be needed.
What I personally would do is extend the trap point and put in a little head-shunt, possibly 2 locos long, so that all shunting can be done on-shed without bothering the main-line. In that situation, the ground dolly would be of "distant" form (usually a black disk with yellow stripe). If at "danger", it indicates that it can be passed, but will only take you onto the head-shunt. When "clear", the road is set for the main-line.
On just the short heritage line I work for, there are two yards whose access to the main-line is controlled this way, so I would guess that it was a fairly common arrangement.
Ronnie
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As far as I understand signalling, that couldn't happen. The exit from the yard would HAVE to be inside the 'box limits, otherwise it would need its own box and block instruments, as exit from the yard onto the main-line would be beyond the 'box's control, even if the dolly itself would be controlled from the 'box. Obviously, they wouldn't go to such trouble for a yard, unless it was a major one, so a further stop signal would be placed beyond the yard exit.
I can think of a possible exception to this, and that's where the yard exit goes only to one running line of a main-line, and the yard faces oncoming traffic, ie exiting the yard you go wrong-line running for a short distance, then a simple "limit of shunt" sign could suffice. HOWEVER, there would still need to be stop signals for the right direction of travel, otherwise if anything is exiting the yard, the whole block on that running would have to be clear, and the box wouldn't be able to accept any more trains until whatever operation finished.
Ronnie
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The disc would also be block released
Simple really ;>O
I thought the answers would be allot more complicated than I would hope for! Fortunately I am not 100% accurate in my "modelling" as I enjoys running too much, so a ground box will "control" access to the main line, via its signals.
Thanks all the same chaps.
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