Signalling Question

In message , Keith Lanham may have written...

There's never really been a changeover as many semaphores are still in use today, and probably won't be replaced for some time. Colour light signals came into use in the 1930s, so seeing them on a steam age layout is correct.

"Keith Lanham" wrote

In's been an on-going process since the first part of the last century, and there are still semaphore signals in situ today as this shot shows:-

Over a very long period time. Decades.

The earliest colour light signals were direct replacements for the equivalent semaphore: 2-aspect red/greed and yellow/green. Also searchlight signals which were single aspect with a apectacle plate between the light and the lens.

Colour light signals are easier to model but semaphores have more character.

At one time it was felt that colour light signals were a safety alternative to AWS. It too the Harrow and Wealdstone tragedy in 1952 when an up steam-hauled express from Scotland ran the colour light signals to plough into the back of a packed commuter train, to show that both were needed.

Yes.

Even modern ones.

Not many years ago an American friend who had just come back from a company trip to Scotland, told me that he had spent several hours just sitting on the station watching trains, especially the semaphore signals. I forget where though.

As others have said, colour light signals have been used since the wide spread use of electricity.

IIRC the first 'mail line' implementation of colour light signals in the UK was the Brighton line in the mid 1930's, when the it also became the first electrified 'main line'.

Thanks to everyone who replied

The Southern Railway started making extensive use of colour light signals in the 1920's with electrification of the South Eastern section lines albeit with lever frame interlocking. They were also the first to introduce 4 aspect signaling at the same time to allow electric suburban and steam expresses to be more easily regulated.

For steam age layouts the Eckon signals are probably the best match as they look as if they are modeled on 1950 era signal heads.

And if you go to China you can still see mainline steam action, although a little off topic.

Chris

The 'changeover' as you call it has been going since the Blackfriars scheme in 1926. There were isolated Multiple Aspect Schemes (MAS) since the 1930s (York-Darlington). Many large stations had various forms of colour light signalling. Paddington had a very simple form. Waterloo had a very comprehensive scheme. The Coulsdon North-Brighton scheme can be considered as the very first main line scheme in 1932. Although the passenger service was mainly electric, there would have been steam freight and some passenger services. Today, there are still isolated pockets of semaphore signaling. Hope this helps, Steve

"titans"

Havant was colour light signalled from the 1930s electrification. From the east, IIRC, from the Warblington Starter, and from the Direct Line from somewhere North of Butser (sp), right at the tunnel entrance (?) and from the Portsmouth Direction from the Eastern end of the triangle's Home signals (Can't recall the actual junction name) through to Bedhampton and Havant.

In Havant, the Hayling Island bay Starter, Advanced Starter, Distant and Home splitting signals were all semaphores.

-- Cheers Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

Nice. By the way, what happened to that threat that all MK 1 coaching stock would be withdrawn, even on preserved railways?

That threat only applied to the main line, where said stock would operate at high speed. The preserved stuff was safe. It did happen, sort of, then got put back a bit, I think the final hurrah may be Jan next year. But in any event Mark 1 stock will remain on the main line as Notwork Fail has granted derogation to the few charter sets about. One proviso being that the carriage at each end of the consist can't be passenger carrying.

The Southern Rly. often used both semaphores *and* colour light signal heads on the same aspect, pre mid '80's Hove being a classic example.

That's reassuring.

The HSE were persuaded that new trains would not be ready to allow complete replacement before December 2004 so an extension of one was allowed.

Chris

Exemptions have been given by HSE to Southern, South West Trains, South Eastern Trains and Network Rail to continue to run Mk1 stock without central door locking to 30/11/05. Keith

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