tail lights

There's some relevant info in the caption for the top photo on this page :-

Further to Airsmoot's reply:

Unfitted or partially fitted goods trains - As per the photo caption, red lamp facing rearwards in the middle, side lights showing red to the rear and white to the front.

On entering a loop or reception line, or when running on multiple track formations one or other side light would be turned round to avoid having the driver of a train approaching from behind but on an adjacent track thinking he was about to go barrelling into the back of the brakevan. No doubt the exact arrangements may have varied over the years.

Fully fitted goods trains - single red lamp facing rearwards in the middle, either on the brakevan or later on the last vehicle.

Passenger trains - single red lamp facing rearwards on last vehicle.

There were unofficial local variations. If you can find a copy of a boook called "Signalman" by Mike Somebody-or-other (it's years since I read it, sorry), he describes the arrangements around Miles Platting in the 60s. The local trip working carried the "Platting Tail Lamp" which could be anything except a tail lamp - bucket, ladies' underwear etc.

Stuart.

Some brakevans of the LNE/BR standard 20t design carried two normal tail lamp brackets as well as the side lamp brackets.

I know at least one guard who placed a tail lamp on each of the brackets "just to be sure" !

Just for the record - side lamp brackets were similar to the Western Region loco lamp brackets in that they were set at 90 degrees to normal.

Phil