Section 2: Main Signals
(Page 2 of 7)
From about 1869, the signal arms on the London Brighton & South Coast Railway were painted red on the front, but with a black stripe [2.21 & 2.22].
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[2.21] Semaphore Signal ('on') (LB&SCR).
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[2.22] Semaphore Signal ('off') (LB&SCR).
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The LB&SCR's Outdoor Superintendent, W.J. Williams, had the idea of cutting a 'fishtail' notch into the ends of distant signal arms [2.23 & 2.24] in order that drivers could distinguish them from stop signals (albeit during daylight hours only). Fishtailed arms were first introduced at Norwood Junction, in 1872.
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[2.23] Semaphore Distant Signal with fishtailed arm ('on') (LB&SCR).
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[2.24] Semaphore Distant Signal with fishtailed arm ('off') (LB&SCR).
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From 1876/7, other railways began to follow the LB&SCR's example, and provided fishtails in their distant signals [2.25 - 2.32]. In 1877, the Board of Trade made this a requirement.
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[2.25] Semaphore Distant Signal with fishtailed arm ('on').
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[2.26] Semaphore Distant Signal with fishtailed arm ('off').
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[2.27] Semaphore Distant Signal with fishtailed arm ('on') (SER).
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[2.28] Semaphore Distant Signal with fishtailed arm ('off') (SER).
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[2.29] Semaphore Distant Signal with fishtailed arm ('on') (Mid.R).
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[2.30] Semaphore Distant Signal with fishtailed arm ('off') (Mid.R).
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[2.31] Ringed Semaphore Distant Signal with fishtailed arm ('on') (LNWR).
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[2.32] Ringed Semaphore Distant Signal with fishtailed arm ('off') (LNWR).
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Another new requirement to come from the Board of Trade in 1877 concerned stop and distant arms placed together on the same post. It was laid down that the stop arm must be the higher of the two [2.33 - 2.35].
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[2.33] Stop and Distant arms both 'on'. *
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[2.34] Stop arm 'off', Distant arm 'on'. *
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[2.35] Stop and Distant arms both 'off'. *
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| * Note: |
The above illustrations serve only to show the positions of the signal arms. For full details of their appearance, refer to elsewhere in this section. |
On 21 January 1876, a collision occurred at Abbots Ripton (Great Northern Railway) as a result of semaphore arms being frozen inside their slotted posts, and being unable to be returned to the 'on' position. To overcome this, one of the GNR's signal fitters, Edward French, designed a new form of semaphore signal in which a centrally-balanced arm operated outside of the post. While the 'on' indication was no different in appearance from previous semaphores, in the 'off' position the arm was fully visible in an almost vertical position, and not obscured within the post. In addition, a green light was shown rather than white [2.36 & 2.37]. Known as 'somersault' signals, the new form of semaphore arm was first used by the GNR in 1877. These were apparently the first semaphore signals to give a positive 'clear' indication.
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[2.36] 'Somersault' Stop Signal ('off') (GNR).
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[2.37] 'Somersault' Distant Signal ('off') (GNR).
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From 1877, the Great Northern Railway began to distinguish its signals applying to goods lines or slow lines by fitting rings to their arms [2.38 & 2.39]. In addition to being fitted with rings, those signals were altered to show a purple light at night in the 'off' position [2.39].
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[2.38] Ringed 'Somersault' Stop Signal ('on') (GNR).
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[2.39] Ringed 'Somersault' Stop Signal ('off') (GNR).
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The Taff Vale Railway was another major user of somersault signals. On the TVR, Rhymney Railway and Barry Railway, the arms had two white stripes [2.40 & 2.41].
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[2.40] 'Somersault' Stop Signal ('on') (TVR/Rhy.R/Bar.R).
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[2.41] 'Somersault' Stop Signal ('off') (TVR/Rhy.R/Bar.R).
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