Section 2: Main Signals
(Page 3 of 7)
The Great Central Railway distinguished its signals applying to slow lines or loop lines by fitting rings to their arms [2.42 - 2.45]. These rings were distinctive in that their shape was not circular.
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[2.42] Ringed Semaphore Stop Signal ('on') (GCR).
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[2.43] Ringed Semaphore Stop Signal ('off') (GCR).
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[2.44] Ringed Semaphore Distant Signal ('on') (GCR).
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[2.45] Ringed Semaphore Distant Signal ('off') (GCR).
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The North London Railway, which was closely linked to the LNWR, provided rings on the arms of signals applying to its 'No.1' lines [2.46 - 2.49].
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[2.46] Ringed Semaphore Stop Signal ('on') (NLR).
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[2.47] Ringed Semaphore Stop Signal ('off') (NLR).
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[2.48] Ringed Semaphore Distant Signal ('on') (NLR).
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[2.49] Ringed Semaphore Distant Signal ('off') (NLR).
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Uniquely, the NLR identified signals applying to movements to or from goods lines by the provision of a perpendicular bar on the arm [2.50 - 2.53]. There were some signal arms that carried both a ring and a bar [2.54 - 2.57].
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[2.50] Semaphore Stop Signal with Bar ('on') (NLR).
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[2.51] Semaphore Stop Signal with Bar ('off') (NLR).
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[2.52] Semaphore Distant Signal with Bar ('on') (NLR).
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[2.53] Semaphore Distant Signal with Bar ('off') (NLR).
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[2.54] Semaphore Stop Signal with Ring and Bar ('on') (NLR).
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[2.55] Semaphore Stop Signal with Ring and Bar ('off') (NLR).
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[2.56] Semaphore Distant Signal with Ring and Bar ('on') (NLR).
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[2.57] Semaphore Distant Signal with Ring and Bar ('off') (NLR).
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In 1878, the permissive working of platform lines at a terminus station was first practiced, on the LB&SCR. John Saxby's idea, first applied at London Bridge North S.B. in 1878, was to provide a distant arm on the post of any stop signal reading into the platform roads. With the stop arm cleared, the distant arm would remain at 'caution' (see [2.34]) if the platform road was already partially occupied, otherwise it would also be lowered (see [2.35]), indicating that the platform road was unoccupied. The Caledonian Railway did the same at important terminus stations, but in their case the distant arm was ringed and known as a 'precaution signal'.
As the amount of white lights visible at night increased, it became more difficult for drivers to pick out which was their 'clear' signal light. Gradually, during the 1880s some companies began to alter some of their signals to show a green light in the 'clear' position [2.58 - 2.61]. This had been standard practice on the Great Northern Railway ever since the introduction of 'somersault' signals in 1877 (see [2.36 & 2.37]).
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[2.58] Semaphore Stop Signal ('off').
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[2.59] Semaphore Distant Signal ('off').
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[2.60] Ringed Semaphore Stop Signal ('off') (LNWR).
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[2.61] Ringed Semaphore Distant Signal ('off') (LNWR).
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In 1887, the Great Northern Railway decided to abandon the use of distinguishing features on its goods line and slow line signals (see [2.38 & 2.39]), and set about removing the rings from their arms and replacing the purple lenses with green.
