Red hand lamps/batons

[Taunton]

Found this on the Signal Box website. Drivers must have had to know their stuff. So many combinations of red,yellow and green.

It was straightforward signalling from the USA, as I described above, in fact not the more complex from there, that has gantries with multiple such masts - Mirfield was all single masts. The equipment was actually imported from a mainstream USA supplier, Union Switch & Signal if I am not mistaken, from Pittsburgh, actually George Westinghouse's old company; I don't know how much the UK Westinghouse in Chippenham was involved. Once you understand the principles it was all more understandable. I believe the LMS later discontinued the Advance Caution, the only one with yellow, green and red on the same mast, which was a 5th aspect beyond a UK 4-aspect double yellow, because at the speeds at Mirfield it wasn't necessary.

How about this one then, a little nearer home, which at night would display you 24 reds, 18 yellows, and two greens :

Rugby. Signal gantry at the old railway station

www.ourwarwickshire.org.uk

 

[Railsigns]

How about this one then, a little nearer home, which at night would display you 24 reds, 18 yellows, and two greens :

Rugby. Signal gantry at the old railway station

www.ourwarwickshire.org.uk

At the time the picture was taken, only red or green lights would be displayed.

 

[43066]

Red in combination with something else can mean go though - you're allowed to pass red signals at caution if the "cats eyes" are illuminated, e.g. for a shunt move or permissive working (attaching/double docking).

St the risk of getting very pedantic, perhaps it’s more correct to say the dummy signal illuminating disapplies the associated red and means it can simply be disregarded. If the dummy lights weren’t illuminated, or went out for any reason, red would still certainly mean stop.

That analysis also makes sense when you consider that a proceed aspect from a ground position light signal, with no associated red main aspect, has exactly the same “proceed at caution” meaning.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Mar 2022 ==

A red semaphore signal arm inclined at 45 degrees is an unequivocal "proceed" indication.

That’s a very good example of why it’s a bad idea to deal in absolutes . To be fair @TheEdge ’s statement is almost always correct….

 

[Taunton]

At the time the picture was taken, only red or green lights would be displayed.

Good point. So 42 reds and two greens.

 

[matchmaker]

If there is a main aspect signal and a position light together, as long as one of them is in the off position, you have not passed a signal at danger.



Your argument is void. Find another example where red does not mean stop.

A red light moved up and down above the head means (meant) create vacuum.

 

[Rescars]

A red semaphore signal arm inclined at 45 degrees is an unequivocal "proceed" indication.

In the case of a backing signal, it was of course an indication to proceed - though not by going forwards, but by going in reverse.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

"Any light waved violently denotes danger" (so I was taught) - even mobile phone lights in extreme circumstances.

A good point made above about the worries to drivers of seeing cyclists in the dark , pushing their bikes along a platform with a good red on the back ready for the road. I have politely explained that to a few people over the years and they were utterly reasonable about it.

 

[weastebusdepot]

"Any light waved violently denotes danger" (so I was taught) - even mobile phone lights in extreme circumstances.

Vigorously. It's always preferable not to do anything "violently" on the railway!

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Vigorously. It's always preferable not to do anything "violently" on the railway!

Indeed - even a "violent" coupling between wagons or coaches. Not ideal.

(a few years out of an annual Rules exam , as I am sure you appreciate)

 

[skyhigh]

Vigorously. It's always preferable not to do anything "violently" on the railway!

Did it not change at some point from 'violently' to 'vigorous'?

 

[weastebusdepot]

Did it not change at some point from 'violently' to 'vigorous'?

I don't know. I haven't been around for that long.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Cannot lay my hand on the 1972 Rulebook (as heavily amended over the years) , at the moment.

Another gem - "Staff must be prompt , civil and obliging" .........

 

[Mugby]

On the P/Way, it became apparent that when scrap was being collected, sometimes certain items which were intended to be retained for further use, crossings, pieces of rail etc. were being taken away along with the scrap.

Then someone devised a delightfully simple idea for materials left on the trackside, put some paint on them- Red to stop, Green to go!

 

[HSP 2]

At the time the picture was taken, only red or green lights would be displayed.

Not quit true as the signals with the fishtails are distance signals and should show a yellow light. The arm IIRC was painted red at the time and not what we now expect as the normal yellow as now and a black fishtailed band. But the lights would always only show a yellow or green.

If what your saying is correct you could have the upper arm in the off position showing green and the bottom arm on the same post showing red, so what is the driver to do? Stop is the only thing that I can think of, as the two signals are in conflict.

 

[Tomnick]

Not quit true as the signals with the fishtails are distance signals and should show a yellow light. The arm IIRC was painted red at the time and not what we now expect as the normal yellow as now and a black fishtailed band. But the lights would always only show a yellow or green.

If what your saying is correct you could have the upper arm in the off position showing green and the bottom arm on the same post showing red, so what is the driver to do? Stop is the only thing that I can think of, as the two signals are in conflict.

Not at the time of the photo, they didn't. As unlikely as it sounds compared to today's standards, distant signals did indeed display a red light. Drivers were expected to rely on route knowledge to tell the difference.

@Railsigns knows a thing or two about this (link)

 

[High Dyke]

Vigorously. It's always preferable not to do anything "violently" on the railway!

Current Rule Book states:

During darkness or in poor visibility
You must show a red light to the driver or wave any light violently.