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End of semaphores

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bailey65

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When the next west country resignalling is done that will mean the end of semaphores there which is a major characteristic of the area the only other area that really has a lot of this obsolete infrastructure is east anglia and lincolnshire where etms would eventually be ideal in the more rural areas like the skegness line as more trains could run than now.
It will be a shame to see old gated crossings boxes and semaphores go completely but they are too outdated for a 21st century railway.
 
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jopsuk

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Semaphores didn't belong in the second half of the 20th century, let along the first half of the 21st.
 

Oracle

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We will still have them on the Marchwood/Falwey branch for a long time yet...plus there will probaly be some at Bognor Regis for a time.

For the interesting ones have a look at the Willesden Carriage North and South 'box lines..semaphores + OHL!
 

jopsuk

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or at Elsenham, an old fashioned gated crossing on an 80mph OHL line.
 

sparky18

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There were some semaphores in the Blackpool North area last time I went through (Autumn 2011)
 

Rwhunited

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sparky18:1039500 said:
There were some semaphores in the Blackpool North area last time I went through (Autumn 2011)
Blackpool line still has them, furthest I have seen them (more than likely further) from blackpool was Poulton
 

Flamingo

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When the next west country resignalling is done that will mean the end of semaphores there which is a major characteristic of the area the only other area that really has a lot of this obsolete infrastructure is east anglia and lincolnshire where etms would eventually be ideal in the more rural areas like the skegness line as more trains could run than now.
It will be a shame to see old gated crossings boxes and semaphores go completely but they are too outdated for a 21st century railway.

What about West Wales and Vale of Glamorgan?
 

MidnightFlyer

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Wrawby Jn and Barnetby does, one of the most famous signalling areas in the country AFAIK.

Unless it's changed recently, Stirling still has semaphores at the southern end of the station.

It still does.
 

142094

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Easier to control non-semaphore signals from a couple of large signalling centres around the country rather than from lots of small boxes.
 

NSEFAN

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Still plenty of semaphores around Norfolk and Suffolk, although the Ely-Norwich line is being switched over to colour lights by the end of this year. The Norwich-Great Yarmouth/Lowestoft and Ely-Peterborough lines are due to go in 2015 IIRC.

Mind you, boxes like those at Shrewsbury and Worcester are due to last until 2050, making the technology over 200 years old by the time it is withdrawn! :lol:
 

Clip

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Dos the Market Harbourough branch still have them?

It doesnt matter. The sooner they get rid the better.,
 

driver9000

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Blackpool line still has them, furthest I have seen them (more than likely further) from blackpool was Poulton

Yes, Poulton Le Fylde to Blackpool North has semaphore signals but Blackpool North No.2 down distant and outer home are LED colour lights. The Intermediate block sections are colour lights.

Prescot signal box works semaphore signals.
 

driver9000

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On the same line, Foley Crossing (at Longton) has a semaphore distant - aren't they meant to be pretty rare these days?

They are still extant on the Fylde line. When Blackpool Nth No.1 signal box was abolished the Up Distant signals underneath No.2 signal box section signals were retained to act as a repeater for the signal which became Blackpool Nth No.2 section signal (former No.1 box Up section signal). I can't think of any other location worked by semaphore which has this arrangement.
 

Tomnick

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Uttoxeter has semaphore distants in both directions, albeit motor-worked.
 

Mutant Lemming

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Sempahores have several advantages :

- They provide a pair of eyes 'on the ground' (or from a cabin) like a watchman to help prevent theft, trespass, terrorists

- level crossings are safer if someone is there to oversee them

- They provide jobs in these times of high unemployment
 

robby p

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The main thing I find disappointing is that loosing all these signal boxes to signalling centres is the local knowledge is all lost. It's very frustrating when trying to report things, for example trespassers or animals on the line to someone sitting in front of a screen 30 miles away. Local signallers would know things like landmarks/bridges/access roads etc so you wouldn't have to keep guessing distances from signals numbers you can't remember. I'm not knocking signallers in larger centres, in fact they have an extremely tough job, some cover very large areas, you generally feel sorry for them when things kick off because you know his workload must be extremely hectic.
 

Cherry_Picker

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You could just quote the nearest milepost. It is what they are there for.

I can understand why people get misty eyed for semaphore signals, nostalgia is a powerful emotion but they are woefully out of date. Metal arms on posts held together by bits of wire have as much place on a 21st century railway as the absolute block signalling system does. (ie, none)
 
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robby p

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I assume on your route all mileposts are present and not covered over by foliage , someone may correct me if I'm wrong but even mileposts I'm sure the signaller would have to look up rather then knowing them all personally.

As for semaphores I'm split between whether they are so outdated for the job they do they need replacing or that they aren't broken so don't fix them.
 
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Mind you, boxes like those at Shrewsbury and Worcester are due to last until 2050, making the technology over 200 years old by the time it is withdrawn! :lol:

Absolutely - although the lines radiating from Shrewsbury will have their semaphores removed this decade (line to Crewe this year) Shrewsbury itself (including Sutton Bridge) will go on into the 2050s with glorious mechanical signalling - Severn Bridge signal box is now the largest of its kind in the world, following the closure of a larger box in Australia. Shrewsbury station has recently had a brand new semaphore installed on platform 3..

And I'm very happy about that!! :D
 

The Informer

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Absolutely - although the lines radiating from Shrewsbury will have their semaphores removed this decade (line to Crewe this year) Shrewsbury itself (including Sutton Bridge) will go on into the 2050s with glorious mechanical signalling - Severn Bridge signal box is now the largest of its kind in the world, following the closure of a larger box in Australia. Shrewsbury station has recently had a brand new semaphore installed on platform 3..

And I'm very happy about that!! :D


You should see the interlockings under Severn Bridge Box....
its awesome!

Oh, and don't hold your breath on EVERYTHING dissapearing after the modular signalling on the Crewe line!
 
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