Lines where semaphore signals are still used

[marsker]

I don't think that Crag Hall, next to Skinningrove, has been mentioned.

 

[TheBigD]

Also at Whittlesea and Manea on the Peterborough to Ely line.

Replacement with colour lights deferred once again. Now looking to survive until at least September 2024.

 

[Annetts key]

I get the impression that a lot of resignalling or “relock” as Network Rail like to call it is being postponed.

 

[Phil from Mon]

See correction above.

No semaphores in Bangor, pretty sure they are gone from most of the rest of the line between Llandudno Jct and Holyhead

 

[Sheridan]

No semaphores in Bangor, pretty sure they are gone from most of the rest of the line between Llandudno Jct and Holyhead

There are semaphore shunt signals in Bangor, and Gaerwen, Tŷ Croes and Valley all have semaphores as well.

 

[Railsigns]

There are semaphore shunt signals in Bangor

Those are disc signals, not semaphores.

 

[Sheridan]

Those are disc signals, not semaphores.

I didn’t realise disc signals weren’t considered semaphores, you live and learn. (I would certainly argue that they fit the wider definition of semaphore but accept that in railway terms they are separate.)

 

[Woolos 22]

Tondu does indeed retain semaphores

Also Pembrey and Pantyffynnon in west Wales. Tondu and Park Junction too I think.

Park juction due to close at the end of the year

 

[tiptoptaff]

Park juction due to close at the end of the year

Knew it was soon

 

[ItsGrimUpNorth]

There are still semaphore signals on the Newcastle to Carlisle route, together with some magnificent signalboxes - on a line used occasionally as a deviation by HSTs, bi-modes etc.

When I walk the dog over from Wetheral to Great Corby you can see one on each line if you look to the left as you cross the road by the signalbox. Handy for knowing which direction the train is coming from!

Also Sandy Lane foot crossing further along is adjacent to another semaphore, possibly has some form of motor operation on it.

 

[Basil Jet]

I notice that the Dudding Hill Line, or at least the part of it in Craven Park, has lost its semaphores.

Here's March 2019 but by Dec 2020 it had been replaced with lights.

 

[brad465]

Does the Isle of Grain line still use Semaphore signals? Saw them on there 10 years back but not sure if they are still there.

I think the Cliffe Sidings Jn still has some, and there may be one at the Level crossing by the Oil terminal although it may have been replaced by a 'Stop and Telephone' board or similar.

The oil terminal crossing definitely had them more recently and may still do. The jct with Cliffe Brett marine has colour lights that are triggered by token collection, although there is a fixed distant semaphore board approaching that jct in the Hoo jct bound direction, if that counts.

 

[Forty29]

Island Line?

Ryde St John's

 

[jimm]

I want to say that this one on the left-hand side of the picture (taken 2016) was probably installed at Moreton-in-Marsh in 2011 when the line between there and Evesham was redoubled?

IMG 1527 | Signalling Photos

IMG 1527 - IMG_1527.JPG

photos.signalling.org

Compared with this photo from 2009, it certainly looks like it is a relatively recent addition:

S7304719 | Signalling Photos

S7304719 - S7304719.JPG

photos.signalling.org

-Peter

Correct, installed in 2011, to allow trains terminating at Moreton-in-Marsh from the Oxford direction to return south without shunting empty to platform 2.

A replacement crossover with point locks was installed at the same time to allow trains carrying passengers to make the move on to the up (Oxford-bound) line.

 

[KendalR]

On the Farington Curve Junction to Ormskirk line, Midge Hall Signalbox operates the last semaphore on that line - MH2.

 

[Dougal2345]

If they work and still do what is needed of them, why do they need to be history? They will get replaced in the fullness of time.

I suppose to a layman like myself, a semaphore signal would seem to be an order of magnitude more complex and expensive than a colour light.

One imagines that sticking up an LED panel on a post and running a cable to it would be relatively inexpensive and low maintenance, compared to a huge mechanical device with moving parts that presumably needs frequent oiling, painting, is susceptible to wind damage and so on...

But I would love to know the truth of that.

As an aside, what percentage of existing semaphores are still actuated mechanically by wire under tension, as compared to by some kind of motorisation? (sorry if my terminology is off).

 

[John Webb]

I suppose to a layman like myself, a semaphore signal would seem to be an order of magnitude more complex and expensive than a colour light.

One imagines that sticking up an LED panel on a post and running a cable to it would be relatively inexpensive and low maintenance, compared to a huge mechanical device with moving parts that presumably needs frequent oiling, painting, is susceptible to wind damage and so on...

Any colour light signal has to be installed with care to ensure it is pointing in the right direction and can be seen at the designed sighting point by drivers. The LEDs and their mountings are made with considerable precision and have to be both weather-proof and vibration-resistant. All these factors tend to make them expensive items to buy and to install. But I would agree that once installed the maintenance is relatively low.

 

[zwk500]

I suppose to a layman like myself, a semaphore signal would seem to be an order of magnitude more complex and expensive than a colour light.

One imagines that sticking up an LED panel on a post and running a cable to it would be relatively inexpensive and low maintenance, compared to a huge mechanical device with moving parts that presumably needs frequent oiling, painting, is susceptible to wind damage and so on...

But I would love to know the truth of that.

As an aside, what percentage of existing semaphores are still actuated mechanically by wire under tension, as compared to by some kind of motorisation? (sorry if my terminology is off).

The issue is the LED needs a safety critical computer installed behind it, and paying somebody to oil a mechanical setup is a lot cheaper than paying somebody trained and authorised to maintain the computer systems in modern interlocking.
It's even worse if you need to find somebody able to maintain a 1960s era relay interlocking.

 

[Railsigns]

It's the associated cables and cable route that contribute greatly to the cost of installing colour light signals, not to mention the location cases containing the transformers and relays, etc.

The issue is the LED needs a safety critical computer installed behind it

No, it doesn't. An LED signal can be operated from a mechanical lever frame.

As an aside, what percentage of existing semaphores are still actuated mechanically by wire under tension, as compared to by some kind of motorisation?

More than 95% of them, I would say.

 

[melon68]

On the whole network there are hundreds of boxes with lever frames, some of which don't operate semaphore signals (Like the Stockport 5), or just small semaphore shunt discs (Like St Helens). Not sure what you class as "mainline" but off the top of my head I can think of the following locations:

In England:

• The Tyne Valley Line (Blaydon to Corby Gates)
• The Cumbrian Coast (Wigton to Barrow-in-Furness)
• The Furness Line (Barrow-in-Furness to Carnforth Station Junction)
• The Bentham Line (Carnforth Station Junction to Settle Junction)
• The Settle to Carlisle (Howe & Co's Sidings - Hellifield South Junction)
• Bishop Auckland Branch at Shildon
• Windermere Branch at Burnside Higher
• Barton-upon-Humber branch at Barrow Road, Oxmarsh Crossing and Goxhill
• Skegness Line (Sleaford - Skegness) excluding Thorpe Culvert, Sibsey and Sleaford East
• Cornish Main Line (Lisekard to Penzance)
• Parbold on the Wigan to Southport Line
• Midge Hall on the Preston to Ormskirk line
• Rainford Junction on the Wigan to Kirby Line
• Ellesmere Port to Helsby
• Plumly West on the Stockport to Chester route
• Horrocksford Junction on the Clitheroe Line
• St Helens on the Liverpool to Wigan Line
• Ryde St Johns on the Isle of Wight
• Bopeep Junction and Hastings
• Worcester and Droitwitch Spa
• The Cotswolds Line at Moreton in Marsh and Norton Junction
• The Malvern Line (Henwick to Hereford)
• The Derby to Stoke Line (Eggington Junction - Caverswall Crossing)
• Parts of the Scarborough to York Line
• Gristhorpe on the Hull to Scarborough line
• The Harrogate Line (Poppleton to Harrogate)
• The Whitby Branch at Nunthorpe
• The Warrington Low Level Line (Fiddlers Ferry - Arpley Junction)
• The Peak Forest Area (Great Rocks Jct & Peak Forest South)
• The Buxton Line (Buxton - Furness Vale)
• Glazebrook East on the Liverpool - Manchester Line

In Scotland:

• The Stranraer Line (Kilkerran - Stranraer)
• The Dumfries Line (Annan - Kilmarnock)
• West Highland Line at the Pass of Brader (stone signals) and Fort William Junction
• Cupar to Tay Bridge South
• Stirling to Perth
• Dundee to Aberdeen (exclusive)
• Aberdeen to Keith Junction
• Perth to Aviemore (excluding Dunkeld)

In Wales:

• The Conwy Valley Line at Llanwrst
• Deganwy and Llandudno Station
• The North Wales Coast from Penmaenmawr to Holyhead
• The Borderlands Line at Penyfford and Dee Marsh Junction
• The Welsh Marshes Line between Gobowen North and Little Mill Junction
• The Maesteg Branch at Tondu
• Ferryside on the South Wales Main Line

I do appologise for the long post but I do hope that you find it somewhat informative!

Also missing is Swinderby between Newark Castle and Lincoln, I think the semaphores were scheduled to be replaced this year but the money ran out.

 

[Crawley Ben]

Could you potentially include Princes Risborough (Semaphore signal close to the Signalbox). Believe the heritage line there is jointly used with NR for use by track machines & such the like? (Happy to be corrected if mistaken)

Ben

 

[Watershed]

Could you potentially include Princes Risborough (Semaphore signal close to the Signalbox). Believe the heritage line there is jointly used with NR for use by track machines & such the like? (Happy to be corrected if mistaken)

Ben

Yes, and technically that bit is still NR infrastructure (albeit leased to the CPRR). It was also used by Chiltern for inter-peak stabling pre-Covid.

 

[MarkyT]

No, it doesn't. An LED signal can be operated from a mechanical lever frame.

I expect many lever operated colour lights have modern LED heads by now. Then there are those LED 'light engine' modules that simply plug into the the bayonet mountings of older heads originally designed for SL35 and similar filament lamps.

More than 95% of them, I would say.

Motor worked semaphores were always a rare phenomenon. 'Long pulls' in semaphore areas such as distants were more likely to become isolated colour lights. The mechanism of a signal machine is more of a maintenance and reliability liability than a colour light doing the same job, especially a modern LED one, and you need about the same quantity of electrical equipment and circuitry to drive either.

 

[zwk500]

No, it doesn't. An LED signal can be operated from a mechanical lever frame.

Apologies, I thought the poster was talking about a wholesale resignalling not just switching the signals over.

 

[Wolvercoter]

Park juction due to close at the end of the year

Are the Park Junction semaphores still in place? If so, any idea of when the work to replace them will take place? Thanks in advance for any info.

 

[vic-rijrode]

Although not strictly speaking on the Network Rail line, one of the signals on the great array of semaphores at the northern end of Grosmont station controls access to the line to Whitby.

 

[zwk500]

Although not strictly speaking on the Network Rail line, one of the signals on the great array of semaphores at the north-east end of Grosmont station controls access to the line to Whitby.

Does it actually clear the route through, or does it just allow a train to pull forward to a 'STOP AND OBTAIN TOKEN' board?

 

[Rich_D3167]

On the whole network there are hundreds of boxes with lever frames, some of which don't operate semaphore signals (Like the Stockport 5), or just small semaphore shunt discs (Like St Helens). Not sure what you class as "mainline" but off the top of my head I can think of the following locations:

In England:

• Barton-upon-Humber branch at Barrow Road, Oxmarsh Crossing and Goxhill

To update this, Goxhill lost it's semaphore signals within the past couple of years. Unusually, though, it still retains crossing gates. Oxmarsh crossing & Barrow Road retain their semaphores, but Barrow Road now has barriers rather than gates.

 

[m79900]

I don’t know if this has been mentioned, but much of the Crewe to Derby line is worked by Semaphores.

 

[Deepgreen]

Wembley Carriage Lines (Intercity Depot) and the Dudding Hill freight Line

Indeed, and what's more, some new semaphores were installed on that route to replace life-expired ones a few years back.