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Where will the last semaphore signals be on the national network?

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DJ_K666

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I wouldn't be surprised if Harrogate-York ends up being some of the last semaphores. A fair amount of signalling work converting to electric tokenless block yet the semaphores still remain.

There is a distant at Cattal on the down (Harrogate) direction that is definitely not fixed, but something in my head tells me it only moves with the stop signal that's on the same post, so I'm not sure how it's controlled?
Wasn't that kept manual deliberately to train signallers on how to do single line working?
 
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John Webb

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....There is a distant at Cattal on the down (Harrogate) direction that is definitely not fixed, but something in my head tells me it only moves with the stop signal that's on the same post, so I'm not sure how it's controlled?
With semaphore signals, a Distant signal on the same post as a Stop signal has a 'slotting' mechanism which stops the Distant being cleared until the Stop signal has been cleared - this prevents an incorrect display of a stop signal showing 'Stop' and the Distant showing 'Clear'! So it's possible for the box controlling the Distant to move its lever to the 'Clear' position, but the arm doesn't move until the stop signal is cleared which is why the two move together.
 

Western 52

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With semaphore signals, a Distant signal on the same post as a Stop signal has a 'slotting' mechanism which stops the Distant being cleared until the Stop signal has been cleared - this prevents an incorrect display of a stop signal showing 'Stop' and the Distant showing 'Clear'! So it's possible for the box controlling the Distant to move its lever to the 'Clear' position, but the arm doesn't move until the stop signal is cleared which is why the two move together.
To add to that, if the stop arm is wire worked but the distant is motorised, it's possible momentarily for the stop arm to return to the stop position before the distant catches up. I saw this happen at Taunton many years ago. It did look odd.
 

318259

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The "last ones standing" will probably be Anderson's Piano on the West Highland Line.

It's a wild setup, but if it ain't broke...
 

railfan99

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I am Australian and when I visit, I've specifically briefly included Shrewsbury in the detailed itinerary as while I've been there many years ago, I want to refresh my memory of all the semaphore signals in sue.

And another train I should travel on will spend one minute at Worcester Shrub Hill so if one is quick, a photo of the signals there may result.

This is a most helpful thread even if one has to use Google (or nationalrail's site) to discover where some mentioned locations are.
 

tomuk

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I am Australian and when I visit, I've specifically briefly included Shrewsbury in the detailed itinerary as while I've been there many years ago, I want to refresh my memory of all the semaphore signals in sue.
The signals in Shrewsbury are pretty much the same as they were since the last 'tidy up' in 1988?. In fact a new one was installed not long ago to allow a train to depart towards Hereford from Platform 3. There was although a subsequent loss of a semaphore by the the replacement of the signal adjacent to Abbey Foregate Signal Box on approach to the station with a colour light.
 

Colin1501

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On my day trip to Buxton today, I noticed that there is still a mechanically-worked semaphore distant on the Down line at Chapel-en-le-Frith. I missed the one on the Up line, so I couldn't say for sure what type it is. Maybe someone could enlighten us? @furnessvale perhaps?
The up distant at Chapel-en-le-frith is a colour-light. However, both distants at Furness Vale are wire-worked semaphores, and the up distant at Norbury Hollow Crossing is a motor-worked semaphore.
 

Graham H

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To add to that, if the stop arm is wire worked but the distant is motorised, it's possible momentarily for the stop arm to return to the stop position before the distant catches up. I saw this happen at Taunton many years ago. It did look odd.
Take a look at Geoff Burch's series of videos. Chapter 7 The Locomotives shows just this scenario at time 19.08
 
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