Colours for signal posts & castings that hold the arm/ spectacle plate?

[Mike 84C]

Before I make a complete faux pas and paint my signal, are the light parts in B&W photos from the 1950's/60's  white or silver? Would like to get it right first time!

[Irishswissernie]

About the best view I have Ballingrane 1963, looks more of a dirty white rather than silver.

 

[jhb171achill]

ALWAYS white in the past on all railways; the silver only came about with CIE in the late 1960s or early 70s.

Colour light signals usually galvanised (thus "silver") from the outset, but some older ones white.

The GNR and some minor railways occasionally had signals mounted on creosoted telegraph posts.

The bottoms of signal posts and (on the GNR anyway) the metal caps on top of them, were black.

 

[popeye]

Most signals like the one above had white spectacle plate in the south but these were red in the north.

[jhb171achill]

1 hour ago, popeye said:

Most signals like the one above had white spectacle plate in the south but these were red in the north.

On the whole GNR they were red all over the system too - the white was a CIE thing, rather than "north / south".

[DiveController]

Killarney early 60s Black/White/Black post with white stripe on red semaphore arm, spectacle plate surrounds white, ladder black. Black on top for contrast with arm I think. Reverse: Black stripe on white arm

Reverse Tralee 1964 Lamp Holder Black Base of arm also black (although not universal)

 

Boyle 1961 Slight curvature to base of red 

Also seen at Athlone (also MGWR) 1969, attachments to the post also contrasted against black

 

Cork Late 60s Silver round galvanized Metal but semaphore is white and red 

Waterford Reverse side of metal gantry, base and tops still black as at Cork

Then there's an oddball somersault thingy at Askeaton, second signal appears to be the same

 

Edited September 23, 2021 by DiveController

[jhb171achill]

That Askeaton one is certainly a one-off, as were several on the CDR, C & L and T & D; also Island Road on the Kilfree Junction - Ballaghaderreen branch....

[minister_for_hardship]

5 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

That Askeaton one is certainly a one-off, as were several on the CDR, C & L and T & D; also Island Road on the Kilfree Junction - Ballaghaderreen branch....

Lixnaw and a couple of LCs on Cork and Youghal had them too.

[jhb171achill]

7 hours ago, minister_for_hardship said:

Lixnaw and a couple of LCs on Cork and Youghal had them too.

Indeed!

[Mike 84C]

Brilliant! thanks to you all for pointing me in the right direction. A cornucopia of different signals, I don't think that's a question I need ask again.