Paint scheme for semaphore signal poles

[Wexford70]

Hi guys,

I am looking for information as to how semaphore signal poles would originally have been painted.

I believe the base and tops were usually black and the centre of the pole was white.

Was this the same for all railway companies? I know the DSER used lattice structures instead of poles, would these have used the same paint scheme?

In the 50s or 60s the silver paint was introduced I believe.

Any guidance would be much appreciated.

 

Edited November 3, 2021 by Wexford70

[jhb171achill]

19 minutes ago, Wexford70 said:

Hi guys,

I am looking for information as to how semaphore signal poles would originally have been painted.

I believe the base and tops were usually black and the centre of the pole was white.

Was this the same for all railway companies? I know the DSER used lattice structures instead of poles, would these have used the same paint scheme?

In the 50s or 60s the silver paint was introduced I believe.

Any guidance would be much appreciated.

 

Yes, pretty universal white with black tops and bottoms, though some had white tops too. 

Silver ones seem to have appeared in the late sixties.

[Wexford70]

3 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

Yes, pretty universal white with black tops and bottoms, though some had white tops too. 

Silver ones seem to have appeared in the late sixties.

Were the lattice ones treated the same way?

 

[jhb171achill]

27 minutes ago, Wexford70 said:

Were the lattice ones treated the same way?

 

I'm not sure about that, Wexford70. I have seen one picture somewhere of one such clearly painted in that normal style, but I don't know where it was (as in, on what line / company), nor when it was. 

What I do know is that as far back as the 1930s, the BCDR at least used galvanising rather than paint on some metal surfaces. Then you had the GNR occasionally using creosoted telegraphy-style poles for some signals!

You've got me wondering now - must start delving through pictures!

[jhb171achill]

Further into; during trawling of old photos for unrelated reasons, I found several showing lattice posts painted with white, and black at the bottom too. The top was not visible. 

[DiveController]

Most of the latticed ones I have seen in photos tend t one silver/galvanised but that may be more recent than the B& W version

[jhb171achill]

9 hours ago, DiveController said:

Most of the latticed ones I have seen in photos tend t one silver/galvanised but that may be more recent than the B& W version

I think the galvanising appeared during the 1960s. It still had black bases though.