signalling my layout.

[Sean]

looking for some advice on signalling my layout which is set in the IR era.

 

were semaphores still used during this period or had anything moved onto "traffic light" signals like those used today.. i prefer the idea of lit signals so i can incorporate them into the computerised side of the layout....

 

would it just typically of been a single signal to signal the approach to the station or would there have been further signals to signal the sidings?

 

Id also like to add a few lineside signs leaving the station such as a speed limit but i also do not really know where these typically would have been placed or which ones would be needed to accurately model such a thing.

 

any help is appreciated

seah

 

[jhb171achill]

1 minute ago, Sean said:

looking for some advice on signalling my layout which is set in the IR era.

 

were semaphores still used during this period or had anything moved onto "traffic light" signals like those used today.. i prefer the idea of lit signals so i can incorporate them into the computerised side of the layout....

 

would it just typically of been a single signal to signal the approach to the station or would there have been further signals to signal the sidings?

 

Id also like to add a few lineside signs leaving the station such as a speed limit but i also do not really know where these typically would have been placed or which ones would be needed to accurately model such a thing.

 

any help is appreciated

seah

 

Sean

With a very small number of locations STILL covered by semaphore signals (e.g. Tipperary), you're fine with that. IE came into being in 1987, and at that stage there were many more locations with semaphores, including some quite large places (Cork, for example!), although colour light signals were indeed the norm.

So if you want to do a 1990s layout with semaphores, that's perfectly within the realms of accuracy.

[Sean]

when did the coloured signals start and when did they become more widespread?

i wouldnt mind trying the disused semaphore alongside a working coloured but im worried that may be slightly too modern looking for my rural backwater theme that ive got going.

[jhb171achill]

When new signals were installed anywhere, the old ones were removed as soon as possible to avoid confusing crews, so while you won't have a semaphore arm beside a new colour light one, you may well get a post, still with ladder, but with the old arm removed, or very temporarily covered by a big wooden "X" nailed onto it.

The earliest colour lights go back to the 1920s, so for the best part of a century, depending on where you are, there are both; even to this day!

The surviving examples today are at Navan, a couple of places on the Limerick - Ballybrophy line (the "Nenagh branch") and a couple of locations on the Limerick Junction - Waterford line. The last ones in Cork and Waterford stations only disappeared a few years ago, as did the last one in the North, at Castlerock. (Not IE / IR, I know!).

Des Sullivan, of Studio Scale Models in Ennis, makes kits of Irish ones. Signals Studio Scale Models Semaphore Railway Signals (studio-scale-models.com)

[murphaph]

Sean you can incorporate semaphores/servo motors into your computer control also. In fact you can do some cool stuff with the right equipment, like simulating the way a semaphore really moved in reality, often going up slightly before moving down as the cable tension was applied to be able to release the lever or whatever. The bounce of a semaphore as it gets to the top or bottom can also be simulated.

[Rob]

 

1 hour ago, murphaph said:

Sean you can incorporate semaphores/servo motors into your computer control also. In fact you can do some cool stuff with the right equipment, like simulating the way a semaphore really moved in reality, often going up slightly before moving down as the cable tension was applied to be able to release the lever or whatever. The bounce of a semaphore as it gets to the top or bottom can also be simulated.

Would love to see that in action, even though it's outside my era.

Any photos or vids?

[murphaph]

Viessmann has a commercial product for example but this feature originated in the openDCC community I believe. OpenDCC servo controllers can definitely be programmed to simulate the bounce.

Here's a video on Arduino based solutions. I really like that Hans guy actually:

 

 

Edited April 29, 2022 by murphaph

[Mayner]

Signalling requirements depends pretty much on whether the line carries passenger traffic or is goods only.

Facing Points on a passenger carrying line (are fitted with locks to prevent accidental movement) and are either controlled by a mechanical Lever Frame or by remotely controlled point motors, fixed signals are usually provided to allow trains to enter the station or access the main line.

Points on goods only lines and yards are often controlled by hand levers with no fixed signals, East Wall Dublin is a good example of a yard where all points are controlled by hand, Foynes is another example of a station where points were converted to hand operation after the ending of passenger traffic and the station upgraded to handle Oil, Barytes, Zinc ore and later Fertiliser, Bulk grain and Mollasses traffic.

I have marked your layout up with the minimal signalling to handle passenger traffic. The Home signal that controls entry to the station is actually 'offscene" on the other side of the bridge to the station, this signal controls the main line to the station platform up to the buffer stops. 

I have shown two "starting" or departure signals one at the end of the platform and a second at the bridge before leaving the station though in practice only the latter was likely to have been used in full sized practice. The second starting signal theoretically allows a passenger train an a loco to wait at the platform while a train is departing the goods yard or loop

Movements to and from the goods yard/loco depot would have been controlled by had signals from the Signal Man/Shunter rather than by ground signals mainly because of the lack of space. In theory the home signal would have been held at danger and the train brought to a halt, before receiving a hand signal to enter the goods yard.

Signals could have been either semaphore or 2 aspect colour light, some stations such as Ballina, Drogheda, Kilkenny, Limerick  were re-signalled with colour light signals and power operated points from the 1970s onwards, before entire main line routes were converted to CTC operation during the  late 1990s/early 2000s