IRISH SEMAPHORE SIGNALS

[heirflick]

How's the men?  Question for ye that I need a bit of help on.  Going back to the days of the beautiful semaphore signals, which made the railways more alive - I can only remember the signal posts being a round post, with the only exception I saw wad at Malahide signal cabin.  Mullingar were all round, as was Edgeworth town and Longford.  Was there square posts used around the net?  Pics please if possible and many thanks in advance,  Seamus

[WRENNEIRE]

I feel your pain man, keep up the good work

[JasonB]

On 7/3/2020 at 6:24 PM, Jon Fitness said:

First post on here! I'll be honest and admit, I'm not modelling Irish railways myself but I do build rather a lot of signals in 7mm scale. I have very happy memories of touring the CIE system back in the 80s and 90s when there were many and wonderful semaphores about. Courtesy of a Tyrconnel Models etch, this is my take on a typical stop signal. It's servo operated and LED lit, using the 5v feed (plus a 330ohm resistor) to the servo to power the led.

Cheers

Jon F.

They are seriously tasty. 

[jhb171achill]

..

Edited July 4, 2020 by jhb171achill

[DiveController]

they look great but shame no 4mm version

[Galteemore]

7 minutes ago, Jon Fitness said:

Do Tyrconnel Models not do 4mm etches?

Studio Scale Models do.http://www.studio-scale-models.com/Signals.shtml 

[DiveController]

The SSM kit does three for only 20 euro but they're neither lit nor motorized I believe. Cosmetically they're a nice option. I think someone did a motorized one in OO I believe with 'bounce' and everything but I don't recall

[Jon Fitness]

9 hours ago, DiveController said:

The SSM kit does three for only 20 euro but they're neither lit nor motorized I believe. Cosmetically they're a nice option. I think someone did a motorized one in OO I believe with 'bounce' and everything but I don't recall

I suppose, like me, you have to build to your own specific needs using what bits are available..

[leslie10646]

On 7/26/2020 at 1:39 PM, DiveController said:

The SSM kit does three for only 20 euro but they're neither lit nor motorized I believe. Cosmetically they're a nice option. I think someone did a motorized one in OO I believe with 'bounce' and everything but I don't recall

Hi Kevin - DAPOL do 00 signals, motorised and lit.

I have half a dozen of their GWR lower quadrant ones sitting un-installed in a box. They now do brackets as well (NOT CHEAP).

I bought a Ratio signal kit to butcher and use as a non-working platform starter for Richhill - nothing will happen for months, of course, as my left arm is in plaster after a fall.

Des's signals looked decent to me when he was demo-ing them at a Cultra event - wrong railway for me, of course!

I think this is my one thousandth post  - does my rating go up - or DOWN?

WATCH OUT FOR POTHOLES WHEN WALKING IN ENGLAND - IRISH ROADS ARE MUCH BETTER MAINTAINED!

Keep well everyone.

Leslie

Edited July 28, 2020 by leslie10646

[Galteemore]

Sorry to hear that Leslie - hope you’re on the mend soon. The Dapol signals are a nice job.  

[DiveController]

@leslie10646

Thanks for the info Leslie.

You gotta look down from the semaphore observations occasionally or this is what happens (Get Well Soon)

 

PS

Is that arm in an upper quadrant or a lower quadrant plaster? ..... somersaults, well you did those already 

 

[leslie10646]

9 hours ago, DiveController said:

@leslie10646

Thanks for the info Leslie.

You gotta look down from the semaphore observations occasionally or this is what happens (Get Well Soon)

 

PS

Is that arm in an upper quadrant or a lower quadrant plaster? ..... somersaults, well you did those already 

 

The arm is very much in the DANGER position - whether it's upper, lower or somersault!

As we Ulstermen say "ya cuddn't  mak' it up".

I certainly don't recommend it - but it is suitably humbling and reminds me of how blessed I am compared with others who have to deal which much worse handicaps

[DSERetc]

Leslie, sorry to hear of the fall.   Get well soon.

 

The discussion has mentioned signal posts: square - wooden and concrete, lattice, round and telegraph poles.   Signal arms: red and white stop signals  and distant signals. The GSR and CIE distant signals were yellow and white until the end of steam.  The steam locomotive head lamps were only indicators to signal men rather than illuminating the way ahead.   With the powerful head lamps on the diesel locomotives and railcars,  as a further safety feature, the reflective material was put on the signal arms and I read somewhere there was a proposal to do away with the oil lamps on the semaphore signals.

One detail which has not been mentioned in the discussion is the colour of the spectacle plates, perhaps because it is obvious.   If so I apologise.      On the GSR and CIE the spectacle plates are white.   On the GNR and NCC they are the same colour as the signal,  red or yellow.     In Britain on the GWR and BR they are black.

Sometimes you may see British signals in use Irish layouts.

 

DSERetc

[Buz]

Hi all

Since we are on things signals branch did any of the Irish railways use rotating points indicators to indicate normal and reverse setting on points.

Please do not call it a signal it isn't, its an indicator, even though it is a ground signal like device.

It could possibly have red and white, red and yellow or red and green disks, or square targets fitted depending on period and type.

It would usually be seen on the left side from the facing direction though there where the odd exceptions when it was on the right.

regards John

[Broithe]

16 minutes ago, Buz said:

Hi all

Since we are on things signals branch did any of the Irish railways use rotating points indicators to indicate normal and reverse setting on points.

Please do not call it a signal it isn't, its an indicator, even though it is a ground signal like device.

It could possibly have red and white, red and yellow or red and green disks, or square targets fitted depending on period and type.

It would usually be seen on the left side from the facing direction though there where the odd exceptions when it was on the right.

regards John

Not rotating, but I presume this is a points indicator at Ballybrophy - in 2008 - all gone now.

 

 

There was still a ground frame there then.

Edited August 29, 2020 by Broithe

[Buz]

Hi Broithe

My guess on it would be a no that's a shunt signal, my reasoning the pattern of lights and head shape is wrong for point indicator.

The light colours and pattern match what I would expect from a ground shunt being two lunar white lights and a colored hard to tell at black out but the bottom left light appears to be red which I would expect on a shunt signal but not on modern point indicator lights.

regards John

[BSGSV]

On 8/29/2020 at 1:10 PM, Buz said:

Hi all

Since we are on things signals branch did any of the Irish railways use rotating points indicators to indicate normal and reverse setting on points.

Please do not call it a signal it isn't, its an indicator, even though it is a ground signal like device.

It could possibly have red and white, red and yellow or red and green disks, or square targets fitted depending on period and type.

It would usually be seen on the left side from the facing direction though there where the odd exceptions when it was on the right.

regards John

Yes, they were used. A late remaining example was on the trap points from the yard at Gort. They tend to be identified on diagrams by having the same lever number as the turnout they are with.

[Buz]

On 8/31/2020 at 8:52 PM, BSGSV said:

Yes, they were used. A late remaining example was on the trap points from the yard at Gort. They tend to be identified on diagrams by having the same lever number as the turnout they are with.

Thanks that means my known reality departure for operational reasons will be at least be believable a catch point indicator and local Mck and H ordinary points indicators with 1896 aspects provided they can be made to work.

regards John

[minister_for_hardship]

Some images from a sheet of pre Grouping signal standards, including some Irish, possibly from a signalling contractor. Includes a colour key.

[NIR]

I never realised NCC somersault arms were 5 feet long!

[minister_for_hardship]

On 4/11/2020 at 6:41 PM, NIR said:

I never realised NCC somersault arms were 5 feet long!

I had one up until a year or two ago before moving it on. They are that long.

[murphaph]

On 11/6/2019 at 8:54 PM, warb said:

 

Is that a concrete post? It almost looks concrete anyway.

[warb]

Murphaph

The post was timber and was in Athy as far as i remember

warb

[murphaph]

Cheers Warb, yeah it's deffo Athy I reckon, protecting the crossover from the loop to the mainline in the DOWN direction. Useful info for me. Thx