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A signal box or signal cabin is a building from which railway signals and points are controlled. The term signal cabin is used in Ireland, parts of Scotland and in Australia. In North America, the somewhat equivalent term interlocking tower is used. The Signal Tower is a museum in the coastal town of Arbroath, Angus, Scotland. ...
This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...
A signal is a mechanical or electrical device that indicates to train drivers or engineers information about the state of the line ahead, and therefore whether he or she must stop or may proceed, or instructions on what speed the train may go. ...
A railroad switch is a mechanical installation enabling trains to be guided from one set of rail tracks (or tramway tracks) to another. ...
North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ...
The tower and tracks at Deval interlocking, Des Plaines, Illinois, in 1993 An interlocking tower is an often towerlike structure or building housing the levers for working railroad switches and trackside signals. ...
 Main line UK signal box still in use at Bangor. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1296 × 972 pixel, file size: 1. ...
Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1296 × 972 pixel, file size: 1. ...
This article is about the city of Bangor in Wales. ...
History
Originally, all signalling was done by mechanical means. Points and signals were operated locally from individual levers or handles, meaning that the signalman had to walk between the various pieces of equipment to set them in the required position for each train that passed. Before long, it was realised that control should be concentrated into one building, which came to be known as a signal box. Wind turbines The scientific definition of a machine is any device that transmits or modifies energy. ...
A signalman is an employee of a railway transport network who operates the points and signals in a signal box. ...
Control apparatus
Lever frame -
The earliest signal boxes housed mechanical lever frames. The frame was usually mounted on a beam beneath the operating floor. Interlocking was attached to the levers, which ensured that signals showed the correct indication with regard to the points and were operated in the right order. Wires or rods, connected at one end to the signals and points and at the other to levers in the signal box, ran alongside the railway. Mechanical railway signalling installations rely on lever frames for their operation to interlock the signals and points to allow the safe operation of trains in the area the signals control. ...
Interlocking in railway terminology (US) is a term used to describe an at-grade crossing or other junction of two or more railroads, or any railroad switching complex in which the switches and the signals controlling train movement over those switches is interlocked so that it is impossible to give...
Levers are painted according to their function, e.g. red for stop signals and black for points, and are usually numbered, from left to right, for identification. In most cases, a diagram of the track and signalling layout is mounted above the lever frame, showing the relevant lever numbers adjacent to the signals and points.
Power frames have miniature levers and control the signals and points electrically. In some cases, the interlocking was still done mechanically, but in others, electric lever locks were used.
In a few cases, signals and points were operated pneumatically upon operation of the appropriate lever or slide.
Control panel In a signal box with a control panel, the levers are replaced by buttons or switches, usually appropriately positioned directly onto the track diagram. These buttons or switches are interfaced with an electrical or electronic interlocking. In the UK, control panels are of the following types: - Individual Function Switch (IFS)
- A separate button/switch is provided for each signal and for each set of points. This type of panel is operated in a similar manner to a lever frame. The signalman must move each set of points to the desired position before operating the switch or button of the signal reading over them.
- This type of panel needs the least complex circuitry but is not suited to controlling large or busy areas.
- One Control Switch (OCS)
- A separate switch/button is provided for every signalled route. There will be as many switches/buttons per signal as there are routes (i.e. signalled destinations) from that signal. To set the desired route, the relevant switch or button is operated. All points within the route are automatically set to the required position.
- Individual points switches are provided, but they are normally left in the central position, which allows the points to be automatically set by the action of setting a route.
- Entrance-Exit (NX)
- This type of panel has one switch/button provided for every signalled route (except that some panels have separate 'entrance' and 'exit' devices). To set a route, the signalman operates the device for the 'entrance' signal, followed by the device for the 'exit' (destination) signal. All points within the route are automatically set to the required position.
- Individual points switches are provided, but they are normally left in the central position, which allows the points to be automatically set by the action of setting a route.
Similar principles of operation as described above are applicable throughout the world.
Visual Display Unit Modern signal boxes nowadays tend to be provided with VDU based, or similar, control systems. These systems are less expensive to build and easier to alter than a traditional panel. In the UK, large modern signal boxes are typically of the Integrated Electronic Control Centre type. Variations of these control systems are used throughout the world. A computer display monitor, usually called simply a monitor, is a piece of electrical equipment which displays viewable images generated by a computer without producing a permanent record. ...
The Integrated Electronic control centre or IECC was developed in the late 1980s. ...
Present day Nowadays, some old-style signal boxes can still be found. Some still control mechanical points and signals, although in many cases, the lever frame has been removed or is out of use, and a control panel has been installed. Most modern countries have little, if any, mechanical signalling remaining on the rail system. Both in the UK and Ireland, however, mechanical signalling is still surprisingly common away from the busiest lines. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (3072 × 2304 pixel, file size: 2. ...
Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (3072 × 2304 pixel, file size: 2. ...
Petersfield railway station is a railway station serving the market town of Petersfield, Hampshire, England. ...
The modern control centre has largely replaced widespread signal cabins. These centres, usually located near main railway stations, control the track network using electrical or electronic systems. One such system is CTC, Centralised Traffic Control. Passengers bustle around the typical grand edifice of Londons Broad Street Station in 1865. ...
Centralized traffic control (CTC) is a signalling system used by railroads. ...
References - Kichenside, G. and Williams, A., (1998), Two Centuries of Railway Signalling, Oxford Publishing Co., ISBN 0-86093-541-8
- Vanns, M.A., (1995), Signalling in the Age of Steam, Ian Allan, ISBN 0-71102-350-6
See also Area Signalling Centre is a term used to describe British Signal Boxes that have been merged into a larger area. ...
Mechanical railway signalling installations rely on lever frames for their operation to interlock the signals and points to allow the safe operation of trains in the area the signals control. ...
Interlocking in railway terminology (US) is a term used to describe an at-grade crossing or other junction of two or more railroads, or any railroad switching complex in which the switches and the signals controlling train movement over those switches is interlocked so that it is impossible to give...
Part of a relay interlocking. ...
A Ground frame is a rudimentary form of local control of railway points and/or signals. ...
It has been suggested that safeworking be merged into this article or section. ...
External links
Photo gallery Signal levers, Switzerland Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 232 × 598 pixelsFull resolution (1266 × 3264 pixel, file size: 504 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ...
| A traditional UK signal box A steam train passing a traditional signal box, seen here at the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway in West Yorkshire, England. ...
| Inside a signal box on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2852x2044, 338 KB) Summary Inside a signal box on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. ...
Vintage carriage and O2 Class 0-4-4T no. ...
| A disused signal box at Patrickswell, County Limerick, Ireland Signal box (disused) at Patrickswell station (now offices) on the railway line from Limerick City to Foynes in Ireland. ...
Patrickswell (Tobar Phádraig in Irish) is a small town in County Limerick, Ireland. ...
Statistics Province: Munster County Town: Limerick Code: LK Area: 2,686 km² Population (2006) 183,863 (including Limerick City); 131,303 (without Limerick City) Website: www. ...
| Walton Street Crossing Box, Hull, Humberside ,England. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 543 pixelsFull resolution (1734 × 1176 pixel, file size: 311 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Walton Street Crossing signal box, Spring Bank West, Hull, Humberside. ...
Hull or Kingston upon Hull is a British city situated on the north bank of the Humber estuary. ...
| An active signal cabin at Shaw and Crompton railway station, in Greater Manchester, England. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 597 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (709 × 712 pixel, file size: 586 KB, MIME type: image/png) (All user names refer to en. ...
Shaw and Crompton railway station is a moderately served railway station located in Shaw and Crompton, within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, Greater Manchester, England. ...
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England which has a population of 2. ...
| A disused signal box at Liverpool Street station Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (3648 × 2736 pixel, file size: 4. ...
Liverpool Street station, also called London Liverpool Street, is a mainline railway station and connected London Underground station in the north eastern corner of the City of London, the main financial district, with entrances on Bishopsgate and Liverpool Street itself. ...
| Chappel South box at The East Anglian Railway Museum Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2736 × 3648 pixel, file size: 4. ...
The museum and station The East Anglian Railway Museum is located at Chappel and Wakes Colne railway station in Essex, which is situated on the former Great Eastern Railway branch line from Marks Tey to Sudbury. ...
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