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Signalling & telecommunications

Discover instruments and other objects from the earliest days of mainline railway signalling through to the introduction of modern train control and protection systems. The collection includes examples of some of the earliest uses of electricity for telecommunications on the railways.

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Locked/Free Indicator

Westinghouse bell-jar signalling relays from Glasgow Underground Railway

Block instrument by J.R. Spagnoletti and Crooks; GNR

Platform Indicator

Westinghouse bell-jar signalling relays from Glasgow Underground Railway

Train staff and ground frame key

Tyers token pouch and key

Signal tablet pouch

Train staff and ground frame key

Train tablet pouch and key

Signal tablet pouch

Signal tablet pouch

Telegraph block instrument

Train staff and ground frame key

Contact switch

15 lever signal lever frame

1885

Train describer, London & North Eastern Railway

1923-1948

Borough Market Junction signal box

1895

Tablet Catcher, Great Western Railway

Search Light Signal Relay

Train staff, Wintringham and Whitton

Signal Relay

Signal Lamp Case, North Eastern Railway

Light Indicator

32 Lever Signal Lever Frame

1869

Colour Light Signal: Ely Station North Down Starter Signal No 34 combined with Ely North Junction Splitting Distants

Single line staff, Black Boy Junction and South Durham Colliery

Signal relay

1934

Train staff

Preece's electric semaphore repeater 1862, comprising a small electro-magnetically operated semophore on wooden base, with cover in two parts.

Preece's electric semaphore repeater 1862

Dial train position indicator instrument, 1844.

Train position indicator instrument

1844
Track circuit indicator from Box T . Shows when a specific track section (TC1 in this case) is 'occupied' by rail vehicle or vehicles.

Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Signalling School Model Railway Layout

1912
Signal lever frame, 12 lever, section of original 52 lever frame, horizontal tumbler frame, ex Holmes Junction box, Masborough Station North, Midland Railway, 1872, restored and modified for exhibition 1999.

Section of Original 52 Lever Frame from Holmes Junction

1872
Train tablet instrument,Tyers No 6 type, wooden and metal case, painted green.

Tyers No 6 Tablet Instrument

Single lens multi-aspect LED colour light signal

Single lens multi-aspect LED colour light signal

2021
Single Line Staff, wooden, "George Pit".

George single line staff

Single line staff, metal, Seahouses and Chathill, North Sunderland Railway.

Single line staff, North Sunderland Railway

Block Bell; spiral type

Block Bell; spiral type

Telegraph Block Instrument, two position, with bell and tapper, no provenance.

Telegraph Block Instrument

Telegraph Block Instrument, two position, with bell and tapper, no provenance.

Telegraph Block Instrument

Telegraph Block Instrument, Great Eastern Railway, 2-position absolute block type, sending and receiving with tapper and combined gong.

Telegraph Block Instrument

Telegraph Block Instrument, London Brighton & South Coast Railway, permissive, with bell, from Southerham Junction.

Telegraph Block Instrument from Southerham Junction

Single-line working staff, miniature Tyers, Alcester Station - Broom North, Midland Railway (London Midland & Scottish Railway), probably c1925.

London Midland & Scottish Railway single line staff

1925
Single line staff, wood, painted green, brass plate "Kington Junction/Kington/Presteigne", British Rail?

single line staff

Single line staff, Cornwall Mineral Railway, Tolcarne Junction to Lane Junction, brass, circular with wooden handle.

Cornwall Mineral Railway single line staff

Telegraph block instrument, Glasgow & South Western Railway, 3-position type, with combined bell tapper and bell, from Beith North signalbox.

Telegraph block instrument

Telegraph block instrument, 2-position sending and receiving type, with combined gong, Up train on line/Train arrived.

Telegraph block instrument

Automatic control panel for electric signalling apparatus, designed by the Westinghouse Brake and Signal Co. Ltd.

Automatic control panel for electric signalling apparatus

Telegraph block instrument; Sykes' Lock and Block with integral semaphore indicator. Single-needle (red/lower-quadrant) block-indicator, mounted on a vertical brass finialled-post, in a brass-bezelled circular aperture. The bezel is engraved "W.R.Sykes Interlocking Signal Co. Ltd London". Underneath is a thick rectangular brass plate engraved "Up Windsor Local to West London Junc 62" and a circular brass-bezelled "Locked/Free" window. There is a back-box.

Telegraph block instrument; Sykes' Lock and Block with integral semaphore indicator

Signal, ground signal, elevated rotary disc type, Highland Railway, McKenzie & Holland, ex Rose Street Junction, Inverness

Signal, ground signal, elevated rotary disc