Signals & Engine Shed
A signal is a mechanical or electrical device erected beside a railway line to pass information relating to the state of the line ahead to train/engine drivers. The driver interprets the signal's indication and acts accordingly. Typically, a signal might inform the driver of the speed at which the train may safely proceed or it may instruct the driver to stop.
One of the earliest forms of fixed railway signal is the semaphore ike these ones. These signals display their different indications to train drivers by changing the angle of inclination of a pivoted 'arm'. Semaphore signals were patented in the early 1840s by Joseph James Stevens, and soon became the most widely used form of mechanical signal. Designs have altered over the intervening years, and colour light signals have replaced semaphore signals in some countries, but in others they remain in use.
Engine sheds could be found in many towns and cities as well as in rural locations. They were built by the railway companies to provide accommodation for their locomotives that provided their local train services. Each engine shed would have an allocation of locomotives that would reflect the duties carried out by that depot. Most depots had a mixture of passenger, freight and shunting locomotives but some such as Mexborough had predominantly freight locomotives reflecting the industrial nature of that area in South Yorkshire. Others, such as Kings Cross engine shed in London, predominantly provided locomotives for passenger workings.
This view is on the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway (RH&DR) which is a 15 in (381 mm) gauge light railway in Kent, England, operating steam and internal combustion locomotives. The 13 3⁄4-mile (22.1 km) line runs from the Cinque Port of Hythe via Dymchurch, St. Mary's Bay, New Romney and Romney Sands to Dungeness, close to Dungeness nuclear power station and Dungeness Lighthouse.
This is at New Romney railway station which has always been the headquarters location of the railway.
There is a signal box for local train control, and also the main Control Centre for train operation across the whole railway. The latter is staffed by a Control Officer, who is in constant radio contact with all signal boxes, locomotives, and (where appropriate) station staff, travelling guards, and engineering teams.
This original engine shed is still in use, but was designed to accommodate only nine locomotives. In recent years it has been considerably extended, more than doubling the original size. This shed is now capable of housing all the railway's locomotives, as well as an engineering centre capable of work from minor running repairs to full locomotive overhauls, together with the necessary mess facilities for engineering staff. Also on the New Romney site are a separate locomotive erecting shop, and a paint shop where locomotives and other rolling stock can be re-liveried. Although there is a secondary engine shed at Hythe station, all locomotives are now based at New Romney locomotive shed.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_signal
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_semaphore_signal
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motive_power_depot
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romney,_Hythe_and_Dymchurch_Railway
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Romney_railway_station
Signals & Engine Shed
A signal is a mechanical or electrical device erected beside a railway line to pass information relating to the state of the line ahead to train/engine drivers. The driver interprets the signal's indication and acts accordingly. Typically, a signal might inform the driver of the speed at which the train may safely proceed or it may instruct the driver to stop.
One of the earliest forms of fixed railway signal is the semaphore ike these ones. These signals display their different indications to train drivers by changing the angle of inclination of a pivoted 'arm'. Semaphore signals were patented in the early 1840s by Joseph James Stevens, and soon became the most widely used form of mechanical signal. Designs have altered over the intervening years, and colour light signals have replaced semaphore signals in some countries, but in others they remain in use.
Engine sheds could be found in many towns and cities as well as in rural locations. They were built by the railway companies to provide accommodation for their locomotives that provided their local train services. Each engine shed would have an allocation of locomotives that would reflect the duties carried out by that depot. Most depots had a mixture of passenger, freight and shunting locomotives but some such as Mexborough had predominantly freight locomotives reflecting the industrial nature of that area in South Yorkshire. Others, such as Kings Cross engine shed in London, predominantly provided locomotives for passenger workings.
This view is on the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway (RH&DR) which is a 15 in (381 mm) gauge light railway in Kent, England, operating steam and internal combustion locomotives. The 13 3⁄4-mile (22.1 km) line runs from the Cinque Port of Hythe via Dymchurch, St. Mary's Bay, New Romney and Romney Sands to Dungeness, close to Dungeness nuclear power station and Dungeness Lighthouse.
This is at New Romney railway station which has always been the headquarters location of the railway.
There is a signal box for local train control, and also the main Control Centre for train operation across the whole railway. The latter is staffed by a Control Officer, who is in constant radio contact with all signal boxes, locomotives, and (where appropriate) station staff, travelling guards, and engineering teams.
This original engine shed is still in use, but was designed to accommodate only nine locomotives. In recent years it has been considerably extended, more than doubling the original size. This shed is now capable of housing all the railway's locomotives, as well as an engineering centre capable of work from minor running repairs to full locomotive overhauls, together with the necessary mess facilities for engineering staff. Also on the New Romney site are a separate locomotive erecting shop, and a paint shop where locomotives and other rolling stock can be re-liveried. Although there is a secondary engine shed at Hythe station, all locomotives are now based at New Romney locomotive shed.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_signal
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_semaphore_signal
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motive_power_depot
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romney,_Hythe_and_Dymchurch_Railway
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Romney_railway_station