Re: Signalling in Victoria

[David Langley <del@ancc.com.au>]

Gavin Potter wrote:

>
>
> No: Signal numbers 99.9% of the time do not correspond with lever numbers. In a
> signal box there are levers for points, looking bars and signals. To put a single
> signal to proceed could require more than the three levers to be reversed.

This is going to sound pedantic but you place signals to reverse not put. You may also
clear a signal.

> R/R=stop
> Y/R=normal speed warning, next signal is at the stop position.
> G/R=clear normal speed, the next signal is at the proceed position and will be
> showing a normal speed aspect.
> R/Y=medium speed warning, the next signal is at the stop position.
> R/G=clear medium speed, the next signal is at the proceed position.
> Y/G=reduce to medium speed, the next signal is at the proceed position, but the
> speed of the train must be reduced to medium speed by the next signal.
> R/R/Y=low speed warning
> R/R/Y=clear low speed.

You should leave of the last indication which you incidently have called R/R/Y you
meant R/R/G but Vic never had R/R/G and it's not in the rules. You had to have visited
SA before the suburban resignalling to have seen R/R/G (displayed by arms no less) and
then only in the inner area.

> No. You could get the following aspects from a signal after a train has passed it.
>
> R/R, R/Y, R/G, or
> R/R, R/Y, Y/G, G/R, or
> R/R, Y/R, G/R

At Werribee and Laverton you could get three homes in a row displaying R/G. The first
two displayed this aspect because of the very short overlaps whilst the last one was
cleared via a crossover onto the other line. If this was not done, under the normal
indications possible, the first signal could display G/R (i.e. clear line speed) and
yet just a very short distance ahead was a turnout laying for the diverging move. A
definite accident waiting to happen.

>
>
>
>
> Dwaf signals are two position signals.

No they're not, dwarfs are effectively little signals and could be 2 pos or 3 pos. And
in fact there are 3 pos dwarf signals that are wire operated and thus only display 2
aspects but are 3 pos dwarfs nonetheless. Dysart had two, Ringwood had some and
Kensington still has one. A 3 pos dwarf operates in the UPPER quadrant and a 2 pos
dwarf in the LOWER. Nothing silly about that DJ.

>
> I cant remember if the centre road at Clifton Hill is a through road. They could
> be home signals or dwafs. You would have to check the signaling diagram. It has
> been a long time since I was driving down that way.

It's a running road. Probably not used much any more but in the days of the mechanical
signal boxes, any train not stopping at Clifton Hill (goods trains, school specials,
empty cars, etc.) usually went through the middle road. As they likewise did through
Oakleigh, Mordialloc and Essendon.

DEL.