Weekend Signalling School at the Museum

The National Railway Museum is famous for its collection of locomotives and carriages, but perhaps not so famous for its collection of signalling equipment. Not surprising, really: railway signalling is a complex subject that mystifies most rail enthusiasts, let alone ordinary visitors.

As the new Associate Curator of Railways at the NRM, and a former railway signaller, I was lucky to spend last weekend using the collection to bring railway signalling to life.

Garden railway models give a modern image to the L&Y Layout


The object in question was the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Signalling School layout (L&YSSL). The L&YSSL might look like an Edwardian train set perched on a dining table, but it’s actually a carefully designed railway simulator that was used to train railway signallers for over eighty years.*Thanks to the work of a group of dedicated volunteers, it’s still a working*demonstration tool.

It is an intense experience for the*five signallers – but for me, as a rooky recruit, it was just a confusion of bell signals, lever pulling and passing trains.*Luckily – for the visitors and me – the train sequence is explained, nice and slowly, by Phil. Phil is a signalling professional, and well versed in turning complex signalling rules into manageable sound bites.***

The fun begins when we run a hectic half hour schedule of trains. Expresses, locals, freight, empty stock and light engines, plus some shunting and derailments thrown in for good measure. It’s fast-paced action and the visitors love it. As the action unfolds, Phil acts as narrator, explaining the choreographed dance of trains and signals, as well as answering a stream of questions.

After*four hours operation, the session is over, the last visitors drift away and the L&YSSL goes back to sleep. Its been a rewarding experience for both operators and visitors, who have enjoyed a glimpse into the complex word of railway signalling.


Filed under: Museum news Tagged: Lancashire &Yorkshire Railway, Model Railway, Signalinglling, Volunteers

 

I'd love to see the model being demonstrated but looking at the 'What's On' list on the website it's oly once a month - and I'm up in Yorkshire soon - but between two of the demo days, alas! Any chance of making a video of a demonstration session available for sale?

 

There's a rather shaky video of an demonstration in 2009 here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DrqwxgIMTU

And here's it in action at Manchester Victoria in 1994, complete with overhead wires:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv4HxQNC_NA

Richard

 

Thanks - I'd seen the 2009 clip before.

But the 1994 one was new to me. A rather strange SR EMU with an articulated bogie in the middle is seen at one point!

Regards,
John Webb (St Albans South signal box)

 

This is something that I would love to see in action. I wonder if experiences could be offered to visitors? I'd love to have a go.

 

The layout is operated by a particular group of Museum volunteers- I understand includes NR Signallers. The point of the layout is that it was basically an early simulator- the lever frames are perfectly scaled fully interlocked, and the FPLs and points are similarly scaled down versions of the real thing. The layout has 4 Signalboxes, with fully oerational block instruments. The way it is operated is exactly as the real thing would be- to demonstrate AB working. Someone runs the trains, the rest of the team had a 'box each, a Simplifier and get on with running the train service.

Although the public are not normally alowed to operate the layout, the IRSE Minor Railways Section had one day of their AGM technical weekend at the York NRM last year, and in the afternoon part of the visit included the chance to operate the layout. We were in teams of 2 for each 'box (one on the frame, one on the block instruments), had 30 minutes to get the hang of our 'box then we were given the Simplifiers and got on and ran the service. It was greta fun, and much more difficult than you might think......... but we didn't make too many errors and in all "didn't do too badly for a bunch of Signalling Engineers."

'Cat

 

The latest NRM blog post is also about the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Signalling School layout:
The secret life of a museum exhibit | National Railway Museum blog

"When the last visitor has left and the museum is in darkness; trainee signallers from heritage railways, Network Rail, the wider rail industry and schools come to put theory into practice. Under the guidance of a Network Rail expert, the students shunt trains, run engines round, block back and practice emergency procedures."

It's not clear how you can book on these classes or how often they run.

Richard

 

There's a new-ish NRM video of the Signalling School layout in action:

[video=youtube;1MTaPwuDAqg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MTaPwuDAqg&list=UUZXIclNkxcgrid1svsU1lew&index=10&feature=plcp[/video]

Richard