Northern Counties Committee - Signalling

Signalling

The majority of the NCC system was signalled using somersault signals. This type of lower quadrant semaphore signal, with a centrally pivoted arm, had originated on the Great Northern Railway in England.

Upper quadrant semaphore signals were installed at Larne Harbour station when the layout was remodelled in 1933.

Two types of mechanical ground signals were installed. The majority were similar to the LNER standard type but others of a Westinghouse type were to be found at Larne Harbour and a few other locations.

There were three colour light signal installations on the NCC. The earliest was at York Road station, Belfast where two-aspect colour light signals had been installed in 1926. The subsidiary signals were of a unique "pointer light" type.

Two-aspect searchlight signals were installed on the Main and Shore Lines in 1934 in connection with the opening of the Greenisland Loop Line. Finally, Coleraine was resignalled with three-aspect colour light signals in 1938.

At those crossing loops on the Main and Larne Lines which had been relaid with straight "fast" lines, the fast lines and loops were both fully signalled for working trains in the up and down directions. The use of Manson tablet exchange apparatus at these locations allowed tablet exchanges to be carried out regularly at speeds of up to (and on occasion in excess of) 60 mph (97 km/h).

Most of the signal cabins on the broad gauge lines were to a BNCR hipped roof design by Berkeley Dean Wise that was introduced c1889. They had a brick base with wooden superstructure but usually also a brick back wall to the operating floor. A principal feature of these cabins was the overhanging roof supported by large eaves brackets which served to protect the window sashes from the weather. Newer cabins to the traditional design, such as those at Larne Harbour and Coleraine, omitted the eaves brackets but retained a distinctive appearance.

The new signal cabins at York Road, Greenisland, Antrim and Mount were built entirely from brick with flat concrete roofs. Another exception was Templepatrick cabin which was of all wood construction.