This page presents a chronology of important events that influenced the development of signalling on Britain's railways.
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1834 - |
First fixed signal, Liverpool & Manchester Railway. |
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1841 - |
First semaphore signal, New Cross Gate (London & Croydon Railway). |
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1846 - |
First auxiliary signals, Hawick branch (North British Railway). |
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1872 - |
First semaphore distant signals with fishtailed arms, Norwood Junction (London, Brighton & South Coast Railway). |
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1877 - |
First 'somersault' semaphore signals, Great Northern Railway. |
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1878 - |
First use of route indicators, London Bridge (London, Brighton & South Coast Railway). |
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1880 - |
First use of the electric token system in everyday service, Callander & Oban Railway. |
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1892 - |
Board of Trade requires that signals in new works show only red or green lights. |
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1914 - |
First upper quadrant three-position semaphore signal, London Paddington (Great Western Railway). |
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1916 - |
First use of yellow lights in distant signals, Great Central Railway. |
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c.1918 - |
First use of yellow distant signal arms, Great Central Railway. |
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1923 - |
First three-aspect colour light signals, London & North Eastern Railway. |
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1924 - |
IRSE Three-Position Signalling Committee report published. |
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1925 - |
Ministry of Transport requires that distant signals have yellow arms and lights. |
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1926 - |
First four-aspect colour light signals, Southern Railway. |
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1926 - |
Railway Clearing House agrees to the use of upper quadrant two-position semaphore signals. |
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1932 - |
Experimental speed signalling, Mirfield (London Midland & Scottish Railway). |
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1933 - |
First junction type route indicator, Thirsk (London & North Eastern Railway). |
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1952 - |
First level crossing provided with lifting barriers, Warthill (North Eastern Region). |
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1955 - |
(23 January) Derailment at Sutton Coldfield (London Midland Region) leads to provision of permanent speed restriction signs across network. |
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1956 - |
BR Automatic Warning System (AWS) introduced. |
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1961 - |
First level crossing provided with automatic half barriers, Spath (London Midland Region). |
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1969 - |
(7 May) Derailment at Morpeth (Eastern Region) leads to provision of advance warning indicators for certain permanent speed restrictions. |
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1975 - |
(28 February) Collision at Moorgate (London Underground, Northern City Line) leads to altered aspect sequences on approach to terminal platform lines. |
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1975 - |
(6 June) Derailment at Nuneaton (London Midland Region) leads to provision of AWS at temporary speed restriction warning boards. |
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1979 - |
First flashing yellow signal aspects introduced, Didcot East Junction (Western Region). |
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1984 - |
First application of Radio Electronic Token Block (RETB), Kyle of Lochalsh line (Scottish Region). |
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1994 - |
First SPAD indicator, Meadowhall. |
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1997 - |
First preliminary route indicator (PRI), Airport Junction. |
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1999 - |
Train Protection & Warning System (TPWS) introduced. |
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2003 - |
First application of TVM430 cab signalling, Channel Tunnel Rail Link. |
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2010 - |
First application of ETCS Level 2 cab signalling, Cambrian Lines. |
