Telegraph Signalling

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geofrancis
LNER N2 0-6-2T
Posts: 58
Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2010 10:53 am

Telegraph Signalling

Post by geofrancis »

How things have changed, My memories as a youth, washing out lechlanchie cells
used for block telegraph & telephones, Caustic soda cells used for Track Circuits,
most of the telegaph circuits were single wire with earth return.
And very reliable. I can remember being called out to a fault at Barnetby Lincs, Circa 1948, after a very heavy snow fall, and trudging knee deep on my own rectifying signal faults, no Health & Safety in those days.
Changed days EH!
Francis
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StevieG
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
Posts: 2331
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Location: Near the GN main line in N.Herts.

Re: Telegraph Signalling

Post by StevieG »

Concise, yet most atmospheric, Francis. Thanks very much.
I can imagine (but that is all) those things you had to work through : I don't think things had changed much when I first was allowed to assist some signalmen along the first approx. 20 miles of the ECML's southern end, from 1967, including (I'm glad to say) learning use the single-needle telegraph system for its then remaining purposes (train report messaging mainly; the era of using it for internal and external station/depot etc. telegrams had already passed).
BZOH

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65447
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
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Re: Telegraph Signalling

Post by 65447 »

I have a copy of LNER Chief Engineer's Department publication 20 - Signal & Telegraph Workmanship Tidiness and Efficiency (with Illustrations) of July 1947. It was issued to my Father when he got a job as an S&T Installer after being demobilised in 1946. The illustrations are essentially of 'the good way' cf 'the bad way' type, and the contents include:

Introduction; Signal Box Lead-off; Point Detection; Signal Connections; Facing Point Locks; Batteries; Track Circuit Bonding; Cable Termination; Apparatus Cupboard; Wire Runs; Telecommunications; Pole Routes.

He says his dirtiest job ever was renewing the telephone lines through Gasworks Tunnel.
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R. pike
GNR C1 4-4-2
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Re: Telegraph Signalling

Post by R. pike »

The Signal & Telegraph Workmanship Tidiness and Efficiency booklet of July 1947 is good read. I have a folder of LNER technical instructions that are most informative also.

On the subject of Leclanche cells. One of the projects my kid's Godmother has in the pipeline is a cell bike... This looked like a grocers delivery bike and the cellman went round various locations checking the components of the Leclanche cells etc and renewing spent items as required. The project is on hold for lack of suitable photo's or memories..

I have a few circuits working on DS1 batteries, mainly signal repeaters and one lamp repeater with earth returns. StevieG, next time your about i'll point them out to you. 12 signal lamp repeater is only drawing on the cells when the lamp is alight via the pyrometer. Two of the cells came from under Horsemoor box and are dated 1985 and still work. I have various flag cells in use for the microphone batteries on the omnibus lines and control phones etc.
geofrancis
LNER N2 0-6-2T
Posts: 58
Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2010 10:53 am

Re: Telegraph Signalling

Post by geofrancis »

The worst part of lechanchie cells were if you left them to long the jars went Milky,
they were a s-d to clean, we used water & ash from the track side.
The early lesson I used with Caustic soda cells, NEVER put he caustic soda powder into the jar
first then add the water. very dangerous.
francis
third-rail
GCR O4 2-8-0 'ROD'
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Re: Telegraph Signalling

Post by third-rail »

are these cells still used? i have one i picked up at a building site many years ago on tyneside
it is minus its zinc anode the jar itself is marked (CAL RLY Co)where all jars marked with the differant companies initials ?
geofrancis
LNER N2 0-6-2T
Posts: 58
Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2010 10:53 am

Re: Telegraph Signalling

Post by geofrancis »

I would say No, Dry batteries were coming into use where there was no mains electricity, but
where there was mains, Accumulators were used backed with a trickle charger .
Francis
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R. pike
GNR C1 4-4-2
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Re: Telegraph Signalling

Post by R. pike »

During relaying north of Mill Green, Spalding i came across the battery location cabinets for the former motor point at the beginning of the up goods loop. These locs were back to back, one containing dry cells and the other NIFE cells, the latter were trickle charged by the dry cells exactly as shown in LNER Standard Wiring Diagram 24..
geofrancis
LNER N2 0-6-2T
Posts: 58
Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2010 10:53 am

Re: Telegraph Signalling

Post by geofrancis »

hello
Where would get a copy of the LNER Standard Wiring Diagram 24
Regards Francis
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R. pike
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Re: Telegraph Signalling

Post by R. pike »

I'll scan a copy tomorrow and post it.
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R. pike
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Re: Telegraph Signalling

Post by R. pike »

LNER SWD24...
DSC09177.jpg
geofrancis
LNER N2 0-6-2T
Posts: 58
Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2010 10:53 am

Re: Telegraph Signalling

Post by geofrancis »

Thanks for the blue prints, at 85 I can still make some sense of them.
Brings back memories
Francis
geofrancis
LNER N2 0-6-2T
Posts: 58
Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2010 10:53 am

Re: Telegraph Signalling

Post by geofrancis »

Signal & Telegraph circuit drawings. If one found a mistake in a drawing (which I once did) the drawings had to go back to the drawing office at Kings Cross, the mistake could not be rectified until the drawings were corrected and returned with what changes were to be made.
I remember one chaps name at Kings Cross who was a circuit designer his name was Ronald Rawdin circa 1947.
Geofrancis
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