LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Nuneaton

Nuneaton Abbey Street Station: mrna49a

Close up of image 'mrna49' showing the Midland Railway signal gantry to be carrying lower quadrant semaphores. The position of the arms' spectacle plates confirms that they are lower quadrant (they will point down to the 7 o'clock position when in the off or 'all clear' position). Each signal had two spectacle plates located at the hinged end of the arm, one red and one green. When the arm was horizontal it was in the danger position and the red spectacle plate was therefore positioned to be in line with the arm and to be lit by an oil lamp fixed behind the plate. When the signal was placed in the off position, the arm would point down and its green spectacle plate (which was positioned below the red plate) would be raised to be in front of the oil lamp. These lamps were in the care of the signalman who would be responsible for them to be charged with oil and for their wicks to be trimmed, a task carried out in day light.

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