The Gauge O Peacehaven Branch is a fictitious railway set in the South of England. At the outset, it was intended to have operational signalling, so that the line could be worked as authentically as possible to prototype practice. In addition to having the signals operable and correctly placed, a ‘signal box’ is provided at each of the three stations, with block instruments between the locations to enable trains to be offered and accepted as would be the case on a real railway.

Running the railway is in the hands of drivers and signalmen. The modern term ‘signaller’ seems inappropriate for a line which lives in the era of the 1950s and 60s but of course we welcome everyone to operate at Peacehaven. The operating team can comprise up to three signalmen and four drivers, running days being generally pretty enjoyable social affairs.

Before embarking on the detail of Peacehaven in O Gauge, it is perhaps appropriate to take a brief look at prototype signalling arrangements. I must apologise at the outset to experienced signallers or signalling engineers as this introduction is intended only to explain the basic concepts for those who seek information on railway signalling practice in Great Britain, in the mainly semaphore era. More advanced topics such as 4-aspect colour light signalling, banner repeaters and permissive working are not covered but could form the basis of a future article, should there be a demand for it.

On the real railway, signals are of two types. These are either running signals which cover the main line; or subsidiary signals which are used for shunting movements. In the case of running signals, if a signal is set at clear to proceed, the train may run to the next signal on the main line. Running signals may be semaphore or colour light and some examples are shown in diagram 1.

With semaphore signals, the danger position is when the arm is horizontal; with colour lights, a red aspect. Running signals may be stop or distant signals. Stop signals must not be passed when at Danger, except in a few very controlled circumstances. Distant signals, on the other hand may be passed when showing a caution indication. The terms home, starter and section signals are commonly used and all refer to stop signals, the names simply indicating where they are located on the track layout. Starters are typically at the platform end. The home signal is usually the first signal encountered when arriving at a station. If the track layout requires a second home signal, this may be provided and will often be termed an ‘outer home’. (There is one at Peacehaven).

Subsidiary signals, on the other hand, do not permit unlimited progress but, when cleared, allow movement of a limited distance for some specific purpose such as for shunting or entering a siding. Subsidiary signals may be of semaphore, disc or position light types. Some examples are illustrated in diagram 2. As with running signals, the danger position is with the arm or bar on the disc horizontal. Semaphore subsidiary signals usually have a smaller arm compared with running signals. In some cases they are provided on the same post as the running signal and an example is shown in the accompanying photograph.

Since the early days of railways, lines are divided up into distinct separate parts of the track, running between stations or signal boxes and known as ‘block sections’. The principle of safe operation is that only one train is allowed into a specific block section at any one time. This is called ‘absolute block’. The railway has a communication system between signal boxes comprising electric bells and indicators. These enable signalmen to communicate with one another using coded bell signals and 3-position indicators to show whether a particular block section is ‘Blocked’ (not in use), ‘Clear’, or ‘Train on Line’ (occupied by a train). The gadgets which perform these communication functions are known as ‘block instruments’ and are present in each signal box.

The area of the railway around and about each station (or signal box) is termed ‘station limits’ and engines or trains can potter about these parts of the line under the control of signals but may only proceed along the line to the next station with the co-operation of the signalmen at each end of the block section. Drivers must, of course, obey the signals. The signal allowing a train to pass into a block section is known as the ‘section signal’. The section signal is interlocked with the block Instruments thus not permitting the signal to be cleared to allow a train to enter the block section without the correct authority.

It may help to illustrate these points on a diagram and a simple intermediate station on a single line with a passing loop is shown here.

All of the signals shown in diagram 3 are running signals and apply to movements on the main running lines. Distant signals (ref 1 in the diagram) may be passed when showing a caution indication and are provided to indicate to the driver the likely indication of the signals ahead. They are not stop signals and when passed at caution indicate that any one of the following signals may be at stop. All the other signals on the diagram are known as stop signals and may not be passed when in the danger or stop position, known in railway practice as the ‘on’ position. The titles home, starting or section signal simply show where they are positioned on the layout, the home signal generally being the first to be encountered when approaching a station. The ‘section signal’ has special significance as described above.

Within each station or signal box area, signals can be set to allow movements once the appropriate sets of points are in the correct position. In the traditional railway, signals and points would usually be controlled from a lever frame where each lever operates a particular set of points or a signal. Levers are coloured red for stop signals, yellow for distant signals, black for points and blue for facing point locks. Interlocking would be provided between the levers so as to prevent the inadvertent operation of a signal until the corresponding set of points is set to the correct position.

Diagram 4 above will help to illustrate block signalling practice. To run a train from station A to station B, the signalman at A will need to request permission or ‘ask for the road’ from the signalman at B. This will be in the form of a coded bell signal meaning: ‘Is the line clear for … ?’; different bell codes are used and describe the type train being offered. 4 beats would be the code for an express passenger train, 3 pause 1 for an ordinary passenger train. Freight, parcels and ballast trains also have their own codes.

If the line is clear, signalman B can accept the train and does this by repeating the description code, and setting the indicator on the block instrument to line clear. This in turn releases the locking, allowing the signalman at A to set the section signal to clear, termed ‘pulled off’. The train may then enter the block section and proceed from A to B. (On a point of detail, before accepting a train, the line must be clear at station B to what is known as the ‘clearing point’. In the real world this is a defined location at least 440 yards beyond the home signal. This is to avoid the risk of a collision, should the approaching train inadvertently run past the home signal at danger). As the train leaves A and enters the block section, signalman A will advise signalman B that the train is on its way by ringing two beats of the bell. At this time, B sets the block indicator to train on line.

Once the train has arrived at B, and having checked that the train is complete (this is done by observing the presence of the tail lamp), signalman B will use the bell code 2 pause 1 to advise A that the train has arrived and will turn the indicator back to the line blocked position. The block section now being unoccupied, another train can be offered.

So, in applying signalling to the Peacehaven branch, prototype practice is followed as much as possible. The setting is the Southern in the 1950s and 60s, and there is a mixture of semaphore and colour light running signals, the semaphores being of the upper quadrant type. On the line, there are several types of subsidiary signal, disc, miniature semaphore and a position light ground signal. The model semaphore signals have been scratch built, copying real Southern Railway practice of using redundant running rails for the signal posts. The actual construction of the model signals was described in an article in the Gazette Volume 21 number 3, May 2020.

The signalling diagram for Peacehaven, the terminal station, is shown above.

Point and signal control is from a 22-lever frame comprising Cobalt electric point levers. The levers are coloured in accordance with prototype practice and apart from the usual red and black levers, there is a brown lever to work the level crossing. In full sized railways, points which are run over in the facing direction by passenger trains must have the point blades locked in position before the movement can take place. This is usually by means of a bolting mechanism termed a ‘facing point’ (FP) lock. On the model, the locking relies on the integrity of the point motor but, to emulate prototype practice, the relevant point levers are coloured blue and black to indicate the presence of FP locks.

The levers in the frame are electrically interlocked with one another so that a signal cannot be cleared until the levers operating the appropriate points and level crossing are in the correct position. In addition, the section signal is interlocked with the block instruments and cannot be set to proceed unless the line clear indication is showing. At the Peacehaven terminus, most signals provided are semaphore type, although section signal number 5 is colour light. This can be viewed from both the signalman’s and driver’s operating positions. As well as being the Peacehaven section signal, it is also the distant signal for Telscombe. This means that when cleared by the Peacehaven signalman it displays a yellow aspect indicating that the next signal (Telscombe home signal) is at danger. When the Telscombe signalman pulls off, signal 5 steps up from yellow to green showing the driver that the line is clear right into the platform at Telscombe.

The Telscombe layout comprises a passing loop with one platform and a short siding for freight traffic. The layout is shown in the diagram below.

There is but one subsidiary signal. This is a position light signal constructed from a Routemex kit. The arrangement here is quite simplified and there is no route indicator on this signal. When cleared it gives authority for a shunting move to enter the goods shed siding, or alternatively to use the crossover for a shunting move (such as loco run- round) onto the main line.

Two block instruments are incorporated within the control panel, one for the block section to Peacehaven and the other to Rodmell. Throughout the line, there is interlocking between the block instruments and the section signals, it not being possible to clear the section signals without a line clear indication from the adjacent signal box. The semaphore down section signal, number 9, has a distant signal below the stop arm, this being the distant signal for Peacehaven. As Peacehaven is a terminal station, this signal is fixed at caution, and indicates to train drivers that there is no clear route beyond the platforms at Peacehaven.

Rodmell is the location of the unhidden storage sidings which represent the wider railway beyond the branch line. Trains are imagined to head off to destinations such as Lewes, Brighton, Three Bridges, Redhill, London Bridge and Victoria but in fact terminate in the sidings at Rodmell. It is approached after the single line crosses the River Ouse (also known as the garden path) on a girder bridge. The track layout here is shown in the diagram.

The Gauge O Peacehaven line was designed at the outset to be operated reasonably closely to prototype practice, as would have been in use in the 1950s and 60s.

The line may be operated in a number of different ways. With just two operators, one can be located at Peacehaven and the other at Rodmell and both then act as combined drivers and signalmen. In this scenario, the panel at Telscombe can be switched out and trains are then worked over one block section between the two extremities.

To get the best out of operating the branch, it is ideal to have several operators present. With more participants, the signalling and driving roles can be separated and all three signal boxes can be operational, rostering being arranged for up to eight individuals. Timetables are provided and, over time, a number of different train operating patterns have been developed. The mixture of locomotive-hauled and multiple unit trains can give rise to some interesting challenges, trains need to be reformed, shunted or formations changed. On such occasions, a good time is had by all!

The line can be seen in operation in a Gauge O Guild video on YouTube, under the title Peacehaven Railway and Tim also discussed Peacehaven in this video, An Evening with Tim Stubbs.

Gazette article “An Electric Locomotive” describes how Tim scratch-built a SR Co-Co electric loco and “ Train on-line detection” shows how some of the electronic modules were constructed.