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Post by Hutch on Oct 26, 2007 13:35:55 GMT
While doing some research on a subject away from the UndergrounD, I came across this prial* of articles that show the rapid development of the system in those enterprising days. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take my scanner into this library so they are scans of phostats and thus the lovely pictures have lost some of their quality. The first is “The Transformation of the Metropolitan District Railway” by ‘A Regular Traveller’ detailing changes to the District at Putney Bridge which remain to this day and those at Acton Town that were themselves swept away with the extension of the Piccadilly. “The New Signals and Rolling Stock of the Metropolitan Railway” shows just how advanced the Metropolitan Railway was for its day. They were the first railway to employ yellow distant signals (as opposed to red), a standard that was adopted by the mainline companies in 1923 and who had yet to change some examples well into the 1930’s. The paintwork on the home signal is most unusual and I wonder how long this persisted. Longitudinal red and white stripes eventually made it to subsidiary shunt, calling-on and warning arms but I have never seen a main arm sport such a garb. A review article by Leonard Henslow “Underground London” provdes a fascinating state-of-the-nation from that time. Sorry for the wonky front page * a card game corruption of “Pair Royal” – three of a kind!
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Post by tubeprune on Oct 26, 2007 17:11:20 GMT
Thanks Hutch. This is interesting stuff. I do recall reading somewhere that the District was the first railway to use yellow as Distant. (OS Nock).
The horizontal stripe on the stop signal was to denote it was automatic. Semis had the traditional thick vertical stripe.
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metman
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Post by metman on Oct 26, 2007 18:41:52 GMT
I thought the Met was the first. I could be wrong of course!
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Post by railtechnician on Oct 26, 2007 23:51:48 GMT
Love the piccy of Leicester Square Traffic Controller's Office. I have a similar Picc of Earls Court Control Room in 1928.
Brian
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mrfs42
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Post by mrfs42 on Oct 27, 2007 0:57:04 GMT
As far as I can remember (and I'm a long, long distance away from my library) the District was the first with a yellow LIGHT and the Met was the first with a yellow ARM. [1] I stand corrected, of course. [1] signalling willy-waving isn't pretty.
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