What does a semaphore stop signal at danger look like?
Horizontal red arm with a white vertical stripe. Red light.
What does a clear semaphore stop signal look like?
Red arm with a white stripe at 45⁰ in upper or lower quadrant. Green light.
What does a semaphore fixed distant sign look like?
White square with 2 horizontal black lines and a yellow fishtail and black chevron in-between.
What does a semaphore distant signal at caution look like?
Horizontal yellow arm with fish tail and black chevron. Yellow light.
What does a clear semaphore distant signal look like?
Yellow arm with fish tail and black chevron 45⁰ in upper or lower quadrant. Green light.
Name two ways a distant signal can be identified on it’s ID plate.
White triangle or R
How would an outer distant signal be identified on it’s ID plate.
RR
What does a white diamond fixed to a semaphore signal mean?
No phone provided but the signal is track circuited so the presence of the train is known to the signaller.
Describe the area that is referred to as the “Station Limits”
Area between the outer home and section signal.
Describe the area that is referred to as the “Block Section”
Area between the section signal and the next home signal between two adjacent signal boxes.
What is a “clearing point”?
The area beyond all semaphore stop signals (~400 metres) which provides a reference point before clearing the preceding signal.
What informs the distance between a distant signal and the first home signal?
Service braking distance.
When might a distant and a section signal be collocated on the same signal post?
At short block sections.
When would an outer distant signal be provided?
When the service braking distance exceeds the distance between the section and subsequent home signals.
What might be provided to separate a long block section?
An intermediate block home signal and associated distant.
Which signaller controls the intermediate block home and distant signals?
Signaller to the rear.
How are intermediate block home signals identified on the ID plate?
White square with vertical black line.
If a signal box were to close how would the signaller set all signals?
Clear
What is the risk if an outer home signal was swapped out to a colour light signal?
A clear colour light signal would show a green aspect which may lead a Driver to believe the inner home signal was also clear when it may be at danger.
What does a semaphore subsidiary signal at danger look like?
Horizontal miniature white arm with horizontal red top and bottom edges. Red, white or no light.
What does a semaphore subsidiary signal at proceed look like?
Miniature white arm with horizontal red top and bottom edges at 45⁰. Green light.
Where would a semaphore subsidiary signal be located relative to the main semaphore arm?
Below on the same post.
When the semaphore subsidiary signal is on what does this mean?
Obey the main arm.
When the semaphore subsidiary signal is off what does this mean?
Pass the main arm at danger, proceed at caution
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PTS32
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General18
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GSM-R17
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Absolute Block42
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AWS29
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TPWS24
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GERT8000-S4 Trains or shunting movements detained on running lines16
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GERT8000-SS2 Shunting20
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GERT8000-S7 Observing and obeying signalling indications, train warning systems and reporting signalling failures and irregularities18
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GERT8000-TW5 Defective On Train Equipment45
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GERT8000-TW7 Wrong-direction movements12
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GERT8000-TW8 Level Crossings36
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GERT8000-TS4-8 Electric Token, Tokenless and No-Signaller Token Block and One-Train Working regulations14
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GERT8000-P1 Single line working0
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GERT8000-M1 Dealing with train accidents and evacuations30
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GERT8000-M2 Train stopped by train failure21
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GERT8000-M3 Managing incidents, floods and snow21
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GERT8000 June 2026 Rule Book changes8
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GERT8000-T3 Possessions of a running line for engineering work26
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RS521 Signals, Handsignals and Signs22
