Upcoming Games

No games to display

Full list
Add a game

Upcoming Events

No events to display

Illuminated 'A' Signs

You are here: Home > Forum > Miscellaneous > The real thing (signalling) > Illuminated 'A' Signs

Page 1 of 1

Illuminated 'A' Signs 11/10/2009 at 12:10 #20
Harsig
Avatar
16 posts
On the old forum someone asked if there were still any Illuminated 'A' signs on the London Underground. Well the answer is yes! This picture was taken yesterday


The location is Totteridge & Whetstone on the Northern Line. The crossover in the backgound is, rather uniquely for the Underground, controlled by a ground frame.

Log in to reply
Illuminated 'A' Signs 11/10/2009 at 12:10 #3495
Harsig
Avatar
16 posts
On the old forum someone asked if there were still any Illuminated 'A' signs on the London Underground. Well the answer is yes! This picture was taken yesterday


The location is Totteridge & Whetstone on the Northern Line. The crossover in the backgound is, rather uniquely for the Underground, controlled by a ground frame.

Log in to reply
Illuminated 'A' Signs 24/11/2009 at 22:20 #4505
UKTrainMan
Avatar
1803 posts
Oddly enough as I type this, the Northern Line is suspended between High Barnet and Finchley Central due to an obstruction on the track....at Totteridge & Whetstone!

I'll start by just clarifying that the illuminated 'A' sign is on Platform 2 (Southbound) as opposed to Platform 1 (Northbound) - for anyone wondering. I don't even know of any further types of these signs around the Underground although I could imagine maybe one or two still left around the country-ends of the Metropolitan line or perhaps the Epping end of the Central line, perhaps?

If I remember correctly from what I've been told, that crossover is actually not in use any more, i.e: it is totally out of use and will not nor cannot be used again - unless of course I perhaps incorrectly understood them or they got it wrong.

Any views and / or opinions expressed by myself are from me personally and do not represent those of any company I either work for or am a consultant for.
Log in to reply
Illuminated 'A' Signs 25/11/2009 at 10:24 #4520
kbarber
Avatar
1708 posts
UKTrainMan said:
perhaps the Epping end of the Central line, perhaps?

Definitely all gone on the Central Line, disappeared with the resignalling & new trains (is it really a decade ago now?!!!)

Log in to reply
Illuminated 'A' Signs 25/11/2009 at 10:57 #4522
jimgos2005
Avatar
129 posts
I also think that they have all gone on the North end of the Met as well.
Log in to reply
Illuminated 'A' Signs 29/11/2009 at 06:03 #4662
UKTrainMan
Avatar
1803 posts
Been doing some further research into this and may have possibly found some further illuminated 'A' signs on the London Underground. These are also on the Northern line and in the immediate area of the station.

From what I have found out, "All N.T. signals have an illuminated 'A'."

The signal in the photo is N.T. 229, the signal before (protecting Southbound Platform 2) it is N.T. 235. In the opposite direction there is signals N.T. 230 and N.T. 232 (protecting the crossover and also Northbound Platform 1). If the above statement is true about all N.T. signals having an illuminated 'A' then there is a total of four of them on the line around Totteridge & Whetstone.

If you happened to be in the area you could enter the station car-park (no barriers but it is Pay & Display) and go to the far end where you might just be able to see N.T. 235. There is a warehouse area at the far end of the station car-park and I'm sure they wouldn't object to you perhaps walking alongside their fence next to the line if you just explained your reasons.

In-terms of the signals for the Northbound line, I know that there is definitely a public footpath that runs alongside the Southbound side of the line however I'm not sure if this footpath veers off to the left at some point. To access this you would exit the station (there is only one exit) cross the road then up the hill slightly and the path starts between a shop (an art or picture frame shop or something like that) and a row of houses. Alternatively (and perhaps a better option) there is another path of sorts that runs alongside the Northbound line although I am not sure how far down it you could get. Both of these footpaths are definitely public and no trespassing is involved at any time. It should be noted that the tube line runs in a cutting which you're walking on-top of so you'll likely end up looking down on any trains and also the signals if you can see them.

If someone wanted to find out by going there themselves then there should be plenty of information here to do so. That said, this topic has interested me so I might just pay a visit myself and will endeavour to take some photos too. Watch this space and I'll endeavour to post up my findings (with photos) as soon as possible!

Cheers.

Any views and / or opinions expressed by myself are from me personally and do not represent those of any company I either work for or am a consultant for.
Log in to reply
Illuminated 'A' Signs 29/11/2009 at 10:25 #4666
greatkingrat
Avatar
74 posts
I believe some of the signals protecting the floodgates between Embankment/Waterloo and Bank/London Bridge also have illuminated A's. The same may apply to floodgates on other lines.
Log in to reply
Illuminated 'A' Signs 29/11/2009 at 16:32 #4681
kbarber
Avatar
1708 posts
UKTrainMan: that's very much what I'd expect. No point having an A light on one signal only for the train to get stuck a couple of hundred yards further at the next.

Greatkingrat: Certainly gone at London Bridge, the crossover there was abolished when the station was rebuilt at the end of the 1990s in connection with Jubilee Line Extension and all the signals there are now autos. I'm not too sure whether flood gates were ever provided there. I'm fairly certain there's no A lights at Embankment either and to be honest I don't recall ever noticing them, although it's possible they were still there when I was first in London just over 30yr ago.

Log in to reply