For over 150 years Britain's railways have relied on a system of semaphore signalling, but by 2020, all semaphore signals and lineside signal boxes will be gone. A Contemporary Perspective on GWR Signalling provides a unique record of the last operational mechanical signalling and infrastructure on Britain's railway network, as it applied to the former Great Western Railway (and lines owned jointly with other companies). It also includes a comprehensive explanation of what mechanical signalling is and how it works. Beautifully illustrated with over 400 contemporary images and with detailed information from a 2003-2014 survey, this is an essential resource for anyone with an interest in the traditional signalling systems of railways in Britain. The book covers:

Lineside signalling equipment - semaphore signals, brackets and gantries, and other variations.

Ways of working, from Absolute Block to Track Circuit Block (TCB).

Detailed coverage of the signal boxes and infrastructure on Network Rail, including routes through Shrewsbury, Hereford, Worcester, Cornwall, Chester and North Warwickshire.

Diagrams of the major routes.

Allen Jackson joined the Royal Air Force as an apprentice. He subsequently worked on Cold War aircraft and later taught at an engineering apprentice training school. After leaving the RAF he worked for a manufacturer of bespoke computer systems before becoming involved with computerized systems for the fire and rescue services in the UK and Bahrain. He formed his own company in 2004. Allen has been fascinated by real and model railways since he was six. His books for Crowood include the highly acclaimed A Contemporary Perspective on GWR Signalling - Semaphore Swansong, and Great Western Railway Stars, Castles and Kings?.