British Railway Signal Boxes and ground Frames
Most points and signals are these days operated by electrical and hydraulic mechanisms, requiring only a small switch or button in the signal box to operate
Read MoreWhat is a railway signal terminal box
Home / What is a railway signal terminal box
A signal box, also known as a signal cabin or signalling box, is a critical component of the railway infrastructure in the United Kingdom. It is a building from which railway signals and points (also called switches or turnouts) are operated. The signal box in its familiar form, a raised structure with large glazed windows enabling the signalman to maintain a look out, evolved at the beginning of the 1860s from huts and towers housing policemen. Exploring history highlights the key role that mechanical signal boxes have played through the years, but what does their future hold?This website is all about British railway signalling history. Most points and signals are these days operated by electrical and hydraulic mechanisms, requiring only a small switch or button in the signal box to operate them.