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Railway interlocking is of British origin, where numerous patents were granted. In June 1856, John Saxby received the first patent for interlocking switches and signals. [2] [3]: 23–24 In 1868, Saxby (of Saxby & Farmer) [4] was awarded a patent for what is known today in North America as “preliminary latch locking”.
A GEC-manufactured SSI interlocking cubicle. Solid State Interlocking (SSI) is the brand name of the first generation processor-based interlocking developed in the 1980s by British Rail's Research Division, GEC-General Signal and Westinghouse Signals Ltd in the UK.
WESTLOCK Interlocking is a Computer-based interlocking (CBI) product now sold and maintained by Siemens Mobility Limited, following their purchase of Westinghouse Rail Systems. Westlock builds on many of the features that made SSI popular in the United Kingdom. This includes re-use of SSI's programming language and its track-side hardware.
In the very early days of railways, men (originally called 'policemen', which is the origin of UK signalmen being referred to as "bob", "bobby" or "officer", when train-crew are speaking to them via a signal telephone) were employed to stand at intervals ("blocks") along the line with a stopwatch and use hand signals to inform train drivers ...
John Saxby (17 August 1821 – 22 April 1913) was an English engineer from Brighton, noted for his work in railway signalling and the invention of the interlocking system of points and signals. He was later a partner in the firm Saxby and Farmer.
Signal box and tracks at Deval interlocking, Des Plaines, in 1993 Originally, all signaling was done by mechanical means.Points and signals were operated locally from individual levers or handles, requiring the signalman to walk between the various pieces of equipment to set them in the required position for each train that passed.
This is enforced by interlocking; the distant signal is prevented from assuming the 'clear' position unless all relevant stop signals controlled by the signal box display 'clear'. Unlike British signals, all German home signals have a respective distant signal and these are both operated from the same lever. A typical signal box layout.
A British Upper Quadrant semaphore signal. In the days of the first British railways, "policemen" were employed by every railway company. Their jobs were many and varied, but one of their key roles was the giving of hand signals to inform engine drivers as to the state of the line ahead. [3]