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Bell Codes

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Signalling Bell Codes

Bell Codes
Description Beats on bell How to be given Note
Call attention 1 1
Express passenger train, or breakdown van train or snow plough going to clear the line, or light engine going to assist disabled train or fire brigade train proceeding to a fire 4 Consecutively
Train conveying special horse or pigeon traffic and composed of coaching stock (where authorised) 5 3-1-1
Ordinary passenger train, or breakdown van train or snow plough not going to clear the line 4 3-1
Branch passenger train (where authorised) 4 1-3
Rail motor, motor train, or electric train 6 3-1-2
Empty rail motor, empty motor train, or empty electric train 6 2-2-1-1
Parcels, newspaper, fish, meat, fruit, milk, horse, or perishable train, composed of coaching stock 5 1-1-1-3
Empty coaching stock train 5 2-2-1
Fitted freight, fish or cattle train with the continuous brake in use on not less than one-third the vehicles 5 Consecutively
Express freight or cattle train with the continuous brake in use on less than one-third the vehicles but in use on four vehicles connected to the engine, indicated by # in the Working Time Tables 7 2-2-3
Express freight or cattle train not fitted with the continuous brake or with the continuous brake in use on less than four vehicles 5 3-2
Through freight train, or ballast train running not less than 15 miles without stopping 5 1-4
Light engine (see Regulation 7) 5 2-3
Engine with one or two brake vans 5 1-3-1
Through mineral, or empty wagon train 5 4-1
Freight train stopping at intermediate stations, or ballast train running short distance 3 Consecutively
Branch freight train (where authorised) 3 1-2
Ballast train, freight train or inspection train requiring to stop in section 5 1-2-2 A
Trolley requiring to go into or pass through tunnel 5 2-1-2 A
Train conveying out-of-gauge load where adjoining line or lines need not be blocked? 6 4-1-1
Train conveying out-of-gauge load which must not pass or be passed by another train signalled by the bell signal 4-2-5 or 4-1-1 on the adjoining line or lines 11 4-2-5
Train conveying out-of-gauge load where adjoining line or lines must be blocked? 13 4-1-5
Motor trolley 7 2-1-4 A
Freight trains coupled together (where authorised) 8 1-5-2
Train entering section 2 Consecutively B
Train approaching (where authorised) 4 1-2-1
Section clear but station or junction blocked 13 3-5-5
Station or junction now clear in accordance with Regulation 4 for train to approach 11 3-3-5
Engine assisting in rear of train 4 2-2
Engine with one or two brake vans assisting in rear of train 6 2-3-1
Cancelling “Engine assisting in rear of train” signal 8 4-2-2
Cancelling “Engine with one or two brake vans assisting in rear of train” signal 8 4-3-1
Ballast train, freight train or inspection train shunted at intermediate siding clear of the running line or withdrawn from section, or trolley removed from line in section or withdrawn from section 9 1-3-5
Train out of section, or Obstruction removed 3 2-1 C
Engine arrived 6 2-1-3
Train drawn back clear of section 8 3-2-3
Train an unusually long time in section 8 6-2
Obstruction danger 6 Consecutively
Blocking back outside home signal 6 3-3
Train or vehicles come to a stand 10 3-3-4
Blocking back inside home signal 6 2-4
Stop and examine train 7 Consecutively
Train being stopped for examination 7 3-3-1
Cancelling “Is line clea” or “Train entering section” signal 8 3-5
Last train signalled incorrectly described 8 5-3
Train passed without tail lamp 9 Consecutively
to box in advance;
4-5 to box in rear.
Train incomplete 10 5-2-3
Tail or side light out or improper side light or lamp exhibited 9 7-2
Train divided 10 5-5
Shunt train for following train to pass 11 1-5-5
Train or vehicles running away on wrong line 12 2-5-5
Train or vehicles running away on right line 14 4-5-5
Cancelling “Train or vehicles running away on right line” signal 8 3-1-4
Opening of signal box 15 5-5-5
Closing of signal box 17 7-5-5
See Regulation 24, clause (e), re use of these bell signals 6
6
1-5
5-1
Place block indicator to “Line clear” to release lock on signal for closing (or testing) purposes 9 3-3-3
Signal taken off, testing completed, re place block indicator to normal position 18 4-1-3
Testing sections switched through 6 3-2-1
Testing block indicators and bells 16 Consecutively
Time 18 8-5-5
Lamp man or Fog signalman required 19 9-5-5
Testing controlled or slotted signals 20 5-5-5-5
Shunting into forward section (where authorised) 8 3-3-2
Shunt withdrawn (where authorised) 8 Consecutively
Setting back through section in wrong direction (where authorised) 8 2-3-3
Train set back in wrong direction clear of section (where authorised) 7 5-2
Setting back withdrawn (where authorised) 7 2-5
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