semaphore signal

English

Some semaphore signals at Worcester Shrub Hill station, England, in 2007.

Noun

semaphore signal (plural semaphore signals)

1. Any signal sent by semaphore.
2. (rail transport) A railway signal with a moving arm mounted on a signal post or gantry, the position of the arm indicating whether a train should stop or proceed; they are now largely replaced by colour light signals.
   • 2019 October, “February completion for Wherry lines resignalling”, in Modern Railways, page 22:

     The phased programme will run from 1 to 23 February, with semaphore signals replaced with modern colour lights.

   • 2020 December 2, Paul Bigland, “My weirdest and wackiest Rover yet”, in Rail, page 67:

     After dropping off travellers at Foregate Street, my train terminates at Shrub Hill - a station which boasts one of the best selection [sic] of semaphore signals left in the country.

References

railway semaphore signal on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

• “semaphore signal”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.