Signals to Danger
patreon
Rail Safety Review - 14th July 2025
🕑 Added 2025-07-13 20:33:01 +0000 UTCWelcome to another Rail Safety Review, and yes, despite the joys of a strep throat and a voice that sounds like it's been dragged through ballast, Dan is back to talk trains.
This week we’re diving into the chaos that’s been brewing recently on the West Coast Main Line—a derailment near Bletchley, a buffer bump at Euston, trees taking down wires, freight trains giving up the ghost, and more disruption than you can shake a track circuit at. Safe to say, it’s not been a great run up North.
We also get an inside look at the new branding for Signals to Danger, as Dan shares the story behind the podcast’s visual overhaul, why now was the right time for a refresh, and what remains unchanged at the heart of the show.
Comments
Daniel Fox
Fantastic, now you've said there's a little bell ringing in my head as well, so you might well be on the correct path there
Ben Coulson
Origin of the term "bang road" . Before AWS, certain semaphore signals were protected by detonators, which were placed on the line by an apparatus linked to the signal lever and were moved off the rail when the signal was cleared and replaced on the rail when the signal was at danger. Being authorised to perform a wrong line movement would mean passing such a signal in the opposite direction which would remain at danger and therefore the train would activate the detonator, hence the "bang". I wasn't able to find a direct source for this but I have learned a lot of information from more senior railway staff over the years, and also run over a couple of detonators including when authorised to pass a signal at danger protecting a swing bridge.
Julia Prestbury
New logo looks great Dan
