BAOR DEPOT INFORMATION FILE	© Martyn Witt 2004
STANDARD MILITARY RAILWAY DRAWING AND DEPOT DIAGRAM SYMBOLS		Back to Introduction

The symbols displayed below were not confined to formal draughtsman's drawings.  Based on a  simplified and modified subset of British Standard 376 "Railway Signalling Symbols" (originally published in 1930), they would be used by military railway officers and NCOs undertaking a "railway recce" - one of the essential skills to be mastered.  For non-British prototypes, some local modifications were made by local convention, and for BAOR, these frequently included using the designations described in the "Signalbuch", such as for stop boards, derailers etc.
OBJECT	SYMBOL	REMARKS
Distant signal		Include lever frame number
Home or starting signal		Include lever frame number
Two arm signal		Include lever frame number
Two arm bracket signal		Include lever frame number
Subsidiary signal		Include lever frame number; e.g. C  - Call on        S  - Shunt ahead        W - Warning
Ground signal		Include lever frame number
Colour light signal		1. Colours indicated thus: 2. Include signal number
Junction indiciator for use with coloured light
Track circuit
Signal of any type, NOT in use
Flag board		Improvised military signalling
Station limit board		Improvised military signalling
Warning board (emergency signalling fixed distant signal)		Improvised military signalling (e.g. 5 bar gate)
Permanent speed restriction board		Indicate speed
Signal box (Block Post)		Dot indicates position of operator
Ground frame		1. Dot indicates position of operator 2. Number of strokes indicates number of levers in frame
Double lines		Arrows show direction of travel
Single line
Level crossing		Show method of protection - wickets and main gates
Lifting barriers
Gate or door		Give dimension of available opening;  if locked, drawing should indicate key number and where keys held
Rails set flush		Give details of material into which rails are set
Signal box - worked points *		Include lever frame number
Handworked points *
* Local convention - BAOR depot drawing - all turnouts		The format shown here was used to represent any turnout on BAOR drawings.   The number of the turnout is shown
Trap point
Scotch block		(Hemmschuh)
Derailer		Arrow shows direction of derailment; if locked, drawing should indicate key number and where keys held
Rerailing ramp		Normally located clear of the track
Cutting
Embankment
Retaining wall		Give length and height
Tunnel		Give length (and construction details if possible)
Under bridge
Over bridge
Footbridge
Subway
Turntable		Give useable diameter
Water tank
Water column or crane
Station platforms		Give platform width, length and height above rail level
Platform ramp		Give width if not already indicated
End-loading ramp/dock		Give width and height above rail level
Sideloading ramp/dock		Give width and height above rail level
Building		Give outside dimensions.  In depot drawings, building detail was usually restricted to indicating the general outline of relevant structures only
Loading gauge
Fixed crane		Give radius (R) and capacity
Travelling crane		Give radius (R), length of travel (L) and capacity
Shunting capstan
Buffer stop		In depot diagrams, may have number, eg BS2.
Sand drag		Give length
Notice board		Give wording (more for recce than depot diagrams)
Telephone
Telegraph/telephone post		For depots worked by regulator system, Telephone Post number would be indicated
Telegraph/telephone line		Show owner under (more for recce than depot diagrams)
Lamp post		(More for recce than depot diagrams)
Hydrant		(More for recce than depot diagrams)
Mile post		Show mileage beside post
Gradient post		Show gradient on appropriate arm
Train		Point shows front of train.  (More for recce than depot diagrams, although some depots did have static wagons for various purposes - such as the old coach used by the RAF Wildenrath Go-Karting Club!)

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