Bell code
Encyclopedia
Bell codes or buzzer codes are a series of bells or buzzers used on passenger trains in Great Britain
and India
for communication between the driver and guard.
All codes, except 3—2—1, must be acknowledged by repeating the code received.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
for communication between the driver and guard.
| Signal | Meaning in Great Britain | Meaning in India |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stop | Stop train |
| 1—1 | Zone of speed restriction over, resume prescribed speed | |
| 1—2 | Close doors | |
| 2 | Ready to start | Start train |
| 2—2 | Do not open doors | Passing automatic signal at 'on' |
| 3 | Set Back | Guard required by driver |
| 3—1 | Lock central door locking | |
| 3—2—1 | Testing doors | |
| 3—3 | Guard required by driver, or guard or driver to speak on the telephone | Guard's warning when the motorman exceeds the speed prescribed |
| 3—3—1 | Release central door locking | |
| 4 | Slow down | Protect train in rear |
| 6 | Draw forward | |
| 9 | Police assistance required |
All codes, except 3—2—1, must be acknowledged by repeating the code received.
United States
In the United States, these are known as Communication Signal Appliance codes.| Signal | Meaning |
|---|---|
| _ | When running, stop at once. |
| _ | When standing, apply or release brakes. |
| o o | When standing, start. |
| o o o | When standing or running backward, back up two car lengths. |
| o o o | When running forward, stop at next passenger station. |
| o o o o | When standing, brakes have applied and released on rear car. Brake test completed. |
| o | When spotting, switching, or making up trains, prepare to stop. |
See also
- Railway block codeRailway block codeThe railway block code is a system of bell rings used in Great Britain to communicate between manually operated Signal Boxes . Each signal box would have a bell circuit to the box on either side of it along the line...
- bell codes used between manually operated signal boxes - Whistle codes - used by locomotives to communicate with signal boxes