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The Guardian - UK

Why is railway ‘signal failure’ so common now, when it was so rare in the 1950s?

Simpler times ... steam locomotives, County Durham, 1961. — Simpler times ... steam locomotives, County Durham, 1961.
Photograph: Colin T Gifford/SSPL via Getty Images

When I was a trainspotter in the 50s and 60s, railway signals were mostly of the semaphore type operated by wires and men in signal boxes, and I don’t remember “signal failure” ever being a cause of disruption to services, whereas nowadays it is a daily occurrence. Is the new technology more trouble than it’s worth, or is my memory at fault?

David Harrison, Brighton

Post your answers – and new questions – below or email them to nq@theguardian.com

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