Neale’s Ball Token instrument system, a proven safety mechanism used by Railways for signalling trains, has become history.
The last of the instrument used in the State in Palakkad railway division has been replaced with the modern electronic track circuiting-based signalling system installed between Palakkad Junction and Palakkad Town stations.
The last train service to be signalled with this system was Train 16343 Thiruvananthapuram– Palakkad Town Amritha Express, which left Thiruvananthapuram Central on Wednesday and arrived at Palakkad Junction on Thursday.
This train was signalled using the ball token instrument for the last time from Palakkad Junction at 7.40 a.m. and at 7.55 a.m. at Palakkad Town station, Railways sources said.
With the non-interlocking work coupled with remodelling of yard at Palakkad Junction station progressing, the ball token instrument system for signalling trains has been replaced completely.
But Railways personnel will always remember this unique system with a twinge of nostalgia. The signal instrument was invented by J.E. Neale, who was the Telegraph Superintendent of the erstwhile Great Indian Peninsular Railway of the Pre-Independent Indian Railway System.
Mr. Neale was the son of John Neale who was the Telegraph Superintendent of the North Staffordshire Railway. It was installed on “Single Line sections in the Staffordshire section.”
The arrangement consists of the usual pair of electrically connected instruments. In each of them, there is supply of balls, lying in four columns fed from the top by a zig-zag path. All of the columns lead to the issuing aperture seen on the bottom left, through which a token is delivered. The outlet is closed by the ‘handle.’
From 1933, the erstwhile South Indian Railway adopted the Neale’s Block Instrument in its Metre Gauge Single Line sections. Soon, it emerged as one of the best safety devices/block instruments in train signalling system.
Two types of Neale’s Block Instruments were used. One is ‘Ball’ token instrument and another is ‘Tablet’ token instrument. Following the advancements made in signalling and telecommunication engineering, higher version and computer-controlled ‘Tokenless block instruments’ are in place for signalling and for train operations from one station to another.