Signal Collection (page 37)

Railway signalman, 19th century
Railway signalman operating train track switches and holding a furled signal flag. The first mechanised and centralised railway switching system dates from 1856

Maritime night signalling, 19th century
Maritime night signalling. Balloon and lights being used by ships engaging in night-time signalling at Heligoland. This archipelago in the North Sea near Germany was held by the British until it was

Bluetooth device, artwork
Bluetooth device, computer artwork

ECG of a normal heart rate, artwork
Electrocardiogram (ECG) of a normal heart rate, artwork. An ECG measures the electrical activity of the heart. Contractions are caused by electrical signals between the upper (atrial)

Electrical conduction of the heart. Artwork showing the impulse conduction system (yellow) of the human heart (left) and an electrocardiogram (ECG) of a normal heart rate (right)

Nerve synapse, artwork
Nerve synapse. Computer artwork of of a junction, or synapse, between two nerve cells (neurons). As the electrical signal reaches the presynaptic end of a neuron it triggers the release of

Saltatory conduction of nerve impulse, computer artwork. Nerve impulses move along myelinated nerves by saltatory conduction. The myelin (orange, striped) does not cover the entire axon

Football with chip
3D computer graphics illustration of a modern chip enabled football. The technology is based on an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) chip with an integrated transmitter to send data

Neural network, artwork
Neural network, computer artwork

Laser reading digital pits on a CD / DVD
Computer artwork showing light emitted by a laser diode being focussed onto a compact disc by a small lens. The metal disc underneath is etched by a laser beam to produce the microscopic pits which

Neuromuscular junctions, artwork
Neuromuscular junctions. Computer artwork of junctions between nerves (thread-like objects) and a muscle (purple surface)

Synapses, artwork
Synapses. Computer artwork of synapses, the junctions between the ends (green, swollen) of two nerve cells (neurons). Signals are passed along nerve cells in the form of an electrical impulse

Wireless internet planet, artwork
Wireless internet planet, computer artwork. The concentric circles are a broadcast symbol representing the wireless networks installed in the buildings on this planet

Wireless internet city, artwork
Wireless internet city, computer artwork. The concentric circles are a broadcast symbol representing the wireless networks installed in this city

Wireless internet households, artwork
Wireless internet households, computer artwork. The yellow broadcast symbols represent the wireless networks installed in each house

Neural network, computer artwork
Neural network. Conceptual computer artwork of a brain, with the brains neural network represented by blue strands in the background. The front of the brain is at right

Sputnik 1, Soviet spacecraft. This spacecraft, the first ever to reach Earth orbit, was launched on 4 October 1957 by the Soviet Union

Internet information highway, artwork
Internet information highway, conceptual computer artwork. Parallel tracks (white) passing through a group of globes (green) covered in printed circuit board (PCB) designs

TRAFFIC COP, 1936. A traffic cop directing traffic, Washington, D. C. Photographed in 1936
TRAFFIC COP, 1936. A traffic cop directing traffic, Washington, D.C. Photographed in 1936

Danger ahead for a steam locomotive
Flagger warning a railroad crew to brake for danger ahead on the tracks. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

EVNT2A-00227
Carolina colonists fleeing in canoes from a Native American attack. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Town crier with a lost child
Town crier calling, " Child lost!" and ringing an alarm bell. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

EVCW2A-00062
Union Army Signal Corps setting up telegraph wire during a Civil War battle, 1863. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th century illustration

EVRV2A-00250
Minutemen roused by Paul Revere to do battle in Lexington, April 19, 1775. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

EVRV2A-00198
Bellman told to ring the Liberty Bell to announce the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, 1776. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

EVRV2A-00248
Paul Revere calling the Lexington Minutemen to arms, 1775. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration by Darley

Quebec, Canada. Tadoussac

White-tailed Deer - buck and doe bounding away with tails up to signal to other deer that an intruder is in the woods
TOM-1955 White-tailed Deer - buck and doe bounding away with tails up to signal to other deer that an intruder is in the woods Rocky Mountains - Montana - USA Odocoileus virginianus Tom & Pat Leeson

The spirit of England at work: railway and dock volunteers
Volunteers on the railways during the General Strike. The ILN reports that Nothing was more remarkable during the General Strike than the skill and efficiency with which the railways were carried

Two Post Office workers waiting for the mail train at a lineside mailbag collection and drop-off point. In the background are railway lines, signals, and a goods train

Cover of The Signal, June 1943
Cover of The Signal magazine from June 1943. The Signal was the station magazine of 47 Air Navigation School, based in Queenstown, South Africa, where RAF personnnel were trained during World War Two

Cover of The Signal, August 1943, the station magazine of 47 Air Navigation School in Queenstown, South Africa, where many RAF airmen from Bomber Command trained prior to operational tours

Policewoman on traffic duty
A policewoman on traffic duty on a busy day in London

Crewe Railway Station electric signal box, Cheshire
View inside an electric signal box near Crewe Railway Station, Crewe, Cheshire

Near Skewen Railway Station, Glamorgan, South Wales
View of the track, with a road bridge in the middle distance, near Skewen Railway Station on the Great Western Railway, Glamorgan, South Wales

Dunlop advertisement with policeman
Splendid advert for Dunlop tyres showing a busy London street with a police officer in the road directing traffic and helping pedestrians across the road

Electric train line indicators
Three early train line indicators, with arriows which moved from red to green, depending on whether a train was on that portion of track or whether it had left it

Training Ship Exmouth, flag signalling drill
Uniformed boys on the deck of the Training Ship Exmouth learning flag signalling. The Exmouth, moored off Grays in Essex, was used by the Metropolitan Asylums Board as a naval training establishment

Ukraine - Odessa - The Mole

Temporary road works signal, London
A temporary road works police traffic signal, set up by the Metropolitan Police on a London street. A man with a motorcycle and sidecar waits alongside

Police Notice -- Street Crossing Signals
A Police Notice showing Street Crossing Signals in Bridge Street, New Palace Yard, London, close to Parliament and the Met Police headquarters

Bus request stop / W H Robinson
The permanent signaling umbrella fitted to bus stops, for when one finds ones self without suitable equipment for waving or when the signaling arm is heavily occupied with shopping

Battle of the Somme WWI
German soldier firing a flare during the Battle of the Somme on the Western Front during World War I

Turning left / W H Robinson
An old motorist gets a hand from a policeman to help him turn left, to the pub. Please note: Credit must appear as (c) Courtesy of the estate of Mrs J.C.Robinson/Pollinger Ltd/Mary Evans Picture

Arm signaling / W H Robinson
This particular arm signal indicates that the driver will be slowing down or stopping...if only for a better look at a passing attractive woman

Marconi plaque, Bass Point, Cornwall
A plaque to Guglielmo Marconi, set in a granite wall near some buildings on the sea shore at Bass Point, Cornwall. It marks the location of Marconis telegraph station during the pioneering days of

Start of a charity cycle ride, Lands End
The start of a charity cycle ride in aid of Friends of the Earth, from Lands End in Cornwall to John o Groats in Scotland

Evocative Railway scene with Cooling Towers. Two small steam engines in a sding close to a Power Station and a signal box in Scotland

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"Unveiling the Power of Signals: From HMS Victory to Synapse Junctions" From the historic decks of HMS Victory, flags fluttered in a mesmerizing dance, carrying Admiral Nelson's famous signal at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. These flags, representing the Royal Navy, became symbols of communication and unity amidst chaos. Flags have long been used as signals by seafarers and armies alike. Nelson's ingenious use of them allowed him to outmaneuver his enemies and secure victory. Even today, these vibrant banners continue to convey messages on naval vessels worldwide. But signals extend beyond maritime battles; they permeate our everyday lives. Just like an underground tube train speeding through tunnels beneath bustling cities or the synapse nerve junctions transmitting electrical impulses within our bodies they can everywhere. In Scotland's Isle of Lewis, part of Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides archipelago, ancient standing stones stand tall against windswept landscapes—a silent yet powerful signal from our ancestors about their existence and beliefs. As dawn breaks over Tacking Point Lighthouse, its light piercing through darkness with unwavering determination becomes a beacon signaling safety for ships navigating treacherous waters. Even railways rely on signals for smooth operations. The Railway Station & Signal Box in Paddock Wood, Kent stands as a testament to this intricate system that ensures trains travel safely along their tracks. And who can forget H. M. S. Invincible? This mighty warship once sailed proudly across oceans—its presence alone serving as a formidable signal that echoed strength and dominance throughout history books. Yet perhaps no other symbol carries such weight as H. M. S Victory flying Nelson's famous signal on 21 October 1905—an enduring reminder of bravery and sacrifice etched into Portsmouth Harbour's memory forevermore. Whether it be through flags unfurling atop masts or neurons firing within us all—signals connect us across time and space, transcending language barriers.