signal box

noun

, British.

1. a railway signal tower.

signal box

noun

1. a building containing manually operated signal levers for all the railway lines in its section
2. a control point for a large area of a railway system, operated electrically and semiautomatically

Word History and Origins

Origin of signal box¹

First recorded in 1820–30

Example Sentences

"Enough of them," replied the commander, as he drew forth from a signal-box the flags required.

From Project Gutenberg

The ruined building is the signal box itself, protected by the line of sandbags in front of telegraph poles and shelled trees.

From Project Gutenberg

The man who had rung the signal-box yelled something at him, but he already knew.

From Project Gutenberg

The engraving accompanying this chapter shows the appearance and mechanism of the signal box.

From Project Gutenberg

There was a signal box at each end of the tunnel, and a fair traffic, and fast trains passed.

From Project Gutenberg