Speed restriction signs on the Irish railways continue to show speeds in miles per hour. The old style of permanent speed restriction sign was a yellow rectangle with black figures [IE.17], while the newer standard design is octagonal in shape [IE.18].
[IE.17] Permanent Speed Restriction Sign.
[IE.18] Permanent Speed Restriction Sign.
On some lines, a lower speed applies to locomotive-hauled trains and light engines. A separate sign shows the speed that applies, below the legend "locomotive" or "201 Class" [IE.19]. From 2017, a standard permanent speed restriction sign fitted with a supplementary sign reading "loco only" was used for this purpose [IE.20].
[IE.20] Permanent Speed Restriction Sign applicable to Locomotives.
Permanent speed restriction signs applicable to diverging routes are usually fitted with a directional arrow above or below the board [IE.21]. Comprising a white arrow on a blue background, these were originally introduced for use with temporary speed restriction warning boards (see [IE.26]).
[IE.21] Permanent Speed Restriction Sign with Directional Arrow (e.g. applicable to right-hand divergence).
Until recently, warning indicators for permanent speed restrictions were not a standard feature in Ireland, and severe reductions in permissible speed were signed as a series of cascaded speed reductions. Following a trial which began in 2017, however, warning indicators similar to the British five-sided design (see [13.54]) are now being provided. In addition, a 'supplementary warning indicator', which is distinguished by having diagonal stripes across its upper edge [IE.22], is placed between the warning indicator and the commencement of the permanent speed restriction, to give drivers an extra warning.
Temporary speed restrictions (TSRs) are signed with distinctive warning boards, commencement boards and termination boards. All three were originally fitted with a flashing beacon coloured yellow, white and green, respectively. The warning board comprises a yellow triangular board, below which is a circular yellow sign showing the TSR speed in miles per hour [IE.23]. The commencement board is a circular yellow board bearing a letter "C", with the applicable speed shown on a blue plate mounted underneath [IE.24]. The termination board comprises a square yellow board with a letter "T" [IE.25].
[IE.23] TSR Warning Board.
[IE.24] TSR Commencement Board.
[IE.25] TSR Termination Board.
A warning board will be fitted with a directional arrow [IE.26] if it applies to a TSR on a diverging route. The repeating warning board was introduced in 2002 for use where a station platform or siding is located between the warning board and the commencement board. It has a similar appearance to a normal warning board (see [IE.23]) but with the speed figure replaced by a letter "R" [IE.27]. It is not fitted with a flashing beacon.
[IE.26] TSR Warning Board with Directional Indication (e.g. applicable to TSR on left-hand divergence).
[IE.27] TSR Repeating Warning Board.
Later, the visibility of the warning boards, repeating warning boards and commencement boards was enhanced by the provision of an additional sign comprising a yellow rectangle with two white spots [IE.28 - IE.30], derived from the contemporary British style of reflectorised TSR warning board (see [14.57]).
[IE.28] TSR Warning Board.
[IE.29] TSR Repeating Warning Board.
[IE.30] TSR Commencement Board.
To further enhance sighting, the white spots on the warning boards and repeating warning boards were replaced by flashing white lights in 2016 [IE.31 & IE.32]. The commencement boards retained their white spots (see [IE.30]). The replacement of the white spots on warning boards by flashing lights was the reverse of the situation in Great Britain, where white spots had long since replaced the previous flashing white lights on TSR warning boards (see [14.39]).
