The Man Up Front explains how Route Knowledge really works.
Let me give you all a further example: take me with a 156 working up from Shrewsbury towards Birmingham.
Leave Shrewsbury bay 5 on a single yellow. Next signal is on the curve outside Severn Bridge box, but is invisible for most of the passage around the curve unless you stick your head out of the cab window.
Abbey Foregate starter is then towards the top of the bank but is hidden by the two road bridges - and if you leave Salop on one yellow it should be on. [Ed: showing Danger, that is to say.]
Next then is the [colour light] IB at Upton Magna. The IB home is visible before the IB distant, because of the positioning of the distant.
Then there is the Wellington outer distant/advance IB at Admaston, followed by the distant/IB stop on the curve into Wellington. If the distant is showing one yellow, you are being routed into the platform, green and you're on the through road. Normally: one yellow could well mean you're being stopped outside the station and that is what you have to assume.
The diverging home that gives you the road into the platform is in the cutting and only becomes visible as you come under the footbridge by Morrisons - faster than 40 through there and that's a SPAD if it's on. Not that a stopper should be doing that anyway: it's 15 into the platform.
Into the platform at Wellington and, whatever the length of the train, you have to stop with the cab beyond the canopy so you can see the starter signal hidden by the road bridge.
Out of the platform, starter & IB distant just on the curve but nicely visible. IB home round the corner just before the whistle board, then you don't have to worry about signals until Telford platform where the AWS ramp for Madeley Junction distant is perfectly positioned where you'd stop with a 153. Stop on it and you're buggered. Signal itself is on the end of the platform and isn't visible until after the AWS warning is heard.
And on, and on, and on.... That's only the first third of the journey from Salop to Brum.
RossRail, The new way to travel