The staff machine was manufactured in 1908. It was installed in 1909 on the Letterkenny to Strabane Railway in Glenmaquin stationbox...Its corresponding device was in the Letterkenny signalbox...On some single track railways staff or token systems were used. The train driver carried a unique metal staff as his authority to occupy the line. Nowadays most single track lines are worked using electrified track circuits and a token is no longer required.