Warning Sign/Cattle

Pre-Worboys sign

Pre Worboys signs often relied on wordy plates located below the red warning triangle to get their message across. A number of signs seem to have been used, including the simple 'Beware Animals'. However, at some point the symbol of a cow, as seen to the left, was devised to provide a quicker understanding of the sign. The plate still featured the word 'Cattle', or in some cases 'Cattle Crossing' below.

An unusual variant of uncertain date has been discovered in Epping Forest, Essex, where a large red sign bears the text 'Beware Cattle' in large block capitals.

Worboys Report sign

Following the Worboys Report, most warning signs received symbols within the red triangle for quick and easy recognition. The sign for cattle featured a refined image of a cow, broadly similar to that previously in use. However, an additional sign was created with the silhouette of a sheep for those instances where it was more likely to be sheep than cows in the road.

Irish sign

The equivalent Irish sign is coded W 151 in the Department of Transport's Traffic Sign Manual.