About ready to beat it with a stick

Have 2 of these, and a 76393 (same thing but with double lights). NONE of them work in the track area between the X switch and the Y switch. See the photo. But the signal(s) works (stops and lets go the train, red/green) if installed on a longer straight section of track.



I have tried MANY possible combination's of short and long sections of tracks inbetween the switches. Thinking perhaps it needs a number of track sections / joins. No joy.
I have wired under the track to both the positive,negative, and even crossed!, and no joy.
I have tried all 3 signals in all of the above combos. No joy.


The trains will run fine into the dead zone, then the train will stop, and the MS indicates a short, speed bar flashes. Regardless weather green or red. Regardless of direction entering the track section. The train then has to be picked up and moved to fresh track away from the signal area. Yet when set up in a long section of straight track at least 1 long track section away from a switch (at both ends of the track section) the signal works perfectly. ?!

These don't work between X and Y switches, or in curves, or in short sections, or ... ?
Totally mistified and, er, unrelaxed!!

Any advice please?