Distant signal is like wifi repeater.
A wifi repeater doesn't have a 'signal' of it's own, it can only take the signal coming from router, amplify it, and then transmit the signal over a larger area of home/office
The same is true for distant signal. It doesn't 'guard' a section, like main signal does. What it does is repeat the aspect of signal ahead of it. Distant signals are placed at a distance of 1 km before main signal, and the aspect is based on signal ahead of it. By this you get...
more... advance warning 1 km before about signal aspect, which generally doesn't happen in absolute block territory as absolute block signal are placed only at extreme end of territory (basically you see the next signal after leaving the station shortly before the coming station, usually the home signal itself)
This type of signal is called permissive signal as you are not supposed to stop there, rather you have to stop at main signal only, but you know a km in advance you have to stop and thus you can apply brakes well in advance. In double distant you have two signals, placed one km apart each so you know two km before about oncoming stop signal.
These signals will have a 'P' mark over it, go through the two pics attached for what distant signals look like, and their necessity in sections above 110 (not needed in Automatic block)