SignalTraffic Forums

by **Canuck_in_TX** on Sun Jan 04, 2009 3:23 pm

After seeing a Google link posted by Ed, I did some surfing there and found this pic of 2 UK signals in London, England. It shows a man covering up the lenses in a blackout during World War II.

I thought it was a Plessey but after looking at the pic again, the portholes changed my thoughts on what the signal is, although it does appear to have that Tobler chocolate shape but I can't be certain.

See the full sized pic here:
http://images.google.com/hosted/life/f?q=traffic+light+source:life&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtraffic%2Blight%2Bsource:life%26start%3D18%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN&imgurl=6b3b84872b87d047

by **EdT.** on Sun Jan 04, 2009 3:45 pm

What the heck is that thing? Look at those porthole doors! And a GO lens?!!

by **2070** on Sun Jan 04, 2009 6:33 pm

Well, unless I miss my guess. It does look to be some sort of traffic light. :crazy:

by **3liteguy** on Sun Jan 04, 2009 11:20 pm

@ Phil.

by **traffic-light-man** on Mon Jan 05, 2009 8:46 am

ATE, the company that later became Plessey.

Either ATE or Forest City, which is also an option, however Forest City usually used fancier hardware and were topped with an amber globe in many cases.

by **Ampelfreund** on Tue Jan 06, 2009 11:47 am

it´s an interesting picture

by **traffic-light-man** on Sat Jan 17, 2009 5:19 pm

One other thing, which I have discussed with a few here, is the use of CH 4-way Portholes in some cases in the UK. Basically, our junctions were typically one pole with two back-to-back lanterns per corner, on the nearside. This was varied in Cities so there was 3 lanterns per direction, typically in a typically Aussie kind of way, which is very very possibly where they get it from.

For this reason, it was feasable to but up 4 way signals with N and S getting lenses, and E and W getting blank doors. I believe these were not very common in reality, however were something that was not hard to find. For now, only pictures remain, from what I am aware, and the lone example in an Industry Museum in Leeds, which doesn't have lenses or innards and in in a prettey sorry state.

I know that the ones in the pic aren't CH though, I dont think. :-P

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UK Signal pic during World War II in the U.K.

UK Signal pic during World War II in the U.K.

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Re: UK Signal pic during World War II in the U.K.

Re: UK Signal pic during World War II in the U.K.

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Re: UK Signal pic during World War II in the U.K.

Re: UK Signal pic during World War II in the U.K.

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