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by **B 67** on Mon Aug 15, 2011 7:58 am

G'day all,

I've just done my first traffic signal restoration (not including a neon ped signal which is still neonless).

I have three old AWA signals, which are basically the same as the UK Plessey 'tin' signals. With some unseasonably warm sunny winter weather recently, I decided to strip one down and respray it.

Here's what I started with.

The one on the left had a hinge and a door clasp missing, so I decided it would be done first.

Stripping it didn't take long (these are very simple signals). I pinched a 'spare' hinge from a cut-down signal that I was using to provide parts for several other projects.

As I intended to repaint this signal in the 1960s all-over yellow that was used in Melbourne, I gave it a coat of white primer as spraying yellow over black was unlikely to work too well. :No:

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/185449_10150257920482286_657347285_7744004_7725990_n.jpg

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/185449_10150257920487286_657347285_7744005_4299680_n.jpg

And then came the yellow paint (click on the links above, because they're horizontal pics, considered too wide to use here).

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/185449_10150257920497286_657347285_7744007_1128715_n.jpg

One of the hazards of using bright colours outside on nice warm days. :this:

He eventually worked out that there was no nectar or pollen to be found here.

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/262849_10150258602397286_657347285_7751864_3841916_n.jpg

The reflectors reinstalled.

And finally, the completed signal. Well, okay. Still no visors or wiring. The wiring will be done soon. Visors shall have to wait until I can get some copied from two that I have.

I thought it came up rather good for a first effort. I have two more of these that I intend to restore to a 1950s striped black / yellow / black. One of them shows the signs that it had originally been painted that way...

You can just make out the line above the amber lens in the above image.

Unfortunately the winter weather returned today, so no more painting for a while.

Darren.

by **Magnetboy** on Mon Aug 15, 2011 8:06 am

Thanks for posting the pictures Darren. I like the yellow color on your light too. The only colors that I have seen on the Plesseys and AWA's before was black and white. I have never had the opportunity to see one of these signals up close. What type of large bead lenses does your light have?

by **B 67** on Mon Aug 15, 2011 8:15 am

Funny you should ask. I just happen to have some photos here.
They are marked AWA, which was the brand of the signals in Australia. But they're made in "West Germany" as the photos in the links below show. Apparently the same pattern is also found in Kopp lenses used in some other Australian signals.

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/284106_10150231530297286_657347285_7473156_2492974_n.jpg

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/267886_10150236026607286_657347285_7510879_7363276_n.jpg

Traffic signals in Australia tended to be yellow or black - or combinations of both. Black and white in the UK though.

by **Magnetboy** on Mon Aug 15, 2011 8:30 am

The first thing I noticed when I saw the lens pictures was the resemblance to Kopp large beads. While I can't easily get to my Kopp large bead lenses right now to make a comparison, my initial guess would be that they are a close match the the Type B lenses. I have a Type BB handy and it isn't a match based upon your photos, but I would have to go digging for the others.

by **TacomaJoe** on Mon Aug 15, 2011 8:33 am

Nice restoration. Thanks for the photos. I have a Plessey on the back burner; haven't decided on colors yets.

Our safety vests and hard hats seem to be a color the bees favor as well.

by **EdT.** on Mon Aug 15, 2011 8:54 am

Looking good Darren. What's the trick to removing/replacing the lenses on those doors? Haven't done it myself yet but I've been told that it's a real PITA.

by **B 67** on Mon Aug 15, 2011 9:03 am

I had no trouble removing the doors. The hinges on this one were attached with nuts and bolts - some others I have are rivetted. However, I was able to pull the door to one side and the pin at the other side either came out, or did so with a slight twist of the hinge - either by hand, or with the help of a plier. Putting them back in was almost as easy - the paint made them a little stiffer, but still straightforward.

Edit: Whoops! A misread. Removing the lenses from the doors? They're removed by undoing 4 screws. Mine were all easy, but if there's any corrosion, I guess it could indeed be a PITA. :crazy:

by **LarryC39** on Sat Oct 01, 2011 10:30 pm

EdT. wrote:Looking good Darren. What's the trick to removing/replacing the lenses on those doors? Haven't done it myself yet but I've been told that it's a real PITA.

Not sure where you got the bum steer Ed. They're just like regular USA style gaskets/lenses in installation. Unless a gasket went dry and stiff nothing unique about their installation. (They are NOT the type that slip over the door frame and over the lens also. That special hell is reserved for Eagle and Siemens signals, I think.)

Darren, Have any newer AWA signals? They're interesting, same shape as the Plessy body but sectional with flat end plates and tie rods. I think the black-yellow-black scheme was used in the UK for a period as well, although I've never seen them use anything but the crosshatch lenses in their signals.

by **EdT.** on Sat Oct 01, 2011 11:11 pm

Thanks Darren & Larry. :thumbsup:

I don't recall now who led me astray. :scratch:

I do recall being told it was a major hassle, running out to look at the doors and seeing the big gasket and ASSUMED it was like the Durasig/Siemens setup but worse.

What I failed to notice was these (quite prominent now in hindsight) guys in the corners: :Phil:

They came out quite easily! :thumbsup:

by **LarryC39** on Sun Oct 02, 2011 12:19 am

Now you mention it, I think the "modern rodded sectional" style AWA signal uses the gaskets that snap into the door and lens.

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