Victoria was an early adoptor of traffic signals, being the second capital city with its first set of lights. The first signals in Melbourne were located on the intersection of Collins Street & Swanston Street, and went into operation in 1928. Signals took several forms, including more or less the form we see now, but previously, the state used clock style signals by a company called Marshalite.
| |
 |
Eagle Signal Controller:
Old timer based signal controller. Current controllers use detectors in the road and use the information received from those to regulate traffic flow.
June 2005
Image © Darren Hodges |
|
 |
Eagle Signal Controller Flasher Unit:
Box containing flasher unit in the Eagle controller on the left. This would be used for the flashing cycle of pedestrian signals and also to flash the amber signals when there's a fault or for use as a caution signal. June 2005.
Image © Darren Hodges |
 |
Eagle Signal Controller:
Old timer based signal controller. Current controllers use detectors in the road and use the information received from those to regulate traffic flow.
June 2005.
Image © Darren Hodges |
|
 |
Old Pedestrian Signal Controller:
Quite old pedestrian signal controller, with old style english and pedestrian button mounted on the face of the controller. This unit was still in use in 2005, and would be well over 40 years old and was made by the Forest City Electrical company in the UK.
June 2005.
Image supplied by Darren Hodges |
 |
Eagle Signal Controller Internal View:
Inside the above Eagle controller, with the large timer wheel and several relays and contacts. June 2005.
Image © Darren Hodges |
|
 |
Control Box:
One of numerous little control boxes you see on the posts of signals. Some house tactile pedestrian crossing sound devices others for junction connectors, etc. This is the typical style for the ones made by the Eagle Signal Company of Australia.
Corner of Brougham and Mercer Streets in Geelong. September 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley |
 |
Eagle Signal Controller Timer:
Close up of the timer wheel inside the Eagle controller. June 2005.
Image © Darren Hodges |
|
|
|
| |
 |
Pedestrian Crossing Flasher:
Eagle signal used on highlighting uncontrolled pedestrian crossings
in Victoria. The amber lights alternate with each other. June 2005.
Image © Darren Hodges |
|
 |
Neon Pedestrian Signal Internal View:
With the door open, you can see the neon pedestrian signal uses 2 neon tubes. One that glows red (the horizontal tubes) and one that glows green (the vertical tubes).
Image © Darren Hodges |
 |
Pedestrian Crossing Flasher Mast Arm:
Mast arm setup with alternating flashing signal.
Williamtown Road, Port Melbourne. August 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley |
|
 |
Neon Pedestrian Signal:
Neon signal in use June 2005 on the corner of Warrigal and Batesford Road, Chadstone.
Image © Darren Hodges |
 |
Pedestrian Crossing Lights:
Old style uncontrolled pedestrian crossing flashing lights. Located outside the Dennis Railway Station, Clark Street, Northcote. September 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley |
|
 |
Neon Pedestrian Signal:
Neon signal in use June 2005 on the corner of Warrigal and Batesford Road, Chadstone.
Image © Darren Hodges |
 |
Pedestrian Crossing Flasher:
Old signal used on highlighting uncontrolled pedestrian crossings
in Victoria. The amber lights alternate with each other, note the old light over the pedestrian crossing sign. It's similar to the ones used on the Marshalite clock traffic signals. June 2005.
Image © Rob Tilley |
|
 |
Small Metal Pedestrian Button:
Used in Victoria during the 1970s are these small blue call buttons. They're all metal except for the small white call recorded lamp along the bottom. December 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley |
 |
Square Lens Pedestrian Signal with Pictograms:
Old style signal design for text "Don't Walk / Walk" captions with pictograms instead. Either this has been retrofitted after installation, or old stock from the manufacturer was updated to show the change in regulations. Corner of Thomas Street and Centre Road, Bentleigh. February 2007.
Image © Rob Tilley |
|
 |
Illuminated Pedestrian Call Button:
Cast metal pedestrian call button When the button is pressed "CALL RECORDED" lights up on the screen. 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley |
 |
Textual Pedestrian Signals:
Left standard incandescent signal made by Eagle. On the right a neon pedestrian signal, once quite common in most states, but only a few still survive around metropolitan Melbourne.
Image © Darren Hodges |
|
 |
Illuminated Pedestrian Call Button:
Cast metal pedestrian call button When the button is pressed "CALL RECORDED" lights up on the screen. 2006 on Bulla Road in Essendon.
Image © Viseth Uch |
| |
 |
Square Target Boards:
Old signal from Melbourne that uses a squarer behing signal target board. Much older installation which was somewhat common in Melbourne in the 60s. Image taken September 2002.
Image supplied by Darren Hodges |
|
 |
Old Eagle Signal:
Old 1960s Eagle signal with rear mounted target board (as opposed to signals from 1970s onwards with lantern mounted target boards), on the corner of Brougham & Mercer Street in Geelong. September 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley |
 |
3 Aspect Signal:
Typical older style setup for signals with target boards in Victoria. The target board is mounted behind the signal. June 2005 on the corner of Warrigal and Batesford Roads in Chadstone.
Image © Darren Hodges |
|
 |
Double Mast Arm Signal:
This unusual design is found in Geelong South on the corner of Moorabool and Fyans Streets, December 2008. Click here for a photo by Rob Tilley of this location from September 2006.
Image © Tim Cole |
 |
Mast Arm Signal:
Typical older style setup for signals with target boards in Victoria. The target board is mounted behind the signal. June 2005 on the corner of Warrigal and Batesford Roads in Chadstone.
Note the neon pedestrian signal. Image © Darren Hodges |
|
 |
Old Eagle Signal:
Old 1960s Eagle signal with rear mounted target board (as opposed to signals from 1970s onwards with lantern mounted target boards), on the corner of Brougham & Mercer Street in Geelong. September 2006.
Image © Paul Rands |
 |
Mast Arm Signal:
The older style of short mast arm used in Victoria. This installation has been retrofitted with newer signals from the 1980s. August 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley |
|
 |
Old Eagle Signal:
Old 1960s Eagle signal with rear mounted target board (as opposed to signals from 1970s onwards with lantern mounted target boards), on the corner of Brougham & Mercer Street in Geelong. September 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley |
 |
Old Eagle Signals:
Old style Eagle signals without target boards, and recent call buttons and pedestrian signals located on the corner of Elgin and Canning Streets, Carlton, August 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley |
|
 |
Old Eagle Signal:
Old 1960s Eagle signal with rear mounted target board (as opposed to signals from 1970s onwards with lantern mounted target boards), on the corner of Brougham & Mercer Street in Geelong. September 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley |
 |
Old Traffic Signals:
Old set on the corner of Dorcas & Montague Streets in South Melbourne. August 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley |
|
 |
Older Eagle Signal with Recent Aldridge Quartz Halogen Signal:
Side view of an old Eagle signal with its rear mounted target board, positioned next to a 1990s Aldridge Quartz Halogen signal. November 2006 on the corner of
Blackburn Rd & Monash Fwy at Glen Waverley.
Image © Rob Tilley |
 |
Old Traffic Signals:
Old 3 aspect signal on the corner of Dorcas & Montague Streets in South Melbourne. August 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley |
|
 |
1970s Mast Arm Post:
1970s style mast arm post with original signal over the road. Note the larger target board for better prominence.
Corner of Gherinhap & Ryrie Streets in Geelong.
December 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley |
 |
3 Aspect Signal:
Old 3 aspect signal without target board on the corner of Dorcas & Montague Streets in South Melbourne. August 2006.
This signal has since been replaced.
Image © Rob Tilley |
|
 |
1970s Mast Arm Post:
1970s style mast arm post with original signal over the road. Note the larger target board for better prominence.
Corner of Gherinhap & Ryrie Streets in Geelong.
December 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley |
 |
5 Aspect Signal:
Old style 5 aspect signal on the corner of Dorcas & Montague Streets in South Melbourne. August 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley |
|
 |
Mast Arm Post & Extender Arm:
Pedestrian signals using a mast arm and an extender arm to move the signal out from the shop awnings. Nicholson Street in Bairnsdale.
Image © Darren Hodges |
 |
Mast Arm Signal:
Extension arm mounting for signal on the corner of Thomas Street and Centre Road in Bentleigh. February 2007.
Image © Rob Tilley |
|
 |
Preserved Marshalite Traffic Signal:
These old signals were once used in Victoria. The hand on the dial would indicate who had right of way, and how long they had left. With vandalised modern signal attached, this specimen is from Chelsea, Victoria.
Image © Darren Hodges |
 |
Mast Arm Post with Old AWA Signals:
Typical older mast arm on the corner of Errol and Arden Streets in South Melbourne, with original old style AWA signals.
Image taken February 2007.
Image © Rob Tilley |
|
 |
Fibre Optic Signal:
Fibre optic signal used when the is a restriction that may not be active all the time. The signal flashes on and off to indicate its message is active. June 2005.
Image © Darren Hodges |
This site © Paul Rands. All rights reserved. Some portions © (copyright) by their respective and credited owners. Permission must be obtained before using any images from this site. For details, please email by clicking here.
