Vintage traffic signals (sidetracked from Tram & Pedestrian Accident Today - 22.12)

["Darren H." <locob67@hotmail.com>]

Quite a way off the subject of trains I know, but does anyone know if any
examples of these early traffic signals have survived? I can remember seeing
some of the clock-dial style signals in the late 1970's. Does anyone have
photos of any of these early signals. It is just another interest of mine.
Not sure why. I've heard about the Geelong lights, but have never seen a
photo of them.

Darren Hodges.

> When I was really small, I remember out in the suburbs, there were
> intersections with really odd clock-dial like traffic signals, with a
> clock-like face that had red, amber and green painted around the outside
> of the circle, and an arm that swept around the face like a second-hand.
> They worked like traffic lights. If the signal facing you had its
> sweeping arm on green you could go, on red stop, etc. Some of these
> intersections I also recall with traffic lights as well.

>Geelong also had funny traffic lights.  In the middle of the intersection
>there was a single pole with a series horizontal red and green tubes facing
>each of the four directions.  There were about four or five of each colour.
>Thus you might commence with say five green tubes showing and then one by
>one they would extinguish until the last green would go out and the five
red
>come on, and so on.  Like the the clock type signals in Melbourne, they
gave
>the motorist some idea as he approached the intersection how much time was
>left before changing.  Unlike Melbourne there was no amber indication and
>also they were not supplemented by normal type lights.  There was just the
>single post in the middle of the road,  which also held the tram wires.
The
>rest of the tram wires were also supported by poles down the middle of the
>road.