Australian Railroad Crossing Signals

[McK&H.Aust]

Anyways, I've found a few more crossings in NSW with hybrid bells. Some of the images are old, so they may have been replaced...

Forbes (1 hybrid & 1 WCH m-bell): https://www.google.com/maps/@-33.379585 ... 312!8i6656
Spring Hill (1 hybrid): https://www.google.com/maps/@-33.402264 ... 312!8i6656

I've seen a more recent video of Spring Hill and I'm pretty sure it now has a Safetran type 3 e-bell. Probably a good chance of the hybrid bell still being at Forbes though.

[freebrickproductions]

Also found this picture of the crossing at Blayney from January 2006. Looks like it did have a single Teardrop bell (likely Westinghouse) as you can make out a thick black bell on the signal closest to the camera.
http://www.ozroads.com.au/NSW/RouteNumb ... /24/11.JPG

Nice picture there, you found another crossing with large crossbucks. The bell in the picture looks like a WCH painted black, I saw the crossing in person back in 2004 and that's what it had then. These signals were installed at the same time as Ash St, Orange and would have originally had a Westinghouse teardrop bell. Pretty sure that signal still has the teardrop bell mount with a new WCH m-bell mounted on it.

You're right on that as well. The latest image shows what you've mentioned...
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.527 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.527 ... 312!8i6656

I posted this crossing back in February this year, and I'm wondering why this crossing only has one bell despite it having gates?

Yes it's odd to only have one bell, specially for an older installation (late 1970's) but then again, Wingham is the same. I know of a couple of newer gated installations (Albion Park Rail and Kembla Grange) which replaced gateless signals that only had one bell, so they only put one bell on the new signals. The signals at Blayney replaced hand operated gates, so that theory doesn't match. I'm wondering if those gate mechs are original, because if they are it's quite possible they are Federal Signal.

It's nice to be able to report some good news for a change. I'm out at Blayney and the crossing certainly does have Federal Signal gate mechs. Also the WCH m-bell here has been replaced..... by a Westinghouse hybrid bell

Going to hang around until midday and try to film a couple of trains.

Nice! Not too often you find Federal Signal gate mechs. Those might be the only ones in Australia.

[McK&H.Aust]

Also found this picture of the crossing at Blayney from January 2006. Looks like it did have a single Teardrop bell (likely Westinghouse) as you can make out a thick black bell on the signal closest to the camera.
http://www.ozroads.com.au/NSW/RouteNumb ... /24/11.JPG

Nice picture there, you found another crossing with large crossbucks. The bell in the picture looks like a WCH painted black, I saw the crossing in person back in 2004 and that's what it had then. These signals were installed at the same time as Ash St, Orange and would have originally had a Westinghouse teardrop bell. Pretty sure that signal still has the teardrop bell mount with a new WCH m-bell mounted on it.

You're right on that as well. The latest image shows what you've mentioned...
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.527 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.527 ... 312!8i6656

I posted this crossing back in February this year, and I'm wondering why this crossing only has one bell despite it having gates?

Yes it's odd to only have one bell, specially for an older installation (late 1970's) but then again, Wingham is the same. I know of a couple of newer gated installations (Albion Park Rail and Kembla Grange) which replaced gateless signals that only had one bell, so they only put one bell on the new signals. The signals at Blayney replaced hand operated gates, so that theory doesn't match. I'm wondering if those gate mechs are original, because if they are it's quite possible they are Federal Signal.

It's nice to be able to report some good news for a change. I'm out at Blayney and the crossing certainly does have Federal Signal gate mechs. Also the WCH m-bell here has been replaced..... by a Westinghouse hybrid bell

Going to hang around until midday and try to film a couple of trains.

Nice! Not too often you find Federal Signal gate mechs. Those might be the only ones in Australia.

Yes they could be the only ones, there is one other crossing (Koolewong) which may have them as it was installed around the same time. It's interesting that Blayney and Ash St, Orange were both installed at the same time, but Ash St has GRS/WRRS Type D mechs.

Those Federal Signal mechs sure are as rare as hen's teeth, we could start a thread listing their locations but it would probably be very short!

[TrickyMario7654]

Yes they could be the only ones, there is one other crossing (Koolewong) which may have them as it was installed around the same time. It's interesting that Blayney and Ash St, Orange were both installed at the same time, but Ash St has GRS/WRRS Type D mechs.

Those Federal Signal mechs sure are as rare as hen's teeth, we could start a thread listing their locations but it would probably be very short!

I'm guessing it may of been a trial installation.

Tried to get a good view of the gate mechs at Koolewong, but it was too blurry to make out. However I did find out that in 2009, it had an extra pair of crossbucks with the red background and SORS signs in front of the existing signals!
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.466 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.465 ... 312!8i6656

Also found an action shot from around the same time.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.465 ... 312!8i6656

[McK&H.Aust]

Yes they could be the only ones, there is one other crossing (Koolewong) which may have them as it was installed around the same time. It's interesting that Blayney and Ash St, Orange were both installed at the same time, but Ash St has GRS/WRRS Type D mechs.

Those Federal Signal mechs sure are as rare as hen's teeth, we could start a thread listing their locations but it would probably be very short!

I'm guessing it may of been a trial installation.

Tried to get a good view of the gate mechs at Koolewong, but it was too blurry to make out. However I did find out that in 2009, it had an extra pair of crossbucks with the red background and SORS signs in front of the existing signals!
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.466 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.465 ... 312!8i6656

Also found an action shot from around the same time.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.465 ... 312!8i6656

Looks very odd with two different sets of crossbucks. I would like to film Koolewong anyway because it's an interesting setup. It's the only crossing between Sydney and Newcastle which hasn't had new signals installed.

[TrickyMario7654]

Yes they could be the only ones, there is one other crossing (Koolewong) which may have them as it was installed around the same time. It's interesting that Blayney and Ash St, Orange were both installed at the same time, but Ash St has GRS/WRRS Type D mechs.

Those Federal Signal mechs sure are as rare as hen's teeth, we could start a thread listing their locations but it would probably be very short!

I'm guessing it may of been a trial installation.

Tried to get a good view of the gate mechs at Koolewong, but it was too blurry to make out. However I did find out that in 2009, it had an extra pair of crossbucks with the red background and SORS signs in front of the existing signals!
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.466 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.465 ... 312!8i6656

Also found an action shot from around the same time.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.465 ... 312!8i6656

Looks very odd with two different sets of crossbucks. I would like to film Koolewong anyway because it's an interesting setup. It's the only crossing between Sydney and Newcastle which hasn't had new signals installed.

You should also probably film Warnervale as it has GRS Semaphore mechs.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.247 ... 312!8i6656

Also, I believe Woy Woy is going to get closed in a few years time.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.492 ... 312!8i6656

[McK&H.Aust]

Also, I believe Woy Woy is going to get closed in a few years time.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.492 ... 312!8i6656

I think the removal of Woy Woy has been shelved for the time being. Apparently there were design problems and cost blowouts with the new underpass. They've been talking about removing the crossing for at least 10 years that I know of, it's one of those projects that gets talked up at every election and then goes quiet afterwards.

[freebrickproductions]

Also, I believe Woy Woy is going to get closed in a few years time.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.492 ... 312!8i6656

I think the removal of Woy Woy has been shelved for the time being. Apparently there were design problems and cost blowouts with the new underpass. They've been talking about removing the crossing for at least 10 years that I know of, it's one of those projects that gets talked up at every election and then goes quiet afterwards.

Woy Woy is still worth checking out with that General Signals e-bell!

[McK&H.Aust]

Also, I believe Woy Woy is going to get closed in a few years time.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.492 ... 312!8i6656

I think the removal of Woy Woy has been shelved for the time being. Apparently there were design problems and cost blowouts with the new underpass. They've been talking about removing the crossing for at least 10 years that I know of, it's one of those projects that gets talked up at every election and then goes quiet afterwards.

Woy Woy is still worth checking out with that General Signals e-bell!

That's the only GS e-bell on the Sydney Trains network, I recall seeing a video and it sounds like a type 2. It replaced a WCH e-bell back around early 2015 IIRC, so maybe was just for a trial.
They haven't installed any more since.

[TrickyMario7654]

Also, I believe Woy Woy is going to get closed in a few years time.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.492 ... 312!8i6656

I think the removal of Woy Woy has been shelved for the time being. Apparently there were design problems and cost blowouts with the new underpass. They've been talking about removing the crossing for at least 10 years that I know of, it's one of those projects that gets talked up at every election and then goes quiet afterwards.

Woy Woy is still worth checking out with that General Signals e-bell!

That's the only GS e-bell on the Sydney Trains network, I recall seeing a video and it sounds like a type 2. It replaced a WCH e-bell back around early 2015 IIRC, so maybe was just for a trial.
They haven't installed any more since.

Be thankful for that as you could of had some of those nasty sounding adjusted Type 1's!

This crossing has been posted in the past, but here's another General Signals e-bell at Fassifern.
https://www.google.com/maps/@-32.982140 ... 312!8i6656