Location of currently known existing McK&H or WH Teardrops

TrickyMario7654 · Post by **TrickyMario7654** » Wed Oct 19, 2016 5:43 pm

NOTE: This thread is for posting locations of where a McK&H or Westinghouse Teardrop bell is known to exist in Australia. If you're looking to post the location of a US&S Teardrop bell, please use that thread instead.

Use this thread to post the location of currently known existing McK&H or Westinghouse teardrop bells...

The first that comes off the top of my head is Marshall Street, Ivanhoe. (UPDATE 2/22/17: This has been replaced by an E-Bell.

chris96 · Post by **chris96** » Thu Oct 20, 2016 9:56 pm

Dreamworld on the Gold Coast has a couple of teardrops still in use. They're probably the only authentic crossing bells still operating in Queensland:

TrickyMario7654 · Post by **TrickyMario7654** » Fri Oct 21, 2016 1:29 am

Some around NSW (Some of these Streetview images are from several years ago, so some of the crossings shown may have had them replaced over the past few years)...

Berthong Road, Cootamundra.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.615 ... 328!8i1664

Seignior Street, Junee
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.868 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.868 ... 312!8i6656

Ash Street, Orange (Westinghouse Teardrop)
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.308 ... 312!8i6656

McK&H.Aust · Post by **McK&H.Aust** » Fri Oct 21, 2016 11:04 pm

TrickyMario7654 wrote:Some around NSW (Some of these Streetview images are from several years ago, so some of the crossings shown may have had them replaced over the past few years)...

Berthong Road, Cootamundra.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.615 ... 328!8i1664

Seignior Street, Junee
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.868 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.868 ... 312!8i6656

Ash Street, Orange (Westinghouse Teardrop)
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.308 ... 312!8i6656

All of those teardrop bells were still there about 3 months ago.

McK&H.Aust · Post by **McK&H.Aust** » Fri Oct 21, 2016 11:32 pm

TrickyMario7654 · Post by **TrickyMario7654** » Fri Oct 21, 2016 11:33 pm

McK&H.Aust wrote:All of those teardrop bells were still there about 3 months ago.

That's good to hear!

There used to be loads of them in Victoria (the Victorian Railways must of been huge fans of McK&H equipment). Ten years ago, a handful of suburban crossings in Melbourne had them (mainly crossings in older suburbs like Carnegie, Preston, Alphingtion, and Brighton). Sadly, all of them have been replaced with electronic bells (or in the case with Grange Road, Carnegie & Buckley Street, Essendon. Hybrid bells replaced the teardrop bell.) The sole exception being the Ivanhoe crossing. It's weird how that Teardrop bell has managed to last this long (It's probably one of the last, if not the last, crossings on the Hurstbridge line to have mechanical bells. It may also be one of the last teardrop bells still in use in Victoria, not counting tourist railways). But how much longer it will last for, I have no idea! As for rural Victoria, they've pretty much near extinct. Ironically, ten years ago, they were still pretty easy to find. But they've replacing most of the older signals in rural areas with newer ones for no reason at all! Seems like a waste of money to replacing perfectly working signals with newer ones when they could use the money on actually improving train services and track maintenance. Whoever's responseable for managing the company's budget must have a grudge against vintage crossing signals.

TrickyMario7654 · Post by **TrickyMario7654** » Sat Oct 22, 2016 12:45 am

TrickyMario7654 · Post by **TrickyMario7654** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 5:30 pm

(Sorry for the triple post...)
I think I may have an idea on why there's a Teardrop bell left lying abandoned at Corrigan Road in Noble Park...
(Here's the crossing in GSV: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.961 ... 312!8i6656)

If you take a look at this signalling diagram of the line between Westall and Yarraman stations from 1976, you can see the Corrigan Road crossing (along with the ones at Heatherton Road & Chandler Road) are just flashing lights setups. When they added gates sometime in the late 70's or early 80's, they must of reused the existing equipment and cantilevers that was at Corrigan Road and added gates behind them. The teardrop was probably used until they added the gates in. I may be wrong, but that's my theory.

chris96 · Post by **chris96** » Mon Oct 31, 2016 5:28 am

Hey, sorry I haven't posted in ages. My PC died and had to be replaced.

I also just got back from a short trip to Swan Hill and can confirm that this Teardrop Bell is still there!:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-35.338 ... 312!8i6656
The line is still in service too!

Now onto some other finds:

Bungower Rd, Mornington, Victoria (Part of the Mornington Tourist Railway):
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.223 ... 312!8i6656

Wooralla Dr, Mount Eliza, Victoria (Also part of the Mornington Tourist Railway):
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.216 ... 312!8i6656

Here's one on display with this inactive, preserved signal located under the rail bridge on Commercial Rd, Port Adelaide, South Australia:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.849 ... 312!8i6656

This has been posted on the site before, but here's a Westinghouse Teardrop (that I believe is still in use) on Cliff St, Portland, Victoria:
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-38.355 ... 312!8i6656

TrickyMario7654 · Post by **TrickyMario7654** » Mon Oct 31, 2016 3:53 pm

Found a Westinghouse Teardrop in Yarrawonga, VIC. I wonder if it's still there?
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.019 ... 312!8i6656

Location of currently known existing McK&H or WH Teardrops

Location of currently known existing McK&H or WH Teardrops

Re: Location of currently known existing McK&H or WH Teardro

Re: Location of currently known existing McK&H or WH Teardro

Re: Location of currently known existing McK&H or WH Teardro

Re: Location of currently known existing McK&H or WH Teardro

Re: Location of currently known existing McK&H or WH Teardro

Re: Location of currently known existing McK&H or WH Teardro

Re: Location of currently known existing McK&H or WH Teardro

Re: Location of currently known existing McK&H or WH Teardro

Re: Location of currently known existing McK&H or WH Teardro