Australian Railroad Crossing Signals

[McK&H.Aust]

Found this pretty scenic crossing in Bulliac, NSW.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-31.932 ... 328!8i1664
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-31.932 ... 328!8i1664

The bell appears to be either a WCH or WRRS m-bell.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-31.932 ... 328!8i1664

Sadly the signal with the m-bell was replaced by a completely new one with a Safetran type 3 e-bell, it sure ruined a nice crossing C'mon google it's been 10 years, time to send out the car again!

I noticed there was a lot of cars parked at this nearby house. I'm guessing there was party going on at the time!
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.058 ... 312!8i6656

I think the owner of that house is some kind of "collector", you should see the junk in the back yard lol. I'd hate to be paying the rego on all those cars, OUCH!

This new gated setup has no bells!
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.528 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.528 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.528 ... 312!8i6656

Looks like some kind of custom made housings, possibly with Roshni sounders inside.

Another old looking gateless setup.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.697 ... 312!8i6656

This crossing also now has a Safetran type 3 e-bell. I believe the crossings at Paterson and Dungog still have m-bells, but pretty sure Martins Creek now has an e-bell.

[TrickyMario7654]

Found this pretty scenic crossing in Bulliac, NSW.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-31.932 ... 328!8i1664
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-31.932 ... 328!8i1664

The bell appears to be either a WCH or WRRS m-bell.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-31.932 ... 328!8i1664

Sadly the signal with the m-bell was replaced by a completely new one with a Safetran type 3 e-bell, it sure ruined a nice crossing C'mon google it's been 10 years, time to send out the car again!

Another old looking gateless setup.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.697 ... 312!8i6656

This crossing also now has a Safetran type 3 e-bell. I believe the crossings at Paterson and Dungog still have m-bells, but pretty sure Martins Creek now has an e-bell.

Thanks for the updates on those crossings. Sucks to see more m-bells gone.

Anyways, I was recently looking through the 2015/16 LCSC Yearly Report when I spotted something noticeable on page 25. At section "7.3 SDP and JHR level crossing initiatives", this table mentioned upgrades done to some of the gateless crossings along their network.

The first one listed is Barlyfields Road, Uralla. It mentions "Replacement of life expired assets at active level crossing with new Type F lights and introduce axle counter detection." As you mentioned after visiting it a few months ago, this same crossing was upgraded with new gateless signals with WCH e-bells. You also stated that the main propose of the upgrade was to change the detection system to axle counters, but looking at this report I don't think that's the case.

Two other crossings have also gotten the same upgrade. They are Mid Western Highway, West Wyalong and Ulong Street, Griffith. I don't what's so "life expired" about these crossings, they look perfectly fine to me.

Also out of interest, there's a picture of the crossing at Clifton in the Sydney Trains section (7.1) of the report that has a train in the CityRail livery.

Another thing I noticed is that in section "3.2 Development work undertaken" on page 16, the Yerong Street crossing in The Rock is listed at the bottom, so that upgrade which "came out of nowhere" had been planned for a while.

Lastly, section 7.2 on page 25 mentions "Boom gate mechanism and associated component renewal" at two crossings in Cootamundra and one in Culcairn". Obviously referring to these three crossings...

• Pinkerton Road
• MacKay Street
• Balfour Street

Also, I think I figured out where the replacement gated signal came from at the Olympic Highway crossing in Illabo.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.803 ... 312!8i6656

I have a feeling it came from the Olympic Highway crossing in Gerogery (where those five teens were killed at in 2001). I found this picture of the crossing after it had been upgraded in a news article


I'm pretty sure the gated signal furthest from the camera is the same one used to replaced the damaged one at the Illabo crossing. Note the similar light arrangement?

I should also point out that the news article I mentioned is from 2013, and they featured a picture of a crossing removed in the mid 2000's!

[McK&H.Aust]

Found this pretty scenic crossing in Bulliac, NSW.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-31.932 ... 328!8i1664
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-31.932 ... 328!8i1664

The bell appears to be either a WCH or WRRS m-bell.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-31.932 ... 328!8i1664

Sadly the signal with the m-bell was replaced by a completely new one with a Safetran type 3 e-bell, it sure ruined a nice crossing C'mon google it's been 10 years, time to send out the car again!

Another old looking gateless setup.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.697 ... 312!8i6656

This crossing also now has a Safetran type 3 e-bell. I believe the crossings at Paterson and Dungog still have m-bells, but pretty sure Martins Creek now has an e-bell.

Thanks for the updates on those crossings. Sucks to see more m-bells gone.

Anyways, I was recently looking through the 2015/16 LCSC Yearly Report when I spotted something noticeable on page 25. At section "7.3 SDP and JHR level crossing initiatives", this table mentioned upgrades done to some of the gateless crossings along their network.

The first one listed is Barlyfields Road, Uralla. It mentions "Replacement of life expired assets at active level crossing with new Type F lights and introduce axle counter detection." As you mentioned after visiting it a few months ago, this same crossing was upgraded with new gateless signals with WCH e-bells. You also stated that the main propose of the upgrade was to change the detection system to axle counters, but looking at this report I don't think that's the case.

Two other crossings have also gotten the same upgrade. They are Mid Western Highway, West Wyalong and Ulong Street, Griffith. I don't what's so "life expired" about these crossings, they look perfectly fine to me.

Also out of interest, there's a picture of the crossing at Clifton in the Sydney Trains section (7.1) of the report that has a train in the CityRail livery.

Another thing I noticed is that in section "3.2 Development work undertaken" on page 16, the Yerong Street crossing in The Rock is listed at the bottom, so that upgrade which "came out of nowhere" had been planned for a while.

Lastly, section 7.2 on page 25 mentions "Boom gate mechanism and associated component renewal" at two crossings in Cootamundra and one in Culcairn". Obviously referring to these three crossings...

• Pinkerton Road
• MacKay Street
• Balfour Street

Also, I think I figured out where the replacement gated signal came from at the Olympic Highway crossing in Illabo.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.803 ... 312!8i6656

I have a feeling it came from the Olympic Highway crossing in Gerogery (where those five teens were killed at in 2001). I found this picture of the crossing after it had been upgraded in a news article


I'm pretty sure the gated signal furthest from the camera is the same one used to replaced the damaged one at the Illabo crossing. Note the similar light arrangement?

I should also point out that the news article I mentioned is from 2013, and they featured a picture of a crossing removed in the mid 2000's!

Nice to see that the LCSC 2015/16 report has finally been released, they sure took their time. It's interesting with the reports how future planning for some upgrades is mentioned many years in advance if you go back through older reports (Bourke St, East Richmond and Clifton) while others (The Rock) only get a mention at the last minute. BTW East Richmond still hasn't been upgraded lol.

The term "life expired assets" seems to be fairly open-ended, just an easy way of explaining whatever work they did. The crossing at West Wyalong was installed in the late 1990's so is hardly life expired. Ulong Street, Griffith got new signals and WCH e-bells but they never installed gates.

I think you are correct about the signal at Illabo coming from Gerogery, looks like a perfect match to me. Nice find with that picture!

Makes me laugh (and cringe) how lazy and incorrect the media can be with their news photos. I found this article from the Cootamundra herald http://www.cootamundraherald.com.au/sto ... ra/?cs=581 about the crossing at Bethungra. Even though it's only a 20 minute drive away they lifted a screen shot from my video (that's my vehicle you can just see on the left). They couldn't be bothered to get a picture of their own lol.

[McK&H.Aust]

I have some more bad news. There has been another car accident at Tanyinna level crossing. Sadly the signal with the teardrop bell and the GRS gate mech was destroyed. I did hear that the car involved was a brand new BMW which was not yet insured!

[TrickyMario7654]

I have some more bad news. There has been another car accident at Tanyinna level crossing. Sadly the signal with the teardrop bell and the GRS gate mech was destroyed. I did hear that the car involved was a brand new BMW which was not yet insured!

That certainly sucks for not only the crossing signal, but the driver of the car. But, I'm willing to bet it was a bell nazi driving that car on a mission to take out that Teardrop bell.

Anyways, I found these two gateless crossings in Dubbo, NSW which had their Teardrop bells replaced by WCH m-bells.

Wheelers Lane.
2007: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.248 ... 328!8i1664
2009: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.247 ... 312!8i6656

Victoria Street.
2009: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.242 ... 312!8i6656
2015: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.242 ... 312!8i6656

Sadly, both of these crossings were upgraded with gates last year.

[McK&H.Aust]

Anyways, I found these two gateless crossings in Dubbo, NSW which had their Teardrop bells replaced by WCH m-bells.

Wheelers Lane.
2007: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.248 ... 328!8i1664
2009: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.247 ... 312!8i6656

Victoria Street.
2009: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.242 ... 312!8i6656
2015: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.242 ... 312!8i6656

Sadly, both of these crossings were upgraded with gates last year.

The teardrop bell population has taken a real beating in the last couple years, I expect it will get worse in the next year or so, seems like they are viewed by the railways as "life expired assets".

On the subject of bells, I was reading the latest LCSC report and noticed from the pictures that all of the new installations used WCH e-bells, regardless of the track owner. It seems that the Safetran type 3 e-bells have really fallen out of favour, wonder what happened there?

Another interesting thing from the LCSC report is on page 25, it mentions boom gate mechanism renewal on the crossing at Exeter. That crossing is actually a pedestrian crossing (there are no road crossings anywhere near Exeter) and it's always had GRS semaphore mechs and still does! Maybe they replaced the old mechs with re-conditioned ones, but it definitely had GRS mechs when I went past 2 weeks ago, and no sign of any upgrade work taking place.

[TrickyMario7654]

The teardrop bell population has taken a real beating in the last couple years, I expect it will get worse in the next year or so, seems like they are viewed by the railways as "life expired assets".

You right on that. About ten years ago, I figured that there would be around 100 or so Teardrop bells in service in Victoria. But today, there's only four crossings confirmed to have one in service (not counting tourist railways). I have a feeling that the 2007 Kerang Level Crossing collision (which killed 11 people) has something to do with the mass replacement of Teardrop bells across Victoria.

Here's a report into the accident (note how the cover clearly shows the crossing has a Teardrop):
http://economicdevelopment.vic.gov.au/_ ... Kerang.pdf

On page 66, it mentions "Prior to the level crossing being returned to service after this incident the incandescent light globes in the flashing light units were replaced with light emitting diodes (LEDs) and the mechanical warning bell was replaced with an electronic bell."

In October of that year, the crossing was upgraded with gates. The new gated signals also have "1 Track" signs, rather weird for a modern crossing installation.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-35.701 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-35.701 ... 312!8i6656

To further back up my theory, I thought we would take a look at a couple of V/line's crossings pre & post-Kerang.

Our first example is the Mundy Street crossing in Bendigo. This picture from April 2007 shows the crossing with old gate mechs (likely WRRS) and two Teardrop bells.

(Image Credit: James Hansen)

Here's the crossing in December 2007. The old gate mechs were replaced with Safetran ones' and the Teardrops were replaced with General Signals e-bells.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.761 ... 328!8i1664

Another crossing I'm looking at is this one near Bacchus Marsh station. This picture from July 2007 (one month after Kerang) shows the crossing with old gate mechs, one Teardrop bell and a WCH m-bell.

(Image Credit: James Hansen)

By December, the Teardrop was replaced with a General Signals e-bell, and the old gate mechs replaced with WCH mechs.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.686 ... 328!8i1664

Interestingly enough, the WCH m-bell managed to survive until at least mid 2014!
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.687 ... 312!8i6656

[TrickyMario7654]

Just found two news stories into yesterday's car accident at Tanyinna (with some pictures of the wrecked BMW & crossing signal).
http://www.cootamundraherald.com.au/sto ... 52#slide=2
http://www.cootamundraherald.com.au/sto ... collision/

While I'm glad that the driver survived the incident, it still sucks to lost yet another Teardrop bell.

I do hope that the replacement signal uses an m-bell.

[McK&H.Aust]

The teardrop bell population has taken a real beating in the last couple years, I expect it will get worse in the next year or so, seems like they are viewed by the railways as "life expired assets".

You right on that. About ten years ago, I figured that there would be around 100 or so Teardrop bells in service in Victoria. But today, there's only four crossings confirmed to have one in service (not counting tourist railways). I have a feeling that the 2007 Kerang Level Crossing collision (which killed 11 people) has something to do with the mass replacement of Teardrop bells across Victoria.

Here's a report into the accident (note how the cover clearly shows the crossing has a Teardrop):
http://economicdevelopment.vic.gov.au/_ ... Kerang.pdf

On page 66, it mentions "Prior to the level crossing being returned to service after this incident the incandescent light globes in the flashing light units were replaced with light emitting diodes (LEDs) and the mechanical warning bell was replaced with an electronic bell."

In October of that year, the crossing was upgraded with gates. The new gated signals also have "1 Track" signs, rather weird for a modern crossing installation.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-35.701 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-35.701 ... 312!8i6656

To further back up my theory, I thought we would take a look at a couple of V/line's crossings pre & post-Kerang.

Our first example is the Mundy Street crossing in Bendigo. This picture from April 2007 shows the crossing with old gate mechs (likely WRRS) and two Teardrop bells.

(Image Credit: James Hansen)

Here's the crossing in December 2007. The old gate mechs were replaced with Safetran ones' and the Teardrops were replaced with General Signals e-bells.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-36.761 ... 328!8i1664

Another crossing I'm looking at is this one near Bacchus Marsh station. This picture from July 2007 (one month after Kerang) shows the crossing with old gate mechs, one Teardrop bell and a WCH m-bell.

(Image Credit: James Hansen)

By December, the Teardrop was replaced with a General Signals e-bell, and the old gate mechs replaced with WCH mechs.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.686 ... 328!8i1664

Interestingly enough, the WCH m-bell managed to survive until at least mid 2014!
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.687 ... 312!8i6656

I think your theory is correct, replacing those gate mechs and installing e-bells is just a typical knee jerk reaction of bureaucrats and politicians trying to cover their ar#es and look like they are doing something.

I can understand them upgrading the lights at Kerang to LED but the teardrop bell had nothing to do with the accident. Obviously it was replaced so the authorites were seen to be installing "latest and greatest" technology, somehow making the crossing so much safer.

[McK&H.Aust]

Just found two news stories into yesterday's car accident at Tanyinna (with some pictures of the wrecked BMW & crossing signal).
http://www.cootamundraherald.com.au/sto ... 52#slide=2
http://www.cootamundraherald.com.au/sto ... collision/

While I'm glad that the driver survived the incident, it still sucks to lost yet another Teardrop bell.

I do hope that the replacement signal uses an m-bell.

I noticed in one of the pictures that the teardrop bell is completely missing from the signal, even the mounting bracket is gone. Hopefully that means the bell survived and was salvaged to be used on the replacement signal. Won't hold my breath!