McK&H.Aust wrote:
Another Sydney Trains upgrade that wasn't specifically mentioned in the latest report was Sir Henry's Parade, Faulconbridge which had brand new gated signals (with WCH e-bells of course) when I drove past in May this year. https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.694 ... 312!8i6656 The old signals were still there in April so it must have happened just after google came by https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.694 ... 312!8i6656
Wow, certainly does look like a FS mech, must have been recycled because those gated signals were installed in 1991. I've driven past the crossing literally hundreds of times and assumed they were older WCH mechs, based on the installation date.
I'm thinking maybe the upgrade was prompted by an accident some time around late 2015 or early 2016 when this signal was knocked over by a vehicle strike, the crossing was closed for a day or two while it was repaired. You can see it has a brand new aluminum base which replaced the original black cast iron base. https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.694 ... 312!8i6656
My Dad drove a train through Muswellbrook today and sadly both mechanical bells at Brook St https://goo.gl/maps/Frg4f7mFBoJ2 have been replaced by WCH e-bells. This doesn’t surprise me as ARTC had already replaced most of the m-bells in the area. The MI bell there was also dying. It’s a real shame to have lost another Modern Industries bell but I’m glad the replacements were WCH e-bells and not Safetran Type 3s. This leaves Docker St, Wagga Wagga as the last location in NSW to have MI bells.
In some good news, the hybrid bells at Grasstree are still in place but for how much longer they’ll last is anyone’s guess.
trainman7 wrote:My Dad drove a train through Muswellbrook today and sadly both mechanical bells at Brook St https://goo.gl/maps/Frg4f7mFBoJ2 have been replaced by WCH e-bells. This doesn’t surprise me as ARTC had already replaced most of the m-bells in the area. The MI bell there was also dying. It’s a real shame to have lost another Modern Industries bell but I’m glad the replacements were WCH e-bells and not Safetran Type 3s. This leaves Docker St, Wagga Wagga as the last location in NSW to have MI bells.
In some good news, the hybrid bells at Grasstree are still in place but for how much longer they last is anyone’s guess.
Very sad news about the MI bell being replaced, it's amazing that it lasted for as long as it did, specially considering the problems it was having. I guess it's even more amazing that it was installed there in the first place and the crossing wasn't upgraded with e-bells once the original WCH m-bell had died. I wonder if ARTC have used up their stock of Safetran Type 3's and everything in the future will use WCH e-bells?
It's nice that the hybrid bells remain at Grasstree, it seems they've earned the title of being the last m-bells in the area. I wonder if the crossing is a low priority for e-bell upgrades because it's basically just for a driveway, plus the tall masts would mean they probably need a cherry picker to replace the bells?
trainman7 wrote:My Dad drove a train through Muswellbrook today and sadly both mechanical bells at Brook St https://goo.gl/maps/Frg4f7mFBoJ2 have been replaced by WCH e-bells. This doesn’t surprise me as ARTC had already replaced most of the m-bells in the area. The MI bell there was also dying. It’s a real shame to have lost another Modern Industries bell but I’m glad the replacements were WCH e-bells and not Safetran Type 3s. This leaves Docker St, Wagga Wagga as the last location in NSW to have MI bells.
In some good news, the hybrid bells at Grasstree are still in place but for how much longer they’ll last is anyone’s guess.
I have a feeling that this has something to do with the alignment of the replacement overpass, and Google likely removed the images from the old route of the road.
Metro, why do you keep removing Mechanical bells?!
trainman7 wrote:My Dad drove a train through Muswellbrook today and sadly both mechanical bells at Brook St https://goo.gl/maps/Frg4f7mFBoJ2 have been replaced by WCH e-bells. This doesn’t surprise me as ARTC had already replaced most of the m-bells in the area. The MI bell there was also dying. It’s a real shame to have lost another Modern Industries bell but I’m glad the replacements were WCH e-bells and not Safetran Type 3s. This leaves Docker St, Wagga Wagga as the last location in NSW to have MI bells.
In some good news, the hybrid bells at Grasstree are still in place but for how much longer they last is anyone’s guess.
Very sad news about the MI bell being replaced, it's amazing that it lasted for as long as it did, specially considering the problems it was having. I guess it's even more amazing that it was installed there in the first place and the crossing wasn't upgraded with e-bells once the original WCH m-bell had died. I wonder if ARTC have used up their stock of Safetran Type 3's and everything in the future will use WCH e-bells?
It's nice that the hybrid bells remain at Grasstree, it seems they've earned the title of being the last m-bells in the area. I wonder if the crossing is a low priority for e-bell upgrades because it's basically just for a driveway, plus the tall masts would mean they probably need a cherry picker to replace the bells?
Yes it’s a real shame the MI bell is gone now. ARTC certainly weren’t to interested in replacing the bell initially since they went and removed perfectly good m-bells first. Maybe they installed it because of an e-bell shortage at the time? I certainly hope ARTC has used up the last of the Type 3s but they installed a brand new one at Paterson around the same Clyde St, Islington got a WCH e-bell. Fingers crossed Paterson was the last!
Hopefully the hybrids at Grasstree can last a while longer since their now the last in the area. Would be interesting to know why they haven’t been replaced yet but give it time, I’m sure they’ll go sooner or later...
trainman7 wrote:My Dad drove a train through Muswellbrook today and sadly both mechanical bells at Brook St https://goo.gl/maps/Frg4f7mFBoJ2 have been replaced by WCH e-bells. This doesn’t surprise me as ARTC had already replaced most of the m-bells in the area. The MI bell there was also dying. It’s a real shame to have lost another Modern Industries bell but I’m glad the replacements were WCH e-bells and not Safetran Type 3s. This leaves Docker St, Wagga Wagga as the last location in NSW to have MI bells.
In some good news, the hybrid bells at Grasstree are still in place but for how much longer they’ll last is anyone’s guess.
I have a feeling that this has something to do with the alignment of the replacement overpass, and Google likely removed the images from the old route of the road.
Yes it’s very sad to see more rare equipment disappear of the network
I think your right with GSV removing the images since the road was diverted onto the new overpass in 2012. I actually have a few photos of the signals at Belford around mid 2007 and late 2008 as well as photos of most of the crossings in the Hunter area from that time. I might try to post them when I get some spare time in the next few days.
Judging by 1:14 in this video, one of the GS type 1 E bells at Kensington may have died, causing the crossing to become silent when the gates have lowered. This is pretty sad imo as this crossing is one of the few crossings around Melbourne which has normal sounding type 1s and not that adjusted crap that’s around the entire network.
It’s great to see another mechanical bell being installed in the area especially since so many have been replaced in recent months and years! The other original Type 3 that used to be here was replaced by a WCH e-bell in 2013 or 2014. I also checked Vincent St, Cessnock https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.851 ... a=!3m1!1e3 and the older model Type 3 has been replaced by a newer model one. Not sure when the bell was replaced but I suspect it was sometime in the last few years. Yet more examples of Type 3s poor reliability!
It’s great to see another mechanical bell being installed in the area especially since so many have been replaced in recent months and years! The other original Type 3 that used to be here was replaced by a WCH e-bell in 2013 or 2014. I also checked Vincent St, Cessnock https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.851 ... a=!3m1!1e3 and the older model Type 3 has been replaced by a newer model one. Not sure when the bell was replaced but I suspect it was sometime in the last few years. Yet more examples of Type 3s poor reliability!
That's great news about another m-bell being installed, and nice pictures
The SMR certainly must be fed up with Type 3's and it's good old m-bells to the rescue, which makes a nice bell combination! Something I never noticed before was a pulley attached to the side of each mast above the gate mechs, probably used to secure the gates in the raised position if needed. https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-32.848 ... 312!8i6656
