https://www.rxrsignals.com/Phpbb3/
So first it was e-bells and now new gate mechs? Seems like they are slowly trashing a nice crossing. Westinghouse gate mechs seem to be on the hit list at the momentTrickyMario7654 wrote:Got another update on the Main Street crossing in Pakenham, the Westinghouse gate mechs have been replaced by WCH ones. I have no idea when this happened because I haven’t driven over this crossing for a while, but it must have been sometime recently. The Westinghouse pedestrian gate mechs and incandescent lights still remain however...
https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.478 ... 312!8i6656Nice to see GSV getting updatedMcK&H.Aust wrote:Found some updated street view images from the Wollongong area in NSW. Firstly are some crossings which had their m-bells replaced by WCH e-bells in 2017.
Woonona https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.349 ... 312!8i6656
Bellambi https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.362 ... 312!8i6656
Corrimal, which now has six WCH e-bells including both pedestrian crossings! https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.374 ... 312!8i6656
The crossing at Nolan St, Unaderra still has it's m-bells, which are the last ones on the South Coast Line. Apparently there are plans to install a new relay bungalow here, as the current one is quite old, new signals with e-bells will likely be installed at the same time. https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.462 ... 312!8i6656
The Westinghouse teardrop bell still survives on the Wongawilli Branch Line
You can see the progress of the new housing development opposite, which will eventually see the crossing upgraded.
2009: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.478 ... 312!8i6656
2018: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.478 ... 312!8i6656
The crossing on the former Tubemakers Siding at Kembla Grange still remains, despite the site being converted to new car storage. The connection to the main line was also removed last year. https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.469 ... 312!8i6656
You can see the difference from the previous GSV image in 2009 when the siding was still in use, the rail wagons have been replaced by cars!
2009: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.469 ... 312!8i6656
2018: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.469 ... 312!8i6656
Six WCH e-bells is a little overkill! It’s a shame Nolan St is the last crossing on the South Coast Line with m-bells but that’s “progress” Hopefully the Westinghouse teardrop can last a bit longer! The Wongawilli area is certainly going to look different in the coming months and years! 
Thanks for the photos and the updatestrainman7 wrote: Sorry for changing the topic but just returned from a couple trips from the Junee and Muswellbrook areas to see if there had been any more changes and thankfully there hasn’t been to many!
First was Grasstree and it is unchanged and still has its hybrid bells surprisingly! Brook St, Muswellbrook still has it’s MI bell but it sounds quite flat and still doesn’t start ringing until the gates are lowering.
Moving on to the Melbourne-Sydney line and I got some photos of the new signals at Nubba. As previously reported by McK&H.Aust, the new signals have WCH gate mechs, e-bells, bases and brackets with United Group lights. One odd thing I noticed is they reused the 2 tracks signs
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
Next was Tanyinna. It appears the “major upgrade” was for the road surface and there has been no changes to the signals. I also got a photo of the replacement signal after the previous one with a teardrop was destroyed.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
I also got photos of the new gated signals at Bethungra. As reported by McK&H.Aust the new signals have all WCH equipment including gate mechs, e-bells, bases and lights. They also left the gate-less signal with McK&H lights alone for the time being.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
I also checked Brabins Rd, Illabo https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/Br ... b4742c7570 Thankfully it remains unchanged and still has GRS/WRRS Type B gate mechs. It’s the last crossing in NSW and likely Australia to have Type B gate mechs so hopefully they can survive a while longer!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
Shepherds Siding remains unchanged and still has Harmon gate mechs!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
The signals at Bomen are remarkably still standing despite it being nearly a year since the road was closed!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
Sladen St, Henty https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/Sl ... b472ce7ee0 now has red crossbucks but is otherwise mostly unchanged. The only other changes were the 2 tracks signs have now been moved to below the lights and new signs have been placed next to the footpaths saying “Caution when lights and bells are sounding boom arm levers impede walkway. STAND CLEAR”. A bit unnecessary in my opinion!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
Also photographed Rosler Pde, Henty. It has a typical new setup of all WCH equipment and Aldridge LEDs.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
I was hoping to photograph the new gated signals at Baird St, Culcairn but it was getting dark and I was running out of time. I also checked a few other crossings but there hasn’t been any changes. Docker St, Wagga Wagga still has it’s MI bells, Fernleigh Rd still has its m-bells, Burkes Creek Rd, The Rock https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/Ol ... b4742b55d0 is unchanged. The teardrop crossings at Old Junee and Junee are unchanged and both crossings with teardrops at Cootamundra remain the same.
It’s a bit strange they left the MI bell at Muswellbrook but I am sure they’ll replace it sooner or later. It is surprising they replaced the signals at Nubba but ARTC works in strange ways sometimes! Maybe because the crossing still had wishbone gates?McK&H.Aust wrote:Thanks for the photos and the updatestrainman7 wrote: Sorry for changing the topic but just returned from a couple trips from the Junee and Muswellbrook areas to see if there had been any more changes and thankfully there hasn’t been to many!
First was Grasstree and it is unchanged and still has its hybrid bells surprisingly! Brook St, Muswellbrook still has it’s MI bell but it sounds quite flat and still doesn’t start ringing until the gates are lowering.
Moving on to the Melbourne-Sydney line and I got some photos of the new signals at Nubba. As previously reported by McK&H.Aust, the new signals have WCH gate mechs, e-bells, bases and brackets with United Group lights. One odd thing I noticed is they reused the 2 tracks signs
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
Next was Tanyinna. It appears the “major upgrade” was for the road surface and there has been no changes to the signals. I also got a photo of the replacement signal after the previous one with a teardrop was destroyed.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
I also got photos of the new gated signals at Bethungra. As reported by McK&H.Aust the new signals have all WCH equipment including gate mechs, e-bells, bases and lights. They also left the gate-less signal with McK&H lights alone for the time being.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
I also checked Brabins Rd, Illabo https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/Br ... b4742c7570 Thankfully it remains unchanged and still has GRS/WRRS Type B gate mechs. It’s the last crossing in NSW and likely Australia to have Type B gate mechs so hopefully they can survive a while longer!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
Shepherds Siding remains unchanged and still has Harmon gate mechs!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
The signals at Bomen are remarkably still standing despite it being nearly a year since the road was closed!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
Sladen St, Henty https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/Sl ... b472ce7ee0 now has red crossbucks but is otherwise mostly unchanged. The only other changes were the 2 tracks signs have now been moved to below the lights and new signs have been placed next to the footpaths saying “Caution when lights and bells are sounding boom arm levers impede walkway. STAND CLEAR”. A bit unnecessary in my opinion!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
Also photographed Rosler Pde, Henty. It has a typical new setup of all WCH equipment and Aldridge LEDs.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139253871 ... ed-public/
I was hoping to photograph the new gated signals at Baird St, Culcairn but it was getting dark and I was running out of time. I also checked a few other crossings but there hasn’t been any changes. Docker St, Wagga Wagga still has it’s MI bells, Fernleigh Rd still has its m-bells, Burkes Creek Rd, The Rock https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/Ol ... b4742b55d0 is unchanged. The teardrop crossings at Old Junee and Junee are unchanged and both crossings with teardrops at Cootamundra remain the same.
It's nice to know that the crossings at Grasstree and Muswellbrook are unchanged. Interesting that they went and replaced perfectly good m-bells at other crossings in the area, but left the struggling MI bell at Brook St, but I'm not complaining!
It's great that the Type B mechs remain at Illabo, they're actually older than the Type D gate mechs at Nubba which were replaced! Not really sure why they bothered upgrading Nubba, the road is very quiet and the old signals seemed in good condition. The Westinghouse LED lights were only installed in 2007, such a waste of perfectly good equipment
Interesting decision to install those new crossbucks at Sladen St, Henty, considering they will probably install new signals to replace the Harmon gate mechs before too long. It's nice that some older equipment is still surviving in the area, hopefully ARTC have got the "upgrade bug" out of their system and leave things alone for a while.
I recently filmed the crossing at Wingello and apart from installing red background crossbucks, the crossing is mostly unchanged. The hybrid bell on the eastern signal and the older WCH m-bell on the other signal both sound very nice and healthy. The old "2 Tracks" signs are still mounted above the new crossbucks. https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.692 ... 328!8i1664
ARTC sure do work in strange ways, logic seems to be thrown out the window quite oftentrainman7 wrote: It’s a bit strange they left the MI bell at Muswellbrook but I am sure they’ll replace it sooner or later. It is surprising they replaced the signals at Nubba but ARTC works in strange ways sometimes! Maybe because the crossing still had wishbone gates?
I was expecting the signals at Illabo to have been replaced by now but thankfully they haven’t! Hopefully ARTC leave their older/rare equipment alone for a while. Nice to know the m-bells at Wingello still sound healthy! Looking forward to the video!
I’ve seen posts on Facebook showing the Type Ds at Broken Hill and Rydal are still there though Orange has probably been replaced by nowMcK&H.Aust wrote:ARTC sure do work in strange ways, logic seems to be thrown out the window quite oftentrainman7 wrote: It’s a bit strange they left the MI bell at Muswellbrook but I am sure they’ll replace it sooner or later. It is surprising they replaced the signals at Nubba but ARTC works in strange ways sometimes! Maybe because the crossing still had wishbone gates?
I was expecting the signals at Illabo to have been replaced by now but thankfully they haven’t! Hopefully ARTC leave their older/rare equipment alone for a while. Nice to know the m-bells at Wingello still sound healthy! Looking forward to the video!
As you said, hopefully the remaining vintage equipment will be left alone. The replacement of the signals at Nubba has me wondering how many Type D mechs are left, there is one on the Olympic Hwy, Illabo but I'm pretty sure it's the last one on the Sydney - Melbourne line https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.803 ... 312!8i6656 The only other Type D mechs were at Rydal, Orange and Broken Hill but there's a good chance that some of them have been replaced by now.
Seems like it will be a tight race between the Type B, Type D and Harmon gate mechs to see which ones become extinct first. I'm glad you could do a road trip down south, going by the pictures it seems you had a great time. Sadly these days you never know when a trip away could be the last time you see something before it is replaced.
Forgot to mention earlier that Fountaindale Rd, Robertson now has red background crossbucks and new style SORS signs, but still has m-bells https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.590 ... 328!8i1664
The other two crossings at Robertson remain unchanged, thankfully!
Great to see GSV getting a much needed update! Interesting that the gated signals at Crossing St got WCH lights whilst the median signals got United Group lights! Noticed at Ulong St the WCH brackets are painted whiteMcK&H.Aust wrote:Found some updated street view images from the Griffith area. There have been plenty of crossing upgrades since google last visited in 2010.
Firstly the Harmon gate mechs at Crossing St https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.287 ... 312!8i6656 have been replaced by the usual new WCH equipment https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.287 ... 312!8i6656
Also the crossing at Ulong St has been upgraded, here is a view from 2010 which shows the crossing had been closed while work was taking place https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.285 ... 312!8i6656 and here are the new signals https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.286 ... 312!8i6656
Kooringal Ave was upgraded from a passive crossing (with 1 Track signs) https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.284 ... 312!8i6656 to a gated crossing https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.284 ... 312!8i6656
The crossing at the intersection of Banna Ave and Crossing St has been removed.
2010: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.288 ... 312!8i6656
2018: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.288 ... 312!8i6656
This previously gate-less crossing at Blumer Ave https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.290 ... 328!8i1664 has been upgraded with gates and traffic lights https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.289 ... 312!8i6656
The other crossing on Blumer Ave remains gate-less and still has an m-bell https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.288 ... 312!8i6656
Another passive to active upgrade at Ebert St.
2008: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.292 ... 328!8i1664
2018: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.292 ... 312!8i6656
Yet another passive to active upgrade at Gardiner Rd.
2008: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.297 ... 328!8i1664
2018: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.297 ... 312!8i6656
Thankfully the teardrop bell at Yoogali remains for now https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.301 ... 312!8i6656
Further out of town, the crossing at Widgelli had it's m-bell replaced by a WCH e-bell.
2010: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.330 ... 312!8i6656
2018: https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-34.330 ... 312!8i6656
They were painted on a few installations from around late 2015 to late 2016. Wonder why? https://www.google.com/maps/@-34.605909 ... 312!8i6656