Road Photos & Information: Victoria
Pre-1980s Traffic Signals
General Information:
Victoria was the first state in Australia to adopt traffic signals. The first signals in Melbourne were located at Swanston Street & Flinders Street, 1928. These were manually operated and removed after one year. At Swanston and Collins Street, mechanically and manually operated signals were installed in 1929. 1. Signal installations took several forms, including more or less the form we see now, but previously, the state used clock style signals by a company called Marshalite.
This section focuses on traffic signal equipment installed prior to 1980, and features devices used within VIC. All the signals on this page have been replaced with modern equipment.
Controllers:
Eagle Signal Controller:
Old timer based signal controller. Current controllers use detectors in the road and use the information received from those to regulate traffic flow. June 2005.
Image © Darren Hodges
Eagle Signal Controller:
Old timer based signal controller. Current controllers use detectors in the road and use the information received from those to regulate traffic flow. June 2005.
Image © Darren Hodges
Eagle Signal Controller Internal View:
Inside the above Eagle controller, with the large timer wheel and several relays and contacts. June 2005.
Image © Darren Hodges
Eagle Signal Controller Timer:
Close up of the timer wheel inside the Eagle controller. June 2005.
Image © Darren Hodges
Eagle Signal Controller Flasher Unit:
Box containing flasher unit in the Eagle controller on the left. This would be used for the flashing cycle of pedestrian signals and also to flash the amber signals when there's a fault or for use as a caution signal. June 2005.
Image © Darren Hodges
Old Pedestrian Signal Controller:
Quite old pedestrian signal controller, with old style english and pedestrian button mounted on the face of the controller. This unit was still in use in 2005, and would be well over 40 years old and was made by the Forest City Electrical company in the UK. June 2005.
Image © Darren Hodges
Control / Junction Box:
One of numerous little control boxes you see on the posts of signals. Some house tactile pedestrian crossing sound devices others for junction connectors, etc. This is the typical style for the ones made by the Eagle Signal Company of Australia. Corner of Brougham and Mercer Streets in Geelong. September 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Pedestrian Signals:
Neon Pedestrian Signal:
Neon signal in use June 2005 on the corner of Warrigal and Batesford Road, Chadstone.
Image © Darren Hodges
Neon Pedestrian Signal:
Neon signal in use June 2005 on the corner of Warrigal and Batesford Road, Chadstone.
Image © Darren Hodges
Neon Pedestrian Signal Internal View:
With the door open, you can see the neon pedestrian signal uses 2 neon tubes. One that glows red (the horizontal tubes) and one that glows green (the vertical tubes).
Image © Darren Hodges
Textual Pedestrian Signals:
Left standard incandescent signal made by Eagle. On the right a neon pedestrian signal, once quite common in most states, but only a few still survive around metropolitan Melbourne.
Image © Darren Hodges
Square Lens Pedestrian Signal with Pictograms:
Old style signal design for text 'Don't Walk / Walk' captions with pictograms instead. Either this has been retrofitted after installation, or old stock from the manufacturer was updated to show the change in regulations. Corner of Thomas Street and Centre Road, Bentleigh. February 2007.
Image © Rob Tilley
Illuminated Pedestrian Call Button:
Cast metal pedestrian call button When the button is pressed 'CALL RECORDED' lights up on the screen. 2006 on Bulla Road in Essendon.
Image © Viseth Uch
Illuminated Pedestrian Call Button:
Cast metal pedestrian call button When the button is pressed 'CALL RECORDED' lights up on the screen. Blackburn Rd, Syndal, 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Metal Pedestrian Call Button:
Used in Victoria during the 1970s are these small blue call buttons. They're all metal except for the small white call recorded lamp along the bottom. Corner City Rd and Whiteman St, Southbank, December 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Call Button:
This style of call button features a window that lights up, usually with the word 'WAIT' in it, and was phased out during the mid-1980s. This example was still in use in April 2025 at the corner of Waverley Rd and Belgrave Rd, Malvern East.
Image © Stuart Fox
Pedestrian Crossing Wig Wag Flasher:
Eagle signal used on highlighting uncontrolled pedestrian crossings in Victoria. The amber lights alternate with each other. June 2005.
Image © Darren Hodges
Pedestrian Crossing Flasher Mast Arm:
Mast arm setup with alternating flashing signal. Williamtown Road, Port Melbourne. August 2006.
Image © Darren Hodges
Pedestrian Crossing Wig Wag Lights:
Old style uncontrolled pedestrian crossing flashing wig wag lights. Located outside the Dennis Railway Station, Clark Street, Northcote. September 2006.
Image © Darren Hodges
Pedestrian Crossing Wig Wag Flasher:
Old signal used on highlighting uncontrolled pedestrian crossings in Victoria. The amber lights alternate with each other, note the old light over the pedestrian crossing sign. The light over the sign is similar to those used on the Marshalite clock traffic signals. Corner of Clarke St and Dennis Railway Station, Northcote, June 2005.
Image © Darren Hodges
Traffic Lanterns:
Square Target Boards:
Old signal at the corner of Princes Hwy and Blackburn Rd, Clayton, that uses a squarer rear-mounted signal target board. This is a much older installation which was somewhat common in Melbourne in the 60s. Image taken September 2002.
Image © Rob Tilley
3-aspect Signal:
Typical older style setup for signals with target boards in Victoria. The target board is mounted behind the signal head. June 2005 on the corner of Warrigal and Batesford Roads in Chadstone.
Image © Darren Hodges
Mast Arm Signal:
Typical older style setup for signals with target boards in Victoria. The target board is mounted behind the signal. June 2005 on the corner of Warrigal and Batesford Roads in Chadstone. Note the neon pedestrian signal.
Image © Darren Hodges
Mast Arm Signal:
The older style of short mast arm used in Victoria. This installation has been retrofitted with newer signals from the 1980s. Located on Plenty Rd outside Bundoora Pk, August 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Old Eagle Signals:
Old style Eagle signals without target boards, and recent call buttons and pedestrian signals located on the corner of Elgin and Canning Streets, Carlton, August 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Old Traffic Signals:
Old set on the corner of Dorcas & Montague Streets in South Melbourne. August 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
3-aspect Signal:
Old 3-aspect signal on the corner of Dorcas & Montague Streets in South Melbourne. August 2006. This signal has since been replaced.
Image © Rob Tilley
3-aspect Signal:
Old 3-aspect signal without target board on the corner of Dorcas & Montague Streets in South Melbourne. August 2006. This signal has since been replaced.
Image © Rob Tilley
5-aspect Signal:
Old style 5-aspect signal on the corner of Dorcas & Montague Streets in South Melbourne. August 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Old Eagle Signal:
Eagle signal with rear mounted target board on the corner of Brougham & Mercer Street in Geelong. September 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Double Mast Arm Signal:
Double mast arm signal on the corner of Brougham & Mercer Street in Geelong. September 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Double Mast Arm Signal:
Double mast arm signal on the corner of Brougham & Mercer Street in Geelong. December 2008.
Image © Tim Cole
Old Eagle Signal:
Eagle signal with rear mounted target board on the corner of Brougham & Mercer Street in Geelong. September 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Old Eagle Signal:
Eagle signal with rear mounted target board on the corner of Brougham & Mercer Street in Geelong. September 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Old Eagle Signal:
Eagle signal with rear mounted target board on the corner of Brougham & Mercer Street in Geelong. September 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Older Eagle Signal with Recent Aldridge Quartz Halogen Signal:
Side view of an old Eagle signal with its rear mounted target board, positioned next to an Aldridge Quartz Halogen signal. November 2006 on the corner of Blackburn Rd & Monash Fwy at Glen Waverley.
Image © Rob Tilley
Mast Arm Signal:
Mast arm post with original signal over the road. Note the larger target board for better visibility. Corner of Gherinhap & Ryrie Streets in Geelong. December 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Mast Arm Signal:
Mast arm post with original signal over the road. Note the larger target board for better visibility. Corner of Gherinhap & Ryrie Streets in Geelong. December 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Mast Arm Post with Old AWA Signals:
Typical older mast arm on the corner of Errol and Arden Streets in North Melbourne, with original old style AWA signals. Image taken February 2007.
Image © Rob Tilley
Extension Arm:
Extension arm mounting for signal on the corner of Thomas Street and Centre Road in Bentleigh. February 2007.
Image © Rob Tilley
Mast Arm Post & Extension Arm:
Pedestrian signals using a mast arm and an extender arm to move the signal out from the shop awnings. Located on Princes Hwy in Bairnsdale.
Image © Darren Hodges
Preserved Marshalite Traffic Signal:
These old signals were once used in several locations in Victoria. The hand on the dial would indicate who had right of way, and how long they had left. With vandalised modern signal attached, this specimen is located at Bicentennial Park, Chelsea, Victoria.
Image © Darren Hodges
Fibre Optic Signal:
Fibre optic signal used when the is a restriction that may not be active all the time. The signal flashes on and off to indicate its message is active. June 2005.
Image © Darren Hodges