Unusual Mellor Box Signs

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traffic-light-man
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Unusual Mellor Box Signs

Post by traffic-light-man »

I stumbled across some footage from the 1970s, allegedly shot in Southampton (not being from that part of the world, I'm struggling to locate the junctions as they are today). It appears to show some Mellor signals, with signs arrangement in their own three-aspect head comprising a 'No right turn' in red, a standard 612 NRT sign and an 'Except buses & coaches' in white. I think they are possibly fibre optic given their appearance, so perhaps a part time restriction.

This is the first video. This is the second, with a fantastic close-up of the signals.

Nothing too groundbreaking, but I thought it was worth the share!

Edit: Seems I jumped the gun slightly. This video has plenty of shiny new Mellors on offer, including a blank version of the NRT signals, showing a bit more detail.
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Tmesisbob
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Re: Unusual Mellor Box Signs

Post by Tmesisbob »

Thanks for those videos, some really interesting stuff in there, particularly the old buses and street lights - All very different now days. As someone who is from that area is it nice to see what it was like before I was around.

I notice that even back then the roads were congested. I have not worked out where your linked videos are yet though, apart from the ones with the road names in them :) They are on the A3024.
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FleetlinePhil
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Re: Unusual Mellor Box Signs

Post by FleetlinePhil »

Tmesisbob wrote: Mon Jun 22, 2020 08:57 Thanks for those videos, some really interesting stuff in there, particularly the old buses and street lights - All very different now days. As someone who is from that area is it nice to see what it was like before I was around.

I notice that even back then the roads were congested. I have not worked out where your linked videos are yet though, apart from the ones with the road names in them :) They are on the A3024.
I was somewhat less than impressed with the driver of the bin lorry in the second video :shock: .

Yes, Southampton had a very neat municipal bus fleet at that time. I seem to remember there were also some quite extensive bus priority measures on the A3025 over the Itchen Bridge, which I did travel over once in 1978, admittedly on a Sunday afternoon. I was looking in the scans I made of Buses magazine from that period but it doesn't appear I've kept the articles on the Itchen Bridge opening or the Bitterne scheme. I may be mistaken, but I have a very vague recollection about one of the Southampton schemes meriting a piece on Tomorrow's World?
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traffic-light-man
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Re: Unusual Mellor Box Signs

Post by traffic-light-man »

I remember reading bits about the Bitterne Scheme some time ago, but I recall it being acknowledged that non of the original hardware remained on-street which is possibly why I didn't put two-and-two together initially. The whole video set is great, though I initially watched them without audio, so I missed the helpful yet piecemeal narration on some of the clips!

I have managed to locate this site (I think it's the location in the first video) and this site that still make use of part-time turn restrictions, both on A3024 Bursledon Road as FleetlinePhil points out.

Having looked at the route a bit closer, the section of Bitterne Road through Bitterne itself is long since pedestrianised, which I think has been the location of some of these films. I think the second clip is here.
Simon
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traffic-light-man
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Re: Unusual Mellor Box Signs

Post by traffic-light-man »

I've managed to locate the full video on the BFI website. There's a brilliant commentary and plenty of goodies to spot!
Simon
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