Red, amber, green
May 11th, 2008 Posted in Uncategorized(I’ve been away for a while. Sorry. I’m back now.)
Back in the late 1960s, when a highway authority decided it wanted to erect a new set of traffic lights, it ordered the equipment from a manufacturer and then installed it. Sometimes you’d get “tin” lanterns. Sometimes you’d get those strange ones that had three lights attached separately to the pole. Sometimes you’d get something entirely different.
This mish-mash of styles was a bit of a mess, really, so the Department of the Environment sorted it all out by comissioning David Mellor, a designer usually noted for cutlery, to provide a clean, modern, durable plastic signal head design that would be the only one accepted in future.
And lo: the Mellor Signal Head was born (like the one to the right). Dark grey, with clean lines and a simple design, it cleaned up the streets of Britain from 1970 onwards with its uniform appearance.
It’s estimated that there can’t be more than one or two installations of pre-Mellor signals left in the UK. Which makes it rather ironic that Mellor is no longer prescribed. We wouldn’t want uniformity, now, would we?
No, not a bit of it. Now Siemens signal heads look different to those made by Microsense. If they aren’t distinctive enough, the bizarre Alustar definitely stands out from the crowd. It’s a favourite of signal enthusiasts but I’m afraid it just looks like a mess to me.
It might be a little bulky compared to new signal designs, its plain plastic rear might be a little too welfare state in this age where the private sector always knows best, but even so, you can give me a Mellor any day.
7 Responses to “Red, amber, green”
By Bryn Buck on May 11, 2008
I agree wholly. The Mellor was a classic piece of design, the new designs are just trendy happy clappy nonsense in my views.
By LEwis on May 12, 2008
You are absolutely right!
I am also a firm fan of the older LARGE filter arrows, rather then these new fangled small things that are much harder to decipher when approaching from a distances.
By Val Hayes on May 15, 2008
Could somebody please explain to me why traffic signals in the UK display an amber light just prior to going green? This, to me, makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Is this bizarre behavior observed in any other territory?
The amber light plays a vital safety role in allowing drivers time to make safe and smooth stops in advance of a full red. This currency is devalued by further engaging amber in advance of a green, with this lamp being lit twice as often as is really necessary.
Again, why is this done, and does it occur anywhere else?
Good to see you back blogging Chris. I was a CBRD fanatic in the early days but I’m afraid google maps dragged me away for a while - allowing me to follow motorways from start to terminus with full satellite photography to further stimulate my imaginary service stops! Pathetic eh? But I’ll start visiting CBRD every week again.
By LEwis on May 25, 2008
For what its worth, it doesn’t display amber before Green - it shows Red & Amber, drivers can’t get confused about what the next aspect is.
By Tony on Jun 7, 2008
Val, the reason for the red/amber before green, is to assist traffic flow, as it gives drivers a pre-warning of the green signal.
Even though we have this, I find it staggering just how many people arent ready to go on the green, and so at least 1 or 2 vehicles fail to get through, which causes longer tailbacks.
By Gary on Jul 5, 2008
I recall from a trip to Turkey last summer that they now have a display at their traffic signals which counts down the length of time before the signal changes. This cuts out any need for the amber light, and, from what I remember, seemed to work well, although I didn’t drive at all in Turkey so don’t know what it’s like from that point of view. Does anyone know if any other countries do this?
By Bloke on Sep 25, 2008
For added fun, near where I work is a junction that has a couple of Mellors with their wings clipped. Only the top and bottom retain their white outline.