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Road Sign Edinburgh- Glasgow Road |
©
Any reproduction requires
prior permission of Edinburgh City Archives.
Photo from Edinburgh
Street Lighting Collection SL/90/8. Photographer and date
of photo not known.
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A8 |
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Edinburgh-Glasgow Road This photo comes from the Edinburgh Street Lighting collection of photos held in the Edinburgh City Archive. There is no information about the photographer or the date of the photo on the back of this photo. This looks like a rather substantial sign to me. The design looks suitable for a lighthouse, rather than a road sign. It is a little difficult to read the legend on this sign (even after enhancement using Photoshop) but I believe it read: - LEFT ARM: A8 Glasgow 36 - RIGHT ARM: Edinburgh 5 1/2 A8 I cannot read the legend on the third arm, but the distance from Edinburgh suggests that the sign would have been at or near Maybury Junction and that the third arm would have been pointing to the north towards Barnton. |
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Reply 1. Rodney Marshall Luton, Bedfordshire, England |
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Thank you to Rodney Marshall for replying, just a couple of hours after I added this photo to the web site. Rodney wrote: |
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Road Sign "There have been some amazing road signs in the past. I've seen a photo of something similar to this with an AA Patrolman standing beside it. I'll try to find the photo. Red Beacons "I would say that this sign had a gas lit set of red beacons. They were fond of setting these up in the centre of cross roads to make all roads take caution. They are even referred to as late as the 1957 Regulations, although I don't recall having ever seen any. Rodney Marshall, Luton, Bedfordshire, England: January 31, 2011 |
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Reply 2. Rodney Marshall Luton, Bedfordshire, England |
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Thank you to Rodney Marshall for writing again sending me an extract from an article in the magazine Roads and Road Construction (Nov 1, 1929, p.420) about the 'Public Works, Roads & Transport Exhibition'. Rodney tells me that this exhibition was normally known as the 'Public Works Exhibition' and was held at the Royal Architectural Hall, London in November each year. The extract below appears to be describing the same style of beacon as appears at the top of this page. |
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Gas Accumulator Co (united Kingdom) Ltd. Beacon Works, Brentford - Stand No 165, Gallery "Examples of 'AGA' Road Beacons as approved by the Ministry of Transport and rank for grant, and which are in service in Edinburgh, Essex, Forfar, Hertfordshire, Kent, Middlesex, Southampton, Staffordshire, Surrey, Worcestershire and Yorkshire. The lighting apparatus employed is identical with the 'AGA' automatic unattended marine lighting system, as employed throughout the word for lighthouses, beacons, and buoys, and the same essential high degree of reliability is guaranteed. 'AGA' road beacons contain their own supply of illuminant, and are, therefore, altogether independent of public supplies of town's gas or electricity. They may be placed in position and moved if necessary, without disturbing the road surface. Their flashing light character is maintained night and day without attention of any kind for periods of six months. The replacement of the exhausted cylinder of illuminant occupies two men for less than thirty minute each six months. 'AGA' road beacons equipped with electric light have been produced to offer uniformity of character within City and Borough areas where electricity supply mains are available. The standard colour of the flashing light signal now exhibited is red. Green or yellow lenses may equally well be employed should circumstances warrant it, and existing beacons can very easily be modified to produce the requisite colour signal." Rodney Marshall, Luton, Bedfordshire, England: February 28 + March 1, 2011 |