Former Carlton Children's Traffic School. CRB brochure photo.
Children's Traffic Schools are something I've always found
fascinating. Probably due to my interest in both traffic control devices and in
models and miniatures. After all, the road layouts of these schools are
miniature road networks, and the signs are sometimes miniatures as well.
Please note: I am aware that some
directory sites link to this page. Please do not direct enquiries about traffic
school bookings etc to me, as I cannot assist you. This site is presented as a
hobby interest only. I have provided some links to Children's traffic school
websites on my links page.
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RACV (now "Camelot") Children's Traffic School, Moorabbin. I
went here a couple of times as a child in the mid 70's. At that time all the
road signs were miniatures of then current signs. Nowadays it uses mostly
full size ones. |
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During my school visits to the RACV traffic
school, I seemed to gravitate towards the railway crossing. Even at that
young age, I was disappointed that the crossing signs were at 90 degrees
(like US ones) rather than how Australian ones appear. I always thought it
was strange that, in a place for teaching children proper road rules and
sense, that the footpath crossing the railway ended at the road where there
were double lines. Not usually the best place to cross a road. The second
crossing still has the miniature red hazard triangle signs. These are now
obsolete, as were the "Railway X Crossing" warning signs that were
originally mounted under them. The second crossing had no other signs.
Something that even bothered me as a child, as I knew this was
"wrong". |
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Like the RACV Moorabbin school, the one at Kew also has
railway crossing signs with the RAIL WAY and CROSSING boards at 90 degrees
to each other. Another similarity was that they both used ex-railways signal
lamps for the crossing lights. Both the Essendon and Morwell traffic school had them too.
It seems likely they were all made by the same person/s. |
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Kew Children's Traffic School. This school still
uses smaller road signs, although the whole place has a slight air of
neglect so far as the age of some of them are concerned. |
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Nowhere is this more evident than in the Kew
school's collection of vintage traffic lights. Some of these still have the
red lenses with STOP embossed into the back of them. I'm sure the children
using the school don't care about this at all. I guess I'd prefer one or two
of these on my wall or in the back yard. :) |
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Traffic light controlled intersection at Kew
Children's Traffic School. Note the use of round visors on the pedestrian
signals. Some of them had the pedestrian masks (the masks give the red man /
green man shape) mounted on the OUTSIDE of the lenses too. |
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A street at Kew Children's Traffic School. |
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Another street scene at Kew. And another traffic
light controlled intersection (there are 2). Also the traffic light
pedestrian crossing in the background. |
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Morwell's Valstar Children's Traffic School was
looking rather dated into the 1990's. It even still had an intersection
controlled by single red and amber flashing lights. Something once common
around Melbourne's suburbs, but which were generally phased out in the early
1980's.
The scene here shows the old (miniature) traffic lights. Note new signs for
the railway crossing in the background. Pity about their placement and
height though. |
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The Morwell school seemed to get an injection of
funds a few years ago (from some of the larger industries in the area
judging from the street name signs). The roads were all remade, new full
size traffic lights and railway crossing signals were provided and most road
signs were updated. Interestingly, using miniatures. |
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The lucky children at Araluen Primary School in
Sale actually have their own traffic school as an intergral part of the
school grounds. I know I'd have loved this as a child. |
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Araluen's mini road network includes working
traffic lights (above) and a selection of road signs and road markings. Some
signs are full size, others are smaller and may be the ones intended for
bicycle tracks. |
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The railway crossing at Araluen does actually
have 'rails' set into concrete, but it is only 'protected' by warning signs
(one was 'missing' when I visited). No actual crossing signs. |
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View of a side street whose sole purpose seems
to be to give a reason for the existence of the roundabout in this corner of
the playground. One of the roundabout signs is actually a Give Way sign. A
situation that existed on a real roundabout at Warragul for many years. I
never took a photo of course. |
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One of the Pedestrian 'crossings' at Araluen
Primary School. Obviously somewhat difficult to make use of this one. |
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Camelot (former RACV Moorabbin) traffic school.
Traffic signals at pedestrian crossing
Photos Monday 16th May, 2011 |
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These level crossing signals date from the
opening of the traffic school. |
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Divided road |
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View toward the traffic light controlled
intersection. |
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Level Crossing. |
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Traffic lights, looking from the pedestrian
"crib" crossing at the railway. |
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A bus is now part of the traffic school.
Presumably for teaching children about safety around buses. |
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Traffic lights |
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Traffic light intersection, looking towards the
roundabout. |
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T-intersection with pedestrian crossing. |
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Pedestrian wig-wag lights |
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Traffic signals |
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The other pedestrian crossing lights |
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Pedestrian signal. |
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Roundabout |
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Traffic lights and pedestrian crossing |
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The roundabout intersection |
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School crossing |
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Double lines on a bend |
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Another general view toward the roundabout. |
