NEW SIGNS FOR OLD

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 71, 23 March 1923, Page 7

NEW SIGNS FOR OLD

ON THE CITY TRAM CARS. j I CAN BE READ FROM THE SIDK. AND TELL THE ROUTE. i A demonstration of the new destination sign thai has been evolved for the tramways wns given before tin.' Auckland City Council members at last night's meeting of the council, by the manager of the tramways department (Mr. A. K. Ford) who, together with bis officers, ha» >-pent a lot or time and thought on the apparatus. Instead of a single sign at each end ar! at present the trains will bear at eacli end a double sign, reminiscent of the way a ship's name is painted on eacii bow, the advantage o: this being that a person ran read the sign from the sickas well as the front of the car. Each sign will also have two lines, the top one being the destination, such as "Onehunga" or "Ponsoilby" anil the lower one '"Welleeley Street" or '"Pitt Street," or whatever the route may lie. These si£n< are operated automatically by liandwheels and gearing, something' like t!i« mechanism of the present signs oniy much more handy, and less likely to get out of order. The sign; are lit at night and special pains have been taken to make them easily read. The lettering is iWiite on black ground and is painted on a cloth blind that i* wound and unwound much as the present signs arc. a specially made cloth that will stand any amount of wear and tear and won't stretch, having to be imported. uMr Ford said the sign was far more comprehensive in character than anything seen in use or illustrated in any of the technical magazines. It. a much bigger "proposition" than the existing sign, because although it was simple in working there was an astonishing amount of mechanism. Tenders would be called for the various parts and they would be assembled in the traimvuy workshops, where the containing boxes would be made. The cost of these new signs for l.") 0 cars is estimated at .OWOu. Tlie council was much impressed with the new sign and endorsed the recommendation of the Tramways Committee that authority be given the nun'™- '•■ get on with the tvotk or replacing the old sign* with the new.

Mr. Ford also showed a new sign fjr tram stops and end of sections, and wm authorised to experiment \\un it.