Evans Street Railway Sidings Traffic Signs
The Evans Street Railway sidings, situated between Graham and Bridge Street in the days that I can remember were always a great scene of activity with the unloading of the railway trucks which were shunted into the yard early morning in time for a full days work.

The goods unloaded were mainly timber huge unsawn logs as well as sawn timber, coal and briquettes. As the day wore on a steady stream of carts and drays would emerge from the entrance in Bridge Street and instead of using the correct route which was from Bridge Street to Williamstown Road then up to the "Five ways", in order to save time, the carters were instead taking a shorter route using Evans, Ross or Derham Streets, north of Bridge Street.


Last sign to be removed in Ross St, near Russell Carriers.
As this traffic was too heavy for these street, beside causing vibration and noise to the residential areas, the Port Melbourne Council prohibited such traffic from these streets and enforced the law by the erection of signs (three in each street) similar to the one shown in the photograph. This particular sign was the last remaining in Ross Street just near Russell Carriers, prior to its removal with the power pole around 1980. There are no signs remaining today. From memory these signs went up around 1945 but the interesting thing was that the traffic prohibited was HORSE drawn!

Glen Stuart

© 2005 Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society
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