Small chrome plated traffic light cylinder key with turning rod at 90 degrees, attached to a label that states they were used at the Old Steine/Castle Square Junction traffic lights in Brighton c1965
Use
For a police officer to turn off the automatic mode on a set of traffic
lights and allow them to be used manually, in this case those at a junction in Brighton.
Context
The first traffic control system used in Brighton was an electrically operated semaphore system installed in 1927 at the foot of West Street. This had an arm with the word "STOP" on which was illuminated at night. It was not automatic and was operated by a constable in a kiosk in the centre of the road Baines 1967 page 28). Over time more similar systems were installed and these were eventually replaced with traffic lights at busy junctions.
In 1933 the semaphore system in Brighton began to be replaced with automatic. traffic lights and by 1935 there were 14 sets of traffic lights had been installed (Baines 1967 page 30-31).
In the past police officers often had the ability to switch traffic lights to manual control to ease traffic congestion or to prevent traffic from entering junctions for a specific reason. Officers in the City of London Police were issued with keys too do this as late as the 1990s.
This particular key was donated by a retired officer who used it at the traffic lights at the Old Steine in Brighton with its Junction with Castle Square in the 1960s.
