Newton Road, Hamstead, Sandwell, West Midlands Positioned by the break in the central reservation at the junction of Monksfield Avenue is a Triplex Traffic HE65 steel-framed traffic bollard, designed to accommodate two eight or thirteen Watt MCF (linear fluorescent) lamps on a vertical spine within the bollard itself. These bollards were commonplace throughout the West Midlands (notably, in Wolverhampton in particular) in the early 2000s, but this is the first that I have seen in this area for many years, as of July 2025. Production of these bollards passed to Pudsey Diamond, and remained in production until the mid-late 2000s, but declining popularity, coupled with high production costs, saw them discontinued. The combination of the steel frame (which would often be damaged irreparably following a vehicular collision, and would also be prone to rusting after a few years) and possibility of parts operating at mains voltage becoming exposed if the bollard was missing was the reason for these being phased out in favour of the base-lit bollard type (along with the later retro-reflective non-illuminated types), which was a more 'standardised' product.
HE65 bollards were still relatively common along this route in the mid-2010s, with a few surviving until about 2019. This is now the sole survivor, as far as I have been able to tell.
The steelwork here isn't too rusty, although the fibreglass glazing panels are grubby.
Judging by the Tarmac reinstatement surrounding the bollard in the concrete surface, this one may have been replaced at some point anyway.
The rear of the bollard features a removable door, allowing access to the lighting spine and cut-out. Ordinarily, this would be secured using two square-headed bolts that are recessed into the door; however, these appear to have failed, and additional holes have been drilled to accommodate regular hexagonal bolts instead. A heavily-faded Triplex Traffic sticker is just about visible centrally between the two locks.
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