Traffic signals
Traffic lights, also known as traffic signals and traffic lamps are known technically as traffic control signals. They are signalling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings and other locations to control competing flows of traffic.
The first manually operated gas-lit traffic light was installed in 1868 in London, though it was short-lived due to explosion. The first safe, automatic electric traffic lights were installed in the United States much later.
Playmobil traffic lights
These traffic lights come from Playmobil's toy box set 3987 which contains Playmobil individuals, traffic lights, traffic signs and other road crossing items.
The design of traffic light in this set is quite stylised, rather than being a carbon copy of a current traffic light. Red-green systems were installed in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1914.
Three-colour signals, operated manually from a tower in the middle of the street were installed In New York in 1918.
The first lights of this type to appear in Britain were in London, on the junction of St James's Street and Piccadilly in 1925.
