If you look at the 1988 photo then you will see a casual replacement metal column with Z9554 which looks to be in the exact same spot as the current column with Trafficvision therefore it probably
is the same column. Whether that means all the other columns had Z9554s originally is anybody's guess though seeing as how the Trafficvision only started to appear in the mid 90s it's more than likely they did. (Although to be pedantic if they were fitted in the 90s they'd be MRL135s, not Z9554s would they not?
)
Yes my point exactly, at this stage the TrafficVisions can't be definitely classed as original. The columns look too old for mid to late 90s (to tie up with when the TrafficVision first came out) and if they are around 1990 vintage it would suggest another lantern was fitted before them.
The other difference I noticed is that there is no bus stop shelter in the new picture, but there is in the old one! You'd have thought it'd go the other way...Yep bus shelter gone, also some of the trees on the RHS of the picture. Pedestrian crossing is "new", much more white paint on the road. The green road sign has been replaced and although it is partly hidden by the cycleway sign (grass verge also gone to make way for it..), it no longer says M3 on the RHS exit, although M3 is marked on the road at the junction after that and I believe the accompanying road sign.