diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/audio_time_axis.cc b/gtk2_ardour/audio_time_axis.cc
index 819d0fff63..9c9d965c01 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/audio_time_axis.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/audio_time_axis.cc
@@ -84,21 +84,6 @@ using namespace LADSPA;
 using namespace Gtk;
 using namespace Editing;
 
-static const gchar * small_x_xpm[] = {
-"11 11 2 1",
-" 	c None",
-".	c #000000",
-"           ",
-"           ",
-"  .     .  ",
-"   .   .   ",
-"    . .    ",
-"     .     ",
-"    . .    ",
-"   .   .   ",
-"  .     .  ",
-"           ",
-"           "};
 
 AudioTimeAxisView::AudioTimeAxisView (PublicEditor& ed, Session& sess, Route& rt, Canvas& canvas)
 	: AxisView(sess),
@@ -148,7 +133,7 @@ AudioTimeAxisView::AudioTimeAxisView (PublicEditor& ed, Session& sess, Route& rt
 	visual_button.set_name ("TrackVisualButton");
 	hide_button.set_name ("TrackRemoveButton");
 
-	hide_button.add (*(manage (new Image (Gdk::Pixbuf::create_from_xpm_data(small_x_xpm)))));
+	hide_button.add (*(manage (new Image (get_xpm("small_x.xpm")))));
 	
 	_route.mute_changed.connect (mem_fun(*this, &RouteUI::mute_changed));
 	_route.solo_changed.connect (mem_fun(*this, &RouteUI::solo_changed));
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/automation_time_axis.cc b/gtk2_ardour/automation_time_axis.cc
index ce9b7a4e33..0c4a5fce5c 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/automation_time_axis.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/automation_time_axis.cc
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include "automation_selectable.h"
 #include "point_selection.h"
 #include "canvas_impl.h"
+#include "utils.h"
 
 #include "i18n.h"
 
@@ -18,22 +19,6 @@ using namespace ARDOUR;
 using namespace Gtk;
 using namespace Editing;
 
-static const gchar * small_x_xpm[] = {
-"11 11 2 1",
-" 	c None",
-".	c #000000",
-"           ",
-"           ",
-"  .     .  ",
-"   .   .   ",
-"    . .    ",
-"     .     ",
-"    . .    ",
-"   .   .   ",
-"  .     .  ",
-"           ",
-"           "};
-
 AutomationTimeAxisView::AutomationTimeAxisView (Session& s, Route& r, PublicEditor& e, TimeAxisView& rent, 
 						ArdourCanvas::Canvas& canvas, const string & nom, 
 						const string & state_name, const string & nomparent)
@@ -79,7 +64,7 @@ AutomationTimeAxisView::AutomationTimeAxisView (Session& s, Route& r, PublicEdit
 	base_rect->signal_event().connect (bind (mem_fun (editor, &PublicEditor::canvas_automation_track_event),
 						 base_rect, this));
 
-	hide_button.add (*(manage (new Gtk::Image (Gdk::Pixbuf::create_from_xpm_data(small_x_xpm)))));
+	hide_button.add (*(manage (new Gtk::Image (get_xpm("small_x.xpm")))));
 
 	height_button.set_name ("TrackSizeButton");
 	auto_button.set_name ("TrackVisualButton");
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/visual_time_axis.cc b/gtk2_ardour/visual_time_axis.cc
index f9408fae60..2b9a55bb5c 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/visual_time_axis.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/visual_time_axis.cc
@@ -57,24 +57,6 @@
 using namespace ARDOUR;
 using namespace sigc;
 using namespace Gtk;
-
-//XXX should really have a common home...
-static const gchar* small_x_xpm[] = {
-	"11 11 2 1",
-	" 	c None",
-	".	c #000000",
-	"           ",
-	"           ",
-	"  .     .  ",
-	"   .   .   ",
-	"    . .    ",
-	"     .     ",
-	"    . .    ",
-	"   .   .   ",
-	"  .     .  ",
-	"           ",
-	"           "};
-
 	
 /**
  * Abstract Constructor for base visual time axis classes
@@ -102,8 +84,7 @@ VisualTimeAxis::VisualTimeAxis(const string & name, PublicEditor& ed, ARDOUR::Se
 	size_button.set_name("TrackSizeButton") ;
 	visual_button.set_name("TrackVisualButton") ;
 	hide_button.set_name("TrackRemoveButton") ;
-	Glib::RefPtr<Gdk::Pixbuf> small_x_pixbuf = Gdk::Pixbuf::create_from_xpm_data(small_x_xpm);
-	hide_button.add(*(Gtk::manage(new Gtk::Image(small_x_pixbuf)))) ;
+	hide_button.add(*(Gtk::manage(new Gtk::Image(get_xpm("small_x.xpm")))));
 	size_button.signal_button_release_event().connect (mem_fun (*this, &VisualTimeAxis::size_click)) ;
 	visual_button.signal_clicked().connect (mem_fun (*this, &VisualTimeAxis::visual_click)) ;
 	hide_button.signal_clicked().connect (mem_fun (*this, &VisualTimeAxis::hide_click)) ;