Skip to main content

The Mount Albert Signal Box


Back in the day when railway travel was popular here in NZ buildings like this baby were positioned at most stations. This one originally from Mount Albert use to house the signalman during his working day. Using levers that ran along the side of the building he could control the rail signals as well as as well as movable parts of the tracks called points. By shifting the points the signalman could send trains onto different tracks avoiding collisions.

In 1966 the control of the signals and points was centralized at Auckland Railway Station but signal boxes still remain at some railways around the country.

The building above apparently was built from Rimu, made in 1914 and later on was moved to MOTAT in 1966.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday
Labels:

Comments

Graham Edwards said…
In the UK I went to junior school in sight of two railway lines and a signal box so have a great affection for them.
11 December 2019 at 21:47
Sharon said…
A very interesting little slice of history.
12 December 2019 at 04:15
Billy Blue Eyes said…
Looks the same as our here when we had them, they are far and few between now
12 December 2019 at 06:46
Fun60 said…
I remember this type of signal box. There are still a few around but like yours they are no longer in use.
12 December 2019 at 08:43
William Kendall said…
I like the look of the building.
12 December 2019 at 11:57
Pisi Prkl said…
I really like the architecture of that building. Would`t mind living in it.
13 December 2019 at 07:51
Esha M Dutta said…
Nice shot! That's an interesting signal box. Thanks for sharing the history—didn't know about that.
Happy Skywatching!

Cheers,
Esha
https://mysoultalks.com/2019/12/12/across-the-vault-of-heaven-skywatchfriday/
13 December 2019 at 07:55
eileeninmd said…
Hello, the Signalman had a nice place. Enjoy your day, wishing you a happy weekend ahead!
13 December 2019 at 08:38
Rhonda Albom said…
These buildings are an interesting part of NZ history. If you get the chance, go to MOTAT on a "Live" day and you can get into the back areas of MOTAT 2. There are some more interesting buildings there as well as a huge storage building with lots of old rail stock.
13 December 2019 at 09:55
DawnTreader said…
Cute building :) My dad was a serious railway enthusiast. He wrote or participated in writing four books on local railways around here (south-west Sweden). Every holiday in my childhood/youth usually also involved not only museum railways but also and/or trying to find places where once upon a time there had been a station (even if both the railway tracks and buildings were long gone by then)...
13 December 2019 at 10:26
Jim said…
The style of station building is familiar.
13 December 2019 at 10:39
Carol @Comfort Spring Station said…
I like the style of the building - almost like a cottage.
13 December 2019 at 13:33
Spare Parts and Pics said…
Interesting history. I hope they preserve these signal boxes... they are historically significant.
13 December 2019 at 18:43
Yogi♪♪♪ said…
That’s a cool building.
14 December 2019 at 10:38
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Grace Brothers

  We have 2 new chickens, both black ladies. If any of you are familiar with British comedy tv shows you will recognize the names we have given them. This one is named Miss Brahms. And this one is named Mrs Slocombe. At the moment we have them in a temporary shelter next to the Special Patrol Group that we've had for the last 9 months just so they can get to know each other before we intigrate the black ones in with the brown ones. These ones give us a white coloured egg whereas the brown shavers give us brown coloured eggs. Linking up with  Tuesday Treasures ,  Happy Tuesdays  and   Wordless Wednesday .
15 comments
Read more

Auckland Metropolis Museum

In amongt the modern new highrise buildings in Auckland City is this smaller vintage building that is currently for sale (I'd buy it if I had the money).   My research found that:  "It was designed by English-born architect Charles Towle and erected in the early 1930s as the Church of Christ, Scientist, the building's Graeco-Roman facade has towering columns that frame its impressive entranceway, with three ornate timber doors decorated with leadlight inserts providing access to the expansive foyer. Arched ceilings dominate the former congregational high stud space beyond the foyer and numerous picturesque windows provide a light, airy feel and an ambience many office buildings lack. The building housed congregational and Sunday school services for 70 years until it was sold and converted into office space in 2003. A significant refurbishment was also carried out with care taken to ensure that the building's distinctive character remained intact. Special architectural ...
16 comments
Read more

Westland Explorer's Monument

  In the nearby town of Hokitka (half an hour away) is the cemetery with this monument near the entranceway. It commemorates 4 men who lost their lives between 1863 and 1866 ; George Dobson - road engineer, murdered in 1866 Charlton Howitt - explorer, drowned in Lake Brunner 1863 Charles Townsend - drowned at Greymouth (probably in the Grey River) 1863 Henry Whitcombe - surveyor, drowned in the Taramakau River in 1863 Construction of the memorial started 1868 and the railings were added in 1869. Linking up with  Mosaic Monday .
11 comments
Read more