Upper Hutt Signalling History

This page documents signalling and track layout changes at Upper Hutt.

Local Instruction L739 describes the operation of this station in 1959. In these days of cell-phones and train radios this contains an interesting description of telephones and yard loudspeakers.

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The date is that on the S & I - not necessarily the date the changes were commissioned.

March 1907 The original S & I for Upper Hutt. It was annotated for the automatic signalling introduced in 1922. A mechanically signalled station in tablet territory.

February 1954 Dock siding removed (for construction work?).

May 1955 Down Main Starting searchlight signal, Down Starting From Suburban Platform ground light and suburban platform commissioned. Also other changes in preparation for conversion to colour lights.

August 1955 Resignalled with colour lights. CTC control machine commissioned in new station building.

S & I 916 Not located.

September 1966 43 cross-over at south end removed by this date. Dock traps now a safety siding.

December 1973 Signal 60 Down Outer Home moved. CTC begins/ends boards added.

S & I 2244 Not located

July 1996 49 crossover at north end removed. South backshunt truncated & arrow indicator removed. Express Freight 55 boards installed.

September 1999 Upper Hutt - Featherston now one diagram.

November 1999 Express Freight boards changed from 55 to 70.

February 2007 Upper Hutt Panel decommissioned.

March 1907

I do not have a copy of S&I 45 dated March 1907. There is a diagram in Semaphore To CTC which based on S&I 45. The configuration is similar to S&I 692 (February 1954), although S&I 45 shows a dock and semaphore distants instead of colour light signals. S&I 45 was annotated for the automatic signalling introduced in 1922.

February 1954

The layout in February 1954 is similar that in the original 1907 S&I 45. The dock has been removed - was this to allow for construction work? My very vague recollection is that the old station was to the south of the existing station - i.e. at the end of the present dock. North is now on the right of the diagram. I understand that the frame in the North Box was at ninety degrees to the track but I have drawn it as it is shown on the S&I diagram.

DESCRIPTION OF SIGNALS AND LEVERS FEBRUARY 1954
Note that the lock bars and traps are not included in the list. Were they worked from separate levers?

SOUTH BOX

NORTH BOX

2 Control on North Box signal for Main
3 Down Starting from Loop or Sidings
5 Bolt Lock
8 Shunt from Loop or Sidings to South Backshunt
10 Shunt from Main to South Backshunt
18 Up Home to Loop

R2 Down Distant
2 Down Home to Main
4 Down Starting from Main
5 Down Home to Loop
6 Down Departure
10 Shunt from Main to North Backshunt
16 Shunt from Loop or Sidings to North Backshunt
17 Bolt Lock
20 Up Starting from Loop
21 Control on South Box signal for Loop
22 Up Starting from Main
23 Up Home

May 1955

Dock commissioned; low-speed light on Up Home semaphore added; 4 Down Starting from Main and 10 Shunt from Main to North Backshunt semaphores removed - replaced with 3 Down Main Starting searchlight; 1 Down Starting from Suburban Platform (ground light) added; motor points for dock siding (first motor points at Upper Hutt); Slot Control between North and South Boxes changed; 3 & 1 display red or green aspects only; 12 crossover out of use.

DESCRIPTION OF SIGNALS AND LEVERS MAY 1955
Note that the lock bars and traps are not included in the list. Were they worked from separate levers?

SOUTH BOX

NORTH BOX

1 Down Starting From Suburban Platform

3 Down Starting from Loop or Sidings
4 Low Speed To Suburban Platform
5 Bolt Lock

8 Shunt from Loop or Sidings to South Backshunt
18 Up Home to Loop

R2 Down Distant
2 Down Home to Main
3 Down Main Starting
5 Down Home to Loop
6 Down Departure
10 Shunt from Main to North Backshunt
16 Shunt from Loop or Sidings to North Backshunt
17 Bolt Lock
20 Up Starting from Loop
21 Control on South Box signal for Loop
22 Up Starting from Main
23 Up Home

August 1955

Upper Hutt resignalled with colour lights. A new control machine commissioned in the station building. A two-position down distant remains in use.

A good example of how dates must be treated carefully. The diagram is dated 18/10/1955; the text 25/8/1955 and on the diagram is a handwritten note stating that it was brought into use on 3/11/1955.

S & I 916

S & I 916 not located.

September 1966

43 cross-over at south end removed by this date. Dock traps now a safety siding. Text dated Sept 1966 but diagram 24/8/60. Some of these changes may have been implemented by missing S & I 916.

December 1973

Limit electric services board installed; Signal 60 Down Outer Home moved to other side of track; No reference to crank handles; CTC begins and ends boards installed at the noth end of Upper Hutt.

S & I 2244

S & I 2244 was cancelled by 2472. I have not located a copy.

July 1996

49 crossover at north end removed. South backshunt truncated & arrow indicator removed. All references to telephones have gone as radio is now used. Express Freight 55 boards added. CTC Begins/Ends boards at north end removed. Does CTC now extend from Trentham to Featherston? I understand that originally Trentham to Upper Hutt was not classed as CTC. Some of these changes may have been implemented by missing S & I 2244.

September 1999

Upper Hutt - Featherston now one diagram ( S & I 2645). No significant changes at Upper Hutt?

November 1999

Express Freight boards now 70.

February 2007

The Upper Hutt panel was decommissioned and control of the station transferred to Train Control. In the previous weeks Trentham (direct control) and Featherston (CTC) had also been transferred to Train Control. Signals within Upper Hutt Station limits were renumbered.

Last Updated: Sat Mon Sep 29 19:15:00 NZDT 2008