Part of the train register for Tuesday 25th March 1975. Woburn was switched in at 0522. At 0538 up light locos passed through Petone - possibly to Taita to run a carriage train. There were shift changes at Petone at 0700, 1500 and 2300 so the Box was manned 24 hours per day. At 0521 the up No. 1 shunt from Wellington was cancelled. At 0700 the No. 1 shunt departed for Lower Hutt, originating from Petone. The shunt returned at 0754.

I do not have a WTT for 1975 so I cannot comment on the other trains except to say that they seem to have spent a lot of time at Petone.

The pre-printed 2009 train register is boring compared with the 1975 register - and there are fewer trains running. In May 2009 the paper register was replaced with an electronic version.

Train Advice 1820 dated 26/8/1971 sent to the Chief Stationmaster Petone by Telegram. I assume that this was sent by telephone but in earlier days would have been sent by teleprinter or morse. In 2009 the instructions are sent by faxed bulletin.

A telephoned Block of Line train advice dated 31/8/1971. In 2009 this work would be protected either by Compulsory Stop Boards under Rule 905 or by a mis 60 Track and Time permit. The details of either would be promulgated by a faxed bulletin.

A printed Block of Line train advice from 1971.

In 2009 instructions are sent to Petone Box by faxed Bulletin.

A reminder that the Railways Department, like other government departments, was a bureaucracy. This is a label on the back of a standard mass-produced battery operated clock.

The clock has not been inspected for twenty years and yet is still functioning correctly!