Last Traditional Signalbox Closes in New Zealand

Word has come down that Wellington A Signalbox has closed. Constructed in 1937 in conjunction with the Hutt Valley 1.5kv DC suburban electrification scheme, Wellington A Box was was not only the last full time staffed signalbox in the Wellington suburban network, but also the last traditional signalbox of any kind in the country (although it's implied that part time signalboxes might still exist). Corner cases aside, this marks the end of a 25 year long transition from a network with numerous staffed signalboxes containing both "power" frames and unit lever CTC panels.

With signaling system essentially in alignment with the American method, New Zealand was a fun house mirror of signaling equipment that was just a little bit different than its North American counterparts. Unfortunately, just like was seen in North America, New Zealand implemented several national railway "investment" schemes that swept away the old cast iron searchlights and signalboxes and replaced them with LED color lights and signaling centres with video display interfaces. I had previously covered two phases of this transition with the closure of PETONE signalbox in 2013 and ADDINGTON signalbox in 2016. Although re-signaling efforts had slowly chipped away at Wellington A signalbox over the years, the terminal interlocking at one of New Zealand's busiest stations was able to hold on in a similar fashion to CNW LAKE ST in Chicago. In another parallel to LAKE ST, Wellington A signalbox contained a fairly large all electric power frame of the Westinghouse Brake and Signal Co "Style L" variety, which is essentially an evolved British pattern US&S Model 14 machine that dispensed with the mechanical locking grid in favor of electric circuit based route locking via the usual US&S pattern locking magnets.

Covered in great detail on the WB&S Co power frame website, Wellington A box was built with three separate Style L frames, a 67-lever console in the center and two 31-lever consoles on either end. Later the left console would be replaced by a unit lever CTC panel. Dave, the webmaster of the now defunct Valley Signals page, provided his own extensive coverage on the final decades of Wellington A Box, now available via Archive.org.

Kiwi Rail was thoughtful enough to post a couple of Youtube videos profiling the signalbox, the Style L frame and the remaining operators that worked it. While the miniature "armstrong" levers look very British, its important to understand that these are essentially US&S style crank levers set vertically and rotated 90 degrees. You can see in the photos and video the familiar spindle type electrical contacts below the levers with the locking magnets out of sight behind. In addition to the official video is another one that seems to have been produced for local media with a bit more detail and external shots.






While I said this was (likely) the last operational traditional signalbox on the NZ rail network, the Keirunga Park miniature railway is signaled from a local signalbox equipped with another WB&S Co Style K power frame donated by New Zealand railways in 1985. To the extent this "counts" is left as an exercise to the reader, but it offers a preservation experience on par to that of HARRIS tower in the United States. Anyway, check out the linked resources before they to go out of service.