Woodbridge
Signal Cabins in WA
WOODBRIDGE | |
WAGR - Eastern Railway (E. R.) | |
Mileage = ? | |
Location Map | |
Next Down Station: | Next Up Station: |
Quick Facts | |
Opened | Re-named |
? | 01/04/1908 |
Mechanical | Electrical |
? Levers | ? |
Fate: Unknown | |
The site known as WOODBRIDGE was provided with a platformed Siding for use of the Royal Agricultural Society's showgrounds. Point indicators were provided during the week ending 19th February 1897. The line was then single line, and Electric Staff working was soon introduced between GUILDFORD and the station then known as CHIDLOW'S WELL and was well recorded in the newspapers at the time.
Along with 23 other stations, WOODBRIDGE station was listed has being enhanced by the provision of Interlocking and Signalling, as announced on Page 14, of Weekly Notice 10 /1898, this publication covering the week ending Friday, 11/03/1898. The Station building was positioned centrally, but the Signal Box was a separate building located between the footbridge and the end of the platform what eventually became known as the Up Platform. On December 3rd, 1900, the Up Home signal was moved out (away from the station) by a distance of 20 yards.
The signal cabin at WOODBRIDGE was quite often 'Switched in' and 'Switched Out' for accommodate the special Horse Race traffic to and from the Helena Vale racecourse, located at BELLEVUE.
On 6th April 1903, the station at WEST MIDLAND opened at 21 mile 47 chain between MIDLAND JUNCTION and WOODBRIDGE, although WEST MIDLAND did not open as a Block Station at this time, but did have Up and Down Home and Distant signals.
Later on in the same month, due to the need to place girders under the tracks for the construction of the WEST MIDLAND pedestrian Subway between the 10th and 16th of October 1903, rail traffic was conducted between MIDLAND BOX 'A' and WOODBRIDGE over single line, alternating between the Up Main and Down Main lines by means of Pilotworking.
An end to the station's claim to fame came however, when the Royal Agricultural Society moved its annual Royal Show to their new grounds at CLAREMONT in 1905. The platformed Siding was disconnected, and the points to it were 'spiked over' during the week ending 1st September 1905.
It is interesting to note that during the following month, the crossover road pointwork was removed from WOODBRIDGE and installed at the Down end (the Perth end) of CLAREMONT to serve a similar function there - maintaining the connection with the R.A.S., but at the new Showground location.
Declarations in the Weekly Notices between No 10 to 14 of 1908 officially announced the change of name of 'WOODBRIDGE' station (and Signal Box) to 'EAST GUILDFORD'. The Auditor also followed suit with advisories in Weekly Notices Nos 16 and 17 with the directive: "Owing to the similarity in names between “Guildford” and “East Guildford,” it is requested that special care be exercised in abstracting Goods Invoices, etc., and Parcels Waybills, so that the traffic of one station will not get confused with the other..."
Now, nothing of the Woodbridge signal Cabin can to be seen at the site.
Any additional information on this signal cabin would be most welcome - please use the e-mail form provided on this page.
Information researched and interpreted by Chris. J. E. French of SignallingWA
Additional reference: "Station Masters of WA" by J. Austin 2011
This page is copyright, and permission must be sought from SignallingWA before this page is used for any purpose other than personal education.
WOODBRIDGE Employees | ||
This list may not be complete and does not yet include employees who worked here without being appointed. Where an appointment date is unknown, the Weekly Notice (WN) date advising of the appointment or other official documentation, i.e. Certificate of Competency (CC) will be used. | ||
Name | Appointed | Position |
| Malone, J. | 12/07/1897 | Station Master |
Danes, Abel | 26/07/1897 | Signalman |
Gosnell, James E. | 26/07/1897 | Signalman |
Ryan, Matthew James | 01/02/1898 | Signalman |
Grimes, William H. | 15/06/1898 | Signalman |
| Neumann | November 1898 | Officer-in-Charge |
| Golding, J. | March 1907 | Officer-in-Charge |
| Bowers, W. | September 1907 | Officer-in-Charge |
Is a name missing? Please submit any corrections / additions with suitable evidence using the e-mail form above. | ||