The Sydney Tramway Museum has become the lucky recipient of a piece of local railway history, courtesy of Sydney Trains. The historic Loftus Junction Railway Signal Box has been relocated to our Sutherland terminus, after many years of deterioration at its original location since its closure in the early 90’s.
Loftus Junction signal box was brought into use on 9th March 1886, controlling the movements of trains travelling on the former National Park railway branch. The line and signal box closed to trains in Winter 1991, with the line handed over to the museum for tramway operations two years later. It is therefore appropriate that the signal box is restored for the Museum as an operating exhibit, not only for its connections with the local community and railway history, but also as a representation of many early Sydney tramway signal box designs. We wish to thank Sydney Trains for their assistance in making this historic item available to us.
10th February 2024
This morning the box was separated from the base and roof. It was then loaded onto a prime mover and gently moved to the Museum’s North Terminus. Work will soon begin by Sydney Trains on the new concrete base next to our future No. 3 substation, with the box to be reassembled and restored in this location shortly afterwards.
23rd March 2024
A demountable previously left at this location was removed yesterday with the signal box components taking it’s place. Work will begin on the new concrete base mid-next week.
14th April 2024
Formwork for the new concrete base has been set up.
20th April 2024
Concrete for the foundation slab has been poured with steel reinforcement rods set up for the new base walls.
24th April 2024
Exterior formwork for the concrete base walls has been erected. Interior formwork is yet to follow.
