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ROYAL PARK
Victorian Railways

by John Hinson

Photograph by Dr J W F Scrimgeour, 1/10/67

Royal Park station and its signal box were to be found on the Coburg suburban line in Melbourne, which at the time of these photographs was still signalled by manual block and semaphore signals despite having been electrified. It was a junction for the loop to Clifton Hill, which had been relegated to use for goods trains only.

The cabin was a neat but unconventional design, with the gabled roof facing the track. Such a feature is only possible, of course, with relatively small cabins. It was built like this because it was joined as an annex to the station buildings, a matching gable of which is just visible in this view.

The starting signal in the foreground is a typical McKenzie & Holland lattice-post with somersault arm.

Photograph by Dr J W F Scrimgeour, 1/10/67

The interior view shows the McKenzie & Holland lever frame and gate wheel. Although the levers have brass number plates, there is no sign of a description board to identify the lever functions.

Above the levers are the Winter's two-position double-line block instruments that were used to signal trains at this time. Similar instruments were found on the WAGR, and a description of the method of operation will be found there.