This
signal cabin was formerly used as a signal box at Cottesloe until being replaced
by the WAGR by a bigger more modern cabin. On decommissioning at Cottesloe, the
WAGR relocated the cabin to the western end of Platforms 5 & 8 of City
Station where it became the "Passenger Yard Foreman's Office"
until later being
used as a storage facility for the Linen used on the overnight sleeper
trains.
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The
"Linen Cabin" as it was known, was used for this purpose till
until the last of the sleeper trains - the "Albany Progress"
rolled into city station for the last time at 6.55am on 2nd December
1978. The next 10 years of its life were spent watching the
modernisation of the suburban network until the building was aquired by
the BBR in 1987, when it was cleaned out by WALRPA members and made
ready for relocation. |
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The
cabin arrived at Whiteman Park on the 6th Nov 1988 and was located at
Mussel Pool on the western side of the tracks opposite the already in
use ex Collie Cabin. Due to the limitations of the 7 lever Collie Cabin
frame, it was intended to eventually rebuild the Linen Cabin to once
again be a signal box though due to assorted issues this never came to
fruition. With more recent works being carried out at Mussel Pool
station it was decided a better solution was required and that the cabin
would be relocated to the eastern side of the tracks and be built into
the new platform extensions. In July 2011 the ex Wagin "A" signal lever
frame was relocated from the compound to the workshops where overhauling and
reconfiguration of the interlocking to suit the needs at Mussel Pool
took place. The newly overhauled frame was placed onto the new concrete
pad at Mussel Pool on the 15th September 2011 to enable the relocation
of the Cabin. |
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On
Thursday 22nd September 2011 a Crane arrived onsite early and by 10am the crew
were set up ready to begin lifting of the Cabin. After initial snags associated
with the lifting equipment were sorted, the weight was taken by the crane only
to find that the concrete footings had a few extra unseen bolts retaining them
to the cabin. A quick location of a jack hammer and angle grinder saw the
concrete blocks being demolished and after some hard yakka by the the crew the
cabin was ready to be lifted into the air. It was neatly swung over by the large
crane and settled into its new location in a matter of minutes.
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The new view inside
the Cottesloe cabin showing the restored Ex Wagin A frame with the old
Collie Cabin through the window in the distance |
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The new look
Mussel Pool Station and a happy Signals Manager Bob after relocation of
the cabin |
