Tyers Electric Train Tablet

Tyers #7 Electric Train Tablet System was a form of Railway Signalling for Single line railways used in New Zealand for close to 100 years until June 1994.The system used a hard red disk called a tablet a form of token

Operation

The system required each station at the end of each section to be staffed, the staff member would commutate with the staff member at the other end of the section with a bell code to release a tablet

To release a tablet at station A to send a train to station B
* Both machines must be in a closed state
* Operator at station A send a bell code to station B asking if line is clear for the train
* If clear operator at Station B will repeat bell code
* Station A operator sends a bell code in response holding down on the last stroke
* Station B operator presses his/her switch and pull the bottom slide, getting a half side locked the machine
* Station B sends bell code to Station A holding down on the last stroke
* Station B operator presses his/her switch and pull the bottom slide, getting a full side locked the machine and releasing a tablet
* Station A operator hand the tablet to the driver of the train heading to Station B

To Close Up each machine once the train has arrived at station B from station A
* The train driver hands the tablet to Station B operator
* Station B operator places the tablet in the top slide and closed the bottom side
* Station B operator sends a bell code to station A holding down on the last stroke
* Station A operator press down on the switch and closed the bottom side
* Both machines are now in closed states ready for the process to start again for another train

The Last Tablet

The Last Tablet used on the New Zealand Rail Network was to allow train 1602 (Wellington - Masterton morning Wairarapa Connection) to travel between Featherston and Masterton on the Wairarapa Line, even though the Masterton to Woodville tablet sections survived a few days longer, trains run on a "safe all" where Train Control could allow a train to run without a tablet.

The last Sections to use the tablet system were:
* Featherston Railway Station - Carterton Railway Station - Masterton Railway Station
* Masterton Railway Station - Pahiatua
* Pahiatua - Woodville Railway Station, New Zealand

Heritage Railways and Museums

Today the Tablet system lives on in many heritage railways and museums either as static / operational / interactive displays or as part of the heritage railway signalling system

Heritage Railways

* Ferrymead Railway, Christchurch
* Silver Stream Railway, Wellington
* Glenbrook Vintage Railway, Auckland

Railway Museums

* Carterton Community & Railway Museum, Carterton Railway Station
* Fell Engine Museum, Featherston

Other

* New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society Ava Archive
* Pahiatua Railcar Society, Pahiatua Railway Station
* Helensville Railway Station Trust
* Papatoetoe Railway Station Trust
* Taumarunui Rail Action Group
* Ormonville Railway Station

There are a number of Tablet systems in private collections

External links

* [http://www.valleysignals.org.nz Valley Signals]

References

* "New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas", 4th ed Quail Map Company, 1993
* W.N. Cameron "A Line Of Railway", NZR&LS Wellington 1976