Braunstone

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Type : Station/Loop
Line : North Coast Line
Distance from Sydney : 683.269km
Location : -29.802090, 152.959658
Opened : 12 October 1915
Closed : 30 June 1974 (station closed)
Status : In use (loop)
Name meaning : After the parish in Leicestershire, England meaning "where broom grew"
Notes : A 76.2 metre Up side platform. 27/6/1942 - 437 metre loop installed. The goods siding still remained in place in 1983. Braunstone has a 1672 metre Down side crossing loop and a 371 metre dead end siding.

**At opening (1915):** Circular No. 245 of 1915 (alongside Glenreagh, Sherwood, Lanitza, South Grafton Stockyards and South Grafton) 

**1922 arrangement:** Braunstone and South Grafton Stockyards grouped together — No. 1 Lever in the Frames at these places unlocked by key on Miniature ETS for section **Lanitza–South Grafton**; Regulation B 

**Ballast train working — 1924:** Special permission for ballast train to be propelled (not hauled) during daylight at max 10 mph from Lanitza to Braunstone, or South Grafton to Braunstone — to avoid necessity of running through full section Lanitza–South Grafton with Electric Train Staff; brake-van must lead when propelling; Guard must ride in brake-van; Guard arranges with Station Master whether train will return or run through full section; if run full length must be hauled 

**Automatic working equipment removed — 26 April 1955:** Equipment at South Grafton to enable Braunstone–South Grafton and South Grafton–Grafton ETS instruments to be switched into automatic working removed (W.N. 18–1955; ref. S.&T.E. 55–677,052); Braunstone — delete (A.D.) and (A.U.) references 

**Down Distant signal post renewed — 14 January 1975:** Down Distant signal No. 20 out of use; post renewed (W.N. 2–1975; ref. S.&C. 75–780115) 

**Motor-operated points — Monday, 10 January 1983:** Route control relay interlocking control panel; mechanical interlocking machine placed out of use; ground frames renamed; electrical releasing switches provided; single light colour light signals; low speed indication (small green) and shunting signal (yellow) with route indicator at Down and Up Home signals; taking key from releasing lock causes all signals to show stop; ETS Kungala–Braunstone and Braunstone–Grafton City retained; automatic staff exchangers remain; diagram page 27 (W.N. 1 and 2–1983; S&C 126170; ref. MC 118480) 

**CTC relay room:** No. **43** (Braunstone) — 1983 
**Local control panel:** Retained at Braunstone — 1983 
**CTC — Glenreagh to Grafton City:** 6 June 1983 — Braunstone–Grafton City section; Broadmeadow CTC 

**Loop extended — 31 January 1988:** Advertised W.N. 2–1988 (date to be advised — 364 metres toward Sydney to give **803 metres** standing room); carried out W.N. 4–1988 (31 January 1988); Down Distant relocated 360 metres nearer Sydney; No. 3 Down Home relocated 361 metres nearer Sydney; Nos. 12M and 12L Up Starting signals relocated 363 metres nearer Sydney; adjacent telephone cabin similarly relocated (S.&C. 130926) 

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Braunstone, 1982 (Greg Lee)

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Braunstone, 1982 (Greg Lee)

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Braunstone, 9/1/1960 (James Rush)

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Location of Braunstone (Six Maps)

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Garry Hayes:

I did a few shifts in the old manual signal box there in the early to mid '80's, and the box was on the same side as shown for the station. I never knew there was a station building there. Access was via a level crossing near the box, from memory

Kim Smith:

Garry Hayes Dad worked a few shifts there. Remember the station well.


Garry Hayes:

Kim Smith who is your dad?

Kim Smith:

Garry Hayes Fred Weller

Kim Smith:

He's worked at many of the stations posted here in some capacity throughout his career.

Garry Hayes:

Kim Smith yep, I know/remember Freddie. I worked with him when he was ASM at Coffs.
I saw a photo of him the other day raising the flag at Glenreagh on Australia Day

Kim Smith:

Garry Hayes will do. If ever you are out there call in and visit him. He usually spends a few hours at the farm in the morning then goes back home. We reckon that he never got out of the nightshift habit as he goes to bed for a sleep in the afternoon. 


Garry Hayes:

Kim Smith thanks for that. I'm not up that way very often but will remember that next time I am

Greg Lee:

Kim Smith I remember Fred doing back shift at Glenreagh in the early '80s. Fred was one of the first blokes I met when I moved to Glenreagh in late '82, and what a lovely bloke he was, much nicer than the other. 

Des Firth:

Great photos I only remember the signal box Kim i know your father Fred

Joe Delaforce:

Pretty sure it is this station building or sm's house at Braunstone still "exists" as a house, relocated out to Kangaroo Creek.

Des Firth:

Yes it is Joe

Graeme Smith:

The station is now a house at Kangaroo Creek, Coutts Crossing

John Treuren:

OR station on one side, goods shed on the other??

Kim Smith:

The SM's house was on the western side on the line close to the Grafton-Glenreagh road (now called Orara Way), the station was on the eastern side of the line with the forest behind it.

Kim Smith:

There was a train derailment on the curve just south of the station in the 70's or 80's I think. I'll ask my father about it.

Greg Lee:

Kim Smith, there are oleander bushes growing on the Eastern side,so I presume there was once a house there as well?

Kim Smith:

I spoke with Dad re Braunstone earlier in the week. He said that on the train derailment that I was talking about above, they were hauling watermelons and the old Holden was weighed down with plenty after that incident. He also said that there was another derailment previously no long beforehand around the same spot. He couldn't remember the station so I was wrong there, he talked about the signal box. He also couldn't remember the house either.

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21/11/2021 - Greg Lee

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Ben King:

First station Sydney side of South Grafton
Pat O'Connor 7 Class signaller there around 1963/4/5/6

Ray Geraghty:

Ben King Pat there in 70s

Ben King:

Must of retired there

Ray Geraghty: 

Johnny Power was there also.back in 1975 Eyonne Solomon wife of George Solomon ASM at Coffs Hbr bough one of houses at Lanitza had it moved to Nana Glen house still there I think her daughter lives there

Ben King:

Ray Geraghty Don't recall J. Power.
I didn't join job till 1972.
Meanwhile while we lived at Kungala where dad was a signalmen with Ron Cannon Jim Stevens and Errol Maxwell in 60 s

Ben King: 

Howard Harris also signalman at Lanitza
Don Higham was signalmen at Kungala and married hangers daughter Dawn Williamson.
He then went into Grafton box. Little short bloke with bowler hat.
Liked a drink as my dad did. Bruce

Ben King :

Ray Geraghty I remember George Solomon at Coffs
Also ASM Grafton they called the dog man. Always walking grey hounds.
He was the chap who talked me into going out ASM

Ben King:

Ray Geraghty
Think his name was Robinson

Ray Geraghty :

Ben King Jim Stevens finished up at Nana Glen bought a banana plantation passed away some 20 years ago

Ben King:

Ray Geraghty
Really
Next door neighbour at Kungala
He had a brand spanking light green beetle. It was certainly strange to ride in.
Erroll Maxswell had a blue Morris

Ben King: 

Had a blue Morris minor. Think he went out as a corridor attendant. Also worked at Grafton RSL as a barman
Jim Stevens had Red hair and was a great bloke. I spent many a shift in the box with him. I knew the box when I was about 11. / /12
Distant stick was an issue.also pulling up staff exchangers.
Lol
Used to assist with weekly cleaning and refilling signal lights with Kero
Signalmans pride and joy not to have them go out

Ray Geraghty:

Errol Maxwell also worked Greenbank mid 70s

Ben King:

Ray Geraghty Really
I was RL ASM Sydney by then. Came down in 1975
Got the shock of my life when I sent the amount of suburban trains trip trains freighters etc.
Also had to learn how to sell tickets send parcels do class books summaries handovers etc
Done 6 months at Concord. Round the clock box trip trains , there wire Tyres system on up relief for trains going down to darling Harbour. 3 trains in section at one time. Busy as buggery after Rappville and Banyabba.
Didn't take long though. Twelve months felt much better

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Up Holiday Coast XPT crossing Down North Coast Overnight Express at Braunstone, November 1988 (C Winney)

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4532 leads N345 express goods at Braunstone (undated, Munro)

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24/7/1993 - Braunstone (Whinney collection)

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Up goods in Braunstone loop (previously identified as Lanitza refuge), 18/8/1993, (N W Munro)

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Yet another Type P signal box for a wartime crossing loop. The staff exchanger had been set up ready for the next down train.
RT Taaffe

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Braunstone, 31 January 2026. I came across this interesting low cost crossing warning system on the Grafton side of Braunstone, the like of which I haven't seen anywhere else. The green lights extinguish when a train is approaching (and a phone number is provided in the event the lights are out for an 'extended' period). Braunstone still has its crossing loop (lengthened for 1500 metre trains) but there is no sign of the former signal box. I believe Braunstone was used as a crew change location in lieu of Grafton at one time (during the late 90s) (Ken Date)

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Braunstone (Shane Morris)