The Foxton railway station sign returns home thanks to David Allen (left), seen with Jim Harper, co-chair of the Foxton Historical Society in front of the Old Courthouse.
The Foxton railway station sign returns home thanks to David Allen (left), seen with Jim Harper, co-chair of the Foxton Historical Society in front of the Old Courthouse.
David Allen donated the sign board from the old Foxton Railway Station to the Foxton Historical Society and tells the story of how his family came to own it.
The sign was mounted on the south end of the Foxton station building, David Allen recalls. “There was another on the North end, but its fate is unknown.”
The line closed on the July 18, 1959 and the building was put up for tender.
The builder who won the tender to demolish it also ran the Foxton Beach Holiday Park in Dawick Street. He used the sign at the entrance of the holiday park and painted over the FOXTON letters.
Foxton's train station signage saved for posterity.
“We know that our mother Beryl Allen approached the builder about obtaining the sign and he promised her that she could have it when the time came to take it down,“ Allen says.
“Every time he came into A W Allen’s shop on Main Street he would say - ‘Beryl - I haven’t forgotten about the sign’. Well true to his word around 1973 Beryl was given the sign.“
David’s older brother Ross, an engine driver, looked after the sign in his garage and it went with him each time he moved house in Palmerston North.
Over the years, some of the timber had deteriorated having seen better days. Ross Allen arranged to get a friend, Griff Davies, to repair it. He then started stripping off the old paint and found the old lettering was still visible.
David (number three in the Allen family) also worked for the railways as a signal and electrical inspector.
In 2023, he took over the task of painting and restoring the sign in his Whitby garage so he could bring it back to its former glory. While repainting the lettering David saw that the first “O” wasn’t quite in line with the other letters. He deliberately kept it that way as old photos confirm that this was the south end sign.
After discussing what to do with the now restored sign the Allen Family - Ross, Lynette, David and Grant (also an engine driver in Palmerston North) agreed that the sign needed to return home to Foxton.
Foxton railway station displaying the returned sign
On behalf of the family, David Allen said: “It is our pleasure to return the sign to the people of Foxton as a reminder of the past. We are thankful to our wonderful parents Roy and Beryl Allen who gave so much to the community in many different ways.”
He added: ”Railways [have] been in our DNA on our mum’s side. Her dad and brother both worked on the railways as well as her three sons, and also a grandson Andrew, who is an engine driver in Australia.
“Although Lynette never worked for the railways she has lovingly listened to and tolerated all the railway stories told by her three brothers!
“It’s wonderful how a wooden sign can bring back so many memories within the family and the Foxton community.
“We were privileged to be brought up in the wonderful and caring town of Foxton.”
