Silverstream Bridge station had a bit of a start-stop checkered history. It had also a number of name changes through its life, so I suspect there was no name board until much later. It was first opened in late 1877 or maybe January of 1878, three years after the line was completed, as a simple request stop, with no shelter building and probably not even a raised platform for access to the Silverstream Bridge picnic grounds. A request stop is like a bus stop - wave to the driver to get on, let the ticket collector know where you want to get off. The stop was closed sometime about 1892-93
It was opened again in 1908 and closed again in 1917. This is recorded as "a stopping place for passengers", so I suspect it was again just a stop for the picnic grounds. But in 1927 the Silverstream Hospital (now the Silverstream Retreat) was built adjacent to the station and taken over by American forces, and the station was opened again as Hospital Siding or Silverstream Bridge Siding in 1948. I think Silverstream Bridge Siding was the official name, but many referred to it as Hospital Siding. Was this variability in naming again due to a lack of a signboard? For the last three years of this period "Siding" was removed, and the station name was back in the timetables as Silverstream Bridge. During the period that the station fed the hospital there was a large three sided shelter. There is no record of any other improvements to the site.
The Eastern Hutt branch line with its double tracking spelled the end of the Silverstream Bridge stop. The line from here to Silverstream Station (the next station north) hugs the hills and could not to be double-tracked. A new double-tracked bridge was built 600m north and the old bridge and line was removed in 1955. Some of the rail line however is still in place and is used by the Silverstream Heritage Rail Society.
Crossing the Silverstream Bridge on the way to the Trentham races, circa 1925.
Silverstream Bridge Station, 1948.