from Culverden to Hanmer Springs and Tophouse, with the line splitting into two branches in Tophouse, one to Nelson and the other down the Wairau River valley to Blenheim.
When a post office opened in 1891, the name was standardised as a single word; the Tophouse locality is located near State Highway 63.
SH 63 begins just to the east of Renwick at SH 6, and parallels the course of the Wairau River for 93 kilometres, originally to the south of the river before crossing to the north side about 20 km from the Marlborough/Tasman border, while passing through the settlements of Wairau Valley, Hillersden and Tophouse.
One notable proposal at this time involved extending the line via Hanmer Springs to Tophouse, and then building two routes from there, one to Nelson and one down the Wairau River valley to Blenheim.