At Constable Burton near Leyburn in North Yorkshire, The Wensleydale Railway is rebuilding a Victorian signal box that used to serve Hertford East railway station on the line from London Liverpool Street..
Rebuilding the signal box started in late 2022, but despite the challenging weather conditions during last winter and the early part of this year, work is progressing well.
The signal box needed to be removed when the station platform at Hertford East Station was extended so that it could accommodate the new ten-carriage commuter trains being operated by Greater Anglia.
After removal, the signal box was donated by Greater Anglia to the Wensleydale Railway and, together with the Railway Heritage Trust, provided £90,000 of grant funding towards the cost of its restoration.
Demolition of the signal box took place in 2021 when each piece of the timber-framed box was carefully dismantled, catalogued, removed, packed onto flat-bed lorries, and transported to North Yorkshire.
To prepare for rebuilding the signal box, a new foundation base was constructed and the signal box timbers were cleaned, repaired, treated and painted.
Rebuilding has reached the stage where the main timber structure has been assembled.
Work is now progressing using the original materials to rebuild the external timber walls and complete the roof and chimney.
A team of dedicated volunteers is carrying out the reconstruction work, and, where appropriate, using traditional techniques to reflect the signal box's heritage.
Once the signal box has been rebuilt and its lever frame fully fitted out, it will control the passing loop at Constable Burton.
Progress in rebuilding the box can be seen by passengers on trains passing Constable Burton to and from Leyburn.
The Wensleydale Railway's next major event is a Model Railway Show at Leeming Bar station on Bank Holiday weekend from Saturday 4th to Monday 6th May.
This is a very large timber structure and will be the largest signal box to be fully dismantled on the national network and re-assembled on a heritage railway.
Most Victorian signal boxes were demolished but this one was spared as it is a Grade II Listed Building. It is one of the last Great Eastern type 7s and dates from the 1880s.”
David Walker, Director and Trustee of the Wensleydale Railway
This project is another example of the high-quality work undertaken by our railway's charitable organisation, the Wensleydale Railway Association (Trust).
Having lovingly restored Scruton and Leeming Bar stations with funding support including from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Railway Heritage Trust, this project once again demonstrates the Trust's dedication to preserving railway heritage for future generations to enjoy.”
Nick Keegan, Fundraising and Marketing Manager at Wensleydale Railway
Rebuilding a signal box is purely cosmetic – surely there are better and more practical ways of spending money on the line especially in these tough economic times ? I can think of a few.