SIGNAL BOXES TO VISIT

(Updated 19th July 2022)

Armathwaite Station Signal box

http://www.foscl.org.uk/content/armathwaite-station-signalbox

Another box now looked after by the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle line. See the linked page on their website for opening details.

Brading Station and signal box

https://www.brading.gov.uk/brading-railway-heritage-centre/

The box can be visited from the beginning of May to the end of October on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday but you need to arrange your visit in advance - see the details on the website.

  • Tearooms
  • Railway Heritage Centre (Open 10am-4pm Weds, Sats, Suns)
  • Signal Box Tours (group bookings available)
  • Tourist Information Point and The RSPB Reserve close by.

Crawley Signal Box

http://www.crawley.cyng.org.uk/SignalBox.html

We are open on the third Saturday of the month from March to November. Any changes/additions to this are notified on Facebook. Admission is free but donations are most welcome. We are currently working on developing a small museum in the locking room.

Exeter West

http://www.exeterwest.org.uk/

Here's a signal box put to good use - it moved a little from its original location. Contents: Welcome, history, moving, rebuilding, today, visit us, join.  

Princes Risborough North Signal Box

http://www.risboroughbox.org.uk/

One of our preserved railways has a much large box than us, and have almost completed its restoration! Read all about it at this website. It will in the future control the Chinor and Princes Risborough Railway's trains which are now running into a revived platform. Part of the box will eventually be open to demonstrate the working of signal boxes in a similar way to our demonstrations at St Albans.

Occasional Open Days are held to show the work in progress - see their website.

Romsey Signal Box

http://www.romseysignalbox.org.uk/

Someone bought a signal box and gave us an example to follow some years later. The Romsey signal box. Visit the Signal Box, A short history, Diagrams and Operations, Latest news, Cowley Bridge, Join "The Friends", Contact us, Links to other signalling sites

Settle Signal Box

http://www.foscl.org.uk/content/settle-station-signal-box

A link to the restored box at Settle Station on the famous Settle-Carlisle line. This box is just over a year older than ours at St Albans, and significantly smaller! But like us the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line have restored the box and open it on a regular basis - see the linked page for details.

Swindon Panel Preservation

http://www.swindonpanel.org.uk/

This group has preserved the Swindon Panel, one of the original Western Region "turn push" type panels, as an example of the staple panel design of the Great Western since the 1960s, before they all close forever in the next few years. Construction of a building at the Didcot Railway Centre to house the panel started in 2015 to house the panel which came out of use in February 2016. In April 2016 the panel was moved from Swindon to Didcot and into the new building. A "Grand Opening" took place on the 23rd June 2018. Please see their website for details of when the panel is on public display.

Chorleywood Signal Box

https://www.chorleywoodsignalbox.co.uk/

A new project initiated in 2020. They had hoped to reopen the box to the public as a local museum, in particular looking at the way the railway caused the locality to grow and the "Metroland" publicity of the 1920s and 30s. Regrettably the costs of converting the box and keeping in compliance with the requirements of Transport for London, who own it, were too high for the project to proceed. But the society has produced an interesting book looking at the history of the railway and Chorleywood - see their website for details. 

The box was last used in the 1960s, and contains no signalling equipment.

(Updated 12th June, 2023)

Epping Signal Cabin

https://www.eppingmuseum.com/

Situated alongside live running Central Line trains on the approach to Epping station is this unique LONDON TRANSPORT signal cabin. It is the only Cabin on the entire Underground network in preservation and open to the public. It is this signalling cabin and our Locomotive L11 that together make up Epping Museum.

The box is open usually on Saturdays 10am-4.30pm - see the website for details.

Signal Box Videos

The Signalling Record Society is operating the "FARSAP" project - the "Film Archive of Railway Signalling & People"

See the following link  for details and access to the many videos now available:

https://www.s-r-s.org.uk/archivevideo.php