Signal Box

Looking forward to a visit to Romsey’s historic Signal Box again . . . my visit today once more was ill-timed, on a day that this corner of railway nostalgia was closed to visitors.

The Signal Box has become quite a feature as a museum and where rail buffs can get chance to relive the workings of a live signal box.

Only this one is no longer connected to the rail network. Admittedly, it used to be, until 1982 that is.

It controlled the railway junction at Romsey with passenger and freight trains running between Southampton and Salisbury and a branch line leading to Eastleigh. But resignalling work carried out by British Rail meant that the box became redundant. Fortunately plans to demolish it were shelved when Romsey and District Buildings Preservation Trust stepped in and bought it along with and its workings. Then with support from the local authorities the entire signal box was moved into the grounds of the nearby infants school.

That’s when Friends of Romsey Signal Box became involved and restored the signalling equipment to working order, and turned it into a working museum.