URGENT UPDATE

We have recently been informed that the bridge under the railway has been locked up (probably by network rail). Anyone who was thinking of attending and planning to park in the Nightingale surgery can either walk along the canal to get in, or should park somewhere else (see visit page of website).

More updates as soon as we get them.

Double post alert!

Cowley Bridge signal box

Don't forget the signal box is open this Sunday with usual activities going on. We would also like to announce the exciting news that as of next year, we will be opening twice a month!!!!

Members trip to St Albans SB

For this we will, of course,  be needing more volunteers to operate Cowley bridge, give signalling demos in Romsey box, serve drinks at our cafe and people to be a welcoming face around the site. If you feel you can help, please get in touch, we will be running training days for giving Romsey demos and operating Cowley Bridge in the near future. There's plenty of jobs to do on open days and as a member you get unlimited free tea and some cake when you're helping out. We're also looking for gardeners and maintenance workers to help out on open days and workdays in the week, so you don't need signalling knowledge to help out.

Members 'party' at christmas

End of a work day

Anyone can help in one way or another, and we're happy to teach you about signalling if you have no exsperience but want to lean. We're a friendly dedicated bunch of people to work with. We don't care if your a GWR supporter, LMS, LNER, Southern or you have no clue what any of this means, you can help (Southern supporters get more cake... we wish!).

Dave being very dedicated

Unlike preserved railways, if you just want to oporate the frame, you don't have to go through months of training, we just teach the basics and arrange an operating day.

Team work!!!

You also get the exclusive opportunity to come on our members only trips to preserved railways/signal boxes. We're looking into heading to the Isle of Wight steam railway and Brading in the spring, so please get involved.

Visit our membership page for more details/sign up

October open day

Although our aim on the first Sunday of the month, now that we've reopened, is to prioritise the public, we often have enough volenteers present to do some work as well. On this open day Neil and the younger members started coating the Cowley bridge biulding with a weather proof seal (additional to the wood preservative we've already got on there)

Gavin did some metal restoration. He's striped and painted an old signal lever and started work on a lever clamp. This is one that we found in an area where the signal box used to stand so is probably an original from the box and is probably from lever A,B or 24 (which the frame no longer has).

Gavin also cut out some coloured disks to go in the GWR signal. These aren't see through, but are the best we can do for the time being.

Jamie sank a post to hold the 4 aspect signal for our new signing display (opening soon) and he also spent time on Cowley bridge training young member Matthew. In addition, while peter was on CB frame, he gave member Garth an introduction to the new frame/setup.

A hygiene inspector came on Sunday and passed out 'the buffer stop' cafe with flying colours, giving it 5 stars (and yes, he did have his glasses on, we're really that good)

Although quiet on the visitor frount, it was a good day and plenty went on!!

Something new??

After our work day yesterday, signs are appearing of a new display that should be active by spring next year!  More info soon, or come along on Sunday to find out more