Up coming open days

Please remember our two open days are coming up next month on:

July Saturday 5th

July Sunday 13th

Come along and see the progress since we shut and have a go. If you've never been, come along and see what it's all about, this is for anyone of any age, expericence or knowledge.

We hope to see you there, don't forget it's free!!

Pleases remember we have to use the back gate, THE FROUNT GATES WILL NOT BE OPEN!! Parking is available in the Nightingale surgury 

Great Well Drive

Romsey

SO51

England

Ding Ding; Romsey Signalbox crew Entering Section

Today, the friends of Romsey signal box were let loose around England as they went on their first ever social day trip to visit other preserved signal boxes. Friends on the trip were:

• David Trewern
• Keith Phillips
• Gavin Brooker
• Jamie Brooker
• Peter Chatfield (joined us at Ropley)
• Janet Payne
• Ben Cook
• Tom
• Roger Pleasant
• Dick Hewett (who kindly provided transport)

The day started by the members meeting just outside Romsey/getting picked up on our way out as we headed for our first signal box of the day, Ropley on the Mid Hants line, we were to meet Peter there as he had come down on the train. When we arrived, we were greeted by Jim Russell, Distric Inspector from the organisation. He took us up into the box and answered any of our questions alongside the signalman working the box. We had talks about the progress of signalling on the line, near feature advancements of Ropley signal box, and anything else we wanted to know about the signalling of the line and general discussion on mainline signalling.


Once we had been into the box and got in the way of the signalman a couple of times, we had to tear
ourselves away from the excitement of an actual working box and proceed to our next location, St Albans signal box.

Like Romsey, St Albans is a preserved signal box that runs simulations, the only difference is, they are very close to the main line (and very, very fast trains!!). They gave us a tour of their site and showed us how they worked their open days. We were very impressed by their extensive collection of signalling artefacts and  all the demonstration material they had in their visitor centre: token block demonstration, communication demonstration, upper/lower quadrant demo, e.t.c.


After having a look around and some of the members (mostly Jamie) having a play on some of the ground frames and demonstration material in the bottom of the box (their visitor centre) we were allowed upstairs to see the business end of things.

Once up there we were given information on the box and its workings, followed by a simulation. After this, the members were let loose on the frame. Jamie was volunteered to go first, and... broke the simulator. After resolving the problem, other members had goes working the frame and learning about the box. At the end, Jamie had another go at the frame, and broke it again (this time it was not his fault, it was a frequently reoccurring problem, so we let him off).


Overall, a very good day was had by all. Ideas on modification to Romsey box/how we run open days were suggested and it has given us some good things to go away and think about.

Please follow the link here for St Albans website

 Photos from today;






Update

Want to get more regular updates? Why not join our Facebook page and get notified when we update our blog and get updates about open days and other events at the signal box, click here for the link, or search for Romsey Signal Box in facebook.

May the 4th open day

Lots of progresse has taken place since our last update. 

 



For a start, the painting of the interior of the box is very near completion. The top half of the box has been completed by our fantastic team of painters mainly Dave and Keith. They have spent many weeks, sanding, priming, more sanding, undercoating and finally painting the box to give it a fresh look. Dave says, "We have tried hard to make the inside look smart, but still keep a feel for a working signal box. If the box was in operation there would not have been much time (or space) for decorators to get in the box, so it would just be touched up here and there when possible." So far, the top half of the inside has been complete and finished (above brown stripe) and today. work started on top coating the bottom half.

Keith says, "We are at a stage where the surface has been prepared well and the task of actually painting the inside will take very little time, more time is spent in preparation than in painting. It shouldn't be more than 2 weeks until we have the inside of the box back to normality, then work begins on the outside of the box before the open day in July."



Elsewhere on site, members have been busy keeping the gardens in shape. With Dave and Keith otherwise occupied, they have had little time for gardening, and, with all the rain and the sun, everything has put on a growth spurt. Jamie worked hard mowing the lawn as it was surprisingly long and took a couple of goings over with the lawnmower (working down in height). This generated a lot of cuttings and these have been left in our composter to break down for use around the site.




Neil was also at work in the garden, his day started by taking a trip to the local garden centre to get some garden canes so that he could plant out some French beans. Along side the beans, rhubarb is also growing. We are looking to add a couple more veg plants so that the members will be able to take home some goods, come harvest.

Grass after cutting

Once veg duties were complete, Neil started some general tiding in preparation for the up coming open days (tiding was needed regardless). Flower beds were weeded and plants dead headed and trimmed when over hanging path ways.

Yong member Josh continued work on the trolley seating area (originally built by the previous young members) and has nearly finished sanding it sown. A few ply wood boards need replacing, and once this is done, it can be painted and replaced on the trolley.

Young members project : trolley seating area

Ben also continued work on his project of renovating the boundary marker. Old paint removal has been completed and it has also had dust and oil removed. Next month it can be primed and then top coated.

A pump was also added to the water butt to allow water to be dispersed around the site with ease, and this will also save water, and less water = lower water bill = happy treasurer.

Peter continued work on restoring the Cowley Bridge Junction block instruments and bells (we could see our model signal box working in the not too distant future).

Over all, another productive work day. Don't forget our planned open days in July are Saturday the 5th, and Sunday the 13th, hope to see you there.

New Fencing and Interior Redecoration

The new fencing is almost complete, with just a couple of minor adjustments to carry out.

Temporary boarding has been erected where the new gates will be installed.  These will be fitted in the near future.






The old fencing was looking distinctly "tired" and so the new fencing will enhance the overall appearance of the site.  It will also add to the security.

The ongoing redecoration of the inside of the signal box is now well advanced.
The ceiling is complete and the windows, frames and door have been prepared, primed and undercoated.

The windows are due to be glossed on Tuesday the 1st April.  The outside of the wooden cupboards have been prepared and undercoated.  These are now also ready for the top coat of paint.

There is now just a small amount of preparation work to carry out on the lower walls.  These can then be primed, undercoated and glossed.

We are getting to the stage where things will take shape very quickly.  We want to get this inside work completed because we need to move to the outside of the box by the summer.

Dave

Sunday 3rd of March

Anther day at the box, and most of the day was used up by a meeting to discuss what the plans were for the cowley bridge biulding. Little work was done on site (a little tiding here and there). But Keith was cracking on with the box interior, the roof is complete and now he's working on the windows and walls.

In the near feuture, the fencing arround the box is to be replaced and improved.

New flooring will be installed in the box.

And in a slightly further feuture, the box interior painting will be finished.

At the moment the box is not at risk of flooding, there is pleanty of room in the old canal, and after the recent storms, everything is still as it was.

Another work day at the box.

As we are now shut to the public, due to the building developments, we are running PRIVATE members work days on the first Sundays of the month (the same as if we were open normally). Today, there were numerous jobs happening:



The first job was the painting of the inside of the signal box. This job is being carried out by our fantastic maintenance team, Keith and David, who give up many hours of their spear time. Their project in the winter months of the closed season is to completely repaint and renovate the inside of the signal box, whilst trying to maintain the feel of an authentic working signal box. At the moment they are working on the ceiling of the box. As you can see in the picture, development has been made since the last post, and the majority of the ceiling has been undercoated, to further this, a paint colour has been matched to the original paint of the ceiling, wood work and both colours for the walls. Once all the wall painting has been done, David and Keith will  continue with the outside of the box, which is a high priority as it is in a poor state. When we enter winter this year, Dave and Keith will look at repainting and renovating the frame, leavers and locking mechanism (not painting the locking), we are also excited with the possible addition of some full height leavers! Watch this space for more updates.






The second of the jobs being carried out today was general gardening. Neil spent the day weeding and doing some general tiding of the site and gardens. All plant beds are now clear of last years plants and are ready for this years growth. Our vegetable patch was also initiation today, as rhubarb was planted and is soon to be joined by some runner beans. This will give us something to look forward to in the autumn.






Finally, the main job of the day, was to clear the fence around the perimeter of the site as we are soon to have new, more secure, fencing installed around the Signal Box. This job was taken on by Gavin, Jamie, Peter, Josh, Tom, Ben and help from Neil. Anything we wanted to keep, i.e sleepers, slabs and cable, had to be cleared, and anything we didn't want, was left to be taken away.


In clearing the fence line, we also cleared the area where the Cowley bridge building will be located. This meant removing the slabs the small shed had been sat on and moving them somewhere safe (back of the site). We have also moved any unwanted broken pieces of slabs onto the site of Cowley bridge as this will be used as hard-core in the foundations of the building.

And we mustn't forget the most important job of the day, and that was tea drinking and cake eating, with a multitude of cakes, the 8 members who turned up were outnumber by the amount of cake.


We would like to take this opportunity to remind you again, we are not open to the public, regularly, on the first Sunday of the month, however, we are planning some special events later in the year. Also, if you are a member planning on attending one of our work days on the first Sunday of the month, please contact someone as we have to use the back entrance to the site.