General News

General News (Posted 22/08/2010)

· Visit by our fraternal colleagues from St Albans South, February (see The Signal, Spring 2010)

· Joint Event with Romsey Railway Modellers' Society, March, a great success (see The Signal, Spring 2010)

· The Friends' AGM held in June: Dick Hewett (re-)elected as Honorary President; Dick's Leaving Event attended by the Mayor and Mayoress of Test Valley and the Mayor and Mayoress of Romsey, by friends old and new, and by members of Romsey & District Buildings Preservation Trust and Romsey & District Society (see next issue of The Signal for full details)

· S&T Working Party now operate as a sub-committee, also agree plans to develop the outside signalling installation, existing S&T works inside the signal box continue.

· We acquire new signals, thanks to Epping-Ongar Railway, also new signal repeaters.

· Clive Millward, Site Manager, joins S&T Working Party.

· Mike Walshaw, S&T Lead, takes temporary break to work on Swanage Railway's new Corfe Castle Signal Box, and is thanked for his input by the Friends.

· Site works continue, including new telegraph pole(!), thanks to Clive, Joan, Rod, Gavin and others.

· Younger folks, Luke, Zack, Jamie, George and others work on the wagons and other projects.

· Superb new signs by Rod Hoyle installed.

· Heritage Open Days Weekend Event will be Saturday 11th September, 10-5, and Sunday 12th September, 10-4.

· Application for fund-raising scheme for this Event; also volunteers wanted to attend during Heritage Open Days Event - operate the box/help out on site etc - please let us know if/when you can attend, thank you.



Developing the Project....

We are an exciting, constantly developing project. If ever we were a sleepy backwater, we aren't now! (Though stopping to have a cup of tea is always on the agenda.)

But we are always looking for new volunteers - Romsey Signal Box needs YOU!

We operate a 'zero pressure' policy: any amount of volunteering is a bonus, full stop. 'Volunteering' is just that: you give whatever you want to of your time, and whatever you give is gratefully accepted. You're assured of a warm welcome, and the kettle's on pretty permanently....

Update posted by Peter Chatfield
Chairman, Friends of Romsey Signal Box

News Update

(Date of publish estimated due to no date on original post)

1) After a long and distinguished contribution at the centre of Romsey Signal Box Project, Dick Hewett is registering his personal 7-5-5 (closing signal box!) and has now retired from active involvement. A vote of thanks was passed at the last meeting of the Friends of Romsey Signal Box Committee and, as mentioned above, a special event is planned.

2) Following Dick's resignation as Treasurer, we are delighted to welcome Joan Bennett as our new Treasurer.

3) Romsey Signal Box is aiming to run an annual schedule of events as follows:

January: Operating Day (Adults)
February-December: Open Days monthly
March: Open Weekend to co-inside with model railway exhibition
September: Heritage Open Days Weekend Event
November: Operating Day (Younger Members)
Other special events may be advertised from time to time. However, the above schedule is ambitious enough given our volunteer capacity as a small project!

4) Site Works: we plan about 3-4 working party days each year - all are very welcome, £0 per hour will be paid, unlimited tea/coffee available, and the company's not that bad either.... Much work has been done to landscape the site, define borders, improve the walkways, shrubs and plants. The Visitor Centre has been developed to display signalling and railway artefacts. Restoration and display of external artefacts is also ongoing. Further details on working parties will be advertised in the next 'The Signal', or can be obtained via the Chairman's email address.

5) S&T Group: will probably meet about 3 times this year. The range of working S&T equipment has considerably widened, thanks to the Group. Current work includes fitting lever locks, restoring telephone equipment - including a connection to our Visitor Centre - and commissioning additional working signals. Further details will be advertised in the next 'The Signal', or can be obtained via the Chairman's email address.

6) 'The Signal' is our newsletter. We are aiming for quarterly production. Please, however, bear with us if this is less regular than we would like. Like everything else we do, we are entirely dependent on volunteer effort and goodwill.

7) Cowley Bridge Junction is our miniature signal box, currently being built. There is no further news on this, however its 'on the list' for your Chairman to chase up....

8) Romsey & District Buildings Trust continue to give us their invaluable support. I am pleased to report that the signal box has undergone extensive repair and re-decoration recently, thanks to the Trust.

9) Lastly, but definitely not least, it is a tribute to the dedication of our volunteers that Romsey Signal Box continues to thrive as a historic building, working museum, and community asset - thank you all. For those browsing our website, please do show your support for projects like ours. History matters, without it our culture would surely be the poorer, and buildings like the signal box would be lost....

Peter Chatfield
Chairman, Friends of Romsey Signal Box

Operating Manual

For those who are interested in the way that the Romsey Signal Box simulation works, we have produced an operational manual.

Click here to download the latest version of the operating instructions for the signalbox.

"Strongs" sign refurbished

The Strongs sign on the signal box site has been fully restored after the receipt of the grant from the Hampshire Brewery during 2004.

Signal box parts acquired from Network Rail

We have acquired equipment from Network Rail which should enable us to complete the fitting out of Romsey box. After many years searching, we obtained some rods that were made redundant as part of the Bournemouth re-signalling. Thanks to those who were involved in the authorised "raids", especially Bill Tyndall.

Signal Box Guide re-printed

Local printers Borcombe PLC, who produced our first printed guide in 1997, have very generously sponsored a revised edition of our Guide. It's a big improvement on the previous edition and anyone who wants a copy should send Dick Hewett a cheque for £2.00 (which will include P&P).

Lottery Funding Received

The Friends of Romsey Signal Box have received a grant of £4500 from the National Lottery's "Awards for All" scheme towards the costs of re-building an old wooden pavilion which was donated to the Romsey Heritage Trust and has been stored at the site for some four years now. The erection of the building will be undertaken by voluntary labour, and the funds will permit new materials to be purchased. The Pavilion, when erected, will provide toilet and washing facilities at the site. It will also enable us to provide disabled visitors with the opportunity to see what goes on in the signalbox via a video link, as it is not possible to provide disabled access to the operating floor which is upstairs. The remainder of the space will enable us to improve the information displays currently situated in the old container; and by giving us a larger space we will be better able to accommodate groups of visitors who can't all crowd into the signal box operating floor at once!