FURTHER PROGRESS ON THE NEW 'VICTORIAN' SIGNAL BOX AT CORFE CASTLE - BRICKWORK BASE TAKES SHAPE - Sunday 10th August 2008.

Photo Report from Andrew P.M. Wright - dated 12th August 2008
Official photographer & press officer, Swanage Railway.
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Barry Brickell (left) with John Drew (right) at work on the new Corfe Castle signal box at Corfe Castle station.

By Andrew P.M. Wright

Dedicated Swanage Railway volunteers rebuilding Corfe Castle station's Victorian signal box demolished back in the 1950s have started the first courses of bricks that form the base of the impressive new structure.

For full background details for this project, please see the earlier news item here and here

The bricks may be brand new but they have been fired to look as though they are old and reclaimed.

Going, going, gone! Barry Goodwin shows his expertise with the hammer and chisel.

The aim is to make the brick base of the new signal box - on the 'down' platform of the picture postcard station - match that of the 1884-built waiting shelter next door.

Despite the hot weather on Sunday 10th August 2008, the determined trio of John Drew, Barry Brickell and Barry Goodwin worked like Trojans as passengers waiting for trains to arrive at the down platform looked down through the metal fire fence at the rapid progress.

Passengers waiting at Corfe Castle's down platform look through the fence at the rapid progress.

The original signal box on the 'down' platform at Corfe Castle station was built in 1884, opened with the line in May, 1885, and was closed in 1956 when a new signal box was built in an extended porters' lobby on the 'up' platform - part of the main station building.

The old signal box on the 'down' platform was closed and demolished because of land subsidence and the fact that the base of the wooden signal box was rotting.

Barry Brickell (left) cleans the brickwork on the new Corfe Castle signal box at Corfe Castle station, and Barry Goodwin looks on as John Drew lays another brick in the wall.

The new rebuilt version of the old 1884-built signal box will be the same height and depth as the original structure but it will be a third wider along the face of the platform.

And unlike the original signal box - which was joined to the neighbouring wooden waiting shelter - there will be a small access gap between the waiting shelter and the new signal box.

Apart from that, the aim is to make the new signal box look exactly like that of its 1884-built predecessor - an impressive structure that will compliment the station.

The building project is being funded by the Swanage Railway's 200 Club which is celebrating its 30th year.

You can visit the 200 Club's website at http://www.davidfsaunders.org.uk/railway/ by clicking here. Treasurer David Saunders can also be contacted by email - railway@davidfsaunders.org.uk - by phone on 01202 882022 or by post via the Swanage station address below. David looks forward to hearing from you.

As well as joining the 200 Club - or increasing existing subscriptions to the Club - one-off donations can also be made to the Swanage Railway Trust. Marked 'Corfe Castle signal box appeal' for the attention of Pete Ashton, they should be sent to Swanage Railway, Station House, Station Approach, Swanage, Dorset BH19 1HB.

To see the full set of photos, please scroll down to the bottom of the page.