The Friends of Romsey Signal Box

<BODY> <P ALIGN=JUSTIFY>Romsey Signal Box is a working museum which gives an insight into the life of a railway signalman. Visitors see how a signalman controlled trains as they passed through his area of control, with the special bell codes being rung out to announce the passing of trains and the levers pulled to set the points and signals.</P> <P ALIGN=JUSTIFY>Until 1982 Romsey Signal Box controlled the railway junction at Romsey in Hampshire, with passenger and freight trains running between Southampton and Salisbury and a branch line leading down to Eastleigh. The resignalling works carried out by British Rail meant that the box wasn't needed any more, and it was scheduled for demolition. <B>Romsey & District Buildings Preservation Trust</B> stepped in and bought the signal box and its lever frame, and with the co-operation of the local authorities the signal box was lifted into the grounds of the adjacent infants school. The <B>Friends of Romsey Signal Box</B> then became involved and restored the signalling equipment to working order.</P> <P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Now the signal box opens at regular intervals throughout the year, and young and old alike can find out how it all works, and even act as signal men and women themselves, safe in the knowledge that although everything works like the real thing, you can't cause a train crash at Romsey Signal Box!</P> <P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The Signal Box is open to visitors on the first Sunday of every month (excluding January), from 10.00am to 4.00pm. The Signal Box also opens in association with some special events in Romsey. In addition, the Signal Box can be opened for special visits from enthusiast groups or school parties looking for a bit of "living history". To find out more, e-mail us at <A HREF="mailto:info@romseysignalbox.org.uk">info@romseysignalbox.co.uk</A>.</P> <H3>How to find us</H3> <P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Romsey Signal Box is located in the grounds of Romsey Infant School, Plaza Parade, Winchester Road, Romsey. The entrance off of Winchester Road is slightly obscure; look for the gateway at the right-hand end of a row of shops ("Plaza Parade"). To obtain a map of the locality, <A HREF="http://streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?postcode2map?so51+8ja&Romsey+Signal+Box&Click+here+to+return+to+The+Friends+of+Romsey+Signal+Box&http://users.waitrose.com/~stevehailes/index.html&y"TARGET=_NEW>follow this link</A>. If the link fails, you can use your favourite internet streetmap resource (We use streetmap.co.uk but there are others!) and use the school's postcode, SO51 8JA. There is parking available in the grounds of the Infants School. If coming by public transport, we are about fifteen minutes' walk from Romsey Station, and Romsey town is also served by local bus routes.</P> </BODY>