Restoration - page 1
Princes Risborough North Signal Box
2011 - 2013
The
signal
box
stands
just
yards
away
from
the
Chiltern
main
line
to
Birmingham,
with
line
speeds
of
90mph.
And
that
was
precisely
why
we
were
unable
to
get
access!
Health
&
Safety
rules
meant
we
had
to
wait
until
a
fence
could
be
installed
along
our
path
before
we
were
permitted
regular,
unescorted
access.
With
the
first
temporary
fence
came
limited
access.
We
used
the
time
to
rectify
some
of
the
more
urgent
defects,
and
to
provide
ourselves
with
the
facilities
and
access
needed
to
get
more
work done. For example we:-
Rebuilt a door and fitted a number of locks and bolts
Repaired another door frame and replaced its door
Fixed a burst pipe and installed an indoor stopcock
Fitted additional ventilators to dry out the damp
Uncovered and repaired an excavator-damaged drain
Improved security on the window/door boarding
Got some of the lights working in dry areas
Cleared undergrowth from the rear wall
Fitted a roof support prop where a timber had rotted
Replaced a few missing gutter downpipes
Disposed of a rotting rabbit and a small deer skeleton
Listed and photographed some of the other defects.
Unfortunately
the
water
main
had
been
severed
during
the
laying
of
the
new
Up
fast
track
through
the
station,
making
cleaning
up
after
the
pigeons
difficult!
So
we
installed
a
temporary
rainwater
harvesting
tank
to
partially
overcome
this
setback.
In
October
2013
Network
Rail
provided
a
fenced
safe
walking
route
for
us,
and
granted
permission
for
us
to
resume
the
work.
This
was
excellent
news
and
marked
the
point
where the serious work could start.
2014
So,
what
did
we
find
when
we
got
back
in
the
box?
The
electrical
supply
had
gone.
The
box
was
boarded
up
so
it
was
pitch
black
inside.
The
roof
was
in
a
very
sorry
state
but
did
let
some
daylight
(and
rain)
in!
The
picture
on
the
right
will
give
you
an
idea,
but
luckily
does
not
convey
the
smell
as
the
whole
place
was
covered
in
pigeon
droppings!
As
predicted,
the
cracks
in
the
brickwork
had
widened,
some
by
as
much
as
1.5mm
over
11
months
maily
due
to
vibration
from
the
faster,
heavier
Chiltern
Mainline
loco-hauled
express
trains.
We
urgently
installed
two
steel
ties
running
the
entire length of the building to prevent any further crack widening.
Clambering
over
the
top
of
a
signal
box
yards
away
from
a
main
railway
line
to
repair
the
roof
was
always
going
to
cause
us
a
problem.
We
were
grateful
Network
Rail
came
up
with
a
solution.
They
organised
a
work
party
who,
with
the
aid
of
ropes
and
towers,
went
up
on
the
roof
overnight
outside
of
running
hours
and
replaced
the
damaged
and
missing
slates
thus
making
the
roof
watertight
again.
It
was
not
a
permanent
fix
but at least we could work inside without needing to rig tarpaulins and wear waterproof clothing!
In
all,
2014
was
a
year
of
consolidation
and
repairs
vital
to
the
survival
of
the
box.
From
the
outside
it
might
have
looked
as
if
little
was
done
but
to
us
working
inside
much
was
achieved
in
terms
of
working
conditions
and
security.
Doors
repaired
and
painted,
rotten
wood
in
window
sills
and
pillars
replaced,
sashes
(some
temporary)
re-glazed
and
painted,
the
old
battery
room
converted
into
a
toilet,
bracing
of
window
lintels
to
hold
them
until
full
repairs
could
be
completed,
chimney
breasts
and
fireplaces
sorted
out,
cladding,
cleaning, yet more painting etc.
2015
With
both
Network
Rail
and
Chiltern
Railways
taking
a
very
positive
approach,
our
volunteers
continued
the
vital
repairs
to
the
box
and
were
able
to
start
working
on
some
of
the
more
visible
changes
needed. The highlight of the year was the staircase.
During
its
long
period
of
dereliction,
the
external
staircase
up
to
the
operating
floor
which
houses
the
actual
signal
levers
had
become
so
rotten
and
dangerous
that
it
had
to
be
removed
back
in
2000
before
it
fell
down
of
its
own
accord!
This
left
us
with
no
easy
way
up
to
the
upper
floor,
save
for
climbing
an
internal
ladder
and
crawling
through
a
hole
between
floorboards.
It
came
as
a
great
relief
later
in
2015
when
our
members
completed
building
and
erecting
a
replacement
staircase,
even
utilising
some
of the original parts.
