Restoration - page 2 Princes Risborough North Signal Box

2016 The winter months were reasonably kind to us with no snow or frozen water pipes etc. We were able to open up the old fireplaces on the operating floor and on chilly days had a roaring log fire using all the rotten old wood we had taken out. When the weather lifted we started taking down the external plywood boarding only to find we just had a couple of good windows. With the aid of a generous local sponsor we glazed several more sashes and found ourselves painting many more. There were still plenty more left to do by year end. Another highlight of 2016 was the unveiling ceremony of the replica name plates on the outside of the box by the local Mayor and several railway VIPs. Also this year we held our first public Open Day. We were pleasantly surprised by the number of visitors expressing an interest in what we were doing. But of course the biggest event of 2016 was running the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway’s first passenger steam train service into Princes Risborough. To stand in the signal box and see the plumes of white smoke rise outside the window and to smell that unmistakable combination of coal, oil and steam defies description! There had been a lot of preparatory work done and the ‘behind-the-scenes’ photograph above, taken from the signal box shows just how much work was still needed to firstly find where platform 4 used to be, and then rebuild it. Note the rusty rails!