Dawlish Signal Box

Can anyone throw any light on the situation at Dawlish station with regards the Signal Box?

Local press states:- DAWLISH TODAY | NEWS | Signal box: now call for green light for action | 2011

Local opinion is somewhet less enthusiastic:- Railway Signal Box | Dawlish.com

Both reports are 12 months old

It looks from these recent photos that it is almost beyond hope:- OCA Photography: Variety with low lighting: disused Dawlish signal box.

 

There are problems in restoring a box such as Dawlish which is on a station platform - and one that is not particularly wide as well. At St Albans South we had the advantage of beng clear of the railway station and therefore being self-contained.
The comments from local resident seem to concentrate on the 'clear derelict buildings away' but restoration is better sometimes. Is the box listed? That will affect things, of course!

 

It is Grade II listed I believe. I have always thought that its position would make for a spectacular vista from its windows, and that restoration into some form of small local Art gallery or Tourist Information Centre would make for a great deal of sense. It would be a shame for it to be moved given its wonderful location or worse still demolished - it is an unusual design with the working floor atop a narrower locking room with an interesting curved sweep connecting the two.

Personally I feel the attitudes of the locals on the thread linked above to be rather barbaric.

 

I wouldn't necessarily say the attitudes themselves are barbaric; imagine how you would feel if one of the most prominent areas of your town was blighted by a scene of dereliction like that. We as railway enthusiasts are aware of its importance, but to me it is for those who are able to appreciate the significance of such a structure to explain this and to educate.

 

If there were a derelict historic building in a prominent area of my town I would be calling for its restoration, not its demolition - regardless of its origins.

 

A commendable attitude, but certainly not one that is overwhelmingly prevalent.

I still stand by my comment regarding it being incumbent on those who are aware of the significance of something, whether a building or otherwise, to express this. If people do not know of the rarity or history of something, then this will affect their perception of its value. Just because something is old doesn't necessarily mean its historic; my last car was old but it sure as hell wasn't historic.

Ultimately the area around Dawlish station is pretty tatty with a large work compound at the end of the car park and the derelict signalbox and it is understandable that there are some local residents who want to see the area tidied up.

 

Sadly, it is all too common a tactic for those who 'inherit' an awkward listed building to deliberately neglect it to a point where demolition is the only answer. When Railtrack, as it then was, took over the infrastructure they also took responsibility for maintaining it. So British to go for the fast buck of commercial development on station sites to fund shareholders' dividends and more importantly directors' bonuses, and to duck out of the awkward and unremunerative bits like old signalboxes of architectural interest. Saltash station is another example of a building left to go to rack and ruin in typical British slovenliness;ironically right next to it is a sign 'Welcome to Cornwall'!

That is what I call barbaric or at least Philistine. I can't see that happening in Austria or Switzerland.

Come on; whatever happened to pride?

 

For an example of local pride, St. Albans South SB has always been a wonderful community project in my view - the 'box was listed so the locals leased it from NR and restored it - hey presto no-one compaining about the eyesore anymore, a communal project to further community spirit and pride, a listed building saved, and an interesting attraction to boot. Perhaps the locals on that Dawlish forum calling for the 'box to be demolished should take a look at it?

 

Thanks for the compliments re St Albans South, but if I can make the minor correction that the Trust hasn't bought the box - we only have it for 25 years on a peppercorn rent from Network Rail.
You might be interested to know too that it took over 3 years to finalise the lease from NR as they kept putting in the usual clause giving them the ability to give us 6 months notice to clear out. None of our funders would wear that, of course, and eventually common-sense prevailed. At least we didn't have to go as far as Didcot Steam Centre did with involving their MP to get a similar clause scrubbed from the new lease they were trying to get!
John Webb
Trustee/Publicity Officer, St Albans Signal Box Preservation Trust

 

I've edited the above post. You are most welcome regarding the comments. Perhaps you'd like to do something similar in Dawlish...?!

 

Any further discussion about Dawlish Signal Box is now academic - it was demolished at the beginning of July.

Peter Jordan

 

Got to laugh. thats killed that thread.