An award-winning Victorian-style signal box built in Corfe Castle by dedicated volunteers – and set to control trains to the main line at Wareham – has been officially opened by the Minister of State for Transport, the Rt Hon Theresa Villiers MP.
The historic ceremony took place on Thursday, 17 May, 2012 – 40 years after British Rail controversially closed the ten mile branch line to Swanage – with 90 invited guests travelling to Corfe Castle station on a special heritage diesel rail bus from Norden Park and Ride.
Before cutting a ceremonial green ribbon at the foot of the wooden steps to the signal box, Rail Minister Theresa Villiers congratulated the Swanage Railway volunteers on a “fabulous job”, adding that she was “so impressed with what you have managed to achieve here.”
The Minister of State for Transport also revealed that she visited the Swanage Railway two or three years ago – describing the volunteer-run stream railway as “a wonderful thing for families” – and added that she enjoyed “a great day.”
After being given a guided tour of the new signal box, Theresa Villiers said she was “very impressed” by the commitment shown by the Purbeck Community Rail Partnership in working to re-instate passenger trains between Swanage and the main line at Wareham.
The new Corfe Castle signal box built in the Victorian style of the 1885 original demolished in 1956 is an important part of the reinstatement of regular passenger trains between Swanage and Wareham.
Network Rail’s £33 million Poole to Wool re-signalling scheme – due to be completed in May, 2013 – will include the ability to run trains from Swanage to the main line at Wareham, with the new Corfe Castle signal box being linked to Network Rail’s Basingstoke signalling centre.
