C & PRR Railway

Princes Risborough North Signal Box: Recent History

As detailed elsewhere, the signal box is on land owned by Network Rail and has trains running past. NR's safety management rules apply, and unrestricted access is not possible. Indeed for many years, no access at all by CPRR members was possible (see earlier history pages). After the events of mid 2011 Network Rail arranged some occasional supervised access to the box. In Spring 2012, they have been able to provide some fencing which should help, but the need for supervision and access permits each time still means any access is very limited.

We have 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; dealt with a burst pipe and installed an indoor stopcock; fitted additional ventilators to dry out the damp; uncovered and repaired an excavator-damaged drain; uncovered and inspected the septic tank; improved security on the window/door boarding; got some of the lights working (in areas not affected by the flooding); cleared undergrowth from the rear wall; fitted a prop to support the roof where a timber has rotted; replaced a missing gutter downpipe and missing parts of two others; disposed of a rotting rabbit and a small dear skeleton; listed and photographed some of the other defects.

Unfortunately the water main was severed during the laying of a new fast track through the station, making cleaning up after the pigeons difficult! We have now installed a temporary rainwater harvesting tank to partially overcome this setback.

To fund these initial works we are running an appeal for funds, and this has financed the works above. We need this appeal to continue to be successful if we are to continue the work. For more information about how we are funded, or to support our appeal, please use the buttons on the left.

Meanwhile the world moves on around us. The recent increase in speeds and use of loco-hauled stock on the Chiltern line has increased the noise and vibration felt inside the box. There's nothing to suggest that this is worsening the cracks in the brickwork yet, but it is focussing our minds on the problem and we're looking at ways to stabilise things. After that, timberwork is likely to be the focus along with organising some clean-up gangs. Clearly all this depends on developments regarding access and ownership.

If you'd like to get involved, please use the button on the left to find out how.

The Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway Association is a registered charity. It and the railway it owns are operated, managed, developed and maintained entirely by volunteers.