Spooner Row Message Board

I am not sure of the exact route to take but the Attleborough Heritage Group have secured their signal box by getting it listed.    They may be able to help determine the process - it would be a shame to lose what is part of Spooner Row's heritage.     I would think that action needs to be taken sooner rather than later in case it disappears over night !

Hello all

Watching the state of the signal box deterioate over the last few months. I thought that I would ask what Network Rail were up to and then English Heritage.

From Network Rail “there are no current plans for Spooner Row Signal Box. The Route Asset Manager for Buildings that covers the Anglia Route has confirmed that there are no plans to demolish the signal box nor are there any plans to maintain its current condition within the near future.” And further on from the email “Unless the signal box is listed it is unlikely to be retained in the long term due to the associated maintenance costs.”

From English Heritage “After examining all the records and other relevant information and having carefully considered the architectural and historic interest of this case, the criteria for listing are not fulfilled. Spooner Row signal box is therefore not recommended for listing.”

When moving a conversation with Network Rial towards saving the box for a community interest group, the reply from Network Rail was “There has been a recent case where a company has purchased and relocated a signal box; however this is expected to cost approximately £150,000.”

Talking to the Attleborough Heritage Group they have managed to get their box listed with English Heritage but are getting nowhere with National Rail on its future.

I understand that the North Norfolk Railway is interested in a box at Cromer, so them taking Spooner Row is unlikely.

So in summary, it looks as if the Spooner Row Signal Box will be left to rot until just before it becomes a danger to trains and then it will be demolished be Network Rail at a cost of £100k! (And yes, this was the value they put on knocking it down) 

For what it's worth I had a meeting in  the village with 3 Network Rail people & one chap from the Highways Dept last Tuesday regarding some outstanding work that is still do be finished after the new crossing was installed ( this has taken me 9 months to set up !!) . While I was at it I asked what was happening to the signal box, the reply was that they did not know apart from they said it was not listed so would be removed at some time ( these people were an Area Level Crossing manager , and 2 other Area Manager's ). They also commented that the North Norfolk Railway were going to have it but they are now getting one from Cromer. I also asked if they would consider moving the notice board to the car park as it was a possible safety hazard being right beside the road. They did not seem that interested. I also asked what the concrete plinth was for in the car park , again they did not know !

I my experience you will do well to get a straight answer from anyone at NWR !!      

If this is true, then yet again, a gain for Wymondham and another loss for Spooner Row! 

It's a pity that no one asked us what we would like to do with it. It could have continued to be an attractive and special feature of the village.  Are we just going to be left with an ugly concrete base? 

Let's just hope they have the courtesy to keep the Spooner Row name on it as it does have historic significance to Spooner Row and to Spooner Row rail network as part of Wymondham.

On the positive side, they would keep it maintained as the paint is starting to flake off. Does anyone know what they are going to use it for?

The base is now  being prepared for the Spooner Row signal box at the Wymondham Abbey Halt  and  it will not be long before the old box leaves Spooner Row for ever  - so .......................   catch up with your photographs before it goes.

other communities with the help of their parish council have got their signal boxes listed. The very least, decision makers could have done was to include you (Julian) and our other parish/ward councillors with some local people in on their discussions. So typical that there are behind the scenes decisions where we have no say in this!

Enquiries have revealed that Abellio Greater Anglia in keeping with other rail franchises can , without Planning permission do what they want on undertaking land. The fact that this hardly a vital rail link , there has never been a box at this location , and the crossing cottage occupant is rightly incensed about this , albeit  a nice pretty touristy attraction , apparently does not matter.

SNDC claim thay are powerless to stop this although listing is clearly or, was clearly an option one has to say that listing does guarantee maintenence or preservation. Moving the box might do that of course.

Christine Buckton the Chair of the Planning committee at WTC is not happy, neither is the Mayor so she will be writing to the paper as quite clearly this exemption was never designed for this kind of railway, but I am not at all hopeful of anything much happening to prevent this and I guess Abellio offering the box to MNR  thought it was a good and well intentioned idea.

I am not happy with any of this but am at  loss to see what we can do that is likely to be effective. Writing to the MP to get the Law changed is to be frank, a non starter given the current political turmoil and with next May looming large in MP's sights, nothing if anything is going to change.

The base for the Spooner row box, I assume  is nearly built by the railway crossing near the Abbey much to anger of the residents of crossing cottage. I assume when ready the box will get moved.

In the meantime it will be discussed at Full councuil on Tuesday but not hopeful anything much of value will happen

MNR staying very quiet so far

JH