Jump to: <The Signal (our Newsletter)> === <Members’ Handbook & Safeguarding Policy> === <Operating Instructions> === <Signal Box diagrams> === <Archive>
‘The Signal’
September 2026
Issue 80 now available. A comprehensive report presented to the AGM by our Chairman highlights areas of significant progress, particularly with group and school visits, the latter focussing on SEND and excluded children. With the return to the Friends of most of the loan to the Buildings Preservation Trust, plans for major refurbishment of the signalbox, including accessibility, are being revisited, but with costs having gone up and the shortfall in the loan repayment, grant-aid will be sought. This newsletter also highlights the ongoing work and reminds people of opportunities for volunteering – including for teenagers.
Click the date above this to download it or scroll through this preview to read it.
Also available:
Click the date above the summaries to download each edition.
May 2026
Issue 79. This issue opens with news of the 20,000th visitor to the site. Work on the site continues apace, with several refurbishments of the displays reported and improvements to the buffer stop café and the discovery centre. The repayment of a large loan to R&DBPT means the Friends can now fund the significant repairs to the signal box structure, which then opens up the possibility of tackling new projects, so the Chairman outlines how the committee will consider options for the future. We note the passing of former volunteer Clive Millward, we report on the visit of the local (Test Valley) Mayor, and we end with some reminiscences from a former resident who visited many of the local signalboxes in the 1960s and 70s.
January 2026
Issue 78. We lead with news of improvements to the (historically accurate but awkward to use) steps into the operating floor to make it more accessible for our visitors. In the Audrey Gebbie Centre there’s news of scenic developments to the model railway that demonstrates how colour signalling works. Under the main signalbox there’s an update on the work to change the simulator which runs the demonstrations from our 1990s switch panel to a digital programmable version. The winter months may have cut down on the numbers of visitors (particularly group visits) but with Spring around the corner there’s a lot to look forward to and March will be particularly busy with extra open days. There’s lots more to read about.
August 2025
Issue 77. A large part of this newsletter is devoted to the AGM and the Chairman’s reflections on all the progress made in the last year – one item being the subject of the front cover photo! There’s news of more visits from the local mayor and various groups, and an increase in visitor numbers in general. Progress with the new automated simulator is reported. Sadly, there’s a delay in some other improvements because the Buildings Preservation Trust are having difficulties disposing of a property which would allow them to repay the loan made to them to acquire the building pre-renovation. Finally, there’s reports on recent trips made by members and some suggestions for future outings.
May 2025
Issue 76. This issue leads with visits to the signalbox from two Mayors. There’s news of school and other visits as well. On the site there’s a new lamp more in keeping with the exhibit and news of development work on the simulator that drives the displays on the signalbox operating floor. Plus there’s a new development as one of the team is now offering short training opportunities to learn more about the life of a signalman. Catch this and further opportunities for volunteering in this bumper issue!
February 2025
Issue 75. This issue leads with the news that further historical research has led to the conclusion that the signal box is older than we thought – read it to find out more! There’s also encouraging news about school visits starting – something which had been the plan when the project was first launched, but has taken some 40 years to come to fruition – and in a different way to that originally envisaged. Lots of other articles cover planned maintenance work on the signal box structure, the electrical wiring, and the exhibits in the Discovery Centre. Fortunately the newsletter also reports on an increasing membership and level of volunteering to take on all these tasks.
September 2024
Issue 74. This bumper edition leads with the news of the formal naming and commissioning of our Audrie Gebbie Discovery Centre – named by the headteacher who took the initiative to preserve the old signal box building which led to the creation of our restoration project. There’s a lot of coverage of the event and the facilities. We’ve also commissioned the facing point lock on the demonstration points (don’t know what that means? Come and have a look!). There’s also a report on the AGM of The friends, and news about some changes to appointments, including our Membership Secretary.
May 2024
Issue 73. A delivery of replacement sleepers for our demonstration point presented the volunteers with some challenges – find out how they dealt with them! Elsewhere in this edition we report on new signage produced to help explain the exhibits – and new exhibits, artefacts from the adjacent canal which was in part subsumed by the railway lines when they were built. There’s updates on the development of the Discovery Centre and, for nature lovers, some notes on wildlife seen at the site.
February 2024
Issue 72. This issue has more information on the exhibits in the new Discovery Centre that explain the principles of railway signalling. However it leads with a story about the “Buffer Stop Café”, marking the retirement of Dave Trewern as the cake maker and lead operator of the café and introduces Carol Hay as his replacement operator. There’s an update on the structural repairs planned (like all railway projects, including news of delays, but hopefully not of it going way over budget!) and an appeal for a new person to take over the Membership Secretary role.
There’s also the second (and third!) instalment included at the end of this edition, written by our member Dave Trewern about his love affair with the railways of Switzerland.
November 2023
Issue 71.This issue highlights the “soft” opening of our new “Discovery Centre” building. Also covered are updates on the major work to be undertaken in 2024 on the fabric of the signalbox, which will also result in the need to rewire parts of the equipment. It pays tribute to the memory of Rod Hoyle who passed away in Autumn 2023. There’s also a special supplement included at the end of this edition, the first part of an account written by our member Dave Trewern about his love affair with the railways of Switzerland.
September 2023
Issue 70. This contains a report on the successes of the additional open days over the school summer holidays, and launches the search for a new manager for the café. There’s news of progress with the fitting out of the Discovery Centre, and a complete report on the AGM of the Friends.
We have the complete archive of older editions of the Newsletter available for those interested in the history of the Friends of Romsey Signal Box. Please click here to see them all .
Members’ Handbook & Safeguarding Policy
This version of the Members’ Handbook (December 2024 version) is available to download in two versions, but as it contains confidential information it is password protected. Please contact any member of the committee to obtain the password.
Handbook in the natural page order.
Handbook formatted for printing double sided on A4 to create an A5 booklet.
The Safeguarding Policy which all volunteers must comply with when working on site is available here:
Operating Instructions
Current Operating Instructions
The latest version of the operating instructions for the signal box.
