| Opening during COVID-19 restrictions Last updated: 01/10/2021 The signalbox site is open for our scheduled open days as listed below (first Sunday and third Saturday of most months). Control measures will be reviewed if Government guidance is updated after this date – particularly if any Covid “variants of concern” affect the area. |
.jpg) .jpg) The wearing of face masks on site is optional. Most of the attraction is outdoors, and the signal box itself is well ventilated. Visitors are asked to be sensible about social distancing. |
.jpg) Please note we no longer require wearing of masks in open spaces |
The Signal Box is normally open to the public during the afternoons of the first Sunday of every month, excluding January, and the third Saturday of every month, excluding December. The site is also open to the public on special dates which will be put on this site. Scroll to the bottom of this page for opening dates. It is open between 11am and 4pm, and the admission charge is £2.50 per adult (accompanied children under 16 are free) – cash or card payments are available. Upgrade your payment to a £3 donation by gift-aid and receive a refreshments voucher as well! Members of the Friends of Romsey Signal Box, and special pass-holders, gain free admission. Note that the site can also be opened on special days for private groups, please get in touch for more information.
Facilities
At the site, there is the signalbox and two pavilions containing various exhibits relating to railway signalling equipment, with a third pavilion being fitted out to become an education facility, which may open later in 2021 (although the “official” launch is planned for next year). We have a small cafe serving hot and cold drinks and cakes/biscuits, and a disabled-accessible toilet. The main signalbox has regular demonstrations of the work of a signalman. Elsewhere on the site there is a miniature lever frame with full size instruments which is based on the signal box at Cowley Bridge Junction, just outside Exeter. On Open Days this can often be seen being operated by a trained signalman (subject to available volunteers).
Coming by car/bike/on foot
If you have a SatNav, the post code for the housing in Brick Lane is SO51 8LG; the site is adjacent to house no. 28. We have very limited car parking adjacent to the site. Visitors with disabilities or very limited mobility may wish to reserve parking in advance by phone (01794 500523/07743 942576) or email. Alternative car parks and the route from them to the site are shown on the map in our publicity leaflet – see below.
Public transport
The signal box is only a 5-minute walk from Romsey railway station: exit the station, and after just a few yards walk down Station Approach take the steps down to the left, then follow the footpath forwards between the fence and the railway embankment, and cross the footbridge over the canal (see the map on our information leaflet below).
The bus stop nearest to the site is on Winchester Road and is served by Bluestar line 4 to Southampton and Stagecoach route 66 to Winchester. Both services are half hourly on Saturdays and hourly on Sundays (as at January 2020). There are 2-hourly Bluestar line 5 buses to Eastleigh on Saturdays only. Alternatively Romsey’s main bus station is a 10-15 minute walk away. Walking routes from the stops are shown on the map in our publicity leaflet – see below.
More information
This publicity leaflet (which shows the original planned opening dates for 2021 before Covid restrictions forced changes to be made) gives more information about the site, including what you can see. It also shows directions to the box from various car parks, bus and train stations around Romsey. Click the image to open it as an Acrobat (pdf) document.
Planned Open Days
| January 2021 | Saturday 16th CANCELLED |
| February | Sunday 7th; Saturday 20th CANCELLED |
| March | Sunday 7th; Saturday 20th CANCELLED. |
| April | Sunday 4th (Easter Sunday); Saturday 17th CANCELLED. |
| May | Sunday 2nd; Saturday 15th CANCELLED. |
| June | Sunday 6th; Saturday 19th. |
| July | Saturday 3rd; Sunday 4th; Sunday 11th; Saturday 17th – all in connection with the Romsey Festival 2020 |
| August | Sunday 1st; Saturday 21st |
| September | Sunday 5th; Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th (Heritage Open Days weekend – free admission both days) |
| October | Sunday 3rd; Saturday 16th |
| November | Sunday 7th; Saturday 20th |
| December 2021 | Sunday 5th |