Media centre

Monday 7 Apr 2003

SIGNALLING 20 YEARS OF RAIL OPERATIONS EXCELLENCE

Region & Route:

| Southern

Railway employees past and present gathered on Thursday 03 April to the 20th anniversary of Colchester Signal Box. To commemorate the box, which opened in 1983, a locomotive owned by GB Railfreight was named ‘Colchester Power Signal Box’.  The box is owned and operated by Network Rail. It was originally built to replace 32 signal boxes, dating from the1860s and to introduce modern electronic equipment to replace over 1000 manually operated levers.  The nameplate was unveiled by Mark Phillips, Network Rail General Manager, John Smith, Managing Director, GB Railfreight and Alan Parker and Peter Edey, former Production Controllers at Colchester Signal box.  Mark Phillips, General Manager of Great Eastern, Network Rail said: “The signal box has been integral to the successful operation of the Great Eastern route since opening in 1983.  The number of passenger and freight trains on the line increased by around 40 per cent and it has been able to respond to this challenge.  I am delighted that the signal box is being recognised in this way.” - more - Loco – 2             Steve Williams, a signaller who has worked in the box for 14 years said:  “The box controls the signals on 90 miles of track, stretching from Marks Tey to Norwich and the Felixstowe line.  We can see each and every train on our panels.   The signal box is a remarkable piece of technology, a very interesting place to work and it’s great to celebrate our success with friends and colleagues past and present.”             Peter Edey, a former Production Controller at Colchester who began on the railways in 1953 said: “It is really good to get recognition for all the hard work that has been put in through the years.  The gathering of railwaymen past and present has made the day very enjoyable.  It is a great honour.”