Ferryside Signal Box Preservation Society

2025/26 saw the completion of the Network Rail re-signalling project, and the closure of the Signal Box at Ferryside in November 2025. We did have a site meeting on March 4^th 2026 with representatives of Network Rail, including the overall manager for the Re -signalling project, the Heritage manager for Network Rail in Wales, The Chief town planner for Network Rail, plus two local engineers. In addition, Tim Hedley-Jones from the Railway Heritage Trust was present. This meeting was very positive with Network Rail expressing a wish to get on with providing a lease for our group to take over the Signal Box. There are a few matters which still need resolving including accessibility to the box from the platform. Separation of the electrical supplies to the box from those of the station, maintenance of the external structure of the box. The Network rail staff were all positive that these problems could be overcome. They also thought that it may be possible for Network Rail to contribute towards the legal fees with regards to the lease. We still however await information from Network Rail concerning the Heads of Terms for our proposed lease.

The Society as of 11^TH April has £1,805.78 in our account.

As previously membership of the society remains limited; we have not sought to widen the membership until we have more definite information on the lease and a date for our take-over of the Signal box.

 At present we have a committee consisting of myself as Chair, Diane Cuff as Secretary, Keith Williams as Treasurer, Community Councillor Paul Stephens as representative of St Ishmaels Community Council, James Greenwell representative of Ferryside Social Enterprise Group (FSEG) and committee members Robert Bamforth, Peter James Morris, Dave Harvey.

In seeking to inform more people of our efforts we have developed a website at https://ferryside.wales/sos. We have an email address of sos@ferryside.wales and have introduced a QR code to accept donations, thank you to those people who have already made donations. A brochure and posters for tourism sites are available. Whilst our secretary has designed, produced and sold Christmas cards featuring the signal box.

The Society and it’s aims have been featured both in the National magazine ‘Rail’ and on the website https://railwayworld.net following a visit by Gareth David on 5^th November 2022.

20024/25 has yet again been a frustrating year, waiting for Network Rail to set an implementation date for the re-signalling project. From unofficial sources we now hear that the Signal box will close at the beginning of November 2025. We await confirmation and final approval that the signal box will be transferred to our group.

Our bid for the GWR Customer & Community Improvement Fund for 2024/2025 was unfortunately unsuccessful. On a positive note, Peter Morris arranged a Model Railway exhibition day in Calon Y Fferi on May 3^rd this year which was a success. On the day we received a donation of £10, whilst a number of people took a copy of our brochure and said they would be donating through the QR code.

The Society as of 3rd May 2025 has £1,805.78 in our account.

As previously membership of the society remains limited; we have not sought to widen the membership until we have more definite information on the lease and a date for our take-over of the Signal box. We have been in contact with Tomos Roberts Senior Public affairs Manager -Wales and Borders at Network Rail. On the 13^th March 2025 he wrote:-

 ‘Everything has started to pick up on the project recently especially talks for on the signal box. I’m finalising a paper with my property colleagues so that we know what we can offer you and the group. We will definitely be able to update further in the next few weeks, and I’m sure we can attend the AGM as well’.

 At present we have a committee consisting of myself as Chair, Diane Cuff as Secretary, Keith Williams as Treasurer, Community Councillor Paul Stephens as representative of St Ishmaels Community Council, James Greenwell representative of Ferryside Social Enterprise Group (FSEG) and committee members Robert Bamforth, Peter James Morris, Dave Harvey, James Budge and Brian Diprose.

In seeking to inform more people of our efforts we have developed a website at https://ferryside.wales/sos. We have an email address of sos@ferryside.wales and have introduced a QR code to accept donations, thank you to those people who have already made donations. A brochure and posters for tourism sites are available. Whilst our secretary has designed, produced and sold Christmas cards featuring the signal box. The Society and it’s aims have been featured both in the National magazine ‘Rail’ and on the website https://railwayworld.net following a visit by Gareth David on 5^th November 2022

The past year has seen the Society make slow but steady progress with its aim to take over and preserve the Signal Box. Our work has been focused on providing a legal and documented basis for this transfer of the Signal Box from Network Rail to ‘The Ferryside Signal Box Preservation Society’.

Administratively in the past twelve months we have been working on drafting Heads of Terms for a leasing agreement with Network Rail. We are awaiting their approval of this document. Key items to confirm with Network Rail include:

Obtaining utilities bills and knowledge of the current business rates, to help gain an idea of potential expenses. Obtain an estimate of the potential charges for legal costs of Network rail. The notice periods and the grounds for this.

Rob Rowbothom at Network Rail has got business clearance for the transfer, but is still awaiting the next step of technical clearance – and is hoping for further feedback.

The latest update we have on the re-signalling project is: – Decommissioning is part of part 2 of the Phase 2 plan and this part has a date of March 2024 assigned to it, though the time scale may move further away. The aim is to have the have the reliability improved. The crossing will be fitted with an ‘Obstacle Detection System ‘Mk2 which is widely in use on the Continent. Scans the area between the gates. In their report Network Rail mentioned that an interested organisation (That’s us) was to take it over on a lease agreement. 

Being a listed building, they would be looking at leaving it as intact as possible and if any items needed to be removed, they would look at replacing them with some other equipment.

Our business plan has gone through a number of updates as further information has become available. We have received assistance from The Co-operative Society in drawing up a constitution and contacting the Financial Services Authority.

In the finance area we have opened a Bank Account with Barclays in Carmarthen. There have been a number of donations made to the Society. Diane Cuff has been very generous with donations from the sale of her paintings and the sale of Christmas card she designed incorporating the Signal box. St Ishmaels Community Council has awarded the Society a grant of £500 for which we are very grateful. We are seeking further grants and donations within the local Community. As of 22^nd February 2023, we have £1,730.78 in our account.

Membership of the society remains limited; we have not sought to widen the membership until we have more definite information on the lease and a date for our take-over of the Signal box.

 At present we have a committee consisting of myself as Chair, Diane Cuff as Secretary, Keith Williams as Treasurer, Community Councillor Paul Stephens as representative of St Ishmaels Community Council, James Greenwell representative of Ferryside Social Enterprise Group (FSEG)and committee members Robert Bamforth and James Morris.

In seeking to inform more people of our efforts we have developed a website at https://ferryside.wales/sos. We have an email address of sos@ferryside.wales and have introduced a QR code to accept donations. A brochure and posters for tourism sites is also in development. Whilst our secretary has designed, produced and sold Christmas cards featuring the signal box.

The Society and it’s aims have been featured both in the National magazine ‘Rail’ and on the website https://railwayworld.net following a visit by Gareth David on 5^th November 2022.

David Martin,
March 12_^th, 2023

The past year has seen the Society make slow but steady progress with its aim to take over and preserve the Signal Box. Our work has been focused on providing a legal and documented basis for this transfer of the Signal Box from Network Rail to ‘The Ferryside Signal Box Preservation Society’.

Administratively in the past twelve months we have been working on drafting Heads of Terms for a leasing agreement with Network Rail. We are awaiting their approval of this document. Key items to confirm with Network Rail include:

Obtaining utilities bills and knowledge of the current business rates, to help gain an idea of potential expenses. Obtain an estimate of the potential charges for legal costs of Network rail. The notice periods and the grounds for this.

Rob Rowbothom at Network Rail has got business clearance for the transfer, but is still awaiting the next step of technical clearance – and is hoping for further feedback.

The latest update we have on the re-signalling project is: – Decommissioning is part of part 2 of the Phase 2 plan and this part has a date of March 2024 assigned to it, though the time scale may move further away. The aim is to have the have the reliability improved. The crossing will be fitted with an ‘Obstacle Detection System ‘Mk2 which is widely in use on the Continent. Scans the area between the gates. In their report Network Rail mentioned that an interested organisation (That’s us) was to take it over on a lease agreement. 

Being a listed building, they would be looking at leaving it as intact as possible and if any items needed to be removed, they would look at replacing them with some other equipment.

Our business plan has gone through a number of updates as further information has become available. We have received assistance from The Co-operative Society in drawing up a constitution and contacting the Financial Services Authority.

In the finance area we have opened a Bank Account with Barclays in Carmarthen. There have been a number of donations made to the Society. Diane Cuff has been very generous with donations from the sale of her paintings and the sale of Christmas card she designed incorporating the Signal box. St Ishmaels Community Council has awarded the Society a grant of £500 for which we are very grateful. We are seeking further grants and donations within the local Community. As of 22^nd February 2023, we have £1,730.78 in our account.

Membership of the society remains limited; we have not sought to widen the membership until we have more definite information on the lease and a date for our take-over of the Signal box.

 At present we have a committee consisting of myself as Chair, Diane Cuff as Secretary, Keith Williams as Treasurer, Community Councillor Paul Stephens as representative of St Ishmaels Community Council, James Greenwell representative of Ferryside Social Enterprise Group (FSEG) and committee members Robert Bamforth and James Morris.

In seeking to inform more people of our efforts we have developed a website at https://ferryside.wales/sos. We have an email address of sos@ferryside.wales and have introduced a QR code to accept donations. A brochure and posters for tourism sites is also in development. Whilst our secretary has designed, produced and sold Christmas cards featuring the signal box.

The Society and it’s aims have been featured both in the National magazine ‘Rail’ and on the website https://railwayworld.net following a visit by Gareth David on 5^th November 2022.

David Martin
March 12_^th, 2023

Over 3 years in and the group continues to meet regularly, moving things along, and working with varied external stakeholders, in particular Network Rail. It seemed like the conclusion would be a long time away when we started, but now it’s getting close with just over a year to go.

There is still plenty to do. Main tasks include finalising a lease, fundraising to pay associated legal costs, and gathering as much information and imagery as we can about signalling and the railway in Ferryside.

If you want to get in touch, help, or even donate to support the project, please email sos@ferryside.wales, like us on Facebook, follow us on twitter @FerrysideSOS, or donate via the Paypal button on the right. You can also donate using the QR code below, by pointing your mobile device camera at it, and following the link to a Paypal donation page. All funds go to the Ferryside Signal Box Preservation Society to help save this historic legacy of signalling in Ferryside.

Many thanks, and we hope to be welcoming you inside the historic signal box in 2024, to explore its past and perhaps help shape its future.

Locally renowned artist Diane Cuff will be selling printed Christmas cards from mid November to raise money for Ferryside Signal Box Preservation Society to help with the costs of leasing the signal box when decommissioned.

Cards are 6 x 6 inch or DL size –

• 1-4 single cards £1.50 each,
• pack of 5 cards for £6 (£2.50 goes to the charity)
• 10 for £12 (£5 goes to the charity) or
• 20 for £20 (£6 goes to the charity).

They will be on sale at the Christmas market on 26th November and Calon y fferi from mid November or send a message on this post with any pre-orders

The minutes from the first General Meeting are at https://ferryside.wales/sos/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/02/SOS-group-general-meeting-12th-January-2020-minutes.pdf

A new committee has been elected, list of officers are at https://ferryside.wales/sos/project-committee/