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 4th 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 11TH 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 5th November 2022.