Listed status joy for Littlehampton rail enthusiasts

The signal station has been named as the only one in West Sussex to have been given Grade II listed status by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

A total of just 26 of the ‘rarest’ signal boxes nationwide have been given the added protection by English Heritage, as Network Rail embarks on a programme to modernise the railways by centralising signalling operations.

Littlehampton town and Arun district councillor Tony Squires said he was overjoyed by the news.

Cllr Squires said that during his 40-year career with the railways, he had visited the Littlehampton landmark on ‘countless’ occasions.

“I’m really pleased to hear that the signal box is going to be preserved for future generations,” he said. “This has come right at the right time, with Littlehampton set to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the railway coming to the town.

“I think that people are starting to actually think about preserving their history. And signal boxes are something that was such a common sight in rural England, so it’s good our box is being saved.”

The box was built in 1886 and has remained relatively unchanged since then.

The listings, drawn up by English Heritage and Network Rail together, come as the latter decommissions many mechanical signal boxes to consolidate signalling into 12 regional centres across the UK.

Heritage minister Ed Vaizey said: “Our interest in everything to do with trains and railways – and the ‘golden age’ of steam in particular – is one of our most endearing and enduring national preoccupations.

“Signal boxes are a big part of this, and so I am very pleased indeed to be able to list these lovely examples of the type.”

In the 1940s, the UK had more than 10,000 signal boxes. Now fewer than 500 mechanical ones remain in use.

The organisation’s 30-year modernisation programme is aimed at improving railway technology so there are fewer delays and higher capacity.

John Minnis, senior investigator at English Heritage, said signal boxes like Littlehampton’s were ‘very special buildings’.

He added that the listings would ensure that many of these ‘highly distinctive’ designs will be protected for years to come, providing a ‘window into how railways were operated in the past’.

Littlehampton Museum currently has a major exhibition on the town’s railway history.