Wokingham's Historic Signal Box Demolished

The familiar signal box at Wokingham station was taken away on 30 May, leaving a noticeable gap for locals. Built in 1933, it stood by the junction for lines towards Gatwick and London Waterloo. Its lever frame of huge levers controlled the Barkham Road level crossing, nearby signals and track points.

Cllr Keith Malvern, Wokingham town councillor for Emmbrook South, said: "It's one of those things - it disappears without you really noticing it. "It had an air of familiarity. When it was in action, you could see all the levers and people dashing from one side of the signal box to the other. "In the old days, if someone got trapped on the level crossing, there would be somebody there who could do something about it. "I want to be reassured that Network Rail now think that they've got something in place to keep people safe. "To demolish the signal box, they had to close the railway line, and hence the level crossing. At least they did their best not to block the roads."

Wokingham's rail story began in 1849 when the Reading, Guildford and Reigate Railway opened early sections, including the station. The line was taken over by the South Eastern Railway in 1852, and in 1856 the Staines, Wokingham and Woking Junction Railway linked the town to Staines and a direct route to London Waterloo via the London and South Western Railway.

The box stayed central for decades, but ageing equipment - some dating to 1974 - became hard to maintain. Over five years, Network Rail replaced it with modern computerised systems and shifted control to the Wessex Rail Operating Centre in Basingstoke. The upgrade promises improved reliability, more capacity, better safety and fewer delays, closing a historic chapter for Wokingham.

Ted O'Neill, Local Democracy Reporter