Banbury North & South Signal Boxes
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Banbury North & South Signal Boxes Feasibility Report March 2016 Revision C Document Control Revision Record Rev Originator Reviewer Approved Comments A Mark Rob Kinchin- Nathan -- Cockerill Smith Bignell B Mark Rob Kinchin- Nathan Steering Group comments included Cockerill Smith Bignell C Rob Mark Nathan Initial stakeholder comments Kinchin- Cockerill Bignell included Smith Revision Approved Original issue Name Date Signature Originator Rob Kinchin-Smith Reviewer Mark Cockerill Approved for issue Nathan Bignell Approved for issue Steve Molloy 2 | P a g e Distribution List Name Role Organisation Mark Bennett Sponsor LNW Network Rail Mark Recchia Town Clerk Banbury Town Council Rose Todd Conservation Officer Cherwell District Council Simon Townsend Director Banbury Museum Deborah Hayter Chairman Banbury Historical Society 3 | P a g e Contents 1. Introduction 2. Mission 3. Project Objectives 4. Background 5. Organisation 6. Constraints 7. Options 8. Project Scope of Works 9. Consents 10. Stakeholders 11. Programme 12. HSEQ 13. Project Finance 14. Risk Management 15. Assumptions 16. Exclusions 17. Summary Appendices A. Background B. Old Photos C. Photo’s of North Box D. Letters of support E. Option 3a and 3b concepts F. Programme summary 4 | P a g e 1. Introduction The purpose of this document is to outline the aspirations and proposals of Project Crossover regarding Banbury North and South Signal Boxes. This document intends to: Defines the vision and objectives of the project Summarise the project scope and the options considered Indicate the constraints upon the project including the consents required Identify the key stakeholders Advise the programme milestones Indicate the financial arrangements proposed The report has been structured to lend itself to the development of a Project Management Plan during the Single Option Development stage. The working title of ‘Project Crossover’ has been assigned to signify: 1) the proposed change of use for the Banbury North Signal Box and 2) Banbury’s role as a historic transportation crossing and meeting point. 2. Mission Project Crossover’s mission is to conserve and sustain Banbury’s North Box, semaphore signals sample and artefacts from the South Box as elements of Banbury’s built and industrial heritage and to make best use of the heritage of mechanical signalling to explain railway history, railway signalling, Banbury’s historic transport links, modern railways and the dangers of railway trespass. 5 | P a g e 3. Project Objectives The Objectives for Project Crossover are: 3.1 Banbury South Signal Box and Signalling Equipment Support NR in recording Banbury South Signal Box for prosperity, including a video of the Box in use and its operational relationship to North Box Support the recovery of artefacts for retention locally (e.g. semaphore signals in local open spaces, materials for a public art-work / sculpture, museum display) Enable the recovery of materials for other heritage projects (e.g. Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Gloucester Warwickshire Railway, Severn Valley Railway, Ironbridge Railway Trust and The Shillingstone Railway Project) Auction of artefacts to part-fund North Box 3.2 Banbury North Signal Box Ensure safety of visitors, volunteers and rail industry workers at all times Retain Signal Box in-situ Replicate the St Albans Signal Box success in creating a viable and sustainable ‘working’ museum bringing railway and signal history to the public and educating younger members of our community on o Safety on the railway and the dangers of trespass o Modern railway operation o Signalling principles and levers and bells interaction o Banbury’s railway history o Support the national promotion of STEM Establish a Charitable Trust to obtain grant funding and donations with the aspiration to reduce, if not resolve, financial liability for the box maintenance on the rail industry purse Attract rail safety-trained personnel to assist with the works to open the Box to the public and to attract volunteers, in particular past or current signallers, to interpret the box as an educational resource, to escort pre-organised parties to/from the Box, to provide hands-on demonstrations, to maintain the Box as far as is practicable, operate the Charitable Trust and promote the facility Extend the existing list of heritage assets and facilities in the town (e.g. Banbury Museum, Tooleys Boat Yard) Develop a programme of enhancements for display in the Box so there is always something new for visitors to see 6 | P a g e Maintain dialogue with key stakeholders as other rail enhancement works (station reconstruction / electrification) and or Bridge Street overbridge works are scheduled, to explore direct access possibilities 4. Background 4.1 Banbury A brief summary of the background of Banbury is provided below, with a more detailed account provided in Appendix A. Banbury is a 1,500-year-old market town, located at a historic crossing point on the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire. It is located close to the geographical centre of England, 64 miles (103 km) northwest of London and 38 miles (61 km) southeast of Birmingham. Banbury has long prospered from its central location, acting as a meeting point and marketplace for a wide area. In the 1840s Banbury found itself at the centre of national railway politics, with Brunel and Robert Stephenson coming to town to promote rival broad and narrow gauge schemes to gain control of the south Midlands and access to Birmingham and the Black Country. Brunel’s Great Western won the territorial battle and thus the engineer of the railway we now see passing through the town. Banbury became an important railway junction, with through routes to London the south, south-east and east. The completion of brand-new high-speed routes to the East Midlands and London (Chiltern line) completed the town’s main-line links. These links made Banbury one of the most important locations in the entire rail network in Britain. With its position at the meeting point for trains from the east and west Midlands 7 | P a g e heading for the south coast ports, it became a freight junction of the highest importance. Major train-marshalling and locomotive servicing facilities were constructed to match its nodal status. This junction was of the very highest strategic importance during both World Wars, being the meeting point for heavy troop and freight traffic from the East and West Midland (and all points north) to the south coast ports. Because of its central location on the railway network and strategic location, Banbury was chosen for the location of an important munitions factory in the First World War. As peace returned, its location between the traditional centres of heavy industry in the midlands and the growing consumer industries of the South and South-East resulted in Banbury being chosen as the location for the largest aluminium rolling mills in the UK and Europe’s largest livestock market. Banbury town retains a strong connection with its past with local historical and civic societies promoting the town through its heritage, celebrating the Cross, ‘Ride a Cock Horse’ nursery rhyme and Civil War heritage, as well as the town’s importance as a historic national crossroads. 4.2 Banbury Signal Boxes Originally Banbury was home to six Signal Boxes. Banbury Merton Street Signal Box and the large Banbury Junction Signal Box were removed many years ago, as a consequence of the Beeching cuts and losses of the radial routes they served. Banbury station is now served by the surviving two Signal Boxes, namely Banbury North and Banbury South, operating a combination of semaphore signals and illuminated coloured aspect signals. The Signal Boxes are located on the Didcot and Chester Line (DCL) at 86.0044 (South box) and 86.0572 (North box) miles respectively. The surviving North and South signal boxes are both medium-sized GWR Type 7 boxes, constructed of brick in 1899 and largely unaltered, with exception of war time ground floor windows being bricked up. Refurbishment work to Banbury South Box in relatively recent years has been less sympathetic than that undertaken to the North Box, but none the less it contains much of the original internal equipment (levers, bells and display equipment) and is understood to include some rare items. Banbury North Box has been exceptionally well cared for and maintained. With its GWR Dark and Light Stone colour-scheme and immaculate interior, it is reputed to be one of the very best kept on the modern railway. 8 | P a g e Photographs of Banbury North Signal Box are provided in Appendix C. Banbury is currently subject to a £76m major upgrade project being undertaken by Network Rail. This will modernise signalling equipment, transfer control to the West Midlands Rail Operating Centre, make track layout changes and construct a new Chiltern Railways Depot. South Signal Box stands in the way of the proposed Down Loop re-alignment and turnout to the new Depot. Subsequently the South Box is to be demolished. Banbury North, whilst sitting between the Down main line and the Down Goods Loop, does not interfere with current plans for the major upgrade. Potential demolition by Network Rail is planned to remove the liability of what is currently viewed to be a redundant asset, in line with rail industry guidance. The Project Crossover mission is to develop a new purpose for the Signal Box as an education Centre. 4.3 Motivation The enthusiasm, passion, dedication and community spirit for Project Crossover to realise the Objectives described