Network Rail wants to demolish the Grade II listed signal box at Petersfield railway station.
In a pre-planning application to South Downs National Park Authority the company says it wants to introduce new CCTV equipment and lighting as part of an automated signalling system which is being introduced across the area.
They also want to reduce the distance between the level crossing barriers which, they say, will reduce the amount of time people spend crossing the tracks.
To achieve this, the company proposes moving the barrier base closer to the tracks and claims the 135 year old signal box is in the way.
The company says it is:
requesting pre-application advice from East Hampshire Council regarding whether the proposed demolition works would be acceptable under a Listed Building Consent Application and a demolition application.
Source: Network Rail Pre-Application Statement, July 2020.
History
The signal box is a London & South Western Railway Type 3a construction built around 1885.
Historic England says it is classed as Grade II Listed because of its rarity and the survival of original signalling equipment within the box.
The signal box is constructed to a unique transitional design marking the functional and architectural development between the London & South Western Railway Type 2 and Type 3 signal boxes.
The structure contains a ten-lever Stevens (Railway Signalling Co.) frame and locking rack (c1880), together with a circuit diagram, block shelf and block instruments.
It also forms part of a group of well preserved un-designated station buildings, according to the heritage organisation.
What do you think of the proposal?
Once the automated equipment is installed there is no practical reason to retain the signal box, but a piece of Petersfield history would be lost forever.
We’d like to hear your comments about the possible loss of this building. We’ll include a selection of comments in our Morning Report programme.
Demolish it and improve the layout.
It is a lovely building to good to demolish. Cann it be put to another use with some alterations?
It will not improve the layout by demolishing it,
Isn’t it a listed building?? Why pull it down for the sake of change and nothing can be built in its place.
Nooooooooo don’t demolish it for good , save the History, if needs to be moved for improvements sake , then it should be moved to a place it can be viewed for historical purposes.
While the signal box is not the property of Petersfield, given it is an attractive feature, if its use by Network Rail is redundant one feels there is a sense of duty to ensure this piece of Petersfield’s heritage remains – even re-purposed – in a town which has to constantly battle to retain its character.
In any case, the argument for its demolition needs to be made much clearer: “Demolition of Listed Signal Box to allow for works to renew the CCTV columns, lighting columns an dbarrier pedestals [sic]”. It may be that demolition is simply the quick / cheapest option – to the detriment of Petersfield.
I agree with you, Graham!
It’s iconic and of historical value so it should be preserved. Maybe move it but certainly not allow it to be demolished. That’s why buildings of historical value are given listed status
Leave it, so much character has been destroyed in our town and it should be preserved. We live in such a beautiful place and it would be a shame to see it go. Perhaps have it as a useable space. Like somewhere to go to grab a coffee for those by the station?
LEAVE IT.Fabulous old building. Another 5 seconds to cross is not an improvement.
As with the signalbox at Totnes (Devon) which was taken out of use in 1987 and now serves as a public café which, I gather, is a very good one. That was easier to put to other use though: box is on a platform.
It would be such a shame to just demolish it and it would then be lost forever.
Maybe a local museum would like to dismantle and rebuild it on their site for people to enjoy.
Hollycombe Steam Museum, Amberley Museum are local and there’s plenty of Steam Railways around the UK.
I cannot see that a significant amount of time would be saved by moving the barrier base, but I can see it costing a significant amount of money, which does not really need to be spent. It would be sad to see another piece of Petersfield being demolished in the name of progress, especially as it is Grade 2 listed and of historical note. I hope the South Downs National Park Authority think carefully about the financial and historical implications before making a decision.
Relocate it to the square. Make it a cafe outlet and allow chairs and tables to be put all over that blank space five days out of seven. Times have changed but history shouldn’t be thrown away.
Let us keep some of our historic buildings. The signal box should remain as a fine example of railway architecture. Enough has been destroyed already in Petersfield. If modern technology is so good and can have a reduced footprint then work around the signal box. Let our childrens children see things first hand and not just from pictures
Moving the barriers and installing CCTV and lights is so that the crossing and signals can be controlled from Basingstoke Signalling Centre as will all 5 of the crossing between Liss Common and Petersfield. If you think you wait a long time at Petersfield now, imagine that the wait will probably be extended to that of Liss Staition as it is now!
These improvements are part of progress but demolishing the Signal Box to upgrade the infrastructure is a red herring. Obviously Network Rail do not want the on going cost of maintenance of a redundant listed building so a one off cost of demolition is a saving in long term expense.
I shall be very disappointed if the Planning Department is not asking Network Rail for an alternative solution for their CCTV, lighting and barriers. There is always an alternative solution to these things, maybe not absolutely perfect and a little more expensive but we just cannot through away Grade 11 listed buildings like these. It was only listed 7 years ago and NR had every opportunity to object then. They didn’t.
I think the proposed reasons for demolition are tenuous to say the least and agree with Christopher Todd’s comments above. This is a historic building, part of the (remaining) group forming Petersfield’s Victorian Railway Station complex and a welcome sight to generations of commuters when returning home from work to the north of the town. And they want to replace it with …… ballast!
If it has to go perhaps, as a last resort it could be offered to the Weald and Downland Museum.
It should remain, the railway authorities are just looking for the quickest and cheapest solution.
The building can surely be repurposed, maybe for the police, as we have lost any real police coverage in the town.
Dismantle it and donate it to the Watercress Line by rebuilding it at a location where it will get seen and perhaps used. All Costs should be paid for by Network Rail.
Keep it. Too beautiful and special to destroy.
Surely this is of great importance and value to Petersfield, its part of our history.
If all else fails it must be offered to another heritage rail network to be preserved/used.
An important and attractive piece of our heritage. Please can it be preserved?
To demolish the piece of our heritage would just be wrong, we need to preserve as much of our heritage as we can. This building is still in good condition and does not need to be demolished. Please leave it be.
Can’t it be relocated to the Weald & Downland Museum? Our history and heritage needs to be protected.
It’s a disgrace we should be protecting our town heritage and not destroying it
Perhaps the building could be used to show children and fans how the railway was used in the past including the midhurst spur
Why list buildings at all if all one does is pull them down because technology has moved in? How many castles and monuments
would have been/will be felled because ignorant nobodies think it would be better to fill the buildings with plastic and wires that can easily be put somewhere else? If you must tear it down then move it somewhere that it will be appreciated, (Weald and Downland Museum, perhaps?) but it would be better to leave it where it is. I despair of modern humans’ ignorance and lack of imagination or foresight. We are currently living through hell and the herald of terrible change. Let us learn to preserve whatever we can of the worthwhile and interesting part. Future generations will be ashamed of your ignorance and despair of your vandalism.
If it has to be moved, why not move it to the land between Platform 1 and Lidl Car Park. This is waste land and full of litter and debris.
A quite disgraceful decision. If some ordinary person wanted to demolish his old old concrete garage the National Park would be down on them like a ton of bricks, but as its Network Rail, it’ll be nodded through. It was ever thus….
I disagree with the demolition idea.I accept it is redundant but the reasons given seem standard lazy tech speak.Why not be proactive and look to resite it at a Railway museum,Industrial exhibition,give to a railway buff or club,give to Weald and Downland Museum.Someone might like it and use as a garden office or den.