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Banbury ’box closed

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Friday, July 29 saw the passing of another piece of history on Network Rail. Martin Creese reports on the closure of the two former Great Western Railway signalboxes at Banbury.

The last mechanical signalling on the former GWR and now Chiltern Trains main line from Birmingham to Marylebone; the two Banbury ‘boxes had been as oasis of traditional signalling.

Jamie Green and Ian Baxter ‘at work’ during the 30742 Charters evening photo shoot on September 23.
Jamie Green and Ian Baxter ‘at work’ during the 30742 Charters evening photo shoot on September 23.

Of the two, Banbury North was the largest former GWR signalbox still in use on the National Network. Network Rail spent £76million on the upgrade of Banbury with new track, points and ballast, reopening of an additional platform and transferring of the signalling to the West Midlands Signalling Centre.

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The remodelling also saw the closure of the former Woodford bay platform, which was a reminder of the link from Banbury to the Great Central Railway at Woodford Halse.

Read more in Issue 222 of Heritage Railway


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