General Discussion
Railway Signal Box
I'm interested to know if anyone supports Wally Protheroe's recent publicity over the reconstruction of the signal box at the edge of the platform on Dawlish Station at a quoted £200,000 ?
For myself, I see it as redundant since 1956 (when siding removed and signalling transferred) , not especially historic (built in 1917) and badly corroded and almost irrepairable. Is it not the right time to sell it to some misguided private railway, or just apply for Listed Building Consent to demolish? The paltform would look a lot tidier.
Before you suggest making it into a cafe or other publicly accessible space, take a look at the regulations for public access and consider the much larger structure that will have to be added to give adequate public access, and to how large a floor space?
Any other ideas for spending £200,000 on the railway? A pair of lifts for the footbridge perhaps?
It Can't be a good investment because if it was Mr W Protheroe would have snapped it up long before now!!!!!!!!
I think there is another thread regarding the entire railway on here. So on the basis that the future of the line as a whole is under debate it would seem pointless trying to save it.
As myself, Lynne and several others have said on here the town really needs to re-invent itself. The Amber Coast proposal is just a load of rubbish because it is based on spending money that nobody has.
The number of unused, empty and rotting properties in and around the town needs to be addressed with the relevant owners and a plan drawn up for there proposed use or removal.
The town is in real danger of becoming a forgotten rotting no go area with all the new and exciting retail, business, and housing development happening at Shutterton and the Warren.
Oh and just remenber one other thing mentioned before - Nobody actually cares anyway, Only 350 people out of 13,000 turned up to discuss the Manor House point proven I think
Point not proven, I say. Town Council meetings usually attract only six or eight members of the public, whereas the meeting at which sale of the Manor House was on the agenda had to be postponed as the crowd was too great for the Council Chamber.
When it was held a week or so later at St Gregory's, 350 filled the church and many had hot words for the councillors. Were you there? You must admit they didn't know where to look to hide their embarrassment over being caught short.
The 350 became over 1500 when the Parish Poll was held and only 96 voted for the Town Council view.
I think that if 10% of the population which includes all ages turn out on an issue it shows some determination to be heard.
As it happens I did attend both meetings and actually got asked to leave the second one at St Gregs for calling one of our most arogant councilors something or other. Yes maybe your right that 10% dont sound bad, but unfortunatley its always the same 10%. What about the other 90% oh well as said they dont care.
In any case the usual 10% aint going to fall for this one regardless of what Wally thinks the signal box and all the other eyesores around town need to go and quickly before anyone else suggests wasting more money on them. If someone or some organization really do want it then let them have it providing they can give it a good home in their own back garden and pay all the moving costs.
Perhaps a railway society somewhere could give it a home? You know, the ones that run steam engines on disused rail lines. Pete Waterman (record producer) is a steam train fan from what I understand and I believe has his own line/has his own steam engines. He was on the tele the other day bemoaning the fact that he couldn't get skilled workers to restore the engines he had bought. Anyone thought of approaching him to see if he is interested in the signal box?.
Get rid off it, it most definatley is an eyesore and not worth speding £200 on never mind 200K, what is wrong with this world, homeless people on our street, children dying from hunger, poverty eveywhere, schools falling down from lack of funds etc etc need i say more? get real people there are more important things to consider out there.
Amosite,
I couldn't agree with you more. So, most definitely agree that public monies should not be spent on it and if it was a choice between a wealthy benefactor wanting to spent her/his private money on restoring it OR donating their money to something along the lines you mention above then I would wish that they should do that.
Trouble is, we have no clout over what people do with their own money.
Anyone up for forming a working party to demolish it by hand. We could then move onto the ex Sally Army building the council wasted all our money on at Park Road.
Just think in time we could create some extra off road parking for which we could charge less than Teignbridge and Devon County and also make a bit selling the hard core and scrap metal. Yipeee