Colchester: Landmark saved from bulldozers

3:17pm Friday 16th May 2008

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A COLCHESTER landmark is to be saved from the bulldozers.

But now a new bid will be made to save it from the vandals.

Fears had been raised over the future of the historic signal box at East Gates.

The signal box will become redundant as part of the £92 million upgrade of the railway line between Marks Tey and Colchester and the branch lines to Clacton and Walton. More than 33 miles of track is being re-signalled during the project which is due to be completed next spring.

Network Rail has said there are no plans to demolish the box - which dates back to about 1925 - and said it will work hard to protect it from the vandals.

A spokeswoman for the company said: "We don't have any plans to demolish this box. However, we do not believe it would be suitable for conversion for any type of public use.

"The main reasons for this are to do with safety such as its proximity to the open railway and live overhead wires.

"The only available access to the box is by crossing the tracks on a private footpath crossing a short distance from the road level crossing.

"We would have to introduce a new public footpath level crossing which is something we simply do not want to do for safety reasons."

The spokeswoman added: "We take heritage issues very seriously and will always work to preserve our assets and protect them from vandalism."

Colchester MP Bob Russell, who has campaigned for the signal box to be saved, welcomed the announcement - but said a use needed to be found for the building.

He said: "I am grateful for Network Rail's public assurance the East Gates Signal Box will not be demolished.

"I will continue with my dialogue with Network Rail in an attempt to find a new use for this building which makes such an important feature in the street scene. I am sure that, given goodwill, this can be achieved."