Norton East Signal Box

Railway signal box, 1870, by and for the Central Division of the North Eastern Railway.

MATERIALS: red brick laid in English Garden Wall bond; timber windows with timber weather-boarded side extension to the operating floor; Welsh slate roof with a grey tile ridge.

EXTERIOR: two-storey signal box orientated gable-end onto the tracks to the south. Nearly square in plan with the entrance to both the ground floor locking room and upper, operating floor on the west side, the upper door protected by a small porch which projects from the side of the signal box. The metal stairs serving this porch are a replacement of the original timber stairs and are not of special interest. On the east side there is a projecting extension to the operating floor which is now supported by modern brick pillars. The rear part of this extension is weather-boarded, the front being continuously glazed with the rest of the operating floor. These windows are timber framed with large panes divided by a single horizontal glazing bar, generally arranged in threes, one being horizontally sliding. By 2006 all of the windows were protected by external security shutters. The signal box retains its narrow external balcony of timber boarding supported by iron brackets. The roof extends beyond the face of the gables, supported by flying rafters seated on the projecting ends of the purlins. The centre of the ridge retains the stub of a ventilator.

INTERIOR: the signal box has not been modernised in recent years and is effectively as reorganised in 1959, retaining a lever frame of 25 levers and a complete suite of associated equipment. Wall, floor and ceiling finishes are also unmodernised.

SUBSIDIARY ITEMS: there is a small, modern brick privy within a timber fenced enclosure attached to the east side of the signal box. This privy and its enclosure is not included in the listing.