Norton East Signal Box

Norton East Signal Box is a railway signal box built in 1870 for the Central Division of the North Eastern Railway. It is constructed from red brick laid in English Garden Wall bond, featuring timber windows and a timber weather-boarded side extension to the operating floor. The roof is made of Welsh slate with a grey tile ridge.

The signal box is two storeys high and is oriented with its gable end facing the tracks to the south. It has a nearly square plan, with entrances to both the ground floor locking room and the upper operating floor located on the west side. The upper entrance is sheltered by a small porch that projects from the side of the building. The original timber stairs leading to this porch have been replaced with metal stairs, which are not of special interest. On the east side, there is a projecting extension to the operating floor, now supported by modern brick pillars. The rear part of this extension is weather-boarded, while the front features continuous glazing that matches the rest of the operating floor. The timber-framed windows have large panes divided by a single horizontal glazing bar, typically arranged in groups of three, with one window being horizontally sliding. By 2006, all windows were fitted with external security shutters. The signal box also retains a narrow external balcony made of timber boarding, supported by iron brackets. The roof extends beyond the gable faces, with flying rafters resting on the projecting ends of the purlins. The ridge of the roof still has the stub of a ventilator.

Inside, the signal box has not been modernised recently and remains largely as it was reorganised in 1959. It retains a lever frame with 25 levers and a complete suite of associated equipment, along with unmodernised wall, floor, and ceiling finishes.

Additionally, there is a small modern brick privy within a timber fenced enclosure attached to the east side of the signal box, but this privy and its enclosure are not included in the listing.