Downham Market Signal Box

 Downham Market signal box

'Downham Market' signal box on the 2nd May 2011

'Downham Market' signal box from the end near the road.

Downham’s wooden signal box was built in 1881. But this signal box is to set to close in 2021, when the Ely to Kings Lynn line will be controlled from Anglia Regional Operations Centre at Romford.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport have awarded listed status to 26 signal boxes across the country.Downham Market signal box is one of them to have been granted Grade II listed status as part of a joint project between Network Rail and English Heritage. This it is hoped will secure some the nation’s railway signalling heritage. The box being wooden may be moved from here to a steam railway?

Downham signal Box in 2004 

 Before the wires came to Downham Market

'Downhan' signal box

This slide taken in BR days shows the box is named as "Downham" with no Market. Note also the fine signal.

The level crossing gates had gone in 1975 replace by barriers.

Downham signal box  BR from the up platform

Note the ledge to clean the windows. Also the full coal buckets for the fire.  There is no chimney on todays box.  Note this end the barge boards on the roof are fancy this end and plain on the other end (see photo above) 

Passengers then crossd the line over the running boards with a just a sign saying Way Out from the down platform This way out has been removed since then.See photo below.

Downham signal box from the up platform 20th May 2020. 

Downham Market railway station is on the Great Eastern main line from Cambridge to Kings Lynn. Downham Market is a small town and is the largest of the 3 stations in between Ely and Kings Lynn  This line is now called the Fen Line. Overhead wires electrified at 25 kV AC were put in when the line from Cambridge to Ely was wired. 

There are now four stations open along the line between Kings Lynn and Ely ,they are:-

Littleport. This is a large village

Downham Market. This is a small town on the line

Watlington. is a village

Kings Lynn is a Town

     

     

 Page updated 1/6/2020