Georgeham Signal Box Kit
Built and reviewed by Nicholas B Jackson
Gazette - May 2018 (Vol 20 No.7)
http://www.buennig-modellbau.de
Around 1980, my parents retired to Braunton, North Devon, which was where
my mother was born and my grandparents had lived. As a young boy in the late
1950s and throughout the 60s I had many a holiday in Braunton at my
grandparents’ home and one of the highlights was travelling there by train,
either from Cheshire or Kent, depending on where my parents were
living at the time. I remember the delightful journeys well,
particularly during steam days.
Once my parents were back in Devon I was again a frequent visitor, albeit by car of course, as
Braunton station on the Barnstaple to Ilfracombe line closed in 1970. My interest in railways led me to research
this line and in particular Braunton Station as l had
intentions, and still do, of building an O gauge model layout. Some of the
original railway buildings still exist so over the years I have measured and drawn
these up for future reference. The level crossing north of Braunton Station was
known as Georeham and in April 1982, an article and scale drawing prepared
by myself of the Signal Box was published in the Railway Modeller.
Roll on 34 years and imagine my surprise when the Trade News within the
mentioned the German kit supplier, Buennig-Modellbau, who were producing
a laser cut MDF kit of Georgeham signal box, prepared from a plan they found
in the Railway Modeller!
Naturally l immediately contacted them, introducing myself and they very
kindly sent me a kit. Laser kits were something new to me and upon opening
the nice little card box the components came in, there was that distinct aroma
of burnt wood, which l now associate with these types of kits. On closer
inspection, there was a surplus of parts, all finely and precision cut. There were
no instructions but I could fairly easily grasp how it went together. So, armed
with woodworking glue, I assembled the main components, leaving the roof
detachable. Some aerosol car primer was applied and then the appropriate
Humbrol enamels brought the box to life, finished in late Southern Railway
colours. This kit provides the basic signal box, to which more detailing such as
interior, gutters and downpipes, signage, fire buckets, chimney, and valances
can be added, not forgetting the signalman. It also provides ample scope for
adaption to mirror similar boxes at other locations as this type of design was
quite common on the Southern and the London South Western Railways. I used
clear setting model aircraft canopy glue for the intricate window frames and
pre-cut glazing which came with the kit. I set the sliding type windows in the
open position to reflect use in a warm summer’s day, which of course all my
distant holiday memories recall!
All in all, a lovely little kit which I highly recommend and I am so pleased it
has been produced.
A slightly obscured view of the prototype 'box taken in 2016.
The kit of laser cut parts laid out on the Railway Modeller article
The assembled kit painted in late Southern Railway colours, ready for further detailing
A copy of this review was sent to Bunnig Modellbau. Sabine Buennig thanked Nicholas for the very fair review and said they looked forward to seeing it in print. She confirmed that the current price is of the kit is 25 Euros (approximately £23)
