THE latest project to enhance the railway heritage of Crediton Station has included the return of the old British Rail enamel signalbox nameboard after nearly 50 years.

The large sign, thought to date from the 1940s, was replaced around 1979/80. It has been donated to the station by the collector from Andover, Hampshire who purchased it from British Rail at the time.

By kind agreement of GWR, the sign has been placed in the waiting shelter on Platform 2.

The heritage project has also seen a brand new heritage style large Crediton nameboard, known as a “running-in board” placed at the Exeter end of that platform.

With the new heritage style Crediton name board, from left, Paul Bryant of Parc Signs; Melanie Harvey, Station Manager, Mid Devon, GWR; Richard Burningham and David Gosling. AQ 7653
With the new heritage style Crediton name board, from left, Paul Bryant of Parc Signs; Melanie Harvey, Station Manager, Mid Devon, GWR; Richard Burningham and David Gosling. AQ 7653 (Alan Quick, Crediton Courier)

The project was organised by the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership, a non-profit partnership between local authorities, the rail industry and the University of Plymouth which works to promote and improve rail services and facilities on branch lines in the two counties.

It was the last project led by the Partnership’s former Manager Richard Burningham before his retirement in early June.

Rebecca Catterall, Director of the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership said: “We're delighted to have helped bring this important piece of Crediton's railway history back to the station after almost half a century.

“It is particularly fitting that this project was the last one led by Richard, whose dedication to celebrating and preserving the heritage of Devon and Cornwall's railways has left a lasting legacy."

Crediton Railway Station. AQ 7641
Crediton Railway Station. AQ 7641 (Alan Quick, Crediton Courier)

A £3,772 grant from GWR’s Customer & Community Improvement Fund made the project possible. This paid for construction of the new running-in board, refurbishment of the old signalbox sign, a new information notice about the signalbox sign and installation.

All the signage work was undertaken by Parc Signs of St Austell who have also made most of the other heritage signs at the station over a period of more than 20 years.

The Friends of Crediton Station look after the station and initiated the scheme to restore the station, which is Grade II Listed, to the look of the London & South Western Railway (L&SWR) back in 2001 following celebrations that year to mark the station’s 150th anniversary.

The L&SWR owned and served the lines through Crediton from Victorian times through to 1923 when it became part of the then new Southern Railway.