Nene Valley Railway's Orton Mere signal box to reopen one year after arson

A signal box which was damaged in an arson attack will be reopening after extensive repairs.

Nene Valley Railway's Orton Mere signal box at Ferry Meadows was set alight during the night of March 12 last year.

The fire burnt through the back wall floor of the signal box and destroyed all the heritage signalling equipment within the box making it unsafe to enter or use.

Most of the signalling equipment inside, which had been donated or bought over the years to give a period look, was destroyed.

Nene Valley Railway, based at Wansford Station, Stibbington, received donations including thousands of pounds from a GoFundMe page set up by two 12-year-old boys.

The donations and money from an insurance claim meant work could go-ahead to restore the signal box and replace the heritage equipment.

By the end of January, the signal box was handed back to Nene Valley Railway for normal use.

Nene Valley Railway is hosting a re-opening on Saturday, March 9 where its own Thomas locomotive will bring passenger carriages to Orton Mere.

The event, which will be attended by fundraisers, dignitaries and firefighters who helped tackle the blaze, will be opened by Miranda Rock of Burghley House.