A Grade II listed signal box at Haslemere railway station has embarked on a new journey as a community museum.

South Western Railway and Network Rail formally handed over the signal box to the Haslemere Signal Box Trust, which will now manage the building and open it to the public as a railway museum.

The transfer was marked with a ceremony at the station on Saturday, June 13, attended by volunteers, railway staff and supporters who have helped preserve the landmark.

Guests also enjoyed the sight of the Clan Line steam locomotive passing through on the Portsmouth Direct line before a short presentation in the station car park.

‘Community Ken’ Griffiths, chair of the Haslemere Signal Box Trust, said: “This was a tremendous day for the Signal Box Trust. Not only did we receive the key to the signal box, but we were also able to open our railway memorabilia museum to the public for the first time.

“Thanks must be given to all the volunteers who helped us renovate the box and fit out the museum. They included Network Rail and South Western Railway employees and the local pool of volunteers from Haslemere and the surrounding district.”

Rail Minister Lord Hendy attended the event, during which representatives of South Western Railway and Network Rail handed over the keys to the trust. Visitors were then invited to tour the signal box and a newly opened railway memorabilia museum in the station building.

Built in 1895, the signal box served the railway for more than 130 years before guiding its last train in October 2025. It was decommissioned as part of a wider signalling upgrade between Farncombe and Petersfield.

The signal box is unusual because it sits at platform level rather than being elevated above the tracks, making it a distinctive feature of Haslemere station. For generations it played a key role in controlling train movements along the busy Portsmouth Direct line and became a familiar sight to passengers travelling through the town.

The museum includes railway artefacts and memorabilia linked to the station's history and the wider railway network, giving visitors an insight into how signalling technology and railway operations have changed over the decades.

The trust has spent several years working with railway officials on plans to preserve the building and secure its future. Over the past three months, restoration work has returned the signal box to its traditional Southern Railway appearance.

More than 35 volunteers from South Western Railway and Network Rail helped refurbish the interior, while specialist contractors carried out external restoration work.

Jack Wharton, senior public affairs manager for South Western Railway and Network Rail Wessex, said: “We are proud to have worked in partnership with the Haslemere Signal Box Trust to refurbish and transfer ownership of the Haslemere Signal Box into community hands, ensuring its preservation as a railway museum for future generations.”

Network Rail has leased the building to the trust at a peppercorn rent, allowing the group to preserve the historic structure and open it for future generations to enjoy.