The 1883 built Ascott-under-Wychwood Signal Box stands next to the station and level crossing on the edge of the village and marks the start of the 14 mile single track section of the Cotswold Line to Wolvercote Junction, which in 2009 was about to be partly relaid with double track. With a storm approaching, the box is pictured in the late evening on 17 September 1983. As the box faces north it is only possible to get a good shot either very early or late in the day.

Bishton Crossing Signal Box pictured on 15 February 2003. The box controls the level crossing seen on the left, although there is a nearby underbridge for road traffic. However, as this has the ridiculously low headroom of 5' 6", anything other than a standard family car has to use the crossing. As the signal box is not open at night, this must cause some problems for local residents!

The 1933 built LMS Blackford Signal Box is pictured on 17 April 2003. This box formerly controlled traffic on the busy A9 road between Striling and Perth, but since a bypass was built to take traffic away from the village, the level crossing on the Highland Mainline has become considerably quieter!

Blankney Signal Box, pictured on 14 December 2009. As can be seen from the station sign just behind the box, this is actually adjacent to Metheringham station. When opened in 1882 the station was called Blankney & Metheringham. Now the two local villages each give their name individually to the signal box and station!

Blue Anchor Signal Box on the West Somerset Railway is pictured in the very last rays of the setting sun on 19 September 1998. With the sea in the background, crossing gates in the foreground and adjacent booking office adorned with vintage enamel advertising signs, this box occupies a very photogenic location, although I would imagine it is not quite so idyllic when there is a gale blowing off the sea in the winter!

Looking every inch a vintage Great Western Railway signal box, Carrog is in fact a new build by the Llangollen Railway to replace the one demolished before they acquired the line. It is pictured in a few seconds worth of sunshine on an increasingly cloudy 26 June 2010.

The long disused Dalnacardoch Signal Box is a well known landmark on the bleak section of the Highland Main Line between Pitlochry and Kingussie. The Scottish weather has obviously taken its toll on the building despite some relatively recent patching up with corrugated iron. This 10 June 2007 view shows that even in this remote location it was thought necessary to prevent vandalism by bricking up the locking room windows and chopping off the lower section of the access steps.

Glyndyfrdwy Signal Box basks in the sunshine on 26 June 2010. This 1904 built box formerly stood at Leaton on the GWR Gobowen to Shrewsbury line. It closed in 1987 and was moved to the Llangollen Railway shortly afterwards. It now controls the line's only level crossing.

The Ox-eye Daises are in full bloom opposite Holywood Signal Box on 8 June 2007. This much modified Glasgow & South Western Railway design is situated just to the north of Dumfries. I'm not sure what the red painted brick colour scheme is based on, but it certainly makes the buildings show up from a distance!

Derelict and boarded up, Long Marston Signal Box is pictured on 14 August 1983. Note the remnant of the station building on the right, showing how the former building butted right up to the signal box. Note also the length of rail still in the road. Strangely, the rails in the road are the only surviving part of this picture!  A large industrial unit now stands where I am stood to take this picture.

In a very brief burst of sunshine and with dark threatening clouds in the background, March West Junction Signal Box is pictured on 4 November 1986. This small 27 lever box controlled access for freight traffic into Whitemoor Yard from the west. It closed on 29 November 1987 and has since been removed.

Although Moreton-in-Marsh Signal Box features in a number of my pictures, here is a fine close up view taken on 26 May 1986, when it still retained its original mullioned windows. In fact there are hardly any signs of the modern railway in this view, from the vintage bullhead track in the foreground to the single line token machine visible through left hand window.

Pirton Signal Box survived the introduction of colour light signals on the Gloucester to Birmingham route, being retained to operate the adjacent level crossing. However, when that was replaced by remotely operated lifting barriers in the 1980s it became redundant. It is pictured here shorn of any identification and minus its lever frame on 15 June 1986. It was demolished shortly afterwards.

Although it looks in a bad way and ripe for demolition, this box happily survives and is much better condition today. This is Toddington Signal Box on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, pictured on 14 October 1979, before the society took over and just before the track was lifted. Although there are a few broken windows and the nameboard has gone, the frame can still be seen in situ and the brickwork is generally in good order. From this angle it appears that the down main line has been lifted, but in fact only one section of rail had been removed from in front of the box, all other trackwork in the station area being complete.

Wickenby Signal Box on the Market Rasen to Lincoln line, pictured on 14 December 2009. The nearby Wickenby station has closed but the box survives to operate the adjacent level crossing. Built in 1890 by the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway, this box has seen considerable refurbishment in recent years, including a new roof, windows and entrance stairway.