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Photograph by John Hinson, 1976

When this box opened in 1927, it was called Exeter Queen Street "A" but the station was renamed in 1933. The new box was built here to replace two earlier boxes, Queen Street "A" and "B". The "C" box became "B" at the same date.

The box is a standard Southern Railway design of the era with a twist - it has a hipped roof. In the earlier days of the SR, the three major constituent companies retained some individuality on their boxes, and many of those on the former L&SW retained the hipped roof arrangement of their earlier boxes. This can be compared with Mitcham Junction and Hastings.

Photograph by John Hinson, 1976

A late survivor at Exeter Central was this L&SW lower quadrant signal. Its long life may be explained by the station having been transferred to the Western Region, who still used lower quadrant signals as the norm. The lattice post was original, as was the spectacle, but the arm had been replaced by a WR enamelled one.

This signal was originally the Exeter central "B" Down Local Home, but after that box closed in 1970 it was worked from "A" box, which became known as plain Exeter Central.

The box had a Stevens & Sons frame of 90 levers, although many were spare in later years. The box closed on 6th May 1985, and the area is now controlled by Exeter power box.

Photograph from the collection of John Hinson, 1983

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Comments about this article should be addressed to John Hinson