Work has started on building a signal box at Birkhill station on the Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway in Falkirk.

Birkhill is one of four stations on the line, along with Bo’ness, Kinneil and Manuel Junction.

The Scottish Railway Preservation Society, which operates the five-mile Railway, has wanted to build a signal box at Birkhill station for some time.

The new box will allow two trains to work on the Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway.

This will enable more flexibility in train operations for special events, dining trains and footplate experiences.

It will also make it easier for carry out movements to and from the national network at Manuel.

The Railway will also need to repair and construct platforms in order to allow two-train operation at Birkhill station.

The Society has now appointed a contractor to construct the shell of the Signal Box, with work beginning this month.

It hopes to complete the full Signal Box this winter, ready for the railway reopening in the spring.

Building the signal box will cost £80,000 in total. The Society has already raised the first £55,000 of this. It is now appealing for support to raise the remaining £25,000.

Once this money is raised, volunteers in the Society’s Signal and Telegraph department will be able to fit out the restored mechanical lever frame inside the Box. This will be the next important step in bringing the new Birkhill Signal Box into operation.

You can make a donation via the Society’s Charities Aid Foundation giving page.

Should the appeal raise more money than is needed, the surplus donations will be used to pay for the platform work at Birkhill Station.

The Society has promised to provide regular updates as the construction of the signal box progresses.

The Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway held a successful Winter Diesel Gala at the end of last year. The Scottish Rail Preservation Society works in partnership with the Royal Scot Locomotive and General Trust, which uses the Society’s carriages in its mainline tours.