A rare Victorian signal box once threatened with demolition now has a new lease of life following a campaign by villagers to save it.

Contractors have spruced up the charming timber building at Chartham near Canterbury, restoring its original historic appeal.

The building was going to be pulled down by Network Rail when the manual crossing gates were automated in 2022, along with crossings in Wye and Grain.

But a campaign by residents, backed by the parish council, forced a change of heart by the company which had previously said the box, erected in 1888, would be a liability to maintain.

Last week contractors for Network Rail began a full restoration of the building, repainting it in the old Southern Railway heritage colours of green and stone, and undertaking work inside.

It is a welcome sight for villager Claire Slater who lives nearby and led the campaign to preserve the “treasured” structure.

“I am absolutely delighted and the workmen are doing a fantastic job,” she said.

“It was certainly worth all the effort to save it for the village and we now hope it can be put to some good community use.”

Chartham Parish Council previously bid for the signal box to be listed by Historic England but it was not accepted.

Now councillors are in discussions with Network Rail over the possibility of leasing it in the future for some kind of community benefit.

Chairman Tim Clark say the council has been working with the company ever since it was announced the box was going to be demolished for the new crossing gates.

“We averted that and they agreed to update the box but it has taken some time to get this far.

“The box has to be maintained by the rail company because of the proximity to the line and the contractors have researched the historic colours to ensure it fits with a heritage box.

“We have also encouraged the retention of some of the levers and other artifacts and hope to include these in a display of function of some form.

“I personally bought a heritage sign for the Chartham signal box at auction and we hope to have this reinstated, although Network Rail prefer it to be displayed internally.

“Our initial thoughts are for a range of small group activities that champion the history of the box as well. But we have not seen a draft lease yet so the parish council can not be sure we will yet be able to be involved.”

“When we are clearer about the lease arrangement, we hope to have a wider meeting with the village.”

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “Network Rail colleagues are currently redecorating and preserving the historic signal box at Chartham.

“We’re working closely with colleagues at the local council who intend to take on the signal box, possibly as a Children’s Library, and we have left some of the railway memorabilia in place such as the old signal levers at the request of the council to support their future plans for this signal box.”