By Claudia Skubel
FRANKSTON Council wants to aid in the preservation of the historical Frankston railway station signal box.
The signal box was built in 1922 and is owned by Vic Track. Frankston councillor Glenn Aitken says that “we’ve actually been told it’s one of the very few operational signal boxes left in Victoria”.
Although still in operation, council hopes to take steps to preserve and prevent the further deterioration of the signal box. At their 21 September meeting, councillors voted to make “representation to Vic Track and the Department of Transport highlighting the importance of the preservation of the Frankston Signal Box”.
Cr Aitken said “there doesn’t appear to have been much maintenance done for a very long time, and that’s a key issue. The building will become more and more deteriorated, then it will be too late.”
“It’s really important to hold and secure whatever history we’ve got left. That’s why this building, being one of the last vestiges of old Frankston is so important,” he said. “It was there when there was flapper fashion and the Charleston was being danced in dance halls in Frankston, and it’s still here today in the 21st century.”
In 2016 the 1920s era signal box at Ringwood Station was removed, relocated and recommissioned as a café and historical site. Cr. Aitken said “I think both of those would be very viable. It could be a combination of a cafe and a historic site for the preservation and display of items relating to Frankston’s history”.
With the precedent set by the Ringwood signal box, council is looking for a similar outcome for the Frankston signal box.