In Valley Railway Station on the Isle of Anglesey in Wales, a historic signal box that had survived since December 1867 was under serious threat due to decay caused by wet rot.
Fortunately, our local team of wood rot specialists in North Wales were able to stop the rot in its tracks and undergo essential restoration works to ensure the Grade II listed timber building could continue operating safely.
Is Wet Rot Common in Anglesey?
Like all forms of wood rot, wet rot requires a source of moisture in order to germinate and spread. Having an Oceanic climate with rainfall during every month of the year, properties and buildings on the Isle of Anglesey are particularly susceptible to wet rot if this abundance of wet weather manages to make its way into the building structure or internal side of the property.
Such was the case with the Valley Railway Station signal box. Our inspection of the site revealed that the wet rot had taken hold due to the rather common problem of faulty guttering leading to water ingress into the signal box.
How our Anglesey Team Repaired the Wet Rot 
As wet rot can’t grow without a source of moisture, the first step was to find the source of water ingress to ensure unwanted moisture would not affect any timbers replaced during the restoration. Following this, experienced technicians Paul George and Chris Burke set about restoring the damaged timber.
It was vitally important to our team and to Anglesey council that the character of the building remained intact, given the historic and cultural significance of the Valley Station Signal Box. As such, a bespoke custom treatment plan was drawn up to ensure that this aspect of the building was maintained.
This involved removing and replacing internal structural timber frames throughout the building. Some of the timber was replaced with Accoya wood – a sustainable softwood known for its longevity and durability. Stainless steel splice plates were also added to adjoining half lap joint timber to strengthen and maintain the building’s structure. As a last step, all timber was treated with fungicidal fluid to help prevent growth of wet rot fungus in future.
Throughout the restoration works the signal box was fully operational, with no disruption to the train services running through the Valley Railway Station. Speaking upon completion of the project Mark Abbott, Senior Surveyor for Peter Cox in Anglesey and North Wales commented, “Our work has ensured Valley Railway Station’s Signal Box can both continue to house transport equipment and act as a safe vantage point to observe passing trains.”
Wet Rot Protection in Anglesey and North Wales
All forms of wood rot can cause weakening of timber, with wet rot and dry rot perhaps being the most infamous and potent examples. As Anglesey in particular and North Wales more generally are prone to more wet weather and showers than the majority of the UK, then it is up to property and business owners to be vigilant against the initial signs of damp or a wood-eating fungus infestation.
If you suspect you have identified a problem then the surest and safest course of action to make sure that the issue doesn’t continue to deteriorate is to contact damp and wood rot professionals, such as the qualified and experienced professionals at your local branch of Peter Cox.
Our wet rot team can be reached today by sending us an online enquiry.
