A SIGN originally belonging to an East Cornwall railway station is due to be returned to its rightful position next week, thanks to the generosity of the man who salvaged it nearly 40 years ago.

The Calstock Railway Station sign is thought to be dated from the early part of the 20th century and made at the London and South Western Railway's concrete works at Exmouth Junction.

The sign was rejected from its position at the station shortly after 1977 and left in pieces on the ground, where it was salvaged and bought by Mike Hodge, from Crediton, courtesy of the then area manager of Plymouth, in order to save it.

Mr Hodge now wants to return it to its rightful place and contacted Calstock Parish Council last month to see if the parish would like it back and whether the council would be willing to take ownership of it.

In a letter to the parish council, David Gosling, on behalf of Mr Hodge, said: 'The nameboard section was purchased by Mike Hodge, courtesy of the area manager of Plymouth, in order to save it from oblivion.

'Mike wishes to return the sign to Calstock, where he feels it belongs.

'Fortunately the railway authorities now look upon such action with kindly eyes. Friends of Crediton Station (FOCS), of which Mike is a member, have taken the sign in hand and have prepared and repainted it, as near as possible, in Southern Railway/British Railways, Southern Region condition.

'New posts and the top piece (the casting running along the top of the sign, from post to post) were needed.'

'These were constructed by Unique Furniture and Joinery in Bow, to drawings prepared by me — these being devised from various extant drawings and photographs of similar designs.'

Mr Gosling said the cost of construction, including paint and other materials required by FOCS, had been borne by the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership (D&CRP), courtesy of Richard Burningham, the partnership's manager.

Mr Gosling continued: 'What we have been concerned about is that there is currently no-one to guarantee the assured future of the sign.

'Parish, or town, councils are more or less constant, whereas railway companies and their various staff come and go these days. To avoid indifference and possible neglect, some organisation really needs to take possession of it.

'It is Calstock's sign and we were very much hoping that Calstock would want to own it.'

In response to the request, Calstock parish councillors were delighted with the idea of re-instating the original sign and agreed to take ownership of it.

A small, stainless steel plaque has been fixed to one of the posts of the sign, delineating ownership.

Parish clerk Sue Lemon said: 'The parish council is very happy to have the old Calstock Railway sign back where it belongs! We would like to thank David Gosling for arranging for the sign to be returned and Mike Hodge for ensuring its safe keeping for the last 40 years!'

It has been arranged for railway staff to collect the sign from Crediton, take it to Calstock and erect it as close as possible to the original site.

An unveiling ceremony is due to take place at Calstock Station on Monday (March 2) coinciding with the 107th anniversary of the opening of the Callington branch — including Calstock — in 1908, by the Plymouth, Devonport and South Western Junction Railway.