Peterborough schoolboys ‘very proud’ of the thousands of pounds they raised to help repair Orton Mere signal box

Two Peterborough teenagers who have raised more than £15,000 to help repair a historic railway building targeted by arsonists have spoken of their pride at seeing their efforts bear fruit.

Railway enthusiasts Harry Cowley and Oliver Walker, both 13, were welcomed as ‘guests of honour’ to Nene Valley Railway’s (NVR) reopening ceremony for the newly refurbished Oron Mere signal box on Saturday March 9.

The date was significant as it was almost exactly a year to the day since the heritage building was very nearly destroyed by a fire started by arsonists.

Harry and Oliver remember that day well as the sight of the gutted signal box had an immediate impact:

“I cried,” Harry recalls, wincing at the memory: “It was horrific.”

Upset but undeterred, the young train fan felt compelled to act:

“I texted Oliver; he came down and we immediately knew we had to set up a fundraiser…”

“...and we raised £1,000 in just one day,” says Oliver, referring to the web fundraising pages both of them had immediately set up.

Along with their online efforts, the two Nene Park Academy pupils also undertook a charity 10k walk, striding the full length of the heritage railway line from Peterborough all the way to Wansford.

The boys’ efforts saw them raise almost £10,000, every penny of which went towards the restoration of the gutted signal box.

Born with a love of trains and model railways, both boys are regular visitors to the NVR, and are well known by many of the volunteers and staff who keep the heritage line running

“The Nene Valley Railway has a massive place in my heart,” Harry explains: “Most weekends me and Oliver are down here - it’s like my second home.”

The boys say they were “very surprised” by the positive reaction their fundraising efforts received.

“We were blown away by how much [money] we got,” Harry says, adding, “It shows that there are some good people in this world.”

Michael Purcell, chairman of trustees at Nene Valley Railway, could not speak highly enough of the boys’ “wonderful” endeavours and commitment.

"It really showed the true side of [the] human spirit, after the attack,” he said.

"We can’t thank them enough - they have been absolutely brilliant.”

So what do the two friends think of the new spick-and-span signal box they are standing beside now?

“The paint job looks really lovely,” Oliver says, casting his eye appreciatively: “It makes it look pretty.”

Fittingly, Harry and Oliver were treated as true guests of honour at the signal box’s grand reopening ceremony on Saturday March 9.

Along with staff, volunteers and fellow train enthusiasts, Harry and Oliver got to meet firefighters and NVR top brass, as well as the two brothers who carried out the specialist repairs.

“It was literally the best day ever,” Harry says, beaming.

“They revealed a plaque for Orton Mere signal box,” he notes, “when people see that they’ll think ‘those boys did really good’,”

“And when we walk past it we can say ‘we did that’ and feel proud of ourselves.”