The Ararat Railway Museum is managed by the Ararat Railway Heritage Association, who formed in 1995 to preserve some of the history of the railways from the region.
The Museum contains two historically significant signal boxes. Signal Box 'A' was one of two signal boxes at the Ararat Station which were commissioned on 26 October 1891. The Box was located at the Melbourne end of the Ararat Yard (east end).
The other 'B' Box stood at the Stawell end of the Yard (west end). 'B' Box remained until 10 November 1984 when alterations in the Ararat Yard forced its closure and demolition. 'B' Box was originally built with 65 levers in February 1921, a further seven levers were added, bringing the total to its present number of 72. The levers are painted red for signals, blue for lock bars and black for points to operate the movement of trains at the Melbourne end of the Yard and were interlocked to prevent unsafe and conflicting train movements, thus ensuring the impossibility of trains colliding.
Ararat Signal Box 'A' was decommissioned May 1995. The Historic Buildings Council has determined Signal Box 'A' and signal posts Ararat Railway Complex are of special significance to the State of Victoria. They were included on the Historic Buildings Council Register on 14 day of September 1995.
New members to the Ararat Railway Heritage Association are welcomed.
