Control moving to Three Bridges
Signalling engineers are gearing up for Phase 3 of the Victoria resignalling programme, which will see control of the terminus at Victoria and busy sections of railway in south and west London moving from Victoria Area Signalling Centre (ASC) to Three Bridges Rail Operating Centre (TBROC).
Phase 2, completed in 2016-18, saw the Sutton and Streatham areas transferring to TBROC. Phase 3 covers Balham, Clapham Junction (Central side) and Victoria, as well as the West London line to just north of Shepherd’s Bush (the location of the fringe with Wembley signalling centre). The work is due to culminate in a commissioning over Christmas 2022.
Some of the most extensive work will be in the Balham and Clapham Junction areas. Here the signalling dates back to the early 1980s, comprising GEC geographical interlockings with some free wired route relay racks. The plan is to fully resignal this area and move control to Three Bridges. Track circuits will be replaced by Frauscher axle counters.
The West London line is controlled by solid state interlockings dating from 1990. On this line, Victoria 3 is a relock and recontrol project, with the aim being to consolidate the current three interlockings (Latchmere, Kensington and North Pole) into a single Westlock interlocking. Track circuits will remain on this line.
