FAREWELL TO LONDON BRIDGE AREA SIGNALLING CENTRE
Published at 00:00 on Saturday 8th August 2020
Tags: London Bridge, Signalling, NX Panel, Network Rail, Upgrade
An £81 million scheme by Network Rail to renew infrastructure in the Hither Green area of South London is progressing, and resulted in London Bridge Area Signalling Centre being closed.
The whole main line from London Charing Cross and St Pancras International to Chislehurst is now under the control of Three Bridges Rail Operating Centre near Gatwick in Sussex, signalled from modern WestCAD workstations. As part of the re-signalling work, 92 LED signal heads have been installed while 90 track circuits have been replaced by 262 axle counters, 24km of power cable has been laid along with 19km of fibre telecoms cable.
In addition, the local third signalling power supply is being upgraded and made more resilient and the ability to 'turnback' trains at Hither Green, Grove Park and Lee are being provided.
The eNtrance/eXit (NX) panel at London Bridge ASC first started signalling trains in 1975, absorbing a variety of smaller boxes, from the two-man lever-frame at Borough Market Junction, to the 1962-era panel at Hither Green.