South London lines embark on four years of major track and signalling upgrades

FEBRUARY saw the start of a major track replacement and resignalling project in south London that will continue in phases until 2025.

Focusing on lines serving London Victoria and the West London Line between Clapham Junction and Shepherds Bush, the £160million first phase extends out as far as Balham and will continue on selected weekends until early 2023.

Further upgrades will take place between Tulse Hill, Peckham Rye and Crystal Palace in 2022-24, and from Stewarts Lane in Battersea to Herne Hill, Nunhead and Ravensbourne in 2023 to 2025.

Blockades

During the weekend/bank holiday closures in May, June and December, no trains will run between Victoria and East Croydon, with most services diverted to London Bridge.

The blockades will allow Network Rail is to install 93 new signals and three power supply points for signalling and point heaters, replace 17 signal gantries with new structures that are easier to maintain, install 186 axle counters for train detection, and lay 200,000 metres of new signalling, telecoms and power supply cabling.

Remodelling

Points and crossings at eight key junctions and 50 other points will also be replaced to increase the reliability and resilience of one of Britain’s busiest sections of railway. Between Clapham and Victoria the track layout will be remodelled to improve line speeds and reduce congestion.

New turnback facilities are planned at Clapham and Balham, allowing signallers to keep more trains moving during planned engineering work and when the route is disrupted.

Control of the Clapham and Balham areas will eventually switch from the Victoria Area Signalling Centre to NR’s Three Bridges Rail Operating Centre, which now controls large parts of the Brighton Main Line and associated routes.