Signalling work closes stations in south London

Much of south London’s suburban network will be out of action for seven days from the end of this month, as Network Rail implements the next stage of its £400 million area resignalling programme.

NR has selected the less-busy school half-term period of October 26-November 1, but the disruption will still seriously affect around 30 stations, some of which will close completely.

The work, known as Victoria Stage 4, has been postponed from earlier this year. The latest upgrades are primarily taking place between Crystal Palace, Tulse Hill and Peckham Rye, to allow the area’s signalling management to be relocated to Three Bridges from the cramped and outdated Victoria Area Signalling Centre.

Two more phases will be tackled into 2025, embracing the routes radiating from Brixton and Bromley. Resignalling has been completed between Streatham, Wimbledon, Epsom and Carshalton, along with the Balham and Streatham Hill, Clapham Junction and Shepherds Bush areas of West London.

Network Rail wants to eventually reduce current service delays by around 50%. It says Phase 4 is the culmination of three years of build-up work to install 65 new signals, repositioning and installing gantries to enable better sighting, two new power supply points, and hundreds of miles of telecoms and cables.