Culvert Road Junction

[MOONY]

Hi,

In the dim and distant past, I remember seeing references to Culvert Road Junction in the Clapham area. There is a Culvert Road in Clapham that runs under the railway adjacent to West London Jn and Pouparts Jn but that is where the story ends. Could some kind soul spread some light on this for me please?

Tnanks in advance,

Moony

 

[swt_passenger]

I recall reading that it was removed early 90s, and the functionality was replaced by alterations at Longhedge Junction. The signalling record society reckons Culvert Road Jn was removed in 1992, but I’m not a member. Someone else may have access.

 

[pdeaves]

Try diagram 54 on http://www.railwaycodes.org.uk/track/distances/southcentral1985.pdf

 

[30907]

I recall reading that it was removed early 90s, and the functionality was replaced by alterations at Longhedge Junction. The signalling record society reckons Culvert Road Jn was removed in 1992, but I’m not a member. Someone else may have access.

It gives the date as 4 October. I would guess that the current layout at Longhedge Jn dates from then?

 

[swt_passenger]

It gives the date as 4 October. I would guess that the current layout at Longhedge Jn dates from then?

Not at all sure. Definitely reads like there was some rationalisation done back then.

 

[MOONY]

Many thanks Guys!

Moony

 

[30907]

Slightly off topic, but I am puzzled to know when the junction was installed, and why? All the necessary connections already existed at Longhedge, and there were still 4 tracks thence to Culvert Road when the lines past Stewarts Lane were simplified....

 

[Dr_Paul]

If we look at this map, from 1950, we can see that the lines coming down from the Windsor lines at Clapham Junction ran parallel with the West London Lines all the way to Longhedge Junction, where they met the lines coming down from the Brighton lines at a fairly complex junction. These were all heavily rationalised -- I can't recall when, perhaps the 1970s? -- with the former two lines joining near the footbridge in Culvert Road, then going as double track to join the third line at Longhedge Junction. Things here were also rationalised, with just one line going around under the South-Western line towards Victoria instead of four. (The rationalisation did, however, permit running from the Brighton lines at Clapham Junction round to Clapham High Road, not possible before.) More recently, the junction between the first two lines has been moved a few hundred yards eastwards, closer to Longhedge Junction, perhaps to allow services to be held without fouling the various junctions in either direction. The current layout can be seen well on Google aerial photography.

 

[30907]

Thanks. I was confused by a photo showing the Chatham lines from Stewart's Lane gone but quadruple track West of Longhedge. Must have been taken part way through rationalisation.

Edit: https://images.app.goo.gl/LuteqRsQWx952Xbi9

Actually, now I look at that picture on a bigger screen, the right hand pair of tracks (with the partly plain-lined double junction) which were the route from Latchmere Jn and the WLL look to be out of use, and the gantry has no signals.
That suggests Culvert Road Jn had already been brought into use.

Seems to be dated about 1977. Longhedge Jn box closed in 1978 with remaining functions transferred to Stewart's Lane until that closed. Was Culvert Road worked from Stewart's Lane then?

 

[Dr Hoo]

If we look at this map, from 1950, we can see that the lines coming down from the Windsor lines at Clapham Junction ran parallel with the West London Lines all the way to Longhedge Junction, where they met the lines coming down from the Brighton lines at a fairly complex junction. These were all heavily rationalised -- I can't recall when, perhaps the 1970s? -- with the former two lines joining near the footbridge in Culvert Road, then going as double track to join the third line at Longhedge Junction. Things here were also rationalised, with just one line going around under the South-Western line towards Victoria instead of four. (The rationalisation did, however, permit running from the Brighton lines at Clapham Junction round to Clapham High Road, not possible before.) More recently, the junction between the first two lines has been moved a few hundred yards eastwards, closer to Longhedge Junction, perhaps to allow services to be held without fouling the various junctions in either direction. The current layout can be seen well on Google aerial photography.

The through running from the Brighton line to the South London Line was an important change. Previously freight from the South Eastern to Norwood Yard (including from my eponymous junction) and v.v. commonly ran into Bricklayers Arms and had to reverse there to switch between the two divisions. The changes facilitated a huge simplification in the New Cross (+ Gate) area and sale of the Bricklayers Arms site.

 

[30907]

I raised the question on the Southern E-group forum and - as expected - got a comprehensive reply about theJn complicated signalling history around Longhedge Jn, which I am permitted to share - many thanks!.
It broadly confirms previous posts; here are the parts relating to Culvert Rd Jn:

"On Sunday 23rd July 1978 Longhedge Junction box was abolished and its area was taken over by Stewarts Lane signal box using an NX panel. On this date also the Kensington Lines were severed at Longhedge Junction and a new junction created to become Culvert Road Junction.

(Subsequently the area became under the control of Victoria Area Signalling Centre, with 3 aspect signalling prefixed VS, the South Eastern panels working the Kensington Lines to Latchmere Junction and later as far as Kensington Olympia.)

"On 4th October 1992 until 15th November 1992, most of the signalling on the Kensington lines between Culvert Road Junction and Mitre Bridge Junction was abolished and replaced by temporary block working.

"From the 15th November 1992 new four aspect signalling was introduced on the Kensington Lines on both lines and in both directions making them all reversible lines. he signalling came under the control of Victoria Central Panels and the new signals were prefixed 'VC'. Culvert Lane Junction was also removed and the junction moved back to Longhedge Junction.

"As to why the infrastructure was restored again, it is more or less certain that it was due to the expected demand resulting from the Channel Tunnel's impending opening, with frequent international freight trains using the route through West London to reach Willesden and beyond."

This makes much better sense! The two-stage work in 1992 hasn't been picked up before, and the point about CTRL traffic hadn't occurred to me (frequent passenger services through Longhedge Jn only date from the London Overground takeover, though the WLL was already busy by then; neither of those could have been predicted in 1978!).

(For completeness, the connection at Longhedge Jn mentioned by the two Doctors upthread will have been made in 1978; the connection in the other direction, allowing travel between Victoria Central and the WLL via Stewart's Lane, was removed in 1972 according to my source's archive.)

 

[Adrian Barr]

I’ve been a long-term lurker on railforums but this is my first post.

I was busy googling this topic last week, and although the original question has already been answered, here are a few more links to pictures which may be of interest:

I’ve always been fascinated by these cross-London freight routes. A few years ago I found a webpage explaining where Culvert Road Junction had been and discussing the 1992 alterations complete with a few photos. When I saw this thread I immediately tried to find it, but after extensive googling I’m fairly sure the website no longer exists.

What I can remember of it is a photo taken somewhere around Longhedge showing possession trains on site during the 1992 track alterations (in the vicinity of the picture linked in post #9) and that a factor affecting the track layout in the area had been the condition of one side of a particular bridge deck. I think it also mentioned the channel tunnel as a reason for the 1992 alterations, which would make sense as moving the junction from Culvert Road to Longhedge C allows for long southbound freight trains to stand at Longhedge without blocking up Latchmere.

To go back to Culvert Road itself, although there is a narrow brick-arched tunnel giving access beneath the main lines east of Clapham Junction, at the site of the old Culvert Road Junction the lines are at street level. Culvert Road (i.e. the street of that name) is severed close to its southern end. Heading north from its junction with Eversleigh Road it abruptly ends in a brick wall, which appears to have been there a long time when you look at it on google streetview. There is pedestrian access over the railway by means of a slight detour up a ramp which follows the railway towards Longhedge, and then over Culvert Road footbridge from where these photos are taken:

Culvert Road Junction, looking towards Latchmere, 1989
petertandy.co.uk/33106_culvertrd_110289.jpg
(if the camera panned to the left slightly in this photo you would see the bricked-up end of Culvert Road).

Culvert Road Junction, looking towards Longhedge, 1985
https://flickr.com/photos/actonwellsjunction/42162821280 (Photo: Ivan Stewart Collection)

Same location in the years after the 1992 restoration of four tracks:

Looking towards Latchmere:
https://flickr.com/photos/tunnel_one/7563658712 (Photo: Antony Guppy)
https://flickr.com/photos/jesutcliffe/33682681455 (Photo: James Sutcliffe)

Looking towards Longhedge:
https://flickr.com/photos/jesutcliffe/33526128002 (Photo: James Sutcliffe)

The 1991 book “Rail Centres: Clapham Junction” has some information, photos and maps related to this thread – it’s available on Amazon for less than £5 if you search for either of these ISBNs - 0711020264 (1st Ian Allan edition) or 1901945278 (2nd Book Law edition). Second edition is just a reprint with a different cover as far as I know. I’ve not read the whole book but there are some fascinating pictures including a class 73 shunting the “Morden to Vauxhall and St Erth” milk tanks at Clapham yard in 1976 (!)

Regarding Longhedge Junction, if you look up Stewarts Lane on Wikipedia there is a Pre-Grouping Railway Clearing House drawing for the area -

upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Clapham_Junction%2C_Stewarts_Lane%2C_Lavender_Hill_%26_Longhedge_RJD_17.jpg

From “Rail Centres: Clapham Junction”:

LCDR – London Chatham & Dover Railway
LSWR – London & South Western Railway
WELCP – West End of London and Crystal Palace Railway
WLER - West London Extension Railway

The main line of the WLER made an end-on-end junction with the West London to the east of that company’s Kensington station… the line crossed the Thames by the Cremorne bridge at Chelsea to reach Latchmere junction in Battersea. Here the mixed gauge main line continued to Longhedge Junction, where it joined the WELCP line to Victoria.

The LCDR was not a partner in the WLER and did not succeed in obtaining running powers over it. It needed connections with the other companies, and so on 14 July 1864 it was authorised to build a line from Factory Junction… to Longhedge Junction , thence alongside the WLER main line and under the LBSCR and LSWR tracks , where it diverged to join the WLER’s No.2 branch and the LSWR Windsor line at a point then termed Ludgate Junction.

The mention of a mixed-gauge line running to Longhedge seems bizarre, but it matches up with a photo on this website – the webpage is a general history of railways between London-Woking with multiple images, the picture of Longhedge is just over halfway down the page captioned “Longhedge Junction bridge over Queenstown Road showing evidence of GWR broad gauge line to Victoria” -

starzina.com/Starzina%20Z%20Railways%20Woking%20to%20London.htm

That picture is very interesting because it shows Longhedge Junction in the pre-1978 era corresponding with the layout shown in the 1977 picture by Antony Guppy - https://flickr.com/photos/tunnel_one/7912765908 - which was previously linked in post #9, but showing the rest of the layout in the other direction.

There were clearly six tracks across Queenstown Road at one time (the actual road of that name, not the station). The bridge over Queenstown Road is located between the present Longhedge B and A junctions (i.e. the current twin track section of line between the joining of the line from Pouparts and the junction where the Battersea Reversible diverges).

The middle two tracks (where the bridge deck appears to be wide enough for broad gauge) have already been removed; these would presumably have been part of the WLER mixed gauge line mentioned previously. The left-hand pair of tracks from Pouparts Junction clearly do not give any access to Factory Junction at this time, as discussed upthread.

I believe this bridge over Queenstown Road must be the one discussed on the lost website I mentioned earlier, the condition of which it was suggested was a factor in the changes to the track layout in the area. The tracks on the right hand side of the bridge were subsequently removed, as mentioned in the comments on this RCTS mystery photo, which shows the view from the window of a train looking back over the Queenstown Road bridge, with the Brighton lines passing overhead (from where the Antony Guppy photo was taken) and Longhedge box visible beyond -

[Edit - this rcts page is no longer active in 2025] rcts.org.uk/features/mysteryphotos/show.htm?page=2&serial=47&img=Y-59-28

The remaining two-track bridge over Queenstown Road appears to have been replaced at some point; I’m not an expert on bridges but google streetview appears to show a relatively modern steel deck rather than something dating from the 1800s. Possibly the 1978 alterations involved the slewing of the track away from the weakest section of the old bridge, the remaining deck of which was later replaced in its entirety?

[Edited 12/03/25 to add functioning links]

 

[30907]

Adrian, welcome and thanks for the detailed post.
You are right about the northernmost pair of tracks at Longhedge Jn - they were pure LBSCR and their original route to Victoria; it was possible to access them from the Kensington lines as well.
The bridge over Queenstown Road is clearly a modern one but I have spent time on Street View and am still not sure whether it exactly corresponds to the middle (LCDR Victoria) pair of the previous pairs of tracks, or whether it overlaps partly with the LBSCR pair. (I assume the southernmost pair (the Factory Jn lines) are somewhat newer, and during rebuilding nearly all the then traffic could have been worked over them.)
Anyone fancy a recce on the Overground? I'm too far away!

 

[yorkie]

Reopened for @BRX to post a reply

 

[BRX]

I came across this thread while trying to work out something else about the "Battersea Tangle" but I think this question can be answered (possibly Google streetview imagery has improved in the past 5 years):

The bridge over Queenstown Road is clearly a modern one but I have spent time on Street View and am still not sure whether it exactly corresponds to the middle (LCDR Victoria) pair of the previous pairs of tracks, or whether it overlaps partly with the LBSCR pair. (I assume the southernmost pair (the Factory Jn lines) are somewhat newer, and during rebuilding nearly all the then traffic could have been worked over them.)

To me it looks fairly clear that the current pair of tracks occupy the position of the northermost pair of original tracks - the LBSCR "low level" ones that went round to Victoria.

This screenshot from Google streetview is looking west from Queenstown Rd - you can see the tracks appear to be tight to the side of the embankment as they approach the bridge:




The same applies in this image looking east:




This screenshot looks at the whole of the eastern abutment and the tracks are sitting on approximately the left-most 1/3 of it:


Finally, these two images are from above using google's 3d view and both show the alignment of the tracks being right to the north:


Finally... there is a driver's eye view of this section of track around 2 minutes in, in this video on youtube.

It looks to me like the single line that replaces the pair of lines that used to curve round to Victoria sits in the middle of the original alignment (rather than on the original up line) but the slew to achieve this happens just after it crosses the bridge.

It was interesting reading through this thread because I didn't realise the track had been rationalised so much here, and I've always noticed (when travelling on the Overground) the large empty span under that bridge that carries the high level lines over the top of these ones.

It's also a little surprising that it wasn't until the 1990s that it was possible for trains coming from the South London line to access the "Brighton" lines through Clapham Junction - something that could surely have been achieved by some relatively simple changes at Longhedge Junction even before the rationalisations. I guess just a long hangover from the days of multiple railway companies where operating habits got baked in?

 

[30907]

It was interesting reading through this thread because I didn't realise the track had been rationalised so much here, and I've always noticed (when travelling on the Overground) the large empty span under that bridge that carries the high level lines over the top of these ones.

Thanks - that is very clear

It's also a little surprising that it wasn't until the 1990s that it was possible for trains coming from the South London line to access the "Brighton" lines through Clapham Junction - something that could surely have been achieved by some relatively simple changes at Longhedge Junction even before the rationalisations. I guess just a long hangover from the days of multiple railway companies where operating habits got baked in?

I can't think there was any demand for that route, certainly not for passenger traffic, and I can't think of a freight flow from Hither Green to Norwood or similar, especially as it would have been on the Brighton fast lines.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

A fascinating thread this, not having seen it before today, An area of much personal interest (Clapham/Battersea for reasons of family) and railway wise my own time based at CJ, late 70's.

It looks to me like the single line that replaces the pair of lines that used to curve round to Victoria sits in the middle of the original alignment

Can't comment on individual line alignment, but the Battersea Reversible was just a single line when I was based at CJ, and reading through this thread it is apparent there was much more in the realm of infrastructure changes afoot than I now remember during my time there. As one of the boxes adjacent to the Longhedge area, we will have seen the various notices relating to such changes, but after so many years one tends to only remember matters relating to one's own immediate working environment, not the changes affecting other boxes in the vicinity.
Very interesting thread as said, so thank you to all for reminding me of the area that was part of my life many years ago.

 

[BRX]

What does the "Battersea Reversible" actually get used for these days?

 

[Big Jumby 74]

What does the "Battersea Reversible" actually get used for these days?

No idea in todays world, but to give an idea of past times, if anything was amiss on the main line through Battersea Park on the Central, we would on occasion send trains via Pouparts and the Batt Rev in to Vic Eastern and back out again, just to keep things moving, but it did depend on co-operation from all concerned, including train crew, who strictly speaking may not have had knowledge that way, but back then things were different and (in most cases) people pitched in to keep things running. It was what it was!

 

[Dr_Paul]

What does the "Battersea Reversible" actually get used for these days?

I once saw a large blast of smoke emerge from behind the old repository building when I was on a train from Waterloo; a look on the Internet when I arrived home showed that it was from a steam special from Victoria which went on to the Windsor lines at Clapham Junction. There's also the aggregates and sand traffic from the yard at Stewarts Lane; there's a reversing siding with a loop for the loco, by Battersea Dogs' Home, that comes off the Battersea Reversible.

 

[Cricketer8for9]

My only use was for the up Newhaven Boat Train in 1989. I’ve been via most of the rest in 32 years commuting to Victoria.

 

[Adrian Barr]

To me it looks fairly clear that the current pair of tracks occupy the position of the northermost pair of original tracks - the LBSCR "low level" ones that went round to Victoria.

I would agree. It's interesting to compare the google 3D views with the picture on that Woking to London page of the Starzina site I linked, about halfway down the page titled "Longhedge Junction bridge over Queenstown Road Station." The picture must have been taken from a position standing on the railway bridge overlooking Longhedge Junction, with the railway arches in the background helping with a comparison to the present day:
http://starzina.com/Starzina Z Railways Woking to London.htm

What does the "Battersea Reversible" actually get used for these days?

As Dr_Paul mentions, it's used by any VSOE workings from Victoria which are heading to Clapham Junction or Kensington Olympia, such as workings to Bath Spa, Chesterfield, the "Surrey Lunch" specials and so on. Also the class 67 left on the blocks at Victoria (when it isn't top & tailed) usually heads to Acton for fuel, via the Battersea Reversible.

VSOE coming off the Battersea Reversible heading to Victoria, with the entrance to Battersea Loop on the right:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/34261415@N03/30424098461/ (Photo: Great Eastern Rail Photography)

There's also the aggregates and sand traffic from the yard at Stewarts Lane; there's a reversing siding with a loop for the loco, by Battersea Dogs' Home, that comes off the Battersea Reversible.

This video from "Freight Rambler" shows the propelling move from Battersea Loop into Stewarts Lane Engine Shed sidings (now the Day Aggregates terminal):

Battersea Yard to Stewarts Lane, A Mini Freight Rambler Production

That move (delivering sea-dredged aggregate from Cliffe) can be seen diverging from the Battersea Reversible. Meanwhile, Freightliner stone trains to Stewarts Lane are coming from the Mendips or Tunstead and use the Battersea Reversible from Longhedge Jn to access Battersea Loop, such as this 6O82 from last week (a portion off a Mendip jumbo detached at Hanwell Loop):
https://live.rail-record.co.uk/train/?c=H45648&d=2025-03-06

It's worth noting there are two aggregate terminals close to each other; the Tarmac Battersea Concrete plant and the Day Aggregates / London Concrete terminal, the sites separated by the railway arches carrying the line from Longhedge Jn to Factory Jn. A few interesting photos:

A picture taken from the top of the building next to the Stewarts Lane site, showing unloading in progress at Day Aggregates in 2011:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/andy_hoare/5519338658/ (Photo: Andy Hoare)

59004 with its Mendip train being unloaded in the middle of the night at Day Aggregates / London Concrete:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/77576656@N08/28966726147/ (Photo: Maryonphotos)

66103 is serving the Tarmac Battersea facility with 6U59 (traffic from Angerstein). The Days terminal is on the left, but the wagons are being unloaded in the Tarmac terminal on the other side of the railway arches:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/77576656@N08/42674092231/ (Photo: Maryonphotos)

Those two photos are from a rather interesting Flickr album showing some South London freight locations from unusual vantage points not accessible to the public:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/77576656@N08/albums/72157697463504685/ (Maryonphotos: Railway Stuff Part Three)

###

The Battersea Reversible is also used for occasional random stock moves such as this 5Y01 05:30 Streatham Hill C.S to Victoria (platform 9) this morning with 377473 + 377153:
https://live.rail-record.co.uk/train/?c=W43269&d=2025-03-12

Or this 5Z51 16:33 Stewarts Lane to Selhurst move with 377608 + 377626 on Saturday: https://live.rail-record.co.uk/train/?c=63583&d=2025-03-08

 

[BRX]

Ah yes - I see now, the "Battersea Reversible" is of course the only way to get from Victoria onto the West London line.