Signalbox Closures 2026/27

[SWTurbo]

Does anyone have a list/knowledge of which boxes on the network are going to be the next ones to close this year and next year?
Obviously subject to the usual railway planning bits and bobs, but are there any confirmed closures?
Any and all info appreciated!

 

[Mike Kirwan]

Not that soon, but Wembley Mainline is confirmed to be moving to Rugby ROC December 2028

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Not that soon, but Wembley Mainline is confirmed to be moving to Rugby ROC December 2028

Welcome to the forum. Your first post I see. Thanks for that information.

 

[Ellis101]

Not that soon, but Wembley Mainline is confirmed to be moving to Rugby ROC December 2028

Definitely something to look forward to!

 

[Tram Inn SB]

April (Easter) 2027 Cardiff Queen Street to Rhymney will transfer from South Wales Signalling Centre to Taff Well Integrated Control Centre.

Leaving the “Valleys” signalling workstation a less than one mile rump of Cardiff Central to Ninian Park.

 

[JT97]

Similarly Havant ASC is set to close and is moving to Basingstoke ROC by 2028

 

[zwk500]

The Lewisham area resignalling at Christmas 2026 will move another area from Victoria ASC to Three Bridges ROC.
Stewarts Lane and Herne Hill follow in 2027, which may be the last areas of Victoria ASC to move to Three Bridges ROC. Open to correction on that though!

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Definitely something to look forward to!

So that means Rugby ROC will control Euston-Trent Valley-Betley Road throughout, 154 miles?

 

[zwk500]

So that means Rugby ROC will control Euston-Trent Valley-Betley Road throughout, 154 miles?

Rugby SCC will still control Apsley to Atherstone, presumably.

 

[The Planner]

Not that soon, but Wembley Mainline is confirmed to be moving to Rugby ROC December 2028

Is it? I have heard rumours it isn't entirely going.

 

[WL113]

Aston SCC closes early 2027, recontrol to Birmingham ROC.

 

[The Planner]

Aston SCC closes early 2027, recontrol to Birmingham ROC.

Easter 2027

 

[Ashwick]

The latest copy of Brnch Line News which arrived yesterday swys Swinderby box is closing on May 29th.

 

[zwk500]

The latest copy of Brnch Line News which arrived yesterday swys Swinderby box is closing on May 29th.

Does it say if the area is being taken over by Lincoln SCC or York ROC?

 

[Bald Rick]

The Lewisham area resignalling at Christmas 2026 will move another area from Victoria ASC to Three Bridges ROC.

Lewisham is already at TBROC, and has been for nearly a decade. The resignalling is renewal of the ground equipment, which is mostly 50 years old. I cant be sure whether the interlocking was replaced by the Thameslink programme; but I think not because I thnink I recall a lot of work on new relay sets for Tanners Hill. In which case new interlocking(s) too.

You might be thinking of Stewarts Lane & Herne Hill interlocking areas; these are being resignalled / relocked and recontrolled to TBROC from Victoria (Eastern) next year.

 

[Mike Kirwan]

Definitely something to look forward to!

Speak for yourself! Wembley is a lovely box to work, ROC’s are where boxes with any sort of character go to die

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Apr 2026 ==

Is it? I have heard rumours it isn't entirely going.

Well nothing is ever certain on the railway - but we’ve received notice by the management that it’s to have a phased move, closing completely in December 2028. Watford and Suburban workstations could go much sooner, December 2027 is what the aim is I hear

 

[Ashwick]

Swinderby control passes to Lincoln.

 

[Nippy]

Definitely something to look forward to!

Not for those of us who work there

 

[zwk500]

Lewisham is already at TBROC, and has been for nearly a decade. The resignalling is renewal of the ground equipment, which is mostly 50 years old. I cant be sure whether the interlocking was replaced by the Thameslink programme; but I think not because I thnink I recall a lot of work on new relay sets for Tanners Hill. In which case new interlocking(s) too.

You might be thinking of Stewarts Lane & Herne Hill interlocking areas; these are being resignalled / relocked and recontrolled to TBROC from Victoria (Eastern) next year.

I must have either misread the fringe boundary or be reading an old Sectional Appendix:

 

[Freightmaster]

I must have either misread the fringe boundary or be reading an old Sectional Appendix:

The reference to 'Victoria SB' on the top of that page only applies to (part of) the line to/from Nunhead;
the Lewisham/St Johns area is all controlled from Three Bridges.




MARK

 

[zwk500]

The reference to 'Victoria SB' on the top of that page only applies to (part of) the line to/from Nunhead;
the Lewisham/St Johns area is all controlled from Three Bridges.




MARK

Thanks,

I had obviously got confused by the adjacent resignalling and the description of the Lewisham area on this page: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/our-w...n-railway-upgrade-plan/lewisham-resignalling/ which referenced the 1970s technology and showed the line towards Nunhead included. That'll teach me to be more thorough in reading the Appendix!

Presumably Parks Bridge was not relocked when it got recontrolled to the ROC, and they're now coming back and upgrading the stuff not done at that time as @Bald Rick says.

 

[Bald Rick]

Presumably Parks Bridge was not relocked when it got recontrolled to the ROC, and they're now coming back and upgrading the stuff not done at that time as @Bald Rick says.

I can’t remember what was done by the Thameslink Programme, i will have to go through the archives to find out.

 

[Dstock7080]

Earl’s Court and Harrow-on-the-Hill LU are due to close this year

 

[Freightmaster]

The latest copy of Brnch Line News which arrived yesterday swys Swinderby box is closing on May 29th.

Not happening for the foreseeable future as far as I am aware.



MARK

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

I can’t remember what was done by the Thameslink Programme, i will have to go through the archives to find out.

Lewisham/Parks Bridge weren't relocked. Hither Green was done under a different project as that was the late 50s interlocking grafted on London Bridge ASC in mid 70s.