London Bridge Area Signalling Box

Perched perilously over Bermondsey, this linear brute sat atop a viaduct of London stock bricks was decommissioned in 2020 following 45 years of active service as the main Area Signalling Centre. Originally, it was part of a project to resignal lines into Charing Cross, London Bridge and Cannon Street Stations, consolidating the work of 16 smaller signal boxes. It was seen as important that the new box should be located at London Bridge station where finding the right plot of land was something of a challenge. Eventually, space was found at the country end of the station on the west side where the nine terminal platforms were situated. The site was somewhat constricted, which resulted in its long narrow plan. Despite its height above the street, the building is only two stories. The lower floor housed signalling equipment and a staff mess and the upper floor a wonderful array of enamelled green control panels. The lower section was formed from a brown precast vertical concrete panel and the upper section, with cantilevered projections on each side, was a lighter rectangular panel with a continuous strip of horizontal windows in brown tinted glazing. The first trains were signalled from here in 1975 and the wider project was completed in December 1978. During the period the BR Regional Architect, was Nigel D.T. Wikeley.