As the Basingstoke Rail Operating Centre (ROC) marks its 10th anniversary, Network Rail has completed a £129 million signalling upgrade between Farncombe and Petersfield, one of the most significant investments ever made on the Portsmouth Direct Line.
The ROC, which opened in November 2015, now manages signalling on services between Farncombe and Petersfield as part of its expanding role across the Wessex route. The modernisation transfers control from several ageing signal boxes to the ROC, improving reliability and resilience for passengers.
During a nine-day closure between Guildford and Havant, with services resuming on Monday 3 November, engineers tested 90 new signals and brought 17 new signalling equipment buildings into use. Engineers also upgraded nine level crossings along the route, with the final site at Farncombe West due for completion on 13 November. The work includes new obstacle-detection and CCTV technology to improve safety for road users and give signallers clearer visibility of the line.
The improvements include:
- Replacing older automatic half-barrier crossings with modern barriers fitted with obstacle-detection technology.
- Upgrading nine level crossings with CCTV and obstacle-detection technology, improving safety and giving signallers better visibility of the line.
- Improving two footpath crossings to provide safer access for local users.
Speaking on behalf of Network Rail and South Western Railway, Operations Director Tom Desmond said:
“‘Since early 2022, we’ve been delivering a major programme of upgrades along the Portsmouth Direct Line. This £129 million investment brings the route firmly into the modern era, with new signalling and safer level crossings that will make journeys more reliable and reduce the need for future closures. We’d like to thank passengers for their patience while this long-term work was completed to improve journeys between Portsmouth and London.”
The Farncombe–Petersfield scheme forms part of the wider Portsmouth Direct Upgrade, a once-in-a-generation modernisation of the line between London Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour.
Image credit: Network Rail