Lincoln Signalling Control Centre.

A recent sunny August morning saw a small group of us assemble at the Network Rail Signalling Control Centre, at Lincoln.  Numbers had been limited by our hosts, so as not to disturb the work of the signallers on duty.

Our host was the Deputy Operations manager, Simon Young, who welcomed us and gave an introduction to the signalling principles, in the Training Room.  Here new signallers are introduced to the system, which takes the form of computer display panels on which are shown the track layout at different points in the area covered by the Lincoln Centre. Existing staff are given regular training assessments and updates in the same room.  After lots of questions from us were asked and answered, we went into the actual live Control Room.  Here there are four positions at which the signallers work, covering an area from Peterborough through Sleaford to Lincoln; from Gainsborough; from Langworth; and of course the city centre itself.  They have cctv cameras to view the level crossings  –  including the High Street one which can cause irritation to some motorists.  The time scale for safety reasons needed to protect the crossings was explained, as was the principle of watching the progress of any train along its route – shown by a red colour along the displays, which are in green when unoccupied.

As the only ex-railwayman in the group, it was good to see current practice, which is really a computerised version of the manual signalling principles in which I trained back in the 50s and 60s.  In those days the cosy comfort of the old signal box, with its coal fire, the ‘tinging’ of the telegraph bells, and the clanking of the levers being pulled, was its own secluded universe.  Some such ‘boxes still remain around Lincolnshire of course, but in a few years they will have gone for ever.

Brian Ward.

PS: photos were forbidden inside the Centre!