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Train services to and from Charing Cross, Waterloo East, and Cannon Street will be suspended this weekend, Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 January, as work on a major signalling upgrade in the busy Lewisham area gets underway.
The project involves replacing all signalling equipment in the Lewisham area with advanced, more reliable technology designed to reduce faults and delays for passengers traveling across southeast London and Kent.
The new signalling system will be installed alongside the existing one over the next two years, with full integration planned during an extended railway closure over Christmas 2026.
As part of the upgrade, Automatic Route Setting (ARS) software will be implemented at the Three Bridges Rail Operating Centre, which oversees train signalling in the area. The cutting-edge system will enable signallers to manage train movements more efficiently, reducing congestion and improving overall network performance.
Additionally, adjustments to the signalling layout and signal positions in the Lewisham area will enhance line speeds, further optimising train operations.
The significant investment in infrastructure marks a step forward in improving reliability and journey times for passengers.
No trains will run to / from London Charing Cross, Waterloo East or London Cannon Street. New Cross and St Johns will also be closed all weekend. Trains on most of these routes are diverted to run to / from London Victoria.
A significantly reduced service will run from London Bridge:
• Two trains per hour running between London Bridge and Hastings via East Croydon / Redhill
• Two trains per hour between London Bridge and Dartford via Greenwich.
Accessible replacement buses will run between Lewisham and Greenwich calling at St Johns and New Cross. Rail tickets can be used at no extra cost on the London Underground between Victoria, Charing Cross, Embankment, Waterloo, Southwark, London Bridge, Cannon Street, Blackfriars and Elephant & Castle. Customers can also use the Docklands Light Railway at no extra cost between Lewisham and Greenwich.
