Railway Electrical Control Room

SU 95 NE YORK ROAD (Off)

71/5/10010 Railway Electrical Control Room

II

Railway electrical control room. Built in 1936 by the Swedish firm of Asean for Southern Railways. Built of concrete with flat roof and metal-framed casement windows. STYLE: International Modern. PLAN AND EXTERIOR: comprises entrance block of 4x2 bays of one storey with central entrance with architrave and rectangular fanlight. Taller one storey control room behind. Full-height pilasters and cornice articulate the bays. INTERIOR: offices to entrance block but Control Room is oval with domed ceiling and has four ornate 1930's lamps on cast-iron columnar bases with copper dishes which illuminate the dome as uplighters. Around the outside of the room are the track diagrams arranged in a striking design of silver against black background with coloured lights to represent all the switches. Outside the room is all the original electro-mechanical switch gear. HISTORICAL NOTE: this was one of five original control rooms built by this firm for Southern Railways of which only three survive - Woking being the last to remain operational. Southern Railways was in the forefront of electrification.

Listing NGR: SU9996158116