Uffington
Back to Main Line page. | Back to List of Routes
Overview
Uffington was formerly a significant station complex, with a junction for a branch line to Faringdon. The layout was reduced in preparation to MAS to that of simply main lines, with a goods loop on each side, and a set of facing and trailing crossovers worked by ground frame.
The installation of reversible signalling provided new trailing (27/7/80[1]) and (9.2.81[2]) facing emergency crossovers at Uffington (for working east to Wantage Road ([3]) and west to Bourton[4]).
The loops were removed when the 4-track Relief lines were re-laid between Wantage Road and Challow in 1993, leaving the installation as simply the emergency crossovers.
Station
There was a station at Uffington between 1840 and 1964, closed before the advent of Swindon MAS.
Interlocking
One of Swindon's interlockings is situated at Uffington - a WR E10k freewired relay interlocking - commissioned on 30th May 1965[5] (before the opening of the Panel). It was originally controlled by Uffington Signal Box, recontrolled to Swindon Panel when it opened on 3rd March 1968[5].
The interlocking is operated via a remote control system from Swindon Panel.
The next interlocking to the east was Wantage Road until Swindon B opened, when it became SWDN02 on 13 March 1993[5]. The next interlocking to the west was Highworth Jcn from the opening of the panel in March 1968, until the commissioning of Bourton Interlocking on 01 October 1977.
Overrides
The interlocking was fitted with remote control overrides (through routes) from at least the opening of the panel, and later with selective overrides. The interlocking was latterly fitted with a local override as well.
The through routes and local override operate 'straight up and down' routes: 10B, 89B, 93A.
Selective overrides are available for 610B and 693A, to allow a train to 'escape' the reversible.