Mr Paul Jones By email: [email protected] Freedom of Information The Quadrant Elder Gate Milton Keynes MK9 1EN

T 01908 782405 E [email protected] 9th February 2016

Dear Mr Jones,

Information request Reference number: FOI2016/00044

Thank you for your request of 12th January 2016. You requested the following information:

I would like to know when the following current Centres, will technically become classed as a ROC (Rail Operating Centre), and what will/should each be definitively known as within Network Rail? I assume that it is once the Route control/TOCs are situated there, and are operating from that facility alongside signalling controllers.

East Kent Signalling Centre (Gillingham) Date becomes/became ROC: ??/??/?? ROC Name/Shorthand: ??? / ???

East Midlands Control Centre () Date becomes/became ROC: ??/??/?? ROC Name/Shorthand: ??? / ???

Thames Valley Signalling Centre (Didcot) Date becomes/became ROC: ??/??/?? ROC Name/Shorthand: ??? / ???

West of Scotland Signalling Centre (Cowlairs, Glasgow) Date becomes/became ROC: ??/??/?? ROC Name/Shorthand: ??? / ???

South Wales Signalling Centre () Date becomes/became ROC: ??/??/?? ROC Name/Shorthand: Wales ROC (W-ROC) < known

Network Rail Infrastructure Limited Registered Office: Network Rail, 2nd Floor, One Eversholt Street, London, NW1 2DN Registered in England and Wales No. 2904587 www.networkrail.co.uk

Edinburgh IECC Signalling Centre () Date becomes/became ROC: ??/??/?? ROC Name/Shorthand: ??? / ???

I understand that locally they'll probably be referred to informally e.g. Thames Valley Signalling Centre - TVSC, Didcot ROC, Thames Valley ROC, Western ROC etc. This is why I'd like to know Network Rails intention in their naming within the media/industry.

I'd also like to know the new ROCs, and what they are to be referred as:

Three Bridges ROC (TB-ROC) < known Manchester ROC (M-ROC) < known York ROC (???) Basingstoke ROC (???) Rugby ROC (???) Romford ROC? (???)

I have processed your request under Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

I can confirm that we hold some of the information you requested. For ease of reference I have reproduced your request in a similar format using the table below.

Signalling Centre/ROC Additional Information

East Kent Signalling Centre (Gillingham) I can inform you that East Kent is an Date becomes ROC: UNKNOWN older facility and requires significant ROC Name/Shorthand: enhancements to reach the agreed ROC East Kent ROC / EKROC standard; therefore the date that this will happen is currently unknown. You may also be interested to know that it only houses the signalling operations function for the foreseeable future, until the electrical control functions migrates (subject to confirmation).

East Midlands Control Centre (Derby) Date became ROC: Roughly 2014 ROC Name/Shorthand: East Midlands Rail Operating Centre (EMROC)

Network Rail Infrastructure Limited Registered Office: Network Rail, 2nd Floor, One Eversholt Street, London, NW1 2DN Registered in England and Wales No. 2904587 www.networkrail.co.uk

Signalling Centre/ROC - Continued Additional Information

Thames Valley Signalling Centre (Didcot) The name change will occur at TVSC Date becomes ROC: likely 2016 when the first West Country signalling ROC Name/Shorthand: location migrates to Didcot Great Western Rail Operating Centre (GWROC)

West of Scotland Signalling Centre (Cowlairs, The West of Scotland Signalling Centre Glasgow) (WSSC) was built as a Signalling Centre Date becomes/became ROC: Sept 2015 originally to house Signalling Control for ROC Name: West of Scotland ROC the West of Scotland from 2006-2008 and was commissioned in December 2008. The national strategy changed and we wanted Signalling Control and Control(s) merged together for a marked improvement in managing the timetable. We now refer to WSSC as the West of Scotland ROC as both Signalling and Control are in the same building and indeed the operating floor.

South Wales Signalling Centre (Cardiff) Date became ROC: 2010 ROC Name/Shorthand: Wales ROC (W-ROC)

Edinburgh IECC Signalling Centre (Edinburgh) I can inform you that Edinburgh Date becomes UNKNOWN Integrated Electronic Control Centre ROC Name: East of Scotland ROC (IECC) is still a Signalling Centre. IECC is a power signal box where all data displays, safety , etc are computer controlled and under normal circumstances trains are signalled automatically according to their Train ID. The date the Edinburgh IECC SC will become the East of Scotland (Edinburgh ROC) is presently not confirmed.

Network Rail Infrastructure Limited Registered Office: Network Rail, 2nd Floor, One Eversholt Street, London, NW1 2DN Registered in England and Wales No. 2904587 www.networkrail.co.uk

I can also confirm that not all the ROCs are abbreviated please see the current ROC list below. Three Bridges ROC (T-BROC) ROC (M-ROC) York ROC Basingstoke ROC Rugby ROC Romford ROC

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Yours sincerely,

Rebecca Lindsay Information Officer

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Network Rail Infrastructure Limited Registered Office: Network Rail, 2nd Floor, One Eversholt Street, London, NW1 2DN Registered in England and Wales No. 2904587 www.networkrail.co.uk