1936 Electrical Control Room’s Hidden Legacy

The Woking control room, built in 1936, was one of five designed to manage electricity for the Southern Rail network. Constructed by a Swedish firm, the control room featured a large oval space with a domed ceiling, illuminated by large copper dishes. The walls were lined with black control panels that allowed engineers to rapidly reconfigure electricity flow in case of faults, ensuring no downtime for the railways. The control room operated until 1997 when a new substation took over its functions. Only one other control room from the original five remains, now repurposed for storage. The Woking control room is a grade II listed building and occasionally opens to the public during heritage events.