Fun Facts and Figures

This page is really just a bit of fun - lots of facts and figures for the number crunchers and trivia soaker-uppers out there, and odd titbits of information. Disclaimer: no scientific reason, basis, or necessarily factual information has been used knowingly. What you read may be unintentional rubbish. Read at your own risk!

The Statistics

Number of years in development:  Too many, something like 9 of the current version (August 2008)

Number of code source lines of code:  Approx 55,500 (which does include blank lines, comments, etc)

Source language:  Delphi 6

Number of times required to downgrade to C++:  None (who needs C anyway?!)

Most downloaded single version of a product: first release of Sheffield with 1200 downloads in the first month.

Some simulation data element counts: (not all simulations included)

Â	LivSt	Didcot	Stafford	Southampton	King’s Cross	Waterloo	Trent
Berths	133	204	317	156	509	267	618
Entry points	5	13	11	19	32	9	62
Locations	8	35	28	50	115	23	196
Picture elements	573	639	741	752	2017	1370	2933
Point ends	124	85	116	127	342	234	339
Routes	224	207	198	349	661	485	723
Signals	116	225	315	211	663	262	706
Track circuits	264	282	478	294	971	447	1327
Screens	2	2	4	3	6	4	Scrolly

That makes Trent the biggest simulation. However, if you go by routes per signal then Liverpool Street wins, closely followed by Waterloo.

Number of signals also includes exit arrows and hidden signals (those simulating an external fringe). Locations include timetable-able places, such as stations and junctions. Picture elements are what makes up the screen in terms of tracks and fixed text like platforms and labels, it doesn't include the signals, points, or berths.

The People

You are what makes SimSig so popular (thanks!). Users hail from:

	All over Britain
	Germany
	Denmark
	United States
	Australia
	New Zealand
	Hungary
	(please let me know if I've left off your country)

...and their occupations, where known and relevant, include:

	Train drivers
	Guards
	Train mechanics
	Railway managers
	Railway referee (Hungary)
	and, of course, signallers - what better accolade than that?

Special thanks should go to:

• Clive Feather for coding and simulation work
• Mike Miles for coding and simulation work
• Kurt Sickelmore for simulation work and bugboard administration
• Peter Bennet for simulation work and forum administration
• Daan Krantz for simulation work
• Chris Law for research organisation and chief beer tester
• Chris Lord for Wiki administration

Thanks also go to the following testers:

• Guy Horstmann
• Darren Goble
• Andy Brown
• Bill Wilson
• Darren Towler
• Howard Potter
• James Warwick
• Matthew Cooper
• Tony Hutchins
• James Roberts

Apologies if I’ve missed anybody off. Some don’t want to be named so thanks to them also. Thanks also go to the many Network Rail staff in signalboxes and elsewhere who have assisted us with our persistent questions and research visits.

The Software

As already mentioned, written in object oriented Delphi.

Most annoying (non?) bug: the icon left behind on the task bar. But I recently used a Microsoft program that was full screen with some windows - and that did it too! So, if their in-house programmers can't get rid of it, then I'm happy not to as well!

The data is written using a hand-built visual editor. Non visual stuff is hand crafted in good ol' Notepad. All the data is then compiled into one executable file, using the generic 55,500 lines of code, making up between 70,000 and 152,000 lines of code in total.

The Competition

Well, I don't really see them as a threat. That's not being big-headed, simply that I do this as a hobby and respect others who also wish to do it. Having said that, part of the reason I did it was because I wasn't happy with what had been done before. My first game I bought was Crewe, for the Amiga when I was relatively young and through various prototypes later we have what we have today.

Any Regrets?

Only that I didn't get out more ;-) !

Can You Be Bribed?

Weeeelll... a cab ride wouldn't go amiss!

Is The Source Code Available?

Nope, sorry.

Can I Become A Data Preparer?

No, as this involves code, not something I have time to support, sorry.