I've created a text file containing all place names seen on the Bristol sim, 1980s layout, grouped by areas on the layout, e.g., Weston, Bristol West, Bristol Temple Meads, Bristol East, etc. The file is detailed enough for anyone to trace the areas through which the main lines run. The purpose of this file is to enable beginners and those unfamiliar with the territory to search quickly for a location taken from the "Curr/Prev Location" column on the Train List (F2). Here's a sample:

To keep the text file narrow, the main sections going from left to right on the layout map are listed from top to bottom in the location guide. Note this is a rough grouping, but quite adequate for a general overview and quick searching.

SimSig sims have no way that I know of jumping to a particular train or location on the layout map, given a headcode or location name. If you're told that a train is waiting at a red signal and last reported at [unfamiliar name], or its TT tells you to set a route to [unfamiliar name], you have to pause the sim and scan the layout or the signal map for a particular location, which can take several minutes and lots of eyestrain. So I devised this file which can be opened in Notepad and very quickly searched. Some Notepad replacement apps (EditPad, for example) have incremental search built in, which makes it a lot easier (just enter the first few characters and the cursor automatically jumps to the first place match).

Additionally, none of the signal map PDF files I've looked at enable me to search for signal numbers or place names since they simply contain a screenshot graphic enclosed in a PDF file.

Once you have located this name in the file, you can soon see to which section it belongs (e.g., Chipping Sodbury turns out to be on the Badminton Line, which leads back to Bristol Parkway), then use Overview or scrolling to go there. This file does not contain signal numbers; that's something you can do yourself for ones you think are important (e.g., reversing signals). I've deliberately used a consistent syntax in this file which should aid searching, but if you don't like it, you can simplify the file, add your own comments, etc. Unlike a PDF file, text files do not require payware to edit, and are fast and small. Once you have played the sim a few times you probably won't need this file as you can find your own way around.

I've added a link to it on the manual page as I feel it belongs there rather than get lost among the extras, etc. When I move onto the modern-day version of Bristol I'll probably upload a second location guide, if you guys like the idea, since many more locations have been added.

The idea is what matters here. After floundering around this extensive scrolling sim, sitting down and creating this text file made me much more confident about the way the different main lines were related, so you might do better to sit down and create your own area guide rather than try to follow mine. If you do, please upload - stuff like this is easily edited to suit one's own requirements.

By the way, I came across these unfamiliar acronyms:
RTS (Barrow Road)
HLS (Bristol Temple Meads)
CRL (Bridgwater)

Anyone know what they mean?

One other thing I noticed while compiling the guide.

On the layout in the Weston area, just next to the Gas House Lane LC there are two loops, labelled UPL and DPL. Shouldn't the latter be named DNL?

Nope, UPL=Up Passing Loop, DPL= Down Passing loop (as opposed to UGL/DGL=Up/Down Goods loop). In other words, a UPL/DPL is OK to run passenger trains.

Thanks Andy for that explanation.

maxand wrote:
Refuse Transfer Siding, I think - I might have the "S" wrong there. It is a siding serving the city dump Recycling Centre (which, incidentally, was built on the site of the old Midland Railway loco shed - the siding is built on the trackbed of the Midland's route from Bristol East Jn to Yate, which crossed over the Filton line at Lawrence Hill). There's one by Oldfield Park station too.

I'm not sure what CRL stands for, but the purpose of the siding is to load nuclear waste from Hinckley Point power station onto trains.

(To AndyG:)
Actually, on second thoughts I think Up Passenger Loop and Down Passenger Loop are more likely, since Passing Loops are found only on single lines to enable trains to pass each other in opposite directions. What do you think?

Loop

RTS = Refuse Transfer Siding. LOL! The Poms sure know how to beat the Yanks at creating euphemisms!

Thanks Forest Pines for that tip. Local knowledge sure helps.

I have to admit, I did think it was Up Passenger Loop. In any case, the different is that passenger loops may be shorter than goods loops, and goods loops are not suitable for passenger trains unless specially authorised.

HLS may be High Level Siding (or something like that) - its position is where a line used to diverge and climb a bit to go over the road at the bottom of the station approach and on through Redcliffe Hill.

jrr wrote:
Correct

Thanks for the HLS info. I'm still a bit confused about UPL and DPL, but from looking at the sim they would seem to mean Passing Loops rather than Passenger Loops, particularly as the one at Bristol Parkway is clearly in a Goods area.

To sum up, there are three UPLs and one DPL in the Bristol sim:
1) UPL and DPL adjacent to Gas House Lane LC in the Weston section. Unfortunately lengths are not included in the manual. Maybe Geoff M can fill in the details.
2) UPL 525m at Bathampton Jn.
3) UPL 457m (Up), 252m (Dn) at Bristol Parkway (Modern Era only, marked UP GDS in 1980s era).

From the lengths of these loops I would assume they are all intended for freight trains.

Two questions:
How would we know if the passing loops along main lines such as the Gas House Lane loops are suitable or not for passenger trains?
Is there a distinctive acronym for passenger loops to distinguish them from goods loops?

One of the things I miss about Train Dispatcher is that R-clicking any block (e.g., in a loop) would display its block number and, more importantly, block length. It would be nice to see this feature incorporated into SimSig, even though I get the impression that real-life signallers refer to printed tables.