Pre Beeching Wiltshire/Somerset

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Pre Beeching Wiltshire/Somerset 27/07/2021 at 21:37 #140777
SuperClass47
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Right so im from wiltshire and somerset and there are tons apon tons of disused stations. Why i think this a good idea is beacause it will create a challenging and high-octane situation and some good old nostalgia.
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Pre Beeching Wiltshire/Somerset 27/07/2021 at 22:44 #140780
Hap
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Hi SuperClass47. Welcome to the Simsig family.

Do you have any signalling plans/tables for the area.

How to report an issue: www.SimSig.co.uk/Wiki/Show?page=usertrack:reportanissue
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Pre Beeching Wiltshire/Somerset 28/07/2021 at 06:38 #140785
SuperClass47
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No sorry im not very good with graphic design. But i have a good idea from https://railmaponline.com/UKIEMap.php
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Pre Beeching Wiltshire/Somerset 28/07/2021 at 08:07 #140786
postal
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SuperClass47 in post 140785 said:
No sorry im not very good with graphic design. But i have a good idea from https://railmaponline.com/UKIEMap.php
It is not a question of graphic design, it is a question of data at a very technical level. Unless someone can supply data down to the granularity of track circuit locations, track circuit lengths, signalling control tables, signal box special instructions etc. etc. then a viable and realistic SimSig simulation cannot be produced. If you can source that data and a developer is willing to take on the project then it could happen. However, it certainly cannot happen without that depth of data.

Sorry to rain on your parade.

“In life, there is always someone out there, who won’t like you, for whatever reason, don’t let the insecurities in their lives affect yours.” – Rashida Rowe
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Pre Beeching Wiltshire/Somerset 04/08/2021 at 09:05 #140950
kbarber
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I think the other thing to be aware of is that the signalling in that era would all have been by traditional manual signalboxes with Absolute Block working and Permissive Block on goods lines (plus such delights as Electric Token or even One Engine in Steam on any single lines and all sorts of special bell signals for short sections, specified non-stop trains, shunting in complex areas, etc). Signalling would have been semaphore (perhaps the odd colour light distant, maybe even an IB Home or two, though I suspect they were rare down that way). Lots of refuge sidings and lots of freights (unfitted and timed accordingly) to use them. Not at all the sort of world SimSig simulates easily, although there are some adaptations that allow it after a fashion, even if the data could be gathered (and I suspect much of it has been lost by now).
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Pre Beeching Wiltshire/Somerset 04/08/2021 at 15:04 #140958
JWNoctis
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Sic transit gloria mundi, as they say.

A full-fledged simulation of a few mechanical boxes in their prime chained together would still be fun...though I guess they'd be a handful to learn and operate, for any reasonably busy routes with interesting amount of variety.

If it's of any indication, one of those mechanical box sims - which I would not name here - was considerably more complicated to an unfamiliar outsider (i.e. me) than the corresponding SimSig area of the PSB that replaced said box, even though the former had only covered one end of a modestly-sized mainline station and junction (which to be fair was also the centre of action for the Simsig area).

Still gonna be fun, and one could always hope.

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Pre Beeching Wiltshire/Somerset 04/08/2021 at 18:12 #140965
bill_gensheet
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kbarber in post 140950 said:
I think the other thing to be aware of is that the signalling in that era would all have been by traditional manual signalboxes ....

.... Not at all the sort of world SimSig simulates easily, although there are some adaptations that allow it after a fashion, even if the data could be gathered (and I suspect much of it has been lost by now).
CSCOT and NEScot have done that, as has North Wales. Somewhat simplified (ie no bell codes) but it is a fairly normal SimSig running AB with the large area of control normal to SimSig.

As for data I would say that enough may exist for some of the popular well researched lines, such as Somerset & Dorset.

There is though another problem for many closed lines, getting timetables. Again well published lines will be available (or a long time at National Records) but then to realise that the timetable was pretty sparse - 3 returns and a trip freight - indeed why many closed.

Just having the necessary data does not make the sim worthwhile if the timetable is going to be tedious in the extreme. Think Kyle / Far north for example.

Bill

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