Line blocks / possessions

I'd like to see this more in game rather than selecting a scenario. Firstly there aren't that many scenarios but also, they last all game don't they rather than just for a few hours.

Things like a few hour block at a terminus station platform to enable engineers to do some work there.
Often some lines are timetabled in a certain way to use less lines to accommodate engineering possessions. Such as on a Sunday I think it is, lines from Slade Lane into Piccadilly are reduced from 4 to 2 and the line closed varies. It's just engineering work and gets released at a certain time.
Or a recent issue that I have come across when travelling was a 2 hours emergency engineering possession at Pyle.

This could be done in game by engineers requesting permission for a line block, either at a set time or random time. We then block the line, ring the engineer (engineer becomes a phone option) and tell them the line is blocked and work can commence. We can ring the engineer to ask for estimated time of completion. When complete, the engineer rings us to tell us the all people and tools are clear of the line and we can reopen the line.

Only lasts a few hours so the whole sim isn't affected. Also means it's more an element of surprise.

Your "13.2 line blockages", however, normally are. These are the ones taken by your professional track workers to do inspections, patrolling, work on the track or track-side equipment, crossing the line, etc. etc. And they're pre-planned and sent out to you in advance. They can even appear in the WON, though I've never really known why they sometimes do that. We're not supposed to grant line blockages if we haven't got the details. Unless it's being taken in response to an incident.



Also, it's not gonna be as much fun as you imagine. We can't delay trains for pre-planned line blockages. So yes, genuinely, line blockage requests do add flavour to the signaller's day, because you've got to find them a margin. But in terms of routing trains around line blockages - you don't really do that. You fit the line block around the trains, definitely not the other way around. So if you want more of a puzzle for playing trains, line blocks aren't really the answer.
....
If you did want that, I'd say you'd get a lot, lot more value for money with more of a DIY approach. If you want that, I would recommend hosting a sim and playing the COSS (Controller of Site Safety) yourself, and asking for a line block from one of your players and then doing it that way. Cause really line blockages are a lot more about human interaction than normal mode of signalling is.