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A few King's Cross bugs & issues

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A few King's Cross bugs & issues 20/07/2020 at 00:28 #129798
DavidSplett
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I made some time over the weekend to have a good long session on King's Cross v3.7, and I must say the upgrade has made a really positive difference, so once again thanks to all involved in making this happen.

As ever a few bugs, observations & issues have come to light, mostly pre-dating v3.7, apologies if I've mentioned any of these before:

1) The slow lines between Biggleswade and Hitchin seem to be 75 mph in the sim. On the ground these are largely 80 mph for passenger, with slightly lower limits for freight. This came to light as I noticed trains seem to be losing a slight amount of time in the section. Applies to all eras.

2) The Letchworth sidings interface isn't working quite correctly at the London end. In real life both reception roads are used for both reversing and sidings access, and generally in real life trains will use the right-hand road to reverse unless there's a conflicting move scheduled.

Attempting to timetable a service Letchworth platform 2 > Letchworth A/D Line > Letchworth platform 1, throws up a wrong signal phone call if one attempts to route to the right-hand road (although doesn't call up for services booked to do Letchworth platform 2 > Letchworth A/D Line > Letchworth CS).

Meanwhile I managed to get a service to do Letchworth platform 2 > Letchworth A/D Line (new reporting number) > Letchworth platform 1 via the left-hand road, which routed fine - however the ACI failed to change the reporting number when the train reversed. Worked okay when I manually interposed however.

Also the speed inside Letchworth CS should be 5 mph. On the ground trains exiting Letchworth CS via Letchworth A/D line towards Letchworth will do 5 mph until the front of the train is roughly in the vicinity of 2521B points, then they increase to 25 mph from there to Letchworth platform and beyond. Applies to all eras.

3) A "Hitchin East Junction" timing point is missing, which should be whilst standing at signal K945. This would be used mainly for freight taking the old route Hitchin > Letchworth. Applies to new era only.

4) Welwyn Garden City should have an "UWF" line option in the timetable editor for trains departing southwards from Welwyn Garden City towards Hatfield from platforms 3 & 4 via the floyover. Applies to all eras.

5) Shunt signal missing from Alexandra Platform 1 (K458) towards Hornsey Depot (when attempting to do this move route goes white but signal never clears). Also there is no TD berth for trains entering service ex Hornsey Up Carr Line (this may be as per reality). Applies to new era only.

6) The lengths for Hornsey Reversing Sidings are incorrect. On the ground no.1 siding will take an 8-car EMU, whilst no.2 siding will take a 12-car EMU, so lengths should be about 170m and 250m respectively. Checking old Google Earth maps shows this as far back as at 1999 so I believe this applies to all eras.

7) Finsbury Park platform 8 to Down Slow No.1 move on signal K393 is not approach controlled in real life. Think this applies for moves to Down Slow No.2 as well. Applies to all eras.

8) K317 move from DF to DS, and K321 move from DS to DF seem to behave differently in real life, and do not approach control from red as the sim behaves. I'm not sure whether they approach control from yellow or whether flashing yellows are provided. Applies to all eras. I would be happy to investigate this further if required.

(As luck would have it, on the “signalling photos” website the photo of the panel happens to show this. K317 is pictured off with the route set DF to DS and no train present on the approach track circuits; in the photo the signal in advance is also depicted off). Same can be seen for K321 DS to DF on a video of the panel linked to the SRS website.

9) For the new era there should be a "Copenhagen Junction" option in the timetable editor to complement "Freight Terminal Junction" in the old era.

10) K296 will not clear for a 5-car Azuma (130m) to enter platform 1 when already occupied by another 5-car Azuma (130m), train has to be authorised to pass signal at danger. Not sure if this is a reflection of reality or a bug.

11) A couple of minor detail points. On the sim Hertford Viaduct is depicted, however the adjacent Horn’s Viaduct isn’t. Both are shown on the real KX PSB panel diagram. Likewise the real diagram has a label for Poole Street, between Essex Rd and Old St.

I hope these points may prove useful in getting things as close to reality as possible in any future version. Once again many thanks to the team for the time spent on King's Cross to date - it really is a fantastic sim, and very true to reality in many ways.

Last edited: 20/07/2020 at 09:16 by DavidSplett
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A few King's Cross bugs & issues 26/07/2020 at 15:55 #129977
DavidSplett
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With reference to the Holloway note (8) on previous post, I had the opportunity to watch this in action today.

When the route is set for a down train to cross DS to DF at Holloway, initially K315 will be at green with K321 at yellow with junction indicator illuminated. Once the train has neared K321 the yellow with junction indicator will then step up to green with junction indicator. For the train I observed the step up from yellow to green occurred immediately after the train has passed over the AWS magnet. Three photos attached.

This sequence appears slightly unusual, as I was under the impression a delayed release yellow was only permitted in a 4-aspect area preceded by a double yellow, however at this location that's clearly not the case.

Note there had been no train pass previously for several minutes, so it definitely wasn't a free green.

Hope that may prove useful in any future sim release.







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Last edited: 26/07/2020 at 16:01 by DavidSplett
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A few King's Cross bugs & issues 26/07/2020 at 17:27 #129979
jc92
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That's approach control to yellow.

Swinton (yorks) also does that on S631 when the line is set for Doncaster, the driver gets flashing yellows onto a yellow which steps up about the time a train enters the platform, which varies dependent on the trains speed of course.

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A few King's Cross bugs & issues 26/07/2020 at 18:01 #129980
JamesN
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With a massive presumption that the next signal isn't being held at danger for whatever reason?
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A few King's Cross bugs & issues 26/07/2020 at 18:23 #129981
GeoffM
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jc92 in post 129979 said:
That's approach control to yellow.

Swinton (yorks) also does that on S631 when the line is set for Doncaster, the driver gets flashing yellows onto a yellow which steps up about the time a train enters the platform, which varies dependent on the trains speed of course.
Looking at the control tables, the yellow is released upon occupation or 383 or 385 tracks - basically 200yds after signal 459. Nothing to do with train speed. The regs basically state that the junction signal can be released to >Y once both the junction indicator and signal are visible.

I'm aware the sim releases it later.

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Last edited: 26/07/2020 at 18:24 by GeoffM
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A few King's Cross bugs & issues 26/07/2020 at 18:35 #129982
DavidSplett
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GeoffM in post 129981 said:
jc92 in post 129979 said:
That's approach control to yellow.

Swinton (yorks) also does that on S631 when the line is set for Doncaster, the driver gets flashing yellows onto a yellow which steps up about the time a train enters the platform, which varies dependent on the trains speed of course.
Looking at the control tables, the yellow is released upon occupation or 383 or 385 tracks - basically 200yds after signal 459. Nothing to do with train speed. The regs basically state that the junction signal can be released to >Y once both the junction indicator and signal are visible.

I'm aware the sim releases it later.
I was surprised in the KX example as from a driving point of view if the signal and junction indicator become visible together then the yellow aspect doesn't seem to serve any purpose, save of course to trigger an AWS warning.

I can understand if there's a double yellow beforehand as that would then enforce a speed reduction. This is what appears to happen for the corresponding Holloway DF to DS move.

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A few King's Cross bugs & issues 27/07/2020 at 16:56 #129999
GeoffM
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DavidSplett in post 129982 said:
GeoffM in post 129981 said:
jc92 in post 129979 said:
That's approach control to yellow.

Swinton (yorks) also does that on S631 when the line is set for Doncaster, the driver gets flashing yellows onto a yellow which steps up about the time a train enters the platform, which varies dependent on the trains speed of course.
Looking at the control tables, the yellow is released upon occupation or 383 or 385 tracks - basically 200yds after signal 459. Nothing to do with train speed. The regs basically state that the junction signal can be released to >Y once both the junction indicator and signal are visible.

I'm aware the sim releases it later.
I was surprised in the KX example as from a driving point of view if the signal and junction indicator become visible together then the yellow aspect doesn't seem to serve any purpose, save of course to trigger an AWS warning.

I can understand if there's a double yellow beforehand as that would then enforce a speed reduction. This is what appears to happen for the corresponding Holloway DF to DS move.
I suspect it's to avoid the risk of reading through and seeing a green junction signal on dead straight track, while the flashing yellow is in front of the driver.

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A few King's Cross bugs & issues 27/07/2020 at 17:30 #130001
DavidSplett
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GeoffM in post 129999 said:
DavidSplett in post 129982 said:
GeoffM in post 129981 said:
jc92 in post 129979 said:
That's approach control to yellow.

Swinton (yorks) also does that on S631 when the line is set for Doncaster, the driver gets flashing yellows onto a yellow which steps up about the time a train enters the platform, which varies dependent on the trains speed of course.
Looking at the control tables, the yellow is released upon occupation or 383 or 385 tracks - basically 200yds after signal 459. Nothing to do with train speed. The regs basically state that the junction signal can be released to >Y once both the junction indicator and signal are visible.

I'm aware the sim releases it later.
I was surprised in the KX example as from a driving point of view if the signal and junction indicator become visible together then the yellow aspect doesn't seem to serve any purpose, save of course to trigger an AWS warning.

I can understand if there's a double yellow beforehand as that would then enforce a speed reduction. This is what appears to happen for the corresponding Holloway DF to DS move.
I suspect it's to avoid the risk of reading through and seeing a green junction signal on dead straight track, while the flashing yellow is in front of the driver.
In the Holloway case there's no FY, the sequence goes G then Y+JI, which steps up once the train has passed over the magnet. It's the absence of flashing yellows which to me seems odd. If it went FY then Y+JI stepping up then it would be logical. I suppose in an ideal world it would be a completely free G, but the speed profile doesn't quite seem to allow for that.

In practice no doubt route knowledge plays a part. The sequence for the corresponding DF to DS move makes sense as the YY then Y+JI makes logical sense.

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A few King's Cross bugs & issues 28/07/2020 at 01:36 #130046
GeoffM
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DavidSplett in post 130001 said:
In the Holloway case there's no FY, the sequence goes G then Y+JI, which steps up once the train has passed over the magnet. It's the absence of flashing yellows which to me seems odd. If it went FY then Y+JI stepping up then it would be logical. I suppose in an ideal world it would be a completely free G, but the speed profile doesn't quite seem to allow for that.
The requirements for that are different to FY. Yellow over a junction is very common on the Southern region, sometimes by holding the signal *after* the junction at red until the train is within sight of the signal, or passed over the AWS magnet, whatever the individual requirements for that junction are.

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A few King's Cross bugs & issues 28/07/2020 at 01:45 #130047
DavidSplett
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GeoffM in post 130046 said:
DavidSplett in post 130001 said:
In the Holloway case there's no FY, the sequence goes G then Y+JI, which steps up once the train has passed over the magnet. It's the absence of flashing yellows which to me seems odd. If it went FY then Y+JI stepping up then it would be logical. I suppose in an ideal world it would be a completely free G, but the speed profile doesn't quite seem to allow for that.
The requirements for that are different to FY. Yellow over a junction is very common on the Southern region, sometimes by holding the signal *after* the junction at red until the train is within sight of the signal, or passed over the AWS magnet, whatever the individual requirements for that junction are.
Okay that makes sense. Seems like the Holloway setup is a little more common than I thought. I think I’m right in saying that the two down Holloway crossovers are the only such examples of this setup on the KX panel.

Interestingly the KX panel doesn’t seem to hold the signal after at danger as far as I can see from photos of the panel. For the DF to DS move there’s a view on the internet of that move set, and the panel shows all the signals “off”. I presume that carries through to what the actual signal heads do on the ground?

Last edited: 28/07/2020 at 01:45 by DavidSplett
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A few King's Cross bugs & issues 28/07/2020 at 04:14 #130048
GeoffM
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DavidSplett in post 130047 said:
Interestingly the KX panel doesn’t seem to hold the signal after at danger as far as I can see from photos of the panel. For the DF to DS move there’s a view on the internet of that move set, and the panel shows all the signals “off”. I presume that carries through to what the actual signal heads do on the ground?
Mostly it does seem a Southern thing to use the signal after the junction. It might be a "feature" of the interlocking style they used. Yes, the panel will show green if the signal on the ground is showing a (main?) proceed aspect.

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A few King's Cross bugs & issues 28/07/2020 at 08:35 #130051
clive
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GeoffM in post 130046 said:

Yellow over a junction is very common on the Southern region, sometimes by holding the signal *after* the junction at red until the train is within sight of the signal, or passed over the AWS magnet, whatever the individual requirements for that junction are.
As I understand it, there are two different reasons for holding the signal after the junction at red to implement MAY.

Sometimes it's done to prevent read-through: having a green signal ahead which could distract the driver so that they don't notice the yellow.

Sometimes it's done because it's the easiest way to implement it, because you can put the controls in the GR or HR of the advance signal rather than having to modify the HHR or DR logic of the junction signal. In turn I can see two reasons this might happen. Firstly, with geographic interlockings, there might not be an easy way to modify the HHR or DR while the GR/HR is something that gets non-standard logic for all kinds of reasons. Secondly, I've seen designs where the HHR and DR are simply feeds back from the next signal's HR and HHR respectively along the trackside, not part of the main interlocking at all. This means the information required to release them at the right time wouldn't be available in (say) the location cabinets.

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A few King's Cross bugs & issues 28/07/2020 at 12:15 #130061
DriverCurran
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Of course the holding of the signal after the junction at red does in theory have a less obvious benefit, protection against a wrong route given and taken operating incident.

If for instance I'm doing 75 mph in my lovely class 508 unit approaching Purley on the down fast and I see a green on the end of platform 2, then it is straight in with the brake and initialise a radio conversation with the panel 2 signaller at Three Bridges 'A' box to advise him that I am unable to go that way (both 508 units and Tonbridge drivers banned via the Quarry)

Paul

You have to get a red before you can get any other colour
Last edited: 28/07/2020 at 12:15 by DriverCurran
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A few King's Cross bugs & issues 28/07/2020 at 12:27 #130063
DavidSplett
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DriverCurran in post 130061 said:
Of course the holding of the signal after the junction at red does in theory have a less obvious benefit, protection against a wrong route given and taken operating incident.

If for instance I'm doing 75 mph in my lovely class 508 unit approaching Purley on the down fast and I see a green on the end of platform 2, then it is straight in with the brake and initialise a radio conversation with the panel 2 signaller at Three Bridges 'A' box to advise him that I am unable to go that way (both 508 units and Tonbridge drivers banned via the Quarry)

Paul
Would that hold true in a 3-aspect area though?

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A few King's Cross bugs & issues 28/07/2020 at 13:19 #130067
DriverCurran
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DavidSplett in post 130063 said:
DriverCurran in post 130061 said:
Of course the holding of the signal after the junction at red does in theory have a less obvious benefit, protection against a wrong route given and taken operating incident.

If for instance I'm doing 75 mph in my lovely class 508 unit approaching Purley on the down fast and I see a green on the end of platform 2, then it is straight in with the brake and initialise a radio conversation with the panel 2 signaller at Three Bridges 'A' box to advise him that I am unable to go that way (both 508 units and Tonbridge drivers banned via the Quarry)

Paul
Would that hold true in a 3-aspect area though?
Probably not, bear in mind I have never signed anywhere the Kings Cross area. Most of the lines I worked were two or four aspect sequences. The closest I can come (and I do acknowledge that the circumstances are completely different) is that if you were booked into West Marina Depot via 71/72 crossover vice 3/9 ladder (Yes you could tell which way the train was booked by the length of the journey on your schedule card, going via 3/9 points involved a trip through a 3mph carriage washer whilst going via 71/72's you could pretty much get upto about 40 mph) and you saw a green on BJ 18 which could be seen for a long distance through a tunnel this was also time to contact the signaller.

Paul

You have to get a red before you can get any other colour
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