Interlocking areas detail
=AyrArea is centered on Ayr station and extends from the single line towards Kilkerran and Stranraer at Dalrymple Junction Northwards to signals PA312 and 313 in the Prestwick area. This is probably the busiest area with Ayr station turning around trains and the freight yards at Falkland. | |||
| Location | TIPLOC | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annbank | ANNBANK | Trains to/from Killoch are required to stop here and work the token. Full working details of the interface can be found here . | |
| Ayr | AYRR | 4 platform station. Moves that require trains to double up on the platform require the TC override button to be pressed to clear the signal. | |
| Ayr cariage siding | AYRRCSD | You must phone the shunter for permission to enter the sidings, the shunter will advise to which line he wants you to send the train; this may differ from the timetables line. Line 1 has the train washer so it is important that you obey the shunter’s instructions. You can reverse a train in the line #1 approach behind PA856 without phoning if you use "near-end" stop in the timetable. | |
| Ayr harbour | AYRRHBR | Trains entering the harbour may be delayed from exiting the sim by up to 5 minutes, this may result in trains over 230m locking TC598 for the duration. | |
| Ayr sig 335 | AYRR335 | Trains for Machline are required to stop here and pick up the token for the single line. Trains may use this location for shunting behind PA334. See here | for full details of the interface with Mauchline. |
| Ayr sig 853 | AYRR853 | Location allows trains to reverse behind PA853 or PA343 to the North (left) of the Station. | |
| Ayr sig 859 | AYRR859 | Location allows trains to reverse behind PA859 to the South (right) of the Station. | |
| Ayr TMD | AYRRTMD | Traction maintenance depot and refuelling for freight train engines. | |
| Chelmerston (Benbane) | CHMS | The panel labels this as Benbane but the WTT calls it Chelmerston. One train working line, trains can only access the line when unoccupied, similarly trains can only enter the sim at Chelmerston if the line is shown as “OCC” otherwise there can’t be any train to enter! | |
| Dalrymple junction | DLRYMPL | Single line towards Kilkerran and on to Stranraer. Requires Paisley to request a slot from Kilkerran | |
| Falkland DGL | FLKLDGL | ||
| Falkland freight terminal | FLKLFLT | ||
| Falkland head shunt | FLKLJNHS | ||
| Falkland loops | FLKLNDL | Trains from North sidings that reverse in loop #2 may require to be routed towards the Headshunt to clear the points. Trains routed from the loops to the reception sidings are not signalled moves but for simsig purposes there are signals provided. In “hard” mode scenarios these are made to look like exit triangles (but otherwise work like signals) which turn white when cleared. The track in this area in not TC’d but in the easy modes TC display is provided | |
| Falkland reception | FLKLNDR | ||
| Falkland sidings | FLKLNDS | Represents North sidings, Yard and West sidings; working TT does not seem to distinguish between the different. You must phone ahead for permission to send a train. Trains entering from the North sidings are not signalled and will roll into loop #2 (subject to occupancy testing). Long trains required to reverse will need to be signalled onwards to the headshunt. | |
| Falkland signal 842 | FLKLND842 | Used for reversing into Freight yard and as a timing location for train arriving up the down line. | |
| Falkland signal P323 | FLKLJN323 | Trains reversing at the LOS on the down line to the North. | |
| Kilkerran | KKERRAN | Entry/exit point. Trains to Kilkerran require a slot request; Kilkerran can send a train at will. | |
| Killoch | KILCHCL | Exit point just beyond Annbank junction | |
| Mauchline | MAUCHLN | Entry/exit point, see here for full explanation of working. | |
| Maybole | MAYBOLE | Off-sim Station (Not a key location) | |
| Monkton GF | PWCKMGF | GF location for trains arriving/departing from Moncton oil terminal. | |
| Monkton Oil | PWCKMBP | Aviation fuel terminal for Prestwick airport | |
| Newton on Ayr | NWTOA | Station (Not a key location) | |
| Newton on Ayr junction | NWTOAJN | Location for trains arriving from Mauchline as well as for main line trains. | |
| Newton signal 843 | NWTOAJN843 | Reversing location behind PA843 at Newton on Ayr station. | |
| Newton signal 844 | NWTOAJN844 | Reversing location behind PA844 at Newton on Ayr junction. | |
| Prestwick Airport | PWCKAPT | Station (Not a key location). Station is operated by the Airport, not Scotrail. | |
| Prestwick Town | PWCK | Station |
Area based around the relay room at Barassie junction. For SimSig purposes the junction location is just behind PB275 and on the same TCs as Barassie station. You must phone ahead to the paper mill to advise of trains heading to the mill. The down sidings are used by trains running between Kilmarnock and Hunterston to reverse in.
Trains to and from Kilmarnock are controlled by Kilmarnock, until Kilmarnock has given the slot there is no bar to a Down train entering so you may get a "Mexican" if you are not careful. You should be aware that ARS will call for the slot after it has set the route up to PB274.
| Location | TIPLOC | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Barassie | BARASIE | Station (Not a key location) |
| Barassie down siding | BARACE | Exit/entry point |
| Barassie DPL | BARADPL | DPL is the loop between PB815 and PB283. There is a TC override button for calling-on trains. |
| Barassie junction | BARASIJ | Location is on the TCs at Barassie station and behind PB275. |
| Barassie signal 804 | BARASIE804 | Reversing location to the North of Barassie station. |
| Barassie signal 805 | BARASIE805 | Reversing location to the North of Barassie station. |
| Barassie signal 813 | BARA813 | Location between signal PB813 and PB809. |
| Barassie UGL | BARAUGL | Up goods loop |
| Hillhouse quarry | HILHQRY | Exit/entry point |
| Irvine paper mill | IRVNCPP | Exit/entry point. |
| Kilmarnock | KILMRNK | Exit/entry point. Paisley must request a slot from Kilmarnock. This is best done before the train is signalled towards the single line to avoid a Mexican. |
| Shewalton GF | SHEWGF | GF location for trains heading to/from Hillhouse and the Coup. |
| Shewalton sidings | BARASCP | Exit/entry point |
| Troon | TROON | Station (Not a key location) |
| Troon signal 817 | TROON817 | Reversing location to the North of Troon station. |
A very small interlocking area essentially controlling the loop, I’m not 100% sure where the boundaries are. There is an interesting arrangement with the overlaps between P131 and P132 and between P133 and P134. At first sight they appear rather restrictive but in reality they are some 600yds long and can be shared. That enables trains to approach P131 and P132 (or P133/134) at the same time. This is not fully supported by SimSig but I’ve come up with something that works, though on close examination you may see some flickering and apparent momentary drop-out of the locking in certain circumstances.
| Location | TIPLOC | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dunrod | DUNROD | The loop |
Area centred on Eldeslie loop between Paisley Gilmore Street (Sigs PE143/PE146) and Lochwinnoch area (PE175/PE176). A timing point for the Ayrshire coast passenger services and one end of the bi-di section to Kilwinning. The CE sidings are also the location for a WH Malcom depot, to whom you need to telephone to advise of approaching trains.
| Location | TIPLOC | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Elderslie | ELDRSLI | Loop location |
| Elderslie siding | ELDRSCE | Exit/entry point. |
| Howwood | HOWOOD | Station (Not a key location) |
| Johnstone | JOHNSTN | Station (Not a key location) |
| Lochwinnoch | LCHWNCH | Station |
| Milliken Park | MILKNPK | Station (Not a key location) |
Area between Lochwinnoch (PG177/PG178) and Dalry (PG213/PG214) with three loops (Glengarnock UGL and Brownhill UPL/DPL). Intermediate location within the Bi-Di section.
| Location | TIPLOC | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Brownhill CE | BROWNCE | GF controlled siding (not an exit/entry siding) |
| Brownhill loops | BROWPL | DPL and UGL |
| Dalry | DALRY | Station |
| Glengarnock | GLGN | Station (not a key location) |
| Glengarnock siding | GLNGRCE | Exit/entry point |
| Glengarnock signal 183 | GLNGR183 | Reversing point behind PG183 |
| Glengarnock signal 763 | GLNGR763 | Reversing point behind PG763 (Glengarnock station) |
| Glengarnock UGL | GLGNUGL | UGL |
| Roche | BROWROCHE | Exit/entry point. You need to telephone to advise of approaching trains. |
| Roche HS | BROWROCHEHS | Headshunt for trains reversing in UPL |
Gourock area extends from Fort Matilda (PU104/PU105) into the terminus at Gourock. The station has 3 platforms with 1 being the preferred default. The area has auto-working ACI and ARS explains how this works.
| Location | TIPLOC | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Matilda | FRTMTLD | Station (Not a key location) |
| Gourock | GOUROCK | Terminus station |
| Gourock LOS | GOUROCKLOS | Reversing point behind PU112 for trains using platform 3 |
Area starts to the North of Ardrossan (sigs PH495/PH512) and runs to Largs via Hunterston Junction where the Upper and Lower Terminals branch off. The up line between Hunterston Junction and Ardrossan is a goods line and has never been electrified; the down line being bi-di for the Ayreshire electric trains. The Sim has an “Pseudo early era” option which allows passenger trains to use the up line and deletes the bi-di. In reality the line was double throughout to Largs, which had 4 platforms and ECS sidings.
Hunterston High level sidings includes the massive coal importation terminal and is the source of the coal trains serving the Power station at Longannet and elsewhere.
The Largs station area has auto-working ACI and ARS explains how this works.
| Location | TIPLOC | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fairlie High | FAIRLIE | Station (Not a key location) |
| Fairlie Admiralty GF | FAIRMODG | GF for trains entering the Admiralty siding |
| Fairlie Admiralty siding | FAIRMOD | GF controlled siding (not an exit/entry siding) |
| Fairlie High siding | FAIRLSN | Exit/entry point |
| Fairlie High siding GF | FAIRLSNG | GF for trains entering Fairlie High siding |
| Hunterston high level | HNTRSHL | Exit/Entry point |
| Hunterston junction | HNTRSJN | Junction |
| Hunterston low level | HNTRSLL | Exit/Entry point |
| Hunterston signal 897 | HNTRS897 | Reversing point behind Sigs PH513/PH897 |
| Largs | LARGS | Terminus station |
| West Kilbride | WKILBRD | Station (Not a key location). An Up platform will appear with the older layout option. |
Quite a busy area with the lines for Ayr and Ardrossan/Largs diverging, covers the area from just south of Dalry (PK215/PK216) to Irvine (PK259/PK258) and Ardrossan (PK477/PK482). Kilwinning station is on a triangle with the third side offering a freight only link between Ayr and Ardrossan also used by ECS trains.
The line to Ardrossan Harbour sees a regular service (some trains terminate at the Town station), this is a One Train Working line with line occupation indicators.
For technical reasons it’s not possible to interpose nor change the TD at signal PK478 but hopefully the ACI (of whatever form) will get it right.
| Location | TIPLOC | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ardrossan EMU siding | ARDRSDS | Reversing siding for terminating EMUs (if needed) |
| Ardrossan Harbour | ARDRSHB | Station |
| Ardrossan South Beach | ARDRSSB | Station |
| Ardrossan Town | ARDRSTN | Station |
| Bogside junction | BGSDEJN | Junction for Snodgrass branch. |
| Byrehill junction | BYREHJ | Junction |
| Dubbs junction | DUBBSJ | Junction |
| ICI Snodgrass | IRVNB | Exit/Entry location with one train occupation controls |
| Irvine | IRVN | Station |
| Irvine down sidings | IRVNDS | Not exit/entry sidings |
| Irvine signal 801 | IRVN801 | Reversing point behind signal PK801 |
| Irvine up headshunt | IRVNHS | Headshunt for trains using the down sidings. |
| Irvine up sidings | IRVNCE | Exit/Entry siding |
| Kilwinning | KILWNNG | Station |
| Kilwinning CE siding | KILWNCE | Not exit/entry sidings |
| Kilwinning down sidings | KILWJCE | Exit/Entry siding |
| Kilwinning down siding HS | KILWJCEHS | Headshunt for down sidings |
| Kilwinning goods yard | KILWGDY | Exit/Entry siding |
| Kilwinning signal 777 | KILW777 | Revesing point at PK777 (Up Ayr) |
| Kilwinning signal 794 | KILW794 | Revesing point at PK794 (Down Ayr) |
| Kilwinning UGL | KILWUGL | Up goods loop, use stopping distances to adjust for trains accessing CE siding. |
| Misk | MISK | Exit/Entry siding |
| Saltcoats | SLCT | Station |
| Stevenston | STVNSTN | Station (Not a key location) |
| Stevenston DGL | STVNDGL | Down goods loop |
| Stevenston down siding | STVNDS | Exit/Entry siding |
| Stevenston Nylon | STVNNY | Exit/Entry siding |
| Stevenston signal 873 | STVN873 | Reversing point at PK873 (Up Largs) |
| Stevenston signal 886 | STVN886 | Reversing point at PK883 and PK878 (Down Largs). Use stopping point adjustments. |
Relay room is at Bogston Station and covers the area from Greenock West (sigs P102/P103) and the Wemyss Bay line through Wemyss Bay Junction and up to Woodhall (sigs P63/P64). The main point of note is at the junction where the Overlap from signal P75 into the trap does not fully illuminate when in use.
| Location | TIPLOC | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bogston | BOGSTON | Station (Not a key location) |
| Bogston siding | BOGSTONS | Exit/entry location |
| Bogston sig 81 (rev) | BOGSTON81 | Reversing point behind sig P81 |
| Bogston sig 84 (rev) | BOGSTON84 | Reversing point behind sig P84 |
| Branchton | BRNCHTN | Station (not a key location) |
| Cartsdyke | CRTSDYK | Station (not a key location) |
| Drumfrochar | DRMFCHR | Station (not a key location) |
| Greenock Central | GRENCKC | Station (not a key location) |
| Greenock CPA | GRENCPA | Exit/entry location |
| Greenock Central siding | GRENCCE | GF controlled siding (not an exit/entry siding) |
| Greenock Central GF | GRENCCEGF | GF for trains entering Greenock Central siding |
| Greenock West | GRENCKW | Station (not a key location) |
| Greenock West Dn GF | GRENCKWD | Greenock West crossover GF (Down line) |
| Greenock West Up GF | GRENCKWU | Greenock West crossover GF (Up line) |
| IBM | IBMM | Station (not a key location) |
| Port Glasgow | PTGLSGW | Station (not a key location) |
| Wemyss Bay Jn | WEMYSBJ | Junction |
| Wemyss Jn signal P73 (rev) | WEMYSBJR | Reversing point behind signal P73 |
| Whinhill | WHINH | Station (not a key location) |
| Woodhall | WHHL | Station (not a key location) |
Paisley; the centre of out universe. The box itself is on the Up side of Gilmore Street station. The Inverclyde lines to Gourock and Wemyess Bay were electrified as part of the "blue train" modernisation of the late 60s; the Ayrshire lines were electrified some 20 years later. Although signal P35 is a 3 aspect signal and should normally step to Green when P31 is at yellow in fact it does not step up to Green till P31 is at Double yellow aspect. Signal P35 also has a Warner route available to P31 (not relevant to 2015).
| Location | TIPLOC | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Arkleson Jn | ARKLSTJ | Junction |
| Arkleson Jn (rev) | ARKLSTJR | Reversing point behind signal P7 (LOS): not 2015 |
| Bishopton | BISHPTN | Station (Not a key location) |
| Bishopton BAE sidings | BISHPBA | Exit/entry sidings |
| Bishopton GF | BISHPGF | GF for access to BAE sidings |
| Cardonald | CDNL | Off-screen station (Not a key location) |
| Gallowhill sidings | PSLYGSD | Exit/entry sidings |
| Gower St Jn | GWSTJN | Off-screen Cross-over (Not a key location): 2015 only |
| Helen St Jn | HESRJN | Off-screen Cross-over (Not a key location): 2015 only |
| Hillingdon East | HLNGTNE | Station (Not a key location) |
| Hillingdon West | HLNGTNW | Station (Not a key location) |
| Langbank | LGBK | Station (Not a key location) |
| Langbank GF dn | LGBKGFD | Langbank crossover GF (Down line) |
| Langbank GF up | LGBKGFU | Langbank crossover GF (Up line) |
| Paisley CE Siding | PSLYUCE | Not an exit/entrance siding |
| Paisley DGL | PSLYDGL | DGL trains for Gallowhill sidings may need stopping point adjustment. |
| Paisley Gilmour Street | PSLYGST | Station |
| Paisley sig P26 (rev) | PSLYP26 | Reverse behind sig P26 (up Main): not 2015 |
| Paisley sig P38 (rev) | PSLYP38 | Reverse behind sig P38 (Up Gourock): not 2015 |
| Paisley sig P40 (rev) | PSLYP40 | Reverse behind sig P40 (Up Gourock): not 2015 |
| Paisley sig P41 (rev) | PSLYP41 | Reverse behind sig P41 (Dn Gourock): not 2015 |
| Paisley St James | PSLYSTJ | Station |
| Paisley St James HS | PSLYSTJSDH | St James siding Head Shunt: not 2015 |
| Paisley St James sidings | PSLYSTJSD | Exit/Entry location: not 2015 |
| Paisley UGL | PSLYUGL | UGL: not 2015 |
| Shields Junction | SHLDJN | Exit/Entry location |
| Location | TIPLOC | Notes |
| Inverkip | INVERKP | Station (Not a key location) |
| Wemyss Bay | WEMYSSB | Terminus station |
Last edited by GeoffM on 15/09/2016 at 03:00