SimSig Gloucester

Sim Operation

North Panel

North Panel covers Barnt Green to Gloucester (exclusive), and the branches to Droitwich Spa and Norton Junction.

Operational Notes:

• Trains to Redditch will be dealt with by the

  Saltley signaller; you will see the train’s Train Describer approaching, light SY14, SY12’s and track circuits between Cofton and Barnt Green, however they will then leave the Sim at Barnt Green with no intervention by the player.

• Signal 12 sets a default

  warner route . This is to minimise the risk of a train running away down the Lickey incline and passing signal 16 at danger.

• Please see separate page for how to deal with the

  Lickey Banker .

• Signals proceeding up the Lickey bank are

  last-wheel replaced to help the driver of the banking engine.

• The

  overlap at signal 18 cannot be swung: the points must be normal. If a train is destined for Bromsgrove Unitank, use the shunt route as this does not require an overlap.

• TRTS is provided at signals 71 and 171.

• Signals 71, 171 and 467 will not clear for 3 minutes if their

  berth circuit is occupied: this is to give time for a preceding train to clear the incline and lower the risk of the second train having to stop halfway up the bank, and have difficulty re-starting. Remember this especially with signal 71- if two main line trains are following each other fairly closely, it is easy to be distracted and find that the second train is stopped at 71, which will take 3 minutes to clear.

• A shunt route is provided to signal 73 for non-passenger trains reversing at Bromsgrove. This route will not trigger the 3-minute release of signals 71 and 171, however it should not be used for main line trains to get around the delay problem.

• Call-on routes are allowed towards signals 71 and 171 at Bromsgrove.

• A

  slot is required to set a route to Droitwich Spa.

• Trains cannot be diverted between Stoke Works and Abbotswood Junctions via Droitwich, Worcester and Norton Junction- they will leave the simulation at Norton Junction/Droitwich. When timetable writing, if a train is to be diverted this way write two timetables (e.g. 1M00-1 and 1M00-2), and remember to write a rule which ensures that the first train will re-enter the Sim however late the first train was when it exited the area, to stop the same train being in two places at once.
• Unusually for a main-line

  fringe , you will have very little warning of trains entering at Norton Junction- 2 minutes after the train enters the area, it will be stopped at signal 126.

• Try to set the route to Norton Junction slightly early, since a flashing yellow aspect is provided at signal 57, however please bear in mind the above note.
• At Eckington Up Goods Loop, trains

  exceeding 39 SLUs (= 250 m) which are liable to foul Andrew's accommodation crossing must not be

permitted to occupy the loop line for long periods unless alternative arrangements have been made with crossing users.
• Ashchurch

  AHB has been provided with a non-stop button. This is because the station is so close to the crossing that the closing of the crossing is delayed to avoid unnecessary delay for road users. However, since the site of the sensor which starts the sequence is too close to the crossing to ensure the barriers are down before a train travelling at full speed arrives, the signal is held at red until the barriers are down. To avoid delays to non-stop trains, press the ‘non-stop’ button, which clears the signal and uses a different sensor further away from the crossing to determine the time at which the crossing closes. The ‘stopping’ button has no function other than to provide a reminder that the non-stop button does not need to be pressed.

• If a train is bound for Ashchurch MOD sidings, use the shunt route to ensure the train stops just beyond the reversing point at Signal 623.
• The crossovers at Ashchurch are not connected and cannot be used for MOD trains.
• If a train is to reverse at signal 422 at Cheltenham, use the shunt route to make sure the

  crossing keeper at Morris Hill does not lower the barriers.

• Alstone CS can be used as an entry/exit point, however trains can be kept in the Sim if a next working is given at Alstone C.S.
• Alstone C.S. Spur cannot be used as an entry/exit point.
• TRTS is provided at Cheltenham Spa Platform 2 ONLY.

• ECS to Alstone C.S. should not have a route set until TRTS is given.

• Cheltenham Lansdown is the name of the loop at the Gloucester end of Cheltenham.
• A Call-on route is provided into Cheltenham Lansdown.

Central Panel

Central Panel covers the Gloucester station area only.

Operational Notes:

• A shunt route is provided towards signal 39.
• If trains are joining on the Up or Down avoiding, you must press the

  Track Circuit Override for the relevant line to clear the subsidiary signals. This is to confirm that you want to set a call-on route and not preparing the route for the next train.

• Remember Horton Road crossing. The crossing is diagonal, which is unusual for SimSig, and it is easy to forget about it.
• A number of warner routes are provided at Gloucester, since the full overlaps for some signals can foul lots of pointwork. Be aware that overlaps may appear longer than you might expect them to be- in some cases reaching the next signal along.
• The loco siding at Gloucester is a none-track circuited siding, it is not an entry/exit point.
• Calling-on is permitted in all lines at Gloucester.
• TRTS is provided on all platforms at Gloucester.
• Trains that reverse in the none-track circuited section near the old yard will ring in asking permission to move if the relevant signal (454 or 423) has not cleared. Giving permission will only cause the train to move up to the signal, and not beyond it.
• Trains to the old yard should be routed to the grey triangle above the word ‘old’ on the diagram- the driver/yard staff will deal with the points to the yard themselves.
• Gloucester horse box siding is a none-track circuited siding, not an entry/exit point.
• Shunt routes are provided towards signals 60 and 162.
• Shunt routes are provided towards signals 262 and 362.

South Panel

The South Panel covers the line between Gloucester and Lydney, and the line to Charfield, including the branch to Swindon.

Operational Notes:

• Signal 121 is

  approach lit , i.e. it will only display an aspect when a route is set towards it or the UGL is occupied. This is to prevent drivers on the Up Main thinking the signal applies to them.

• When a train passes signal DC97B and a route is set towards Charfield, a message will be displayed to tell you a train is approaching Old Ends Crossing.
• When a train passes signal UC106, a message will be displayed telling you a train is approaching Old Ends Crossing.
• The lights below Sapperton tunnel will light (show white) when the tunnel is clear on the line to which the light applies. This is so that in the event of a breakdown, the signaller knows whether or not the train is in the tunnel.
• This Simulation can be chained to

  Swindon A&B (SwinDid) at Kemble and Bristol at Charfield.

Last edited by apache668 on 18/02/2024 at 21:22