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Rugby SCC South

Introduction

Welcome to the first of three simulations that cover the current Rugby SCC. This simulation covers the southernmost two workstations, Tring and Milton Keynes. This simulation fringes to Watford Junction to the south and Rugby SCC Centre to the north.

Start-Up Options

Scenarios

Easy mode

No late running or trackside equipment failures.

Normal mode

Some train delays, with a chance of trackside equipment failures.

Hard mode

Multiple failures and delays.

Northchurch FL tunnel closure

The Fast Line tunnel is closed at Northchurch. All trains must use the Slow lines between Bourne End and Tring; the signaller will need to regulate traffic accordingly. The signaller may also wish to take advantage of the twin-lead crossovers at Ledburn Jn, and the associated flashing yellow aspect sequences.

Other Options

ARS enabled: Enable ARS for the duration of the game.

Features

Automatic Routesetting System (ARS)

Full ARS is provided. Under normal operating conditions, it can run the service well, however the signaller will need to step in to handle traffic to and from various freight sidings, and assist with regulation in the event of train failures or other service disruption.

Electrification

Almost all lines are electrified with standard 25kV AC overhead wires. Non-electrified lines, which are generally sidings and the Up/Down Vale to Fenny Stratford, are indicated with electrification limit markers on the panel. Furthermmore, the Hopper Siding at Blechley is not electrified.

Flank Locking

Because the area predominantly uses axle counters as a means of track section detection, some areas where one would expect flank locking to apply do not have it. This is because axle counter heads can be moved much closer to point ends which affects the clearing points. Thus while it might look like the rear of a train is mid-way between two non-co-acting points, it is actually well clear of the previous end which now becomes free to move away from the train.

Double Red Protection

The area has a number of junctions that feature "double red protection" . This is a slight misnomer as the controls require the first red signal to show red only if the next signal is at red with no route set with this signal's berth track clear. Thus it's more of a delayed yellow, or approach control from red. Once a route is set from the next signal - even if not ready to show proceed - the first signal can step up to yellow. A train approaching the first red will also get a yellow eventually, theoretically once the speed is down to a low value since the track section proving this is short.

Signals fitted with double red protection are as follows:

Line	Signals
Down Fast	WT3143, TK3187, TK3225, TK3235
Up Fast	WT3152, TK3176, TK3194, TK3220, TK3232, KR3250 (to TK3232), KR3254
Down Slow	WT5145, TK5189
Up Slow	WT5154, TK5196

Blocking

Interposing 'BLOK' (amongst others) into these berths will cause trains to be diverted onto the other line. If both lines are blocked then no trains will enter until one or both are unblocked:

• WT3133 (Down Fast)
• WT5135 (Down Slow)
• KR3266 (Up Fast)
• KR5268 (Up Slow)

Failures and Interlocking Areas

Just as in real life, the simulation reports failures of signalling equipment by interlocking area. These are as follows, generally from south (screen left) to north (screen right):

Interlocking	Area
HEMELHEM	South of Apsley to Hemel Hempstead (inclusive)
BOURNEND	Hemel Hempstead (exclusive) to south of Tring
TRING	Tring to south of Cheddington
LEDBURN	Cheddington to south of Leighton Buzzard
LINSLADE	Leighton Buzzard to the workstation boundary
STOKHAMM	Workstation boundary to north of Bletchley Drayton Road Junction
BLETSTH	Bletchley station, platforms 1 to 4
BLESID	Bletchley station, platforms 5 to 6, and area below and including Bletchley Relief 2
BLETNTH	North of Bletchley station to Denbigh Hall South Junction, including Bletchley Relief 1
KEYNSSTH	Denbigh Hall North Junction to south of Milton Keynes station
KEYNSNTH	Milton Keynes station area
WOLVERTN	North of Milton Keynes station to Wolverton

Panel Notes

Tring

Boxmoor Sidings

There are hand points at Boxmoor Sidings, which are set by the train driver or person in charge to access the Up Siding or Back Siding. For simulation purposes, the sidings are an entry/exit point; WT4110 controls exit from both the Up and Back sidings.

Tring Station

Ensure that any train arriving from London and forming a service back to London is platformed in number 4.

The Fast/Slow line crossovers here do not have a flashing yellow aspect sequence.

Any signal with a route set in to Platform 4 at Tring will only show single yellow at best, regardless of the aspect of the platform starters (WT9874/TK9877)

TK5173 (P3 platform stater) will not show a proceed aspect until a route is set to it, or its berth track is occupied (read-through control)

If a route is set to WT5172 (P5 platform starter), it is not possible to set a route into or out of the sidings behind WT9876 (there is a blind overlap).

Non-TORR Signals

The following signals do not have train operated route release (TORR ) and are thus also non-ARS . However, as they are all on plain line, there should be no need to take them out of auto mode in normal operation.

Line	Signal
Down Fast	WT3133, WT3149, WT3159, TK3193, TK3201
Up Fast	WT3138, WT3162, TK3198, TK3204
Down Slow	WT5135, WT5151, WT5161, TK5195, TK5203
Up Slow	TK5200, TK5206, WT5140, WT5164

Aspect controls

WT3146/WT5148/WT3149/WT5151	Will only show proceed with a route set towards it, or its berth track is occupied
TK3190/TK5192/TK3191/TK5193	Will only show proceed with a route set towards it, or its berth track is occupied

Bletchley

Bletchley Station

The two berths below the Up Slow immediately to the right of the Flyover are associated with TK1461 and TK1463 respectively.

Red call-on exit arrows are provided at Bletchley. This helps to ensure that a second train isn't called-on by accident into an occupied platform. For a main route, set main signal to main signal. For a calling-on route set main signal to red exit arrow.

Trains coming out of the Hopper Siding and heading back through Bletchley station (and vice versa) should reverse behind signal TK1461. A light loco (only) may reverse behind signal TK1463 instead, to avoid blocking the Up Slow- route trains to the exit arrow behind TK1463.

You will receive a phone call from the Carriage Sidings (CS) or the Freight Sidings (FS) when a train is ready to depart. Interpose the train description at the appropriate signal and set the route when suitable.

TK5226 to TK5222 can only be set into auto with the main route, not the warner route.

Marston Vale Fringe

In reality, MV5 typically does not show green (causing TK9839 to show double yellow) as the Marston Vale signaller needs to get the barriers down at Fenny Stratford without delaying too much road traffic.

Swanbourne Sidings and Flyover Summit Jn are controlled by Marston Vale, and are shown here for information only.

Milton Keynes

When a warner route is set from KR3250 to TK3232, KR3250 will not step up to a main aspect if a forward route from TK3232 is set.

Wolverton

There are two slots at Wolverton. These allow the signaller to set routes onto the centre roads to access Wolverton Works. Left click on the roundel to request the slot. Once the slot has been granted, route can be set onto the centre roads.

At this location there is a set of centre sidings which lead, via a reversing siding, into Wolverton Works. These days not many trains use this facility on a day-to-day basis.

Both signals KR5260 and KR5261 are close to the opposing shunt signal, KR1495 and KR1498. Therefore anything longer than a light engine is likely to need the onward route setting from KR1495 or KR1498 in order to get the full train length behind the shunt signal.

KR5260 and KR5261 will only show proceed with a route set towards it, or its berth track is occupied.

Non-TORR Signals

The following signals do not have train operated route release (TORR ) and are thus also non-ARS . However, as they are all on plain line, there should be no need to take them out of auto mode in normal operation.

• KR3258
• TK3211

Opposite locking omission

Opposite locking is omitted between the following signal pairs, allowing both to show clear at the same time- this allows shunting to take place without requiring the signaller to set a route for each movement.

• KR1496/KR1497
• TK1463/TK9848
• TK1473/TK1474
• TK1471/TK1474
• TK1469/TK1474

Multiplayer & Chaining

The simulation is suitable for a single player; more experienced players may not need the assistance of ARS.

The simulation chains at the following locations:

Simulation	Location
Rugby Centre	Hanslope Jn
Watford Junction	Watford Junction

Hot Keys

In addition to the standard shortcut keys , the following are available:

Key	Panel Area
B	Bletchley
D	Denbigh Hall
H	Hemel Hempstead
L	Ledburn Junction
M	Milton Keynes Central
S	Drayton Road Junction / Bletchley South Junction
T	Tring
W	Wolverton Works

Acknowledgments

Simulation by: Geoff Mayo

15/10/2009 WTT by: Noel Young

Reference Section

Signal Number Plan

Rugby South Signal Number Plan

This is an Adobe Acrobat PDF file. If you don't have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer you can get a free download of the latest version from the Adobe website . Use the built-in Find function (Ctrl+F) to locate signal numbers.

Signal Box Prefix Codes

Code	Box
KR	Rugby SCC (Milton Keynes- Rugby)
MV	Marston Vale*
TK	Rugby SCC (Tring- Milton Keynes)
WJ	Watford Junction*
WT	Rugby SCC (Watford- Tring)

Platform & Loop Lengths

Platform Lengths

Location	Platform	Length (m)
Bletchley	1	253
:::	2	253
:::	3	253
:::	4	262
:::	5	262
:::	6	129
Milton Keynes	1	251
:::	2	308
:::	2A	124
:::	3	300
:::	4	300
:::	5	300
:::	6	300
Tring	1	275
:::	2	253
:::	3	269
:::	4	269
:::	5	269

Loop Lengths

Location	Loop Name	Length (m)
Bletchley Up Relief	1	859
:::	2	782

Timetabling Details

These notes apply to those writing timetables for the simulation. They may be of interest but are not required if you are simply running the simulation.

Bletchley South Junction is located behind signals TK1463 and TK1461. Trains between Bletchley and the Hopper Siding can thus use Bletchley South Junction as the reversing location.

Mandatory Timing Points

Trains must be timed at the following locations:

• Watford Junction
• Bourne End Junction
• Tring (platform number must be specified)
• Ledburn Junction
• Bletchley
• (To/From Flyover Junction):
• Denbigh Hall South Junction
• Milton Keynes Central (platform number must be specified)
• Hanslope Junction

For the Bletchley-Bedford line:

• Bletchley
• Fenny Stratford
• Woburn Sands

Line Speeds

Much of the fast line is signalled to Enhanced Passenger Speed standards (EPS). This means that specially authorised trains may travel at a higher speed than regular trains. There can thus be up to three speed limits in effect on the same piece of track.

• Fast lines: 110mph (125mph EPS)
• Slow lines: 100mph

Gradients

Gradients are broadly as follows:

• Watford to just south of Tring: 1 in 335 up
• Tring: level
• North of Tring to Ledburn Jn: 1 in 295 to 383 down
• Ledburn Jn to Denbigh Hall: nearly level
• Denbigh Hall to Milton Keynes: 1 in 440 down

Bletchley-Bedford line:

• Bletchley to Fenny Stratford: 1 in 275 down

Splash Screens

Splash (1)	The north end of Milton Keynes station, showing signals KR9741 and KR5253
Splash (2)	The north end of Milton Keynes station, with KR9737 prominent
Splash (3)	The north end of Milton Keynes station, showing KR9735. This signal allows passenger trains from the south to terminate in Platform 1.
Splash (4)	Bletchley Platform 5, looking north. Signal TK9839 has a route set onto the Marston Vale line.
Splash (5)	A Class 377, operated by Southern, arrives at Bletchley Platform 3 with a train to Milton Keynes. Signal TK5222 can be seen on the left.
Splash (6)	A London Midland class 153 waits in Platform 5 at Bletchley, working the service to Bedford over the Marston Vale line.
Splash (7)	The north end of Bletchley station, showing signal TK5225. The points where the Bletchley Relief 1 joins the Up Slow can just be seen on the left.
Splash (8)	The north end of Bletchley station, showing signal TK9821. Bletchley Carriage Sidings can be seen in the background.
Splash (9)	The north end of Bletchley station. From left to right, lines are Down Slow, Up Slow, Bletchley Relief 1 and Bletchley Relief 2. The Fast lines can just be seen on the extreme left, and the edge of Bletchley C.S. on the right. The bracket carrying signal TK9832 can be seen in the middle.
Splash (10)	A view from the north end of Bletchley platform 5. The line bearing left is Bletchley Relief 2, and the carriage sidings are to the right.
Splash (11)	A Class 90 electric loco hauls a container train on the Down Slow through Bletchley.
Splash (12)
Splash (13)	A photo from the actual box, showing the south end of Bletchley station.
Splash (14)	A photo from the actual box, showing the access to Wolverton works.
Splash (15)	A photo from the actual box, showing the south end of Milton Keynes station.
Splash (16)	A photo from the actual box, showing Denbigh Hall South Jn and part of the sidings at Bletchley.

Version History

Version History

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Last edited by GeoffM on 10/02/2024 at 17:57