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The Advanced Series
The Advanced series of simulations presents a greater range of challenges and is therefore more suitable for those who have mastered the basics of railway signalling – The locations modeled are all selected from location where the traffic patterns and track layouts present particular challenges which give a flavour of the signalman’s life not that long ago – when the safe and punctual operation of a busy train service depended on the skill and judgment of a dedicated band of men. See how well you do in avoiding errors and maintaining punctuality.
*** NEW *** Crow Nest Junction – BR (London Midland Region), 1958
Crow
Nest Junction lies approximately 3 miles east of the Lancashire town of
Wigan in a somewhat remote area formerly dominated by numerous small
collieries which exploited the resources of the Lancashire coal field
for many years.The junction lies on the four-track Manchester to Liverpool and
Southport Main Line of the former Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. At
the date of the simulation the layout included junctions
routing trains to or from the Bolton direction and also towards
Blackrod on the Bolton - Preston Main line. Additionally, the layout
enabled trains to cross between the Fast and Slow lines thus allowing complex combinations of possible routes.
Difficulty Rating:- 9 out of 10
Purchase Price:- £38.50
Features:-
- 91 working levers in the frame
- Six Absolute Block and 3 "No Block" (goods) sections to the adjacent boxes
- Complex layout, routing trains through no less than 6 double junctions or crossovers
- Tricky routing descisions required
- Complex "Switched Diamond" crossings with complex lever-pull sequences
- Regulation 5 Acceptance of light engines off the Branch line.
- Busy four track main line featuring long-distance expresses and heavy goods traffic
- 3 good loops with goods trains held for passenger trains to pass
- Complex Clearing points for acceptance of trains from adjacent boxes
- Decisions required with respect to train priority
- Light engines turning via the Branch triangle
- Authentic working of Assistant Locomotives (Bankers), picked up at Hindley or Wigan and dropped-off at Crow Nest Jct for return Westwards
- Bankers work-through to the next box if trains are "checked" at Crow Nest
- Returning of Bankers to Wigan
- Accurate representation of box equipment including L&Y 3-position block instruments, LMS "white on black" illuminated diagram and all blockshelf instruments.
- Accurate
representation of L&Y "Horwich" pattern lever frame including
"modifications" to lever pull-plates arising from past modifications to
the layout
- 3 busy timetables - around 350 trains - including a busy "wakes weekend" shift
- "Out of Guage" loads routeing to Horwich Works
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Our "South Coast Series" – BR (Southern Region)
Three of our Simulations Ford, Barnham and Yapton (in our Beginner's series) are located deep in rural West Sussex on the former London Brighton and South Coast line from Portsmouth to Brighton. Since they constitute three adjacent ‘boxes, you have the chance to experience the same timetable from three very different viewpoints. Despite the location, this is no railway backwater – the intense electrified service of passenger, newspaper and parcels trains interspersed with the steam-hauled local goods trains will keep you very pleasantly busy!
The Licensed Versions for some of these simulations include a Timetable for a Summer Saturday race day at Goodwood with a multitude of excursion trains to the resorts of Bognor Regis, Southsea and Littlehampton, Race Specials to Barnham and Chichester and all the associated movements of light engines and empty stock.
1. Ford (Sussex) – BR (Southern Region), 1965
Ford
station is the junction for the short but busy double track branch to
Littlehampton. In addition to looking after the main-line trains from
Portsmouth and Bognor Regis to Brighton and London, the signalman also
has responsibility for a number of terminating trains. Additionally,
the Down Loop provides opportunity for Main Line trains to pass and
connect with Branch services.
Difficulty Rating:- 5 out of 10
Purchase Price:- £32.50
Features:
- Southern Railway 3-Position Block instruments
- Southern Railway Block Regulations and Bell Codes
- The Junction is within the “Clearing point”
- “Blocking Back” for access to Up Sidings
- Decisions required with respect to train priority
- Reversal and termination of local services
- Holding of local services to connect with main-line trains
- Routing of trains via main line or branch line
- Bell-description of Trains according to Destination (SR block Regulations)
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2. Barnham Junction – BR (Southern Region), 1965
Barnham
is the junction for the short but busy double track branch to Bognor
Regis. In addition to looking after the main-and branch line trains,.
Barnham is the point where services from London to Portsmouth and
Bognor Regis are divided and the up services joined. Additionally, the
Down Loop provides opportunity for Main Line trains to pass and connect
with Branch trains and the goods yard and carriage sidings are
regularly used. the simulation fetures timetables from the period when
loco-hauled goods trains operated - necesitating running-round,
reversing and shunting moves - all of which have to be fiteed into the
regular and quite busy passenger timetable.
Difficulty Rating:- 8 out of 10
Purchase Price:- £36.00
Features:-
- Southern Railway 3-Position Block instruments
- Southern Railway Block Regulations and Bell Codes
- Splitting of “Down” services
- Use of “Calling-on” signals for joining “Up” trains
- Decisions required with respect to train priority
- Reversal and termination of local services
- Holding of local services to connect with main-line trains
- Routing of trains via main line or branch line
- Bell-description of Trains according to Destination (SR block Regulations)
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Exeter West – BR (Western Region), 1960
Exeter
St David’s station lies at a railway crossroads. In its heyday, Great
Western trains from Paddington to the West Country passed those of the
Southern on their parallel journey from Waterloo. The fact that they
passed through the station travelling in opposite directions made for
operational interest! Until 1985, the junction at the West end of the
station was controlled
by Exeter West Box – the cramped layout, the steep gradient up to
Exeter Central (necessitating the use of banking engines) making for
some very interesting operations.
This Simulation sets out to accurately replicate the operation of the
box as it would have been in 1960
Difficulty Rating:- 8.75 out of 10
Purchase Price:- £36.50
Features:-
- GW 1947 3-Position Block instruments
- BR(WR) Block Regulations and Bell Codes
- Permissive working of Goods Lines to Exeter Goods SB.
- Authentic use of clearing point in the Down direction
- Attchment of Bankers for Up Southern trains
- Use of engine Whistle Codes
- Accurate 1960 Weekday and Saturday timetables
- Extensive shunting and stock-positioning movements
- Decisions required with respect to train priority
- Reversal and termination of local services
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Exeter West – Advanced Add-on Pack
Available ONLY to existing Customers with a Registered Copy of Exeter West.
The "Standard" version of Exeter West incorporates a number of simplifications with the object of assisting beginners to get to grips with what is a challenging and difficult box to work. For users who have fully mastered this version, an add-on pack is available which removes these simplifications and adds a whole range of additional functions which fully represent operations at the real box. This version of the programme is in use at the preserved Exeter West Box at Crewe.
It includes a new full 24 hour weekday timetable which fully
represents the operations as they were in 1960 making full use of all
the functionality. Purchasers of this extension will enjoy
life-time free updates and new timetables as these are developed in
future
Difficulty Rating:- 9.5 out of 10
Purchase Price:- £30.50
Summary of additional Features:
- Full regulation of departures by the Exeter Middle "signalman" including fulle Clearing pint regulation and acceptance control.
- Full regulation of all "Wrong road" and "Block Back" movements on the Down Lines, including holding trains at East
- Full operation of Up and Down Calling-on arms
- Permissive working of Up Trains to Exeter Middle
- Attachment of "Tail Traffic" to Up trains
- "Wrong-line" working of trains to and from Goods on the goods lines
- Timetabled use of Pilots, as well as Bankers on Up Southern Trains
- Timetabled splitting of Bankers and Pilots "behind the box" on the Down Southern
- Return working of Banking Locos "down the bank"
- Fully Authentic timetable covering a full weekday 24 hours exploiting the available functionality
- "Perpetual lifetime upgrade" mirroring all developments in the preserved Exeter West box
- Continued access to the Standard version including its timetables and scenarios.
- Option to enter a "Start-time" from which the timetable can be run on start-up.
- Better representation of the layout of the blockshelf
- ... plus all the existing feature in the Standard version!
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See Exeter West on Youtube...
A video showing Exeter West in operation is available on Youtube. For best results, choose the highest quality setting which your system permits and run the videos in "full screen" mode.
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