A simulation based on the timetable for March 1974. The 2000 era MUST be used.

Hours of operation: 04.00-01.30. Trains vary by day: typically 300+ including shunt moves

Oxford power signalbox closed in 2018 after almost 45 years' service, the box having opened in stages between October 7th and December 18th 1973. This timetable emulates its very early days as closely as possible within the limitations of the 2000-era SimSig simulation.

Passenger services are radically different from today's and even from those of the late-1970s/ early 1980s. Services are at best two-hourly north of Oxford, mostly hourly from Oxford to London by expresses, supplemented by DMU all-stations services. Rush-hour extras are provided by sets of Mark 1 steam-heated coaching stock of between 9 and 12 vehicles. All except one set did nothing else other than a single return trip each day, spending 20 hours or so in every 24 on depot at Oxford or Old Oak Common. Utilisation of other stock was similarly dismal.

In contrast, there is a considerably more freight working, much of it by slow, mainly vacuum-braked stock. Many of these workings would not survive the 1970s, but are having a temporary boost in March 1974 as the UK's "three day week" ends. Regulation of freights is critical, both to avoid getting in the way of passenger services and to prevent logjams in the Oxford area.

Particular care needs to be taken in organising freight on the Claydon/ Bicester route and - to a lesser extent - on the Morris Cowley branch. Due to bugs in the simulation it is possible to achieve a "Mexican standoff" on both lines, or have two trains follow each other without separate clearances. Remember especially that the tokenless block shows status between Bicester and Oxford, not the whole single track between Claydon and Oxford. In reality, until at least the early 1980s, a manned signalbox existed at Bicester London Road and could pass freights there.