Victoria ASC - Links & Grades

Thanks for your detailed reply.

I can understand with the size of the operation and the different control arrangements why it makes sense to treat as two distinct entities. Mind you I am sure there is a bean counter out there who has crunched the numbers to see if you could have a Grade 9 link (Covering 1 and 8 along with a couple more) and Grade 8 link for the rest.

I am assuming Panel 1 is a Grade 9 due to all of the Station Working (Set Swaps, Platform Alterations etc.) in addition to the area controlled. In terms of the simulation I have found that Panel 1 and Panel 2A go together reasonably well on a single monitor and traffic levels on 3 and 4 mean they can be paired. Challenge on 2B is it controls quite a stretch - I suppose in real life you have the benefit of the panoramic display.

On East I thought it might have been Panel 7 with its myriad of tracks that was the Grade 9 - but I suppose a lot of it is mainly freight.

ARS is definitely an aid in simulation terms as it does allow a solo player to experience working a single control area.

Final question just out of interest is whether or not you or your colleagues have a view as to whether they prefer the separate control desk NX panels which the Southern seem to prefer or the combined control and display panels such as West Hampstead, Kings Cross and Feltham.

At TBASC we have the separate control desk and diagram in a continuous arc from panel 1a around to panel 6 and a separate panel (panel 7) which is an integrated stand up type of panel. I think I can say that all of our staff prefer the separate control desk and diagram type as you can see everything from Anerley and Thornton Heath down to Brighton in one simple glance. On panel 7 if your standing close to while operating the equipment then you can't see anything else on the panel apart from what's in front of you due to it's physical size.

Mr Cooper wishes he had ARS - well your colleagues at Three Bridges PSB did have it installed for a time on a particular area when ARS was being trialled in the early 1980s. After ARS proved itself a successful technology and further developed for the first IECCs it was subsequently removed from Three Bridges panel.

I suspect the panel style preference will depend on what you have worked and what you are used to. Western men seem to be happy with their turn and push panels, although it does mean no TORR.

Either way they have more charm than VDU based signalling, although I'd have loved to have had the chance to visit the miniature lever frame boxes which were superseded by Victoria and Three Bridges.

Back in the days of BR, the panel style, combined operation and display, or separate operating console desk to the display (as is the case at Victoria) was technically determined on the layout of the locations and the traffic density.

Generally speaking, the usual form is the combined style, where each signaller is allocated a portion of the panel; the number of lines and the frequency of trains determines how much that signaller will supervise. An increase in track complexity will reduce the length of panel a signaller can handle; this in turn increases the number of signallers required. Note also that the signallers are typically stood up for most of the time and have to step back to get a wider overview, potentially obstructed with other signallers at their own panels.

This led to the development of the separate console style, where each signaller has a separate console containing the buttons and switches relevant to that panel only; the operating console can be made more compact but the large overview is still present and each signaller now has an unobstructed view of it. Note also that each signaller can be seated at their own console rather than stood up as before. The second type costs more and various studies are undertaken to decide the type of console that will be installed. This takes into account track layout, the train service, estimated telephone calls, level crossings, etc. in order to gauge potential workloads.

The frames were a delight to work. There are some bits & pieces still around. Part of South Croydon is at the Great Cockrow Railway (Everglades Junction); bits of North Kent East are incorporated in Hampton Court Junction (Maldon Model Engineers) and bits of Gloucester Road are there and elsewhere; a chunk of Purley is at Bekonscot Model Village; Battersea Park is privately preserved at the S&T Railway(!). (Information from Mark Adlington's Westinghouse 'L' Frame website http://www.wbsframe.mste.co.uk/public/index.htm )

The frames were a delight to work. There are some bits & pieces still around. Part of South Croydon is at the Great Cockrow Railway (Everglades Junction); bits of North Kent East are incorporated in Hampton Court Junction (Maldon Model Engineers) and bits of Gloucester Road are there and elsewhere; a chunk of Purley is at Bekonscot Model Village; Battersea Park is privately preserved at the S&T Railway(!). (Information from Mark Adlington's Westinghouse 'L' Frame website http://www.wbsframe.mste.co.uk/public/index.htm )

Not forgetting Maidstone East is still en situ, albeit with an NX panel extension, as well as Lime Street.

" said:

Not forgetting Maidstone East is still en situ, albeit with an NX panel extension, as well as Lime Street.

Actually Maidstone East is a mix of NX and miniature lever frame.