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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released

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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released 28/12/2020 at 11:14 #135465
Albert
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1978: 1A71 is booked to call at Challow.

And the line code issues with the parcels platform of course affect the '78 TT as well.

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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released 31/12/2020 at 11:56 #135699
Albert
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1978: 3B03 should not shunt to platform 1 before 3A03 arrives, otherwise it'll have its loco (0Z00) sandwiched between the two trains that are about to join.

1A26 has the description 'Paddington-Didcot' but does not end at Didcot.

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Last edited: 31/12/2020 at 14:31 by Albert
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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released 31/12/2020 at 17:50 #135731
whatlep
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Albert in post 135699 said:
1978: 3B03 should not shunt to platform 1 before 3A03 arrives, otherwise it'll have its loco (0Z00) sandwiched between the two trains that are about to join.

1A26 has the description 'Paddington-Didcot' but does not end at Didcot.
3B03 is set up correctly. Loco runs round first, then 3B03 due to leave platform 3 at 15.15 for the shunt to p1 via Loco Yard Jn. 3A03 scheduled to arrive p1 15.14(&half). If in doubt, turn ARS off.

1A26 text correction noted. Thank you.

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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released 31/12/2020 at 19:44 #135740
Albert
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About 3B03: my concern was not with ARS on, but with ARS off. I had 3A03 enter 75 late (!) and signalled 3B03 to the other platform without thinking about it; a rule could prevent it from leaving the station (or the reversal point) prematurely.
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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released 31/12/2020 at 19:52 #135741
postal
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Albert in post 135740 said:
About 3B03: my concern was not with ARS on, but with ARS off. I had 3A03 enter 75 late (!) and signalled 3B03 to the other platform without thinking about it; a rule could prevent it from leaving the station (or the reversal point) prematurely.
Raises the question about when does SimSig stop being a signalling simulation with all that requires in terms of becoming the proxy signaller for the simulation (i.e. knowing the area, knowing the TT, regulating accordingly etc.) and start becoming a computer game with error traps built in to take away the responsibility which normally lies on the signaller's shoulders.

In that ever became a point at issue, my vote would always be for the signalling simulation rather than the computer game.

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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released 31/12/2020 at 21:25 #135753
whatlep
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Albert in post 135740 said:
About 3B03: my concern was not with ARS on, but with ARS off. I had 3A03 enter 75 late (!) and signalled 3B03 to the other platform without thinking about it; a rule could prevent it from leaving the station (or the reversal point) prematurely.
I think you've answered your own question. In the specific situation quoted, "signalmanship" comes sharply into focus. My personal solution would be to abandon 3B03's simulation timetable, route the train manually somewhere handy to loiter and take it from there, going back onto timetable when 3A03 is in place. Bearing in mind the pressure on platform space at Swindon there's little alternative, other than cancelling one or both trains.

On the wider issue, I suspect few timetable developers would be willing to start writing rules for every conceivable issue or combination of issues. I won't be.

Last edited: 01/01/2021 at 01:31 by whatlep
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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released 31/12/2020 at 22:59 #135764
Meld
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whatlep in post 135753 said:


On the wider issue, I suspect few timetable developers would be willing to start writing rules for every conceivable issue or combination of issues. I won't be.
Neither would I, I wouldn't like to plan for every eventuality - I have enough with the planning of re-entry rules (and I know about Newport before anyone shouts that one out, South Wales timetables are in the process of being rebuilt)

Decisions have reduced the need for the MUTEX rule more these days and allow for a greater flexibilty, not perfect but a massive step forward for the TT author.

What happened to the stimulation of the old grey matter, I prefer to leave a little there for users to think about.

Passed the age to be doing 'Spoon Feeding' !!!
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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released 01/01/2021 at 13:23 #135795
Albert
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You're right - I should have looked at the timetable better as usually necessary with 80s era timetables, of which this is definitely one of the easier ones.

I'm still confused that 1Bxx trains are going to Bristol and 1Cxx to Cardiff in the 1978 TT - in the 1986 and modern TTs it's the other way around!

Edit: 1C80 has pass time ticked at Didcot Parkway but also has an arrival time, which suggests it's supposed to call. Same goes for 1A49 at Swindon.

2nd Edit: 1V68 needs pass time ticked at Didcot East Jn.

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Last edited: 01/01/2021 at 14:33 by Albert
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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released 01/01/2021 at 13:44 #135797
Albert
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6A10 is scheduled to call at Thingley Jn. However, this timing point is used in the sim for the reversing point past the junction (used for instance by 7B23-1059) which means that it is in practice calling at signal 627.

The same happens with 6M35THO at Moreton Cutting Junction - it calls past the junction (or is this a missing passing time?). This means it'll have an x% chance from core code to be held until scheduled time... on the main line just before Didcot East Jn at signal 905.

There's not much you can do about these, though. I see the reversing locations in the sim are somewhat simplified given it's an older sim - we've already seen Didcot East Jn for signal 6407, for instance.

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Last edited: 01/01/2021 at 13:45 by Albert
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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released 01/01/2021 at 16:21 #135816
whatlep
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Thanks for the various updates. Passing ticks removed and inserted as required, including for 6M35 in both WO and ThO incarnations.

Re Thingley et al, as you say there's nothing I can do to improve the situation. Including a Thingley timing is the best hint I can give to an operator.

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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released 02/01/2021 at 08:56 #135859
Albert
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1978: 1C88 and 1C92 also need passing time removed at Didcot Parkway.

Swindon has a small platforming conflict: 7C04 and 3A08 are planned on platform 3 at the same time (while 1A71 needs the other platform.)

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Last edited: 02/01/2021 at 09:38 by Albert
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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released 02/01/2021 at 10:39 #135864
whatlep
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Albert in post 135859 said:
1978: 1C88 and 1C92 also need passing time removed at Didcot Parkway.

Swindon has a small platforming conflict: 7C04 and 3A08 are planned on platform 3 at the same time (while 1A71 needs the other platform.)
1C88/1C92 noted. Thank you - error propagated from 1C84 that the timetable validator doesn't pick up.

The platforming conflict is as per the WTTs. Not unusual from the days of manual timetable compilation. Some of the other areas for which I've produced timetables are awash with them. My standard practice is to leave them in and give the operator the challenge of working out a solution.

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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released 02/01/2021 at 11:55 #135868
Albert
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6A50 doesn't get routed into the loop at Highworth Jn by ARS. Might be a line code issue (like Parcels.)
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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released 02/01/2021 at 12:17 #135869
Albert
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6V67 (Tuesday and Thursday) enters on the main line from Reading right before 1B66 and there's nothing you can do about it. I hope the real life Reading signaller routes such trains on the relief line.
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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released 02/01/2021 at 12:42 #135872
whatlep
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Albert in post 135869 said:
6V67 (Tuesday and Thursday) enters on the main line from Reading right before 1B66 and there's nothing you can do about it. I hope the real life Reading signaller routes such trains on the relief line.
As per WTT, but I'll break my own rule on this and have it enter on the Relief. I suspect the WTT may really contain an error in this instance as 6V58 runs WFO in similar timings.

Highworth Jn is curious. GL set as "platform", but possibly also required by ARS as the arrival and departure lines' code. I'll change for V1.1 and see what happens. Another argument for not using ARS (he writes grinning).

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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released 02/01/2021 at 22:27 #135915
Albert
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There's a 'shunt move' 3A06 in the 1978 TT, that doesn't appear to be shunting as it's a Swansea to Paddington parcels train.

In its present state it doesn't enter at all, it would need 'shunt move' to be unticked to enter at its scheduled time of 20:27.

And 7C18, the last westbound train in the TT, is not being overtaken by any train at Hullavington while scheduled to call there. Is there a missing nightly fast train in the window between 01:00 (end) and 03:30 (start)?

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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released 02/01/2021 at 23:40 #135916
whatlep
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Albert in post 135915 said:
There's a 'shunt move' 3A06 in the 1978 TT, that doesn't appear to be shunting as it's a Swansea to Paddington parcels train.

In its present state it doesn't enter at all, it would need 'shunt move' to be unticked to enter at its scheduled time of 20:27.

And 7C18, the last westbound train in the TT, is not being overtaken by any train at Hullavington while scheduled to call there. Is there a missing nightly fast train in the window between 01:00 (end) and 03:30 (start)?
3A06 - absolutely: a rogue tick has crept in somehow.
7C18 - I couldn't quite decide what to do with that train. When thinking about how to code the timetable, I set myself a last entry time of 00.30 with a target finish time of 01.00. However, whatever time you choose, the timetable has a couple of freights slowly ambling along and a hard stop isn't possible. I cheated by 3 minutes to allow a final MGR to Didcot at 00.33 and set up both 4M51 and 7C18 to run out their complete schedules. As you've guessed, 7V18 is overtaken by the Penzance sleeper at Hullavington. That train doesn't leave Reading until 00.45. So the first decision was/is whether to include the sleeper (meaning the smulation extends to 02.00 for little interest), or simply berth 7C18 at Swindon. Whichever, that still leaves 4M51 trundling along doing very little of interest. There are no easy answers!

Thank you for your extremely diligent analysis of the timetables. It is greatly appreciated.

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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released 05/01/2021 at 10:21 #135981
whatlep
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Version 1.1 of both the 1978 and 1986 timetables are now with the Mods for approval. They should be available to download soon.

Sincere thanks to Albert for all his efforts identifying issues.

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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released 13/01/2021 at 15:20 #136346
Dionysusnu
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1978, train 4M79 description is misspelled as "L:awley St FLT"
Great TT, by the way!

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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released 14/01/2021 at 01:52 #136402
whatlep
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Dionysusnu in post 136346 said:
1978, train 4M79 description is misspelled as "L:awley St FLT"
Great TT, by the way!
Noted and thanks for the compliment. In all honesty I won't be rushing to produce a new version for typos, but it will get fixed if there is an update.

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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released 16/02/2021 at 10:03 #137272
Albert
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I just noticed that the original v1.0 TTs are still in the download area next to the v1.1 ones, could this be amended?
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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released 17/02/2021 at 01:00 #137305
whatlep
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Albert in post 137272 said:
I just noticed that the original v1.0 TTs are still in the download area next to the v1.1 ones, could this be amended?
One for the Mods to fix please.

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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released 17/02/2021 at 10:15 #137314
headshot119
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I think I've removed the correct files. If you ever need the same in the future, if you edit the files you don't want and change the description to "REJECT", they automatically go back into the approval queue, that way you've picked the file you want to go, and we get a notification they need to be looked at.
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Swindon/ Didcot timetables released 22/02/2021 at 14:33 #137401
postal
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headshot119 in post 137314 said:
I think I've removed the correct files. If you ever need the same in the future, if you edit the files you don't want and change the description to "REJECT", they automatically go back into the approval queue, that way you've picked the file you want to go, and we get a notification they need to be looked at.
Tried that last night with trainlist.css in the Other Stuff section. Listing disappeared last night but has re-appeared this afternoon. Edited description did have "REJECT" but also a couple of line feeds and an explanation of why it should be rejected. Did the extra text break the system?

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