SimSig Portsmouth represents the two panels formerly controlled by Portsmouth PSB located adjacent to Blackfriars Junction between Portsmouth & Southsea and Fratton on the up side of the line.
As the SimSignaller in charge of Portsmouth signal box for your shift you have responsibility for the traffic operating between a point just to the west of Bedhampton to Portsmouth Harbour station, a distance of about 7 miles; traffic operating between Fareham and Portcreek Junction, a distance of about 6 and a half miles; and finally the third side of the triangle linking Cosham Junction with Farlington Junction, all of 3 quarters of a mile in length. This gives the signaller a control area of just over 14 miles. The yards at Fratton and the Down Carriage Sidings are featured in the area of control as entry and exit points.
Your area of control is predominately conventional double track railway with Up and Down lines. The only exception to this is between Fratton East and Portsmouth & Southsea, where there is an additional Down Relief line provided, and also a line known as the 'Back Road', provided primarily for keeping traffic to and from Fratton Depot out of the way. This is the only line which is signalled for reversible moves.
The lines between Farlington Junction and Cosham Junction change direction at Cosham Junction with the Down direction running from Havant to Cosham Junction.
At Fratton platform number 3 is located on the Down Relief and as such would be the 'normal' platform for terminating trains that then formed services into Fratton Depot via the trailing connection between the Down Relief and the Depot / Yard complex.
At Portsmouth & Southsea, there are two High Level through lines and two terminal platforms, the latter now a much reduced shadow of it's former self. Please note the numbering of the high level platforms, where platform two is the lower of the two platforms and serves the Down line, while platform one is the higher line. Platform one is reversible and can be used by terminating trains.
At Portsmouth Harbour, only 4 of the original 5 platforms remain, platform 2 having been taken out of use in 1994 due to safety concerns. The station itself is built on piers and extends out into the actual harbour at Portsmouth.
Included within your area of control are the following:
The signalling employed by the PSB at Portsmouth is a mixture of 2,3 and 4 aspect signalling. The lines between Portsmouth Harbour and Fratton East are signalled with 3 aspect signalling, and the lines between Fratton East and Bedhampton are nominally signalled with 4 aspect signalling, however the duty signaller is advised that the junction signal on the Up line at Portcreek is a 3 aspect signal. The Up and Down Portmouth lines use a mix of 2,3 and 4 aspect signalling, with 2 aspect predominating on the Up line, and 3 and 4 aspect on the Down line.
Last edited by GeoffM on 15/09/2016 at 03:00