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North East Scotland

Box Notes

Detailed information for each signal box. Please ensure you have read the Features page first, as there are a large number of simulation-wide features which aren't encountered on most simulations.

Aberdeen

Methods of working

Aberdeen works AB towards Newtonhill in the Up direction, and TCB in the Down direction from Newtonhill. Aberdeen works TCB on the single line to Dyce.

Craiginches South Jn

A phone call is required to Craiginches Up Yard to request permission for a train to enter the sidings.

Opposite locking is omitted between A13 and A14.

Aberdeen South

A phone call is required to Clayhills Sidings to request permission for a train to enter the sidings.

The Up and Down Goods is permissive and has a 5mph speed limit.

The Down Main is permissive between A24 and A74 in the Up direction from all relevant signals. It is permissive in the Up direction from A21, though the Track Circuit Override TCO must be operated.

The Up Main is permissive between A72 and A77. Call-on routes from Aberdeen station should be set towards the white shunt arrow, and moves from A23 require use of the TCO at A77. Routes from A42 to A72 must be set to the white shunt arrow at A72, and if a permissive route is being set, the TCO at A72 must be operated.

Opposite locking is omitted between A27 and A34 (Clayhills Sidings), and between A41 and A42/44 (Guild St).

Aberdeen Station

Take care when signalling trains at the through platforms not to cause a stand-off, particularly if running trains out of booked order or at different platforms. If the mid-platform signals are clear as a train arrives, the train will proceed through to the far end of the station, regardless of its booked platform section. For shunts between the north and south end of the through platforms, dedicated TT locations (Aberdeen Plat 6/7 South and Aberdeen Plat 6/7 North) are provided. Note that, where trains use these dedicated locations, editing the timetable will be necessary if you wish to use the north end of the station in preference to the south (and vice versa) or a bay.

TRTS and ACI is provided at Aberdeen station.

All platforms at Aberdeen are permissive. TCOs must be operated for call-on routes into the bay platforms.

Dyce Single Line

A slot must be requested from to send trains towards Dyce.

Access to the Waterloo Goods branch is controlled by Dyce box. Once signalled onto the single line, trains from Aberdeen to Waterloo will stop, reverse and enter the sidings at Kittybrewster automatically, with no intervention from the player. Similarly, trains from Waterloo will be allowed onto the single line and sent towards A98 without any input from the Aberdeen signaller. Note that trains cannot be timetabled between Waterloo Goods and Dyce.

Arbroath

• Works AB to Carnousite and Inverkeilor.

• Clearing Points

• The level crossing must be down and clear before routes can be set over it.
• The section to Inverkeilor is approximately 6.5 miles. The crossing should be lowered approximately 2 minutes after a train enters the section from Inverkeilor.
• AH8 and AH25 must be clear before a route can be set towards them.
• Down trains terminating at Arbroath will telephone to advise that the train is complete with tail lamp.
• Depending on the stopping point set, trains can leave or remain in the simulation when entering Up Siding North. Trains will always exit at the yard, and always remain in the simulation at Up Siding South and the Yard HS.

Auchterarder

• Works AB to Blackford and TCB to Hilton Jn.

• Clearing Points

• In mechanical mode, Auchterarder releases a slot on HJ8. This is in order to prove the overlap on AR14; as such the slot should not be granted unless the crossover is Normal and the track circuit covering it clear.
• Hilton Jn box supervises all level crossings between Auchterarder and Hilton Jn.

Barnhill

• Works Tokenless Block to Perth and AB to Errol.

• Clearing Points

• The section to Errol is 9 miles long
• Walnut Grove, Pye Road, Tofthill and Pitcoag LCs are supervised by Barnhill, the remainder by Errol.

Blackford

• Works AB to Greenloaning and Auchterarder.

• Clearing Points

• BK7 must be clear before a route can be set towards it.
• The level crossing must be clear before routes can be set over it.
• The sections to Greenloaning and Aucterarder are approximately 4 miles long; the crossing should be lowered when a train enters the section towards Blackford, or at departure time from Gleneagles.

Carmont

• Works AB to Laurencekirk and Stonehaven.

• Clearing Points

• The level crossing is normally left down, and only raised on request by a road user. As such, there is no penalty for leaving the crossing down.
• The crossing must be clear before routes can be set over it.
• There are no signals controlling moves over the crossover; trains are handsignalled across it. This is simulated by the two green circles, which represent flags being waved by the signaller. To allow a train over the crossing, click the relevant flag, then the relevant exit signal, the same way as setting a route. The circle will turn solid to indicate the flag being waved. The 'flag' will return to its hollow state once the train has passed. The flag can only be waved when a train is present.

Carnoustie

• Works TCB to Dundee and AB to Arbroath.

• Clearing Point

• The level crossings must be lowered and clear before a route can be set over them.
• CA1 acts as the distant for CA2 and CA3, and will show Yellow unless both of those signals are clear.
• Depending on the stopping point set, trains can exit the simulation at the siding.

Craigo

• Works AB to Montrose North and Laurencekirk.

• Clearing Points

Cupar

• Works TCB to Edinburgh and AB to Leuchars.

• Clearing Point

• Cults Mill and Hospital Mill crossings are supervised by Cupar. For simulation purposes, a replacement control is provided on EB665 to hold this signal at danger if required to protect users at these crossings. Note that the control does not function in Multiplayer, and the Cupar signaller must liase directly with the Edinburgh Duty 6 player to block the Down Fife as required.
• Sweetholme and Bow of Fife are supervised by Edinburgh and require no action from the Cupar signaller.
• Seggiehill crossing is supervised by Leuchars

Dundee

Method of Working

Dundee works TCB to Carnoustie, Longforgan and Tay Bridge South.

Tay Bridge

The Tay Bridge is approximately two and a quarter miles long, and carries the railway over the Tay estuary.

The central section comprises longer spans between piers, with girders above the level of the railway rather than below. Due to weight limits, trains are not permitted to pass each other within this section. This is enforced by controls on D714 and D715; only one signal can clear at a time, and only if the adjacent line is also clear through the 'High Girders'. If a route is set from D714 while D715 is already clear, D714 will be maintained at red until the Down train has passed (or the route cancelled from D715) and vice-versa.

The signaller is provided with an indication proving that the navigation lights on the bridge are lit.

Dundee West

Opposite locking is omitted between the Yard/Depot and the West HS.

Shunt exits are provided towards D698 and D718.

Via Buttons are provided for moves over Central Junction where alternative routes between two signals are available.

A phone call must be made to the foreman at Dundee Depot for permission to send a train into the depot.

Dundee Station

TRTS and ACI are provided at Dundee.

All lines and platforms are permissve; Track Circuit Overrides must be used for some call-on routes.

Take care at Dundee platform 1, as trains may be booked to pass others at the north end of the platform. Note also that longer trains will require the full length of the platform. Trains will continue to the far end of the platform if the mid-platform signal is clear, regardless of which section they're booked to use.

Dock Street Tunnel

The tunnel is below sea level, and is liable to flooding. In the event that the flood alarm operates, all traffic must be stopped until engineers on site authorise the line to re-open. The player is responsible for altering the train service as required.

Errol

• Works AB to Barnhill and Longforgan.

• Clearing Points

• Errol siding has no signals on the Down line controlling trains nor the Up Line for trains reversing across the points but the box does control the points. In the sim train control is via a virtual flag indicated on the screen by a green hollow circle - click on that and then the "exit signal" and the flag is waved. A train must be present to allow the flag to be waved.
• The three AHBs between Barnhill and Errol (Inchyra, Murie and Inchconnans) are supervised by Errol; the other crossings are supervised by Barnhill. All crossings between Errol and Longforgan are supervised by Longforgan.
• Platforms can be enabled at Errol Station by Left Clicking just below the Right corner of the box symbol. The station closed in 1985.
• The section to Barnhill is 9 miles long. Errol LC should be lowered while the train is between Inchyra and Murie crossings.
• The level crossing must be down and clear before a route can be set over it.

Greenloaning

• Works AB to Dunblane and Blackford.

• Clearing Points

• AB to Dunblane is represented by a slot, which must be granted for trains from Dunblane, and requested for trains towards Dunblane.
• Please note that when Dunblane grants you the slot, the crossover used to turn around local services at Dunblane is locked normal. Therefore, when this simulation is chained to Central Scotland, only offer trains when they are between Blackford and Greenloaning. Offer too soon and delays will be caused at Dunblane while the signaller waits for the train to arrive.
• GL27 has a co-acting arm, represented here by two stop signal arms stacked on top of each other. The signal is beind a bridge; the upper arm is used for sighting at a distance, the lower arm for a train immediately approaching the signal.

Hilton Jn

• Works TCB to Auchterarder and Edinburgh, AB to Perth.

• Clearing Point

• All crossings between Auchterarder and Hilton Jn are supervised by Hilton Jn
• Signal HJ8 is slotted by Auchterarder in mechanical mode; this is to prove an 'overlap' on AR14.
• Edinburgh will give the release for HJ7 when a TD is inserted in the TD Berth for HJ6- which reads through to Edinburgh panel. The TD can be manually inserted at any time and within around 30 seconds of doing that the release will be given (if free to be given) and you can set the route from HJ7. When chained with Edinburgh the Edinburgh operator will need to give the slot so the timing will be even more random!
• Note that the single line to Ladybank is 15 miles long, with a typical running time of 18 minutes; care should therefore be taken when regulating late or early running services.
• Intermediate signals are provided at Newburgh, roughly halfway along the single line section, to allow trains to follow each other at closer intervals.
• Note that at Hilton Junction you will incur a clearing point penalty when you signal a train from signal P6 to signal HJ6 if there is a train at signal HJ7 and the points HJ9 are reverse. To avoid this you must manually normalise point HJ9 before setting the route from signal P6 (or giving line clear in AB mode).
• Note the presence of flank locking in mechanical mode. The facing point at the junction must be reversed before the trailing point and diamond crossing can be reversed.
• HJ2R is a splitting distant; the right hand head will show Green if HJ6 is clear towards Auchterarder, and the left hand head will show Green if HJ6 and HJ7 are clear.
• P6 acts as an outer distant for Hilton Jn; see the Perth notes for details.

Inverkeilor

• Works AB to Arbroath and Usan (Montrose North in Post-Montrose Resignalling mode).

• Clearing Points

Laurencekirk

• Works AB to Carmont and Craigo.

• Clearing Points

• The refuge loop is permissive.

Leuchars

• Works AB to Cupar and Tay Bridge South.

• Clearing Points

• Seggiehill crossing is supervised by Leuchars

Longforgan

• Works AB to Errol and TCB to Dundee.

• Clearing Point

• The crossing must be down and clear before a route can be set over it
• All three AHBs between Errol and Longforgan are supervised by Longforgan

Montrose North

Pre-Resignalling

• Works AB to Montrose South (on the Up & Down Main) and Craigo, and No-Block from Montrose South on the DTS.

• Clearing Points

• The signaller at Montrose South does not need permission to send a train towards you on the DTS; the siding is also permissive.
• A train can be signalled towards the LOS with a train accepted from Craigo
• MN15 also acts as an outer distant for Montrose South, and MN17 as an inner distant.
• In the Down direction, there are three distant signals for Montrose North, all of which are combined with Montrose South's signals. MS30 and MS29 carry distant arms for Montrose South, which will clear provided Montrose South has cleared those signals, and MN44 and MN42 are clear. MS31 will only show Green when both Montrose South and North's signals are clear; it will show YY if only Montrose South's are clear.

Post-Resignalling

• Works AB to Inverkeilor and Craigo.

• Clearing Points

• Platform 1 is fully bi-directional
• Trains from the north terminating at Montrose are often timetabled to stand at MN25 before reversing on the single line to return north. There is approximately 85m available for trains to wait here, which is sufficient for the 2 or 3 car multiple units used on these services.
• MN38R will only show Green when MN38, MN37 and MN36 are clear.

Montrose South

• Works AB to Montrose North (on the Up and Down Mains), Tokenless Block to Usan, and no-block to Montrose North (on the DTS)

• Clearing Points

• In the Down direction, MS30 and MS29 carry distant arms for Montrose North, which will only clear when Montrose North's signals are clear. Similarly, Montrose South's distant (MS31) will show only show YY when MS30 and MS29 are cleared, Montrose North's signals must also be clear for it to show Green.
• In the Up direction, Montrose North's signals MN15 and MN17 also act as South's Outer and Inner distants respectively.
• The Headshunt can only accommodate a loco; any longer trains shunting from, to or between the sidings must reverse behind MS30 instead.
• A train can be signalled towards the LOS while a train has been accepted from Craigo by Montrose North.
• The DTS is permissive and a train can be signalled onto it without reference to Montrose North.
• The area is controlled by Montrose North in post-resignalling era

Newtonhill

• Works AB to Stonehaven, AB from Aberdeen (on the Up Main), and TCB towards Aberdeen (on the Down Main).

• Clearing Points

Perth

Methods of Working

Perth works AB to Hilton Jn, TCB to Stanley Jn and Tokenless Block to Barnhill. Clearing Points

Shunt signals

A number of signal in the Perth area are fitted with miniature yellow aspects which were primarily used on routes into yards. In the simulation these are represented by giving the position lights a yellow aspect, though in reality they are separate from the PLs.

Shunt exit arrows

Shunt exit arrows are provided at numerous signals within the Perth area. Routes from shunt signals towards main signals must be set to the shunt exit arrow if provided at that main signal; if no shunt exit arrow is provided, route to the main signal as usual.

Perth South

Signal P6 also acts as Hilton Junction's outer distant, and is a splitting distant for the junction there. The signal comprises two heads, side by side, and will show red when no route is set or the section is occupied. When a route is set and clear to Hilton Jn, both heads will show Yellow. If Hilton Jn then clears its signals towards Dunblane, the right hand signal head will show Green, and the left Yellow. If a Hilton Jn clears its signals towards Dunblane, the left hand head will show Green and the right Yellow.

There are no signalled moves over the trailing crossover immediately ahead of P14 and P11.

There are no onward routes from P49; routes must only be set towards this signal for trains reversing back to Perth station.

The Dundee Loop lines, and the Up & Down Perth lines immediately adjacent, are permissive. Call-on routes must be set towards the shunt exit arrows.

Via buttons are provided at the south end of Perth station, and must be used for the following routes, as two alternatives are possible:

From	To
P61	Platform 5
P61	P137
P86	P49
P88	P49

Perth Station

All platforms, except Platform 1 and the Through Line, are permissive.

ACI is provided at Perth.

P109 will only clear when P113 is clear. Trains booked to reverse behind P110 must be signalled towards the shunt exit arrow on P113.

Platform 3 extends through the full length of the stub protected by signal P136. Longer trains requiring the full length of the platform should use the location "Perth P3 (long)"; these trains obviously cannot arrive from/depart towards Stanley Jn.

Down trains using the Through Line must be routed via P3, there is no main-aspect route via P4.

Platform 4 is split into multiple signal sections. Local operating practice has the following stopping positions for trains:

• Trains of up to 6 Carriages (approx 140m) will stop at Sig P128 (Up) and P137 (Down).
• Longer trains will stop at the end of the platform (P96/P165). If a longer train is not signalled through the full length of the platform it will not show as stopped until it reaches the requisite stop point.

Similar "car" stopping arrangements are in place on P7 but as there are no intermediate signals that will be less obvious.

Signal P86 applies to movements from Platforms 5, 6 and 7. Routes should be set to P86 before setting an onward route from P86, as setting a route from P86 will lock the crossover it straddles in whatever position it's in when the route is set.

Platform 5 has a ramp at the buffer stop end, which was to drive cars on and off motorail services from the mid 1950s until the early 1990s. While not relevant to the supplied (and other modern) timetables, care must be taken in historical timetables to use the platform appropriately.

Perth North

The Down Highland is permissive in the Down direction only; call-on routes must be set towards the shunt exit arrows on P179 and P191.

Stanley Junction

• Works TCB to Perth and Tokenless Block to Dunkeld.

• Clearing Point

• The single line to Dunkeld is approximately 8 miles long. Beware that the line north to Inverness is primarily single track, and regulation errors here can have substantial knock-on effects, including to southbound trains towards Hilton Jn.
• SJ16 can be used to reverse trains heading back towards Dunkeld.

Stonehaven

• Works AB to Carmont and Newtonhill.

• Clearing Points

• Stonehaven North crossover and entry to the Up Sidings has no signals controlling trains but the box does control the points. In the sim train control is via a virtual flag indicated on the screen by a green hollow circle - click on that and then the "exit signal" and the flag is waved. A train must be present to allow the flag to be waved. Trains can be signalled over the crossover in both directions, into the Up sidings and also along the Down Main towards SV36.
• SV5 must be clear before SV1 or SV3 can be cleared.

Tay Bridge South

• Works AB to Leuchars and TCB to Dundee.

• Clearing Point

• Tay Bridge Fuel Siding ground frame can only be released approximately 70s after a train on the Up Fife arrives at it, or when a train is ready to depart from the sidings. Departing trains cannot return directly to Tay Bridge South, they must run to Leuchars
• With block instruments enabled, Line Clear should be requested prior to releasing the frame for a departing train, though the simulation will not enforce this.

Usan

• Works AB to Inverkeilor and Tokenless Block to Montrose South.

• Clearing Points

• In mechanical mode, the trailing catch point on the Up line must be normal before a route can be set from US5.
• The area is controlled by Montrose North in post-Montrose resignalling mode.

North East Scotland Contents

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Last edited by Steamer on 06/10/2021 at 18:18