Page is locked
Birmingham New Street
Startup Options
Scenarios
Easy
No train delays or failures.
Normal
A standard level of late running, and a chance of equipment failures.
Hard
Lots of delays to trains, and a high chance of multiple equipment failures.
Eras
1976-1991
This layout contains most of the detail that the original box had once it opened in full. The Cross City (Sutton lines to Four Oaks, and Gloucester lines through University) were not electrified and the former line was still signalled by semaphores with long block sections. Goods loops on both sides at Perry Barr existed, and the Soho Goods connection was in use. A few ground frames allowed shunting at Witton and Stechford.
Vauxhall station was renamed to the current Duddeston name at some point, though sources vary as to the exact date. In this era it is shown as Vauxhall.
1992-2000
This layout contains the old track configuration for Proof House Junction which became more and more restrictive over the years as the Cross City line trains had to cross on the level with the Coventry-Birmingham trains. The Sutton line was resignalled with colour light signals and this and the Glouester line were electrified, forming the start of the electrified Cross City service from Redditch to Lichfield Trent Valley.
Smethwick West is a station served by trains from Birmingham New Street to Stourbridge Junction and Worcester Foregate Street.
The Soho Goods line has been removed, as has the Up goods loop at Perry Barr, and the connection from the Down Grand Junction to the Down Goods Loop at Perry Barr. All the ground frames have disappeared.
2001 Onwards
This layout has the new Proof House Junction configuration which is far more flexible and has less conflicts than the old layout. There is also an additional crossover at Birmingham International. Soho Goods has long gone, as have the extra trackwork in the Soho to Monument Lane area.
Smethwick West has closed and been replaced by Smethwick Galton Bridge which consists of four platforms: two on the Stourbridge Junction to Birmingham Snow Hill route (not under your control), and two on the Soho to Wolverhampton route (which is under your control).
The Witton Aggregates siding and the adjacent goods loop still exist on the panel but the routes are unavailable for use.
Other Options
Platform locking: At Birmingham New Street, the interlocking permits moves that, strictly speaking, do not conflict, but which are not permitted by the signal box special instructions- for example, signalling trains into both ends of a platform simultaneously. If the 'Platform arrows' option is selected, these rules are enforced by the simulation, and additional indications are provided to show when additional locking is in force. If 'Standard' is selected, the player must ensure they follow the rules themselves, as per real life. See the Centre Panel notes for more details.
Set main routes into auto: Additional routes are set, with auto-working enabled on start up. Note that this option affects the start-up state only, and is not a form of ARS.
Last edited by GeoffM on 14/03/2022 at 23:24