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Aston

Official Files

Title	Version	Released
Simulation (Payware)	1.6	06/09/2023
15/10/2009 WTT (Midnight and 0445 Start included)	5	06/09/2023
08/04/2015 WTT (Midnight, 0400 & 1400 starts included)	5.1	27/11/2021

Additional user-written timetables are available to download here .

Introduction

Welcome to SimSig Aston! You will be controlling the northern end of the Birmingham Cross City Line from just beyond Aston North Jn all the way through to Wichnor Jn (near Burton on Trent, en route to Derby), a total of 20 route miles, and covering 3 signal boxes: Aston PSB, Lichfield Trent Valley High Level, and Alrewas. The simulation era covers the period from when the area was resignalled into Aston PSB, in October 1992, right up to the current day.

Birmingham Area Map

- A schematic showing main and link lines in the Birmingham area.

Start-Up Options

Other Options

Difficulty

Pre-sets the failure/delay probability and failure/delay duration sliders to levels relative to that difficulty. 'Gremlins' is a setting with excessively high failure rates, 'One of those days' is a setting with significant delays. Developer mode should be used when writing Timetables, this sets delay and failure probability to zero. Defaults to Beginner.

Adverse Weather Conditions

Tickbox to denote whether Adverse Weather is currently happening. During adverse weather trains will be slower to accelerate and take longer to stop. Defaults to Off.

Train Operated Route Release

Tickbox to denote whether Train Operated Route Release is provided in the simulation. Defaults to Off (No TORR). If TORR is enabled, simple ARS is available on Aston panel.

Disable Absolute Block Controls

Tickbox that disables the Absolute Block Controls between Lichfield Trent Valley High Level SB and Alrewas. This makes the simulation easier to run. Defaults to Off (AB Controls enabled)

TSR (Temporary Speed Restrictions)

Sets prevalence of TSRs . You may choose from None, Rare or Common

Operating Notes

Four Oaks

Platform 2 may be used for terminating trains from Birmingham only; there are no onward routes from AN131.

A warner route is provided towards AN126, to prevent the overlap fouling access to the bay.

A shunt route is provided towards AN122 for trains reversing behind AN305.

Blake Street

Platform 2 may be used for terminating trains from Birmingham only; there are no onward routes from AN143.

Lichfield Trent Valley

The single track chord between Lichfield Trent Valley High Level and Low Level is cooperatively controlled by both signallers:

Trains from Lichfield Low Level will request a slot for the single line when they enter. Granting this slot allows the Low Level signaller to set the route onto the single line. The 'from' roundel will flash when the slot is requested, click it to grant it.

Trains to Lichfield Low Level require you to request a slot from the Low Level signaller. When you wish to send a train to Lichfield Low Level, click the 'To' roundel. This will flash for a short period of time, and will go steady when the slot is granted and then you are able set the route.

Alrewas

Derby has control of the single line between Alrewas and Winchor Jn therefore a slot is required before the Alrewas signaller can set the route towards Winchor Jn. The Derby signaller will monitor trains approaching and grant the slot automatically when a train is approaching. The Derby signaller does not require your permission to send a train towards your area, these will simply enter normally.

Electrification

Electrification boundaries are not shown on the display. The Down/Up Sutton lines are electrified down to and including Lichfield Trent Valley, the Bay at Four Oaks, the crossovers at Gravelly Hill, Wylde Green and Blake Street, and the carriage siding (CS) at Lichfield City. All other lines are non-electrified.

Absolute Block

The lines between Alrewas and Lichfield Trent Valley High Level Junction are signalled using the Absolute Block principle. To send a train from Alrewas to Lichfield (or vice versa), the user must first request Line Clear from the neighbouring box. To do this, you click on the green roundel at your signal box for the direction you wish to send the train (down is towards Derby). The signaller at the neighbouring box will grant Line Clear by clicking on their green roundel (note: if you are playing single player, or have control of both workstations, you will have to acknowledge your own line clear request).

Once Line Clear has been given, you will be able to set the route into the non-track circuited section between the two boxes. The Block instrument should be set to Train on Line, this is done by left clicking the red roundel at your signal box for the direction of travel. The signaller at the neighbouring box will acknowledge Train on Line by clicking on their red roundel. (again if playing solo you will have to do this yourself)

When the train has passed completely through the section, and has passed the Overlap of the home signal (known in absolute block terminology as the clearing point), the recieving signaller should left click the white roundel to restore the block instrument to Normal. The signaller that sent the train will finally need to acknowledge this by left clicking their white roundel.

Name	Type	Panel
Alrewas	MCB	Alrewas
Brookhay	AHB	Alrewas- Lichfield
Corks Farm No.2	TEL	Alrewas- Lichfield
Fine Lane	TEL	Alrewas- Lichfield
Fosseway	AHB	Aston
Hollands Streetway	TEL	Alrewas- Lichfield
Rodidge	TEL	Alrewas- Lichfield
Waterworks	TEL	Alrewas- Lichfield

Multiplayer & Chaining

The simulation is ideal for a beginner.

The simulation chains on all fringes:

Simulation	Location
Birmingham New Street	Aston
Derby	Wichnor Junction
Rugby North OR Stafford	Lichfield Low Level

The Stafford and Rugby North simulations both simulate Lichfield Low Level; either may be chained.

Acknowledgments

Simulation by: Howard Potter

15/10/2009 WTT by: Noel Young

08/04/2015 WTT by: John Mills (Meld)

Thanks go to several folks. First and foremost, thanks to Geoff for creating such a fun pastime as developing SimSig. A big thanks to Mr Potter, who finished off the work started off by Chris Lord, including adding the AB sections. Lastly, thanks to the usual suspects, (you know who you all are), for their time and effort testing both the sim and the TT.

Reference Section

Signal Number Plan

Aston Signal Number Plan

These are Adobe Acrobat PDF files. If you don't have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer you can get a free download of the latest version from the Adobe website .

Signal Box Prefix Codes

Code	Box
AN	Aston
AS	Alrewas
DY	Derby*
LD	Lichfield Trent Valley Low Level*
NS	Birmingham New Street*
TV	Lichfield Trent Valley Junction

*Fringe box, signals not controlled in this simulation.

Platform Lengths

Location	Platform	Length
Blake Street	1	150
	2	149
Butlers Lane	All	151
Chester Road	All	152
Erdington	All	201
Four Oaks	1	149
	2	148
	3	159
Gravelly Hill	Down	169
	Up	154
Lichfield City	1	149
	2	172
Lichfield Trent Valley	3	150
Shenstone	Up	149
	Down	151
Sutton Coldfield	Down	151
	Up	150
Wylde Green	Up	153
	Down	152

Source: Network Rail's Operational Rules

TIPLOC Codes

TIPLOC Codes

Splash Screens

Splash1	Lichfield City on the real panel
Splash2	Four Oaks on the real panel
Splash3	A general view of the real panel
Splash4	A second general view of the real panel

Additional Information

Unusually, the real Aston box isn't adjacent to the line it controls, and neither is it located at its namesake station. The box is located opposite Duddeston station (beween Aston and Proof House Jn, and simulated on the New Street simulation), where the signaller can see, amongst other traffic, trains which are soon to enter their control area, and those which have just left it.

Version History

Version History

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Last edited by y10g9 on 06/09/2023 at 17:16