You are here: Wiki > start > simulations > porttalbot

---

Page is locked

Port Tablot (SWA) Manual

Sim Versions

Version	Status	Scroll/Views/Loader	Published	Comments
V1.2	Payware	S L	30-12-2020	Press check for updates
V1.0.0	Payware	S L	28-10-2018	-

Timetables

Title	Published	Author	Comments
08-04-15	28-10-2018	John Mills	Bundled with V1.0.0

Acknowledgements

Original sim written by Karl Latham.

Overview

Port Talbot is a simulation of the present day Port Talbot ASC, Tondu, and Neath & Brecon Junction boxes. The simulation is roughly set in a period from mid 2013 onwards, just after the line through Gowerton had been redoubled.

You are in control of the busy mix of freight and passenger services which enter from both Pontyclun and Cowbridge Road, and head through Bridgend and towards Margam. Freight services beyond this point are fairly sparse, though oil trains do run to the terminals in the West of Wales, as well as various other services to Swansea Burrows sidings.

The line diverges at Court Sart Junction, with the mainline route heading to Swansea via Neath, while the District line continues through the various freight terminals. Eventually the two lines rejoin, not before the Heart of Wales line leaves the District Line at the Hendy triangle.

Use Of Welsh Language

During the creation of the Wales & Borders series the use of the Welsh langauge has been a source of much fun and enjoyment. I have tried to use the English version of place names throughout the simulation, sometimes due to the fact I speak the Welsh language, and have lived in Wales most of my life a Welsh version of a place names "slips through the net" especially in cases where it is hard for the testing team to spot the difference (eg English - Treforest / Welsh - Trefforest).

Features

Options

Train Operated Route Release (TORR)

There is an option provided to turn it on or off. The A position was fitted with TORR, none of the other workstations were.

Scale of Problems

Choose the scale of train delays and infrastructure failures. The normal SimSig options of “None”, “Low”, “Medium” and “High” are available. Select which one you wish to play from the drop-down menu.

Port Talbot MCB

This crossing was taken out of use by a temporary road works order. An option has been retained to enable or disable the crossing.

Workstation Overview

West Cad (Panel A)

Operational notes:

• 3016 signal has a flashing yellow
• 3017 signal has a flashing yellow
• 3033 signal has a flashing yellow
• 3042 signal has a flashing yellow
• 3045 signal has a flashing yellow
• 3479 signal is a fixed distant board
• 3058 signal has a flashing yellow
• 3060 signal has a double flashing yellow
• Pencoed CCTV crossing is fitted with an annunciator which automatically turns on the CCTV monitor. The word Lower will flash underneath Pencoed crossing, and a message will appear in the message box (Sim Message 3) to advise you to lower the crossing. A train occupying the appropriate tracks on approach to the crossing in the down direction, or the appropriate tracks in the up direction with the appropriate route set over the crossing.
• Pencoed Up Loop is permissive, a calling on route can set by routing to the red exit arrow.
• Tremains Down Loop is permissive, a calling on route can be set by routing to the red exit arrow.
• Shunting into forward section is authorised towards Cowbridge Road. Trains routed towards Cowbridge Road should be described as 0Z10. This is authorised even when Cowbridge Road is closed.
• Cowbridge Road 3 signal is slotted by PT3451. It is good practice to grant this slot as soon as you see the approach track occupy.
• Bridgend Platform 1A is permissive, a calling on route can be set by routing to the red exit arrow.
• Bridgend Platform 3 is permissive, a calling on route can be set by routing to the red exit arrow.
• Signal 3463 is slotted by Tondu signalbox lever 65. In order to avoid Mexican stand offs it is good practice to wait for this slot to be granted before allowing a train destined for Tondu to approach 3463 signal.
• Tondu signal 6 is slotted by PT3468 you should grant this slow once a train description appears at Tondu.
• The Up and Down main lines are bidirectionally signalled between Bridgend and Margam Moors Junction. It is permissible to signal two trains towards each other on the same line, one train will need to be routed into the relevant loop at Stormy.
• The Down Main line is bidrectionally signalled between Margam Moors Junction and Margam East Junction.
• The line between Margam Abbey Works East Junction and Tondu is controlled by the NSTR system supervised by Tondu signalbox. Trains will call Tondu signalbox to request a token is issued from the remote instrument. The "Abbey Works Key Taken" roundal will illuminate on the display when a route is available towards Tondu.
• Trains leaving Margam Depot will call you asking for permission to enter and proceed towards 7515 signal.
• Trains destined for Margam Depot should be directed towards the Depot Inwards road. In exceptional circumstances trains may exit the depot via the inward road. Interposing BLOK at 3339 will cause trains to be diverted.
• The Margam Knuckle yard shunter will call you when a train is ready at either the West or East end. You should call the Margam Knuckle Yard shunter before routeing a train in.
• The lines between Margam Yard Junction and Port Talbot docks is controlled by the C2 system of working. You are the person in charge of this working.
• A SPAD indicator is provided for 3052 and 3358 signals. If a train passes either of these signals at danger the SPADI will begin to flash red. The SPADI will return to it's normal state once the incident train is removed from the area.
• Trains entering at Port Talbot Up Sidings will phone for permission to enter. In order to set a route from 7537 signal into the Up Sidings you must phone the person in charge, and request they press the shunter release control.
• Port Talbot Crossing was taken out of use on XX/XX/XXXX a startup option is available to disable the crossing. When the crossing is enabled it should be noted that 3060 requires the barriers down, and that the auto raise is disabled by setting a route from 7544.
• An annunciator will sound when a Train description steps into your approach berth from Tondu (Sim Message 1)
• The Up Loop at Pencoed is 704m
• The Down Loop at Pencoed / Tremain is 1236m long
• The Down Loop at Stormy is 490m long
• The Up Loop at Stormy is 429 long.

Panel B

Operational notes:

• You must phone the Person in Charge at Briton Ferry Sidings for permission to allow a train to approach the relevant stop board. The Person in Charge will contact you before allowing a train to approach 209 or 248 signal.
• You must phone the Person in Charge at Burrows Sidings for permission to allow a train to enter the siding. The Person in Charge will phone for permission to allow a train to enter
• There are no routes from 470 / 468 / 466 to signal 568. Only directly to the up sidings.

Panel C

Operational notes:

• The Landore Shunter will phone you for permission to allow a train to approach 551,553, or 508 signals. You do not need to phone the Landore Shunter for permission to allow a train onto the the depot. Care should be taken if you have granted a conflicting move.
• The Trostre Works Person In Charge will phone you for permission to allow a train to aproach 531 signal. You need to phone the Person in Charge for permission to allow a train to enter the works.
*The green exit arrows at Llaenlli are to select the none stopping route for the relevant MCB-OD crossing.

Neath & Brecon Junction

Operational notes:

• NB1R signal is a fixed distant board
• NB2R signal is a fixed distant board
• NB14 slot accepts a train from Port Talbot Panel B
• PT401 slot is required to send a train towards Port Talbot Panel B
• NB13 signal does not have a route to NB9

Tondu

Operational notes:

• Tondu lever 65 is slotted with Port Talbot 3463. This slot should be granted as soon as you see a train description appear assuming you are in a position to accept the train.
• Extreme care should be taken when accepting a train from Port Talbot that the line is clear to Maesteg, or one of the involved trains is a freight train which can make use of the Llynfi Goods Loops.
• Tondu signal 6 is slotted by Port Talbot 3468, Port Talbot will grant this slot once they see a train description appear.
• The line between Tondu and Margam Abbey Works East Junction is controlled by the NSTR system supervised by you. Trains should be issued a token as they pass Tondu. Drivers will wait at signal 12 until they have been issued with a token. Trains will phone you from Margam Abbey Works East requesting permission to withdraw a token from the remote instrument. Signal 14 is interlocked with the token release.
• The line between Tondu and Maesteg is controlled by the NSKT system supervised you. Trains should be issued a token as they pass Tondu, alternatively the driver will stop at 26 or 57 signals and collect a token from the remote instrument. Signals 26 and 57 are interlocked with the token release. There is no facility to lock in at Maesteg.
• On arrival at Maesteg the driver will contact you to advise you they have arrived, they will phone back for permission to depart, and will not depart from Maesteg until you have given them permission.
• The Garw Branch is out of use past 0 miles and 48 chains.
• The Garw Branch Ground Frame is released by a key attached to the former Blaengarw train staff. For the purposes in SimSig the Garw Branch Ground Frame will release at any time.
• It should be understood that Ewenny Road station may be reffered to as Maesteg Ewenny Road.
• An annunciator will sound when a Train description steps into your approach berth from Bridgend (Sim Message 2)

Level Crossings

There are seveal different types of level crossings on the sim.

Crossing	Type	Located Between	Workstation
British Tissues	TEL	Maesteg & Tondu	Tondu
Coychurch	TEL	Pencoed & Bridgend	A
Duffryn	AHB	Gowerton & Llandilo Jn	C
Fountain	AOCL	Tondu & Margam	Tondu
Heol-y-Deliaid	UWC	Margam Moors & Port Talbot	A
Llanelli East	MCB-OD	At Llanelli	C
Llanelli West	MCB-OD	At Llanelli	C
Llangennech	TEL	At Llangenech	B
Llanharan	TEL	LLanharan & Pencoed	A
Port Talbot	MCB	At Port Talbot	A
Torcoed	TEL	Pencoed & Bridgend	A

Multiplayer and Chaining

Port Talbot chains to Cardiff, Vale of Glamorgan, West Wales (Not yet released), and Hereford.

Concessions

• Accurate information on the working of the Aberpergwm and Onllwyn train staffs, particularly the ability to move the staffs by road, has not been obtainable. As such the train staffs are not currently simulated.

• SimSig cannot yet simulate MCB-OD crossings. It can be assumed for simulation purposes that the crossings at Llanelli can never fail and signals will simply clear when a route is set.

Reference Section

Signal Box Prefix Codes

Code	Box	Note
No Prefix	Port Tablot PSB	Main Running Signals, plated "PT" on the ground
BS	Burrows Sidings	Fringe Box
TU	Tondu
NB	Neath & Brecon Junction
DD	Various	Automatic Signals on Up District
UD	Various	Automatic Signals on Down District
UM	Various	Automatic Signals on Up Main
DM	Various	Automatic Signals on Down Main
C	Cardiff PSB	Fringe Box
CR	Cowbridge Road	Fringe Box
PY	Pembrey & Burry Port	Fringe Box

Code	Ground Frame

Signal Number Plan

Port Talbot Signal Number Plan

This is an Adobe Acrobat PDF file. 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 . Use the built-in Find function (Ctrl+F) to locate signal numbers.

Timetabling Details

TIPLOC Codes

TIPLOC Codes

Splash Screens

Splash	Notes
Splash 1	Llanelli East Level Crossing - Signal PT249 in the foreground
Splash 2	Llanelli West Level Crossing - Llanelli Crossing Box
Splash 3	On the blocks at Swansea - Platform 1 and 2
Splash 4	Swansea at the country end - Platform 2 and 3 island
Splash 5	Arriva Trains Wales Class 150 crawls forward to pick up the Tondu - Maesteg token
Splash 6	TU63 signal - Clear for the route towards Maesteg
Splash 7	Tondu - Looking towards Margam Abbey Works East Junction - The rear of TU55 can just be seen
Splash 8	Tondu signal box - Note the tight curve on the layout

Version History

Version History

---

Last edited by headshot119 on 26/02/2022 at 21:32