West Anglia

Harlow Workstation

Introduction

Harlow is geographically the longest of the three workstations with around 27 miles of route. Being the main two-track railway to Cambridge from Liverpool Street, it has no less than four sets of passing loops (three of them suitable for passenger use) to allow the various overtaking and unscheduled regulating to take place.

The area is generally flat with only gentle gradients. Trains can reach speeds of 90mph through the centre section so forward planning is necessary to prevent them slowing and losing time - but check schedules carefully as some fast trains are actually booked to follow slower trains at times.

Broxbourne, Bishops Stortford, and the Stansted triangle are three areas you need to keep an eye on, evem with ARS. Funneling trains up through to Cheshunt should be handled carefully as for many trains Broxbourne is the last place any regulation can take place before Hackney Downs.

Signalling Notes

This workstation includes a number of point normalisation alarms. When a train has proceeded over certain crossovers in the reverse position, and they have not been normalised within a few seconds, an alarm is raised and the section of track connected to the reverse portion of the point(s) involved will start flashing. This is a reminder to you that you must normalise the points to protect other trains by left-clicking on the point. This keys the point normal and so another left click is required to unkey the points so that they may move freely.

Broxbourne

Broxbourne Up Reception (Up Goods Loop) can be a little confusing due to the non-track circuited section that is not very long. Because the train describer has no information that the train has passed signal L1226 its description stays there until the rear of the train clears that track section whereupon it will step forward to L1224. With a long train this may not happen until the front of the train has passed L1224, so often you will need to cancel the description at L1226 and re-interpose at L1224.

Before a route can be set from L1224 onto the main line, or from 5317/5315 back into the sidings, the shunter point release must be given. Left click on the green roundel to request the release. When it lights solid white the route may be set.

Signal L5328 at Broxbourne on the Down Passenger Loop sets to L1192, the Down Goods Siding, or the Goods Yard directly. There is no route from L5328 to L5322.

Similarly L5315 sets to L5319, L5321, or the Up Sidings, not to L5317. Routing into the Up Sidings requires the Shunter Point Release 2558 granted: left-click to request whereupon it starts flashing, then once granted it will turn solid white.

TRTS is provided, in the Up direction only, at platforms 1, 2 & 4.

The reduced overlap at L1074 and L1480 have limited use. Previously the reduced overlap at L1480 could be used while a route was set from L1074 but the risks of a train derailing on the trap points and fouling the Up Cambridge was considered too great and so now the overlap must go onto the main line.

Cranbourne Crossing

Due to the proximity of Cranbourne crossing to Rye House station on the Down Hertford line, a non-stop control is supplied. A non-stop train has to trigger the crossing earlier than one stopping at the station. By default all trains will be controlled down to a red aspect at signal L1237 until they have occupied the approach tracks for sufficient time warning to be given at the crossing. For a non-stop train, before the train enters Rye House station, with routes set from L1233 and L1237, left-click on the non-stop roundel to activate the control. Signals will then step up to greens, subject to the usual conditions.

Hertford East

Both platforms at Hertford East will accommodate eight car trains. Measuring tracks on the approach ensure that too long a train is not sent into an occupied platform. If there is a track section failure in the station then using the white "S" exit arrows instead of the usual grey exit arrows will override the platform occupancy. Beware of misusing this though.

TRTS is provided at both platforms.

Harlow

To set a route into the Up side yard the slot must first be given. Left click on the green circle to request the slot. When it becomes solid white, a route can be set from L5342 or L1126 into the yard. In practice, down trains are routed onto the loop and held at L1463 until the slot has been given.

Note that the overlap at L1463 goes onto the main line, per reality. A short time after the train comes to a stand, the overlap will time out and release the points.

Bishops Stortford

The 2A/2B/3A/3B indicators at Bishops Stortford light an indicator on the station platform to advise drivers where to stop. The signaller is advised by the platform staff if they wish a train to stop in the 'A' or alternatively the 'B' end of the platform. They are not functional in the simulation.

Bishops Stortford requires the most manual intervention due to the dividing, joining and double/triple docking in the sidings.

Note that the number of train describer berths provided at Bishops Stortford is generally not sufficient for the divides and joins that typically take place there, per real life. This will require you manually entering descriptions, and deleting others after forward divides.

Bishops Stortford features a number of trains stabling overnight and between the peaks in the Up Sidings 1 and 2, and also on the Up Passenger Loop. The three can be used interchangeably but note the siding lengths: the Up Passenger Loop is 12 cars, US1 is 8 cars, and US2 is 16 cars.

TRTS is provided at platform 3 in the Up direction, and for signals L5383/L5385/L5387.

When routesetting, note that intermediate signals are skipped for the following:

- L5383/L5385/L5387 to L1155/L1281 (ignore L5391)

- L5383/L5385/L5387 to L1493 (ignore L5393)

- L1284 to L1158/L1496/L5385X/L5387X (ignore L1160)

Stansted North Jn

A warner route is available from L1188 to L1186, which will be selected automatically if the full overlap across the junction isn't available. This route can only be set manually and will not be used by ARS.

Stansted Airport

The interlocking will prevent more than two routes being set towards Coopers Lane Junction at the same time (signals L1199, L1366, L1202).

The outer platforms (1 and 3) at Stansted Airport accommodate twelve car trains. The centre platform at Stansted Airport can accommodate eight cars only. As above, the "S" override can be used in all three platforms.

TRTS is provided at all three platforms.

Interlockings

Signal, point, and track failures are reported by interlocking, per real life as far as the signaller is concerned (the technicians get more detailed information from their diagnostic terminals once informed by the signaller). The interlockings in this workstation are as follows:

CHESHUNT (Cheshunt to Broxbourne (part))
BROXBNE (Broxbourne (part) to Rye House (excl) and Harlow Town (excl))
HERTFORD (Rye House to Hertford East)
HARLOW (Harlow Town to Spellbrook)
BISHSTOR (Bishops Stortford)
STANSTED (Stansted triangle area)

West Anglia Contents

Last edited by Steamer on 01/06/2019 at 19:11