

Stage 5 testing Final Version
Dated 28th April 2023

This Simulation is based on the track arrangement from 2018, (when the Up and Down Bolton and Up and Down Salford Lines were electrified by 25kV OHLE and re-signalled). Therefore only modern-day timetables can be used for this simulation, (After 1st Jan 2019)

North is to the left of the screen.

This simulation is based on Manchester Piccadilly Windsor Bridge Panel and Crow Nest Panel, (MP).
Neighbouring panels are -

Preston Panel B (Dn Bolton from Blackrod and from Bromley Cross) (PN)
Warrington (Dn Hindley from Hindley Station) (WN)
Manchester North, (Up Salford from Windsor Bridge South Jn), (MN)
Manchester Central (Up Bolton from Windsor Bridge South Jn), (MC)

The "main" station is Bolton.

This simulation is set in the North West of England between Preston, Wigan, Blackburn and Manchester.
 
The majority of traffic is mainly of the passenger variety, although there are freight terminals just north of Salford Crescent which receive aggregates and waste-recycling trains and these will require the train-loco to be run-round their trains.
Other freight, infrastructure and private-charter trains may also transit through the area.

For information regarding routes and services in this area please refer to the timetable information tab.

  
Bolton

All platforms bi-directional.
All platforms fitted with OHLE
Wigan to/from Manchester, (and beyond), services via Westhoughton the head code is reset at Bolton, (see below).


Salford Crescent.

Salford Crescent is a major bottleneck due to the four routes that converge at the station. Trains will often be held at the signal before the station, due to congestion and slack running times, this is normal.

Both platforms are bi-directional.

The Up Bolton, (UB), through line is also bi-directional, however, in the down direction, (towards Windsor Bridge North Junction), trains can only be signalled as far as the "LOS1". 
(Note due to software limitations trains can be signalled LOS1 to Sig 219, however, the route beyond LOS1 must not be used).
Note that certain passenger or ECS trains may reverse at Salford Crescent. (This is often for route-retention purposes etc).

Salford Central

Salford Central is located off the visible screen as it is in the neighbouring Manchester North Signalling area, however, it is close enough to affect the timing and running of services on this simulation. Therefore the timetable editor has a facility to add the timing points for this station.


Level Crossings

Bromley Cross

There is a manned "Barrow"(footpath)Level Crossing at the north end of Bromley Cross Station.
The signals are controlled by the Manchester Windsor Bridge Panel but the crossing gates are controlled by the gate box located on platform 1 at Bromley Cross.
The gatebox can hold the signals at red by means of "slotting", which means that despite the signaller at Manchester clearing the route the signals either side, the appropriate signals remain at red until the gates are locked by Bromley Cross.
On this simulation the approach of the train, (provided the route has been set), will release the appropriate signal at Bromley Cross.
The route from platform 2 northbound towards Entwistle CANNOT be set until a southbound train has either stopped or passed through platform 1 and the slot-indicator has extinguished.

Turton Level Crossing

Activated by the passage of the trains.

User-Worked Crossings (UWC) are not shown.


Additional Timing Points

As well as the stations and freight terminals being timing points there are three other locations where trains pass a timing point -

Lostock Junction
Crow Nest Junction
Brindle Heath Loop, (Arr/Dep Line).


Brindle Heath Sidings**

There are three freight depots at this location.
1 Tarmac Sidings on the Up direction side. This terminal is a receiving depot for aggregates for the building industry.
2 GMC Refuse Siding which serves the household waste recycling depot on the down side.
3 Euro-freight Terminal at Agecroft North Junction.


Trains bound for the Tarmac Siding must first have the locomotive run-round the train in Brindle Heath Loop**.
The loco will then propel the train into the Tarmac Sidings after the run-round move. 

The Tarmac Sidings also have an associated Cripple Siding and a Head shunt Line. 
The Cripple Siding is used for wagons that develop a fault and need to be shunted out and the Head-shunt is used for trains that are discharging their cargo as the train moves forward across the discharge pit. 
Both lines are NOT fitted with track-circuits and the track is shown for illustrative purposes only. These lines are only used for trains within the terminal compound and the signaller cannot route trains into them.

GMC Refuse Siding

Trains bound for the GMC Siding arrive at Brindle Heath Loop, then propel into the terminal.
Trains departing to the south, (Manchester direction), have the loco run round the train after departure in Brindle Heath Loop**.

**Locos that are required to run round their trains at Brindle Heath Loop are shunted via LOS2/Sig 516 and Sig 219 on the Up Bolton and therefore need to "threaded" between passenger services, Brindle Heath Loop is classed as a "timing point" to allow this.
Locos shunting at Brindle Heath are non-timetabled and will be moved as and when there is a gap in the traffic. Shunting head-codes are the same as the train except with "0" vice the initial number of the four figure head code.

It is recommended that the "Shunt to" function is used when running-round a train at Brindle Heath.


Electrification.

Refer to the "Timetable Information" tab for the lines fitted with overhead electrification for the relevent era.


Route Notes/timetabling of trains between Wigan and Manchester,

To/from Ince - to/from Salford Crescent.

There are two routes that trains can take between these two locations, however, there are different stations on the two possible routes.
Therefore, due to the limitations of the software there has had to be a slight adjustment as to how trains are timetabled between Ince and Salford Crescent.
Trains from Wigan to Manchester via Westhoughton and Bolton are split into two linked services at Bolton.
EG. 2W00-1 & 2W00-2
(The timetable should be set to link the two services so the head code changes automatically at Bolton in both directions).

Trains which run via Walkden are timetabled normally throughout their journey.

Trains between Salford and Hindley in both directions may be diverted if the booked route is not available for whatever reason, (however an error pop-up message will be displayed). This is normal during disruption.

Platform allocations and Train-Ready-to-Start, (TRS).
are provided for Bolton and Salford Crescent Station and Sidings, Bromley Cross, (northbound only), Brindle Heath Loop, (southbound only),Tarmac and GMC Sidings.


Signals

Certain signals may exhibit different behaviours when the route is set - 

A signal may clear immediately
A signal may remain displaying Red aspect until a train approaches.
A signal may remain at Red if the signal ahead is Red, (Double-Block).
A signal may exhibit a flashing Yellow aspect to indicate that a high speed junction has been set ahead.
A signal may only display position lights depending on the route set.

Distant signals are shown for display purposes only - These have an "R" as part of the signal number.

Only signals with the number shown in a "red box" can be set by the signaller.
Banner repeaters are not shown.


Routing

Route-setting to and from Bolton Station, (applies to Bolton Station and approaches only).

There are two ways to set a route from to/from Bolton Station platforms, (providing the route is available).

The route can be set to the next signal in the normal way,
or,
the route can be set to the next automatic signal or platform-end signal directly,

This applies to routes from -

All Bolton Platforms towards Moses Gate Station
Bolton P1 & P3 to Bromley Cross Station, (Signal 657) 
Burnden Junction Signal 3253
Astley Bridge Junction Signal 656

The Up and the Down Bolton Lines, (annotated "MC") between Salford Crescent and Manchester Oxford Road are Bi-directional. Trains may enter or leave the simulation on either line track. However, generally, trains bound for Manchester will use the Up Bolton and trains leaving Manchester will enter the simulation on the Down Bolton.
 

The scale of the track is not uniform.

As with any computer simulation, certain, very minor, compromises have had to be made, however, these do not affect the running of the trains.


Thanks and acknowledgements go to John Dennis and the many testers who have assisted and been vital to the construction of this simulation.

Ian.

Updated 
28th April 2023













