PC-Rail PRESTON 2020 

This updated version of the original (2010) Preston simulation incorporates WCML Upgrades from 2018.

Note that timetables for the PCRail Preston simulation, CANNOT be used with this updated version.


Overview - 

This updated simulation covers the Preston Station area and approaches.
It covers the whole of "C" (Station), panel and overlaps with parts of "B" and "D" panels to show approaching trains.

Preston "B" panel controls Skew Bridge Jn to Coppull via Balshaw Lane Jn, (WCML). Farington Curve / Farington Jn to Blackburn via Bamber Bridge (E Lancs Lines). Euxton Jn to Blackrod via Chorley, (Bolton Lines). Farington Curve Jn to Midge Hall, (Ormskirk Line).

Preston "C" panel controls Skew Bridge to Broughton North and the Fylde Lines to mileage 4 miles 0 chains (Up Fylde), 3 miles 50 Chains, (Dn Fylde)

Preston "D" panel controls the WCML from Broughton North northbound towards Lancaster. (This area is covered by the PC Rail North Lancs Simulation)

Manchester Piccadilly PSB controls the Bolton Lines south of Adlington, and also the the Fylde Lines, (BL09 onwards)

Warrington PSB controls the WCML to the south. (The PC Rail Warrington simulation covers this area).

Midge Hall and Rufford SBs control the Ormskirk Branch.

Bamber Bridge Level Crossing Frame,(LCF) monitors Bamber Bridge, Hospital and Mintholme Level Crossings.

(Note that in real-life both the PC-Rail Preston simulation and the North Lancashire simulation areas are covered by the adjacent panels in the same signalbox).


Background and History

Preston is a major station located 209 miles north of London Euston and 192 miles south of Glasgow Central on the West Coast Main Line, (WCML) with converging routes from London, Scotland, Blackpool, Manchester, Ormskirk and Blackburn.

This simulation is based on the 1973 arrangement when multiple aspect signalling and overhead electrification was installed on the WCML throughout the area and subsquently further upgraded for alterations to track and signalling added since 2010.
All the signal-boxes in the Preston area were abolished and replaced by a single, new signal box, which was located on the site of the former steam depot a quarter of a mile north of Preston Station adjacent to the Croft Street Sidings.

The signal boxes closed were Skew Bridge, Ribble Sidings, Preston No.1, Preston No.4, Preston No.5, Oxheys, Maudland Viaduct, Ashton and Salwick No1. the Ribble Branch and the Strand Road Branch also came under the new PSB.

Additional, major alterations and additions to the trackwork, signalling and electrification were completed in 2018, (electrification of the Bolton and Fylde Lines and junction modifications etc), which has resulted in this updated and modified version.

The operating area for this simulation covers twelve stations in the Preston area on the West Coast Main Line.

Adlington, Chorley, Buckshaw Parkway, Euxton Balshew Lane, Leyland, Bamber Bridge, Lostock Hall, Ormskirk, Burscough Junction, Rufford, Croston and Preston.

Seven different routes converge on the area covered by this simulation.

1. The West Coast Main Line between London Euston, Birmingham, Wigan, Lancaster, Carlisle and Scotland
2. The East Lancs Line from Yorkshire via Burnley and Blackburn
3. The Ormskirk Branch Line
4. The Fylde Lines from Blackpool
5. The Central Lines from Manchester via Chorley
6. The Ribble Branch
7. The Deepdale Branch

Electrification

The following routes are electrified by a 25kV overhead supply.

 Down Main
 Up Main
 Up Fast
 Down Fast
 Up Through
 Down Through
 Down Slow
 Up Goods
 Down Goods
 Up Slow
 Up Fylde     (from Sept 2018)
 Down Fylde   (from Sept 2018)
 Up Bolton    (from Sept 2018)
 Down Bolton, (from Sept 2018)
 Up Lostock Hall (from points 750)
 Down Lostock Hall (to sig 492)
 Lostock Hall sidings 1,2,3 & 4.  
 Shunt Line Loop
 Croft Street Sidings
 Carriage Stabling Siding
 All routes, bays and sidings through Preston. 

 Note - Lostock Hall Junction is NOT electrified and any electric locos using Sidings L1,2,3,& 4 MUST shunt via Farington Junction.
 There is no restriction for diesel locos.
 
Preston Station

Preston Station consists of eight through platforms (although only six are used for passenger services) and two passenger bay-platforms, P3c and P4c.
There are also various sidings. 
There is also a dedicated through parcels platform which has been used for passenger services during special events, the RES platform. Known locally as the PCD), . These, and associated bays adjacent to the RES platform, are only for stabling of empty stock and locos. 
Freight and engineering trains also use the RES platform for stabling/dwell purposes. 

Platform Capacities (Reduce by 1 for loco-hauled trains. Over-length trains can use all "through" station platforms, (but not the bays).

(** indicates a "Preston CS" location).

Plat 1  - 13      Sdg 1  - 4** (Derby)
Plat 2  - 13      Sdg 2  - 4** (Bakehouse)
Plat 3  - 17      PS1 1  - 4**#
Plat 3c -  3      PS2 2  - 4**#
Plat 4  - 13      PS3 3  - 4**#
Plat 4c -  3      PT1    - 4**
Plat 5  - 12      PT2    - 4**
Plat 6  - 12      PSN    - 8** (North Bay)
Plat 7  - 12      CSS    - 10**
SLL     - 10      RES    - 11(PCD) 
( # Note that PS1, PS2 & PS3 can hold one electric loco only. EMUs are NOT permitted).

("Preston CS" should not to be confused with "Preston Croft Street" - they are two different locations).

Stabling Locations

"Preston Carriage Sidings" **
 
Preston CS consists of the following sidings and locations around Preston Station where ECS trains/light locos may be started, terminated and stabled -

PS1,2,3 (Parcels Siding South/South Sidings)
PT1,2   (Pitt Street)
NBay    (North Bay)
SG1     (Derby)  
SG2     (Bakehouse) 
CSS     (Carriage Stabling Siding)

Croft Street Sidings

Croft Street Sidings. (Cl.390 can stable in the Carriage Stabling Siding (also known as Croft Street No.1) - "CSS" - ONLY)
Stabled Trains are NOT displayed on the diagram except for the CSS.
The CSS comes under the "Preston CS" location.

Timetabled trains departing Croft Street Sidings may be routed avoiding the SLL only, but if specifically stated, the train MUST be routed via the SLL to avoid a penalty.
The SLL may still be used at any time without penalty by using the "Shunt to" function.
All fitted with TRS alerts to simulate a phone call from a driver at departure time.
They are not used for passenger services.

UGL Sig 105 & DGL Sig 124 are also used as timing points for freight services and these may dwell here awaiting departure time, (TRS fitted and over-length trains can be accommodated).

L1,L2,L3 & L4 - Capacity 2 locos or 1 loco and 1 support coach (Used for loco changes only), Note that the overhead wires stop at L3 & L4 and electric locos must enter and exit via the WCML only, Lostock Hall Junction is NOT electrified. Diesel locos can use all routes.

All through platforms are bi-diectional. 
Permissive working, where a second train is allowed to enter an already occupied platform, is permitted on all Preston platforms.

Preston is the location of crew changes for all types of services that transit the area and mess-room facilities for train companies train-crews is available. 
Crew-changes may take place at any platform or line at Preston, (Crew changes may also take place on the Lostock Hall lines for services that avoid Preston).

Up&Dn Goods Loop/(P7) is only used as a passenger platform to load and discharge passengers during times of major disrution, (such as when there is a major incident affecting the train services). If it is used for this reason, then the capacity for class 1 and 2 stopping trains is reduced to only 7 coaches,(plus 1 loco) - It is shown in the Sectional Appendix as "Up & Down Goods Loop" but is labeled "7" on the platform.

The "R.E.S" platform is also used on special occasions, (such as when the Open Golf Tournament that is held at Royal Lytham St Annes Golf Club), in these circumstances it is designated "Platform 0". It is not used for passenger services outside these times.

Engineering and infrastucture trains are generally stabled in the Dock Street Depot. 
Dock Street Depot is not electrified.

Preston P4/P5 Flank-locking prevents a southbound train entering P4 when a northbound service is routed into P5 at the same time , (& vice-versa), due to the lack of an overlap for conflicting movements).

Goods Lines
Note that there is a route on the Down Goods Line at Skew Bridge Junction between Sig 79 and "GL", (This allows a train to be reversed at Sig 74)
 
The Up Goods from Sig 92, (Ribble Viaduct) also has a route for loco-changes at Sig 105 - (set route Sig 92 to "UG") 
(Note that there is NO Exit/Limit of Shunt signal* for this manoeuvre - *this also applies to trains routed from Sig 79(Down Goods Line at Skew Bridge).

Shunting/Changing Platforms at Preston.
When a train is required to change platforms between services the following signal locations are commonly used to reverse the ECS.
South End - Sig 82 (Up Goods)
North End - Sig 153 (Shunt Line Loop).
All types of ECS trains can use these two locations

Specific Route Notes -

Ormskirk Branch (Diesel services only).

All trains heading towards Ormskirk stop at Midge Hall to pick up a token from a signaller which gives authority to proceed to Rufford. 
At Rufford the token is surrendered to the signaller, ("Electric Token Block", ETB). 
(Trains will slow down almost to a stop at Midge Hall and stop completely at Rufford in both directions. 
Note also that Midge Hall is NOT a timing point.

Beyond Rufford to the Ormskirk platform the arrangement is "One Train Working Where Staff Is Not Required",(OTNS).

In the Up Direction, (towards Preston), the signaller will issue the token to the driver at Rufford and it will be surrendered at Midge Hall.

A TRS indication is provided to indicate to the operator when a train is due for departure from Ormskirk, (unless the route has already been set).

Route-setting on the Ormskirk Branch

The route can be set from Skew Bridge Sig 56-ORM
The return route can be set ORM-Sig 55

The route can also be set from stop-signal to stop-signal if two trains are to pass each other at Rufford.

Distant signals on the Ormskirk Branch are shown for display purposes only.

The platform signals at Rufford are approach-released in both directions as are the signals at Midge Hall LC.
Note that certain signals only have a yellow or red aspect.
 
Conflicting movements will generate an "operator error" message.

User-worked Level Crossings are not shown on the Ormskirk Branch.

Ormskirk has only one platform but is served by two train operating companies, (TOCs) from opposite directions.  
Trains from Preston stop at the northern end of the platform and services from Liverpool use the southern end.
A set of buffer-stops midway along the single platform-face separates the two. 
The Ormskirk-Liverpool services are not shown on this sim as there is no physical connection at the buffer-stops.

Fylde Lines

The Fylde Lines towards Blackpool are controlled from Manchester Rail Operating Centre, (MROC - Blackpool Work-Station).

Signals controlled by MROC use a 6 figure numbering scheme, (##xxxx), where "##" is the work-station location code and "xxxx" is the numerical code for that particular signal. 
All the signals on this simulation are "BL 3xxx" indicating that it is the MROC Blackpool Work-station and the signals are in the 3000 - 4999 number range which are Fast/Main line signals.(On this sim they are abreviated to 4 digits using the first two letters and last two digits - on this sim these signals are located on the fringe of the Fylde lines with only BL09 visible).

The Kirkham to Blackpool South route is NOT electrified and therefore any Preston-Blackpool South services can ONLY be operated by diesel trains.

Lostock Hall Lines (Up Lstk Hall & Down Lstk Hall)

Loco-Changes on the Lostock Hall Lines, (both directions), 

When changing locos at these locations the normal "uncouple" precedure must be used, however, when signalling a replacement loco from the Lostock Hall Sidings, 1,2,3 or 4 to the train then the following arrangements need to be followed.
Example - Lostock Hall Sdgs 1 or 2, to a train waiting at Sig 504 (Up Lostock Hall) - set route Sig 505 to Sig 495
          Lostock Hall Sdg 3 or 4, to a train waiting at Sig 497 (Down Lostock Hall) - set route Sig 493 to "LCD"
 
West Coast Main Line (WCML)

Barton & Broughton Loop and Oxheys Loops can be used by passenger and freight trains of all classes and decriptions.
Certain services may be timetabled to recess here. Both Loops can be also used for recessing late-running trains, (of all headcodes and types) at the discretion of the signaller, where it would delay an "on-time" faster service 
A TRS alert is provided to simulate a call from the driver at departure time, (if timetabled to dwell). Early departure is permitted.

East Lancs Lines

Level Crossings**

Bamber Bridge, Mintholme* and Hospital* Level Crossings. 
These are monitored from Bamber Bridge Station Ground Frame. (*Via CCTV)
The signals protecting the crossings are "slotted" from Preston PSB.  
Bamber Bridge Local Crossing Frame,(LCF) can only close these three crossings to road traffic once the route has been set by Preston PSB and the "slot" indication has illuminated.

The black slot indication will turn steady-white when the slot is given to Bamber Bridge LCF.

Bamber Bridge Stn LCF will close or open the crossing to road-traffic as necessary to avoid delays to trains.
(Note that there will be no indication of barrier-position on the Preston PSB panel.
 
The activation of the "A" button will automatically give the slot to Bamber Bridge after the passage of a train at that particular level-crossing in that direction.

Houghton Level Crossing
Houghton Level Crossing is an "Automatic Half Barrier fitted with wrong direction controls", AHBC-X,(*wrong direction controls are not applicable on this simulation and this level-crossing is shown as "AHBC" only. 
This crossing operates automatically with the passage of trains. All the operator has to do is monitor the correct operation of the crossing.

User-worked level crossings on the East Lancs Lines are not shown. 

Ribble Branch

The Ribble Branch provides a link to Preston Docks.  
Preston was once a major port on the west coast of England and received ships from all over the world. In the early 1980's Preston as a port was reduced in status and is now only home to yachting marina, however the land around the old wharves and quays have been converted into retail and housing developments. 
At the western end of the port area a bitumen terminal is situated which receives oil-tanker trains carrying bitumen several times a week and is accessed via the Ribble Branch to a single-track private railway system.  
The locomotive(s) are replaced at exchange sidings just beyond Strand Road Level-Crossing and a shunting-loco is then used to transport the oil-tanks the final mile to the terminal.
Charter, excursion and infrastructure trains can also use this branch.
The docks railway network is not shown on this simulation beyond Strand Road Level Crossing.
(The Ribble Steam Railway operate heritage steam and diesel passenger trains on certain weekends on the dock network between Strand Rd, and a private platform located close to the bitumen terminal, these heritage trains are not shown on the simulation).
Signalling Note - If Signal 116,(Strand Road Level Crossing), is displaying a "Red" then the departing train will not cross Strand Road LC until Sig 116 is showing a proceed aspect. (This is because the train would otherwise block the road due to the position of Sig 166).

Strand Road Level-Crossing - The barriers are locally controlled at the crossing by Network Rail staff, (TMO).

Deepdale Branch

The Deepdale Branch provides a link to the Deepdale Coal Concentration Depot, (CCD), (the former route to Longridge). The CCD has since closed and the land is now an industrial estate.
In years gone by, this branch continued to Longridge 6.5 miles east of Preston, however,in 1967 the line was cut back and used only by trains delivering materials to the Deepdale Coal Concentration Depot two miles from Fylde Junction. In the 1990's the Deepdale Branch was taken out of use. The track is still in place and for many years was only able be used with special permission. The points at Fylde Junction for the branch are isolated and clipped out of use, and for many years was "plain-lined", (the point-blades being removed). 
The relevant timetable will give usage information if necessary.
Note - If required, to hide the legend "Out of Use" and "Plain-lined" the text must be changed to "black" in the colour tab.

North Union Yard

This was a stabling point for locomotives and other rolling stock. The track was lifted in the mid-nineties and now ends at at buffer-stop before the first points into sidings. The area is used as a Permanent-Way storge area and a facility for Royal Mail.
(See relevant timetable notes for use of this stabling location).
Note - If required, to hide the legend "Out of Use" the text must be changed to "Black" in the colour tab.

Other Notes -  

Certain signals have "double" labels. This is to allow for loco changes, (Up Goods), or shunt moves,(Down Goods Line at Skew Bridge). This applies only where there is no appropriate exit signal for the signalled shunt move.
(When shunting light-loco(s) with NO Other vehicle(s) involved the "Shunt to" function MUST be used or else the loco may get stranded with no way to move it).

Panel Label Abreviations - 

OTNS   - One Train No Staff
ETB    - Electric Token Block
TCB    - Track Circuit Block
SB     - Signalbox
DS     - Down Slow
US     - Up Slow
DF     - Down Fast
UF     - Up Fast
DG     - Down Goods
UG     - Up Goods
SL     - Slow Line
FL     - Fast Line
GL     - Goods Line
GF     - Ground Frame*
CSS    - Carriage Stabling Siding
LCF    - Local Crossing Frame
TMO    - Traincrew Operated Level Crossing*
MCB    - Manned Level Crossing
CCTV   - Remotely Monitored LC
AHCB   - Automatic Half Barrier LC
(* Locally operated)

The use of all lines in this simulation will follow the rules/guidance contained within the "Timetable Notes" as upgrades/alterations/improvements/special operating rules and instructions may apply during the period of a particular timetable.

Whilst this simulation is as close as it is possible to get to real-life there has had to be one or two modifications. However, I have tried to get it as close as possible as how it is operated in real-life. 

The start-up picture shows two Northern DMU trains in P3c & P4c bays at the south end of Preston Station. 
A Class 150 in P3c is about to depart for Ormskirk and a Class 156 in P4c just arrived from Colne. In the distance several other Northern DMUs can be seen stabled in the Parcel Sidings South.

Credits -  Martin Cookson and the PC Rail Team for the testing of this simulation.

Adrian Bradshaw runs an excellent website dedicated to Preston Station here -

http://www.prestonstation.org.uk     

Updated - 14 July 2021 

