This route covers the South Coast line (West), between Southbourne and Lancing, the Mid-Sussex line (now called Arun Valley line) as far as Amberley, and includes the branches to Bognor Regis and Littlehampton.
The area is depicted as it was around 1969, when it was still controlled by a series of separate signal-boxes, and most stations still had their sidings, bays etc. During the next decade many smaller boxes would be closed, and at many stations sidings, bays and loops were taken out of use and lifted, leaving in most places little more than the main running lines and some emergency cross-overs.

Some slight adjustments were made to layout and signalling because of some restrictions in the simulation program.

To clearly distinguish between the various boxes, letters have been used to identify the points and signals controlled by each box.
These letters precede the signal numbers, yard exits and buffer stops, but for technical reasons, are added as postfix to the point numbers. The numbers of points and signals are those as originally used in the signal boxes, except for some small boxes which for practical reasons were given a two-letter code.
Two boxes which only controlled a level crossing but were not block-control posts have not been shown. These were Fishbourne Halt Crossing, next to Fishbourne station, and Ferring Crossing, between Angmering and Goring.

The list below shows the boxes (from West to East) and letters used.

Bosham                              BH
Chichester - Fishbourne Crossing    CF
             West                   C
             East                   CA
Whyke Road LC                       X
Portfield                           P
Dayton                              D
Woodgate Level Crossing             WG
Bognor Regis                        R
Barnham                             B
Ford                                F
Arundel Junction                    J
Arundel (Station)                   A
Littlehampton                       L
Lyminster LC                        LC
Angmering                           M
Roundstone LC                       RC
Goring                              G
West Worthing                       V
Worthing Central                    W

For the fringe boxes, only the first signals have been shown as exit signals but others have been included as hidden automatic signals to control the approaches. Letters used for these signals are :

Southbourne                         SB
Amberley                            AM
Lancing                             LA

Main timing point in the train information windows is Arundel Junction.
For train times in the timetable information window, the same letters are used as for the signals, except for :

Southbourne                 : S
Barnham Carriage Siding     : X
West Worthing Middle Siding : U

Most signals at the time were semaphore signals, the aspects used in the signals reflects the signals as used : a stand-alone home signal is shown as a 2-aspect signal, a home signal with combined distant signal is shown as 3 aspect. Stand-alone distant signals are not shown as these do not affect the running or control of the trains.
A general rule for semaphore signals was that in a sequence of home signals without combined or intermediate distant signals, if the last signal in this sequence could not be cleared, each signal was to be held at danger until the speed of the train was sufficiently reduced. This has been simulated where applicable using approach control sequences.
In some locations where a split signal was used, with the branch arm as a significant lower signal, and where there is a severe speed restriction for the diverging route, the signal will only clear to yellow, irrespective of the next aspect.

Platform lengths varied, but all stations will allow 12 car trains to stop, except as listed below.
All lengths shown are total length for passenger and parcel trains including engines.

Chichester   - platform 3    : 7
Bognor Regis - platform 4    : 7 (see note)
Ford         - all platforms : 7, longer trains accepted but will block points
Arundel      - platform 3    : 9
Littlehampton- platform 3    : 8
               platform 4    : 7
West Worthing- platform 1    : 7 (see note)
Worthing     - docks (1,2,3) : 4

At Bognor Regis, any train in platform 4 will lock points 29R and block access to Engine Shed, whatever its length.
At West Worthing plat. 1, longer trains are accepted but when stopped in the platform these can not move to or from Middle Siding or Carriage Sidings.
Long trains between Middle Siding and Carriage Sidings must be routed to V05 with shunt command set for V15.

Multi-routes are provided at Bognor Regis into all platforms (but not into Middle Siding) passed signals R34 and R42.
Multi-route is also provided at Worthing Central from W64 to W09 (into platform 1).

Route codes and Train information

As the services in this area varied over the years, so did the routecodes used, so for this information please refer to the timetable notes.

Picture

The picture at start-up and exit shows a view of the Arun valley from the hillside of Arundel Park, and catches a distant glimpse of a 12 car EMU service crossing a meandering branch of the river Arun; it was taken in February 1974.

Acknowledgements

Sincere thanks is due to the PC-Rail test-team, in particular Peter Dean, Alan Sugden and David Palmer, without whose effort the simulation could not have been issued. Final thanks are due to John Dennis who made it all possible.
