SimSig:Aston

Welcome to Aston signal box, duck.

I hope you bought a cup of tea.

We control trains from just north of Aston to Alrewas, near Derby. It's a pretty nice life at this box, pushing Class 323s around.

Now, where's that tea?

Panels

An overview of Aston, with Absolute Block and ARS enabled

Aston has three panels and can be managed by one or two signallers.

Alrewas controls two signals, a level crossing, and the fringe to Derby West.

Lichfield Trent Valley Junction controls the junction with the West Coast Main Line via Lichfield Low Level. The sim offers the option of block instruments for the lines between Lichfield TV and Alrewas.

Aston controls the line from Lichfield Trent Valley to the Birmingham New Street fringe just short of Aston, via Lichfield City, Blake Street, Four Oaks, and several minor stations. This panel also controls the junction to the Anglesea Sidings branch.

Aston - Derby fringe

To send a train from Alrewas (Aston) to Wichnor Jn (Derby West panel):

1. Trains leaving Lichfield appear on the Derby panel. The berth at Ascot signal TV7 is repeated on Derby as APPR. Ascot signal AS5 is repeated on the Derby panel as SAS5, along with its berth and track circuit, but its aspect is not shown.
2. The Derby West signaller notices the approaching train and sets a route from signal SAS5 to signal 78 on their panel. This lights the Derby Slot roundel on the Ascot panel and the 76 SLOT OFF roundel on the Derby panel, and sends a "Derby Slot Granted" message to Alrewas.
3. The Alrewas signaller can set a route from signal AS5 to signal DY78 once the Derby Slot roundel is lit and Alrewas level crossing is clear.
4. When the train enters the single-track section, the Derby signaller receives a "<train> has entered the area" message.

Note there's no way for an Aston signaller to request the slot from Derby.

For trains from Wichnor Jn to Alrewas, the Derby West signaller sets a route from signal 82 to signal AS1. The Alrewas signaller clears the level crossing and sends the train on to Lichfield TV Jn.