SimSig:Sessions/Archive/1

SimSig Sessions
On Our Lines plays SimSig
File:SimSig Session 1.jpg
1 - West Midlands
Date	6 February 2021
Start time	1900
Host(s)	Jarley (talk) host TC60054 (talk) host
Simulation Information
Simulations in use	Aston, Birmingham New Street* and Saltley
Sim date	15 October 2009
Sim time	0830
Service alerts	All routes - code red

On Our Lines' first SimSig Session is taking place on Saturday 6th February 2021. The Session will consist of a chain between Aston, Birmingham New Street* and Saltley power signal boxes, with Derby also available if necessary. Aston, Derby and Saltley are all free simulations, whilst Birmingham New Street is payware. There are panels to suit all abilities available, and newcomers are welcome. The Session will be available to join from around 1845 for a 1900 start. You can join @#on-our-simsig-lobby at any time for the pre-session chat. We anticipate finishing the session at around 0100; please let us know if you need to leave before then.

To sign up please edit the page and in the Participants section at the bottom enter your user name, your availability, experience level and which paid simulations you have, if any; if you have a preferred panel you can also list it here although this cannot be guaranteed.

Overview

Good morning West Midlands signallers, this is your update from Network Rail regional control at 0830 hours. We currently have a Code Red declared across all West Midlands routes due to a number of incidents in the Birmingham area. Delays and disruption are expected to continue for up to a further 60 minutes.

All Areas

Due to an unusually high number of failures today, Region Control have requested the availability of additional engineering resource. Any provisions will be communicated to Signallers once they are confirmed.

Aston

Incident Level

Code unknown

Severe delays.

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Disruption due to an earlier points failure in the Aston area.

There are significant delays to Cross City services due to multiple earlier problems in the Aston area. Rail replacement buses are operating between all stations. Plans are currently being formulated to resume services right time.

• Two trains, with fresh train crew, are currently spare and awaiting workings. A three-car 323 will shortly be arriving at Lichfield Trent Valley to work a northbound service. A three-car 323 is stabled in Four Oaks bay platform to restart a northbound service.
• 2R17, the 0810 Lichfield City to Redditch service, is currently running approximately 20 minutes late. This service will be running through to Redditch and plans will be formulated to reform it on its return working. Additionally, the train is formed of 6 cars vice 3 cars.
• 2N75, the 0821 arrival at Lichfield City, is currently running 15 minutes late. This service was due to form the 0828 service to Longbridge, however that train has already been restarted right time due to the availability of train crew. A plan will be formulated for this service by the early turn Route Controller.

The ARS system at Aston has been giving intermittent issues this morning. Signallers are requested to not use ARS in consequence.

The block instruments between Alrewas and Lichfield Trent Valley has been signed out of use; signallers are requested to be extra vigilant of trains passing through this area.

Birmingham New Street

Incident Level

Code unknown

Severe delays.

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Disruption due to an earlier points failure in the Aston area; disruption due to a points failure in the Soho area.

Severe congestion is being experienced to the south of New Street station, due to an earlier track circuit failure in the Proof House Junction area. This was affecting all operators with limited options to depart from New Street. In consequence, the Birmingham International shuttle has been cancelled at Birmingham International until 1005, when it will start up 2Y04 to London Euston. Passengers are advised to travel on the 0939 from Birmingham New Street and change at Birmingham International.

1J07, the delayed 0809 Arriva Trains Wales service to Aberystwyth, will be started from and call additionally at Marston Green today. Passengers should board 2C04, the 0829 service from Birmingham International to Birmingham New Street, to connect onto this train. This is due to a wrong-routing by the signaller earlier. This plan is subject to change and will be looked at by the early turn Route Controller.

Cross City services are experiencing delays of up to 30 minutes to all destinations due to an earlier train fault at Aston, and an earlier points failure in the Aston area. There are a number of cancellations and reformations taking place to recover the service; rail replacement buses are operating.

• 2N19 is 34 minutes late and will be terminated at Birmingham New Street. This service will be reformed to make 2N26, the 0855 service to Lichfield City.
• 2N23 has been restarted on time from Birmingham New Street, stopping at all stations to Longbridge.
• Further service recovery on the Cross City services is expected to ensure the resilience of the off peak services.

Services towards Wolverhampton and Walsall are delayed due to a points failure at Soho South Junction. The failure has only just occurred with the Mobile Operations Manager (MOM) currently on route. 2K13, the delayed 0807 service to Rugeley Trent Valley diverted via Soho due to the earlier track circuit failure at Proof House Junction, is delayed by the failure and is currently 12 minutes late. 2A07 will also be delayed; this train is also due to be diverted via Soho due to an earlier failure.

The CrossCountry 'hot spare' class 170 and class 220 are both available for service if required. The Virgin Trains 'hot spare' class 221 is approaching New Street and is available for service if required.

Saltley

Incident Level

Code unknown

Severe delays.

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Disruption due to congestion in the Birmingham New Street area; disruption due to congestion in the Tyseley area.

Passenger services in the Saltley area are currently disrupted by around 30 minutes due to problems in the Birmingham New Street area. These problems may have additional knock-on effects to freight services.

Cross City services between Redditch and Lichfield are severely disrupted; rail replacement buses are currently in operation. Plans are being formulated to recover the service for the off-peak period. There are currently no special instructions for Cross City services; however, to assist the Route Controllers, Signallers are requested to provide late running information of southbound services.

Northbound CrossCountry services towards Birmingham New Street are running without issue. However, services are picking up between 10 and 50 minute delays in the New Street area due to congestion. Signallers should seek to prioritise services as appropriate to allow for service recovery.

Southbound CrossCountry services from Birmingham New Street are running with delays of approximately 15 minutes due to congestion in the New Street area.

A track circuit failure in the Warwick Parkway area is delaying trains towards Leamington Spa. There is congestion in the Tyseley area in both directions due to earlier signalling problems. Priority should be given to on time services, and late running of other services reported to the Route Controller.

There are two Temporary Speed Restrictions (TSRs) in force today. The Up and Down Fast at Water Orton is subject to a 10mph TSR. The Up Slow at Whitacre Junction is subject to a 10mph TSR.

Panel allocations

Power Signal Box	Controller on duty	Panel	Signaller on duty
Saltley (SY)		South Bottom	MichaelDono (talk)
		South Top	TheTramwayGay648 (talk)
		Stratford	Jack (talk) until 21:00, then goldenarrow (talk)
		Centre	deadly (talk)
		North	Mrdannyp (talk)
Birmingham New Street (NS) Paid simulation	TC60054 (talk) host	North	Laurencec123 (talk)
		Centre
		South 1	MinionJosh (talk)
		South 2	Littlereddragon (talk)
Aston (AN)		Alrewas	Lcawte (talk)
		Lichfield Trent Valley
		Aston
Derby (DY) Reserve simulation		West
		Centre
		North
		Moira West

Timetable

The simulation is running the default 'Groundhog Day' timetable bundled with the simulatiojns, with amendments. The timetable is set on Thursday 15 October 2009, with traffic beginning at 0445. A number of amendments have been made for service recovery purposes, whilst a number of additional services have been scheduled to keep signallers on their toes.

Train running sheets have been provided for Cross City services to aid with service disruption: File:Cross City WTT 2009.pdf.

Participants

• Jarley (talk) host - Around all day, expert level, have Birmingham
• TheTramwayGay648 (talk) - Around after 4pm, beginner level, have Saltley, Derby and Aston, would prefer Saltley (anything but South Bottom panel) or Aston (have played alone - some guidance may be necessary)
• Laurencec123 (talk) - Around all day. Expert level, would prefer south 1 NS or anything X City.
• MinionJosh (talk) - Around all day, Beginnerish, No real preference on panel, Dont mind picking up Birmingham if required to assist with numbers, Will need to go AFK at 8pm for 20-30 mins or so however
• MichaelDono (talk) - All Saturday evening till after midnight if needed, decently experienced now but still cocks thing up from time to time of course.
• littlereddragon (talk) - Available all day on Saturday, Medium Experience Level, has worked Satley SB, C & N, Birmingham S 1 & 2 and Aston, able to run any other than BNS C preference for BNS S 1 or 2 or Saltley SB
• mrdannyp (talk) - Availability from 19:00 approx, maybe earlier. Been on nights, so till late. Takes me a long time to work an area out, already fathomed Saltley North to a reasonable level of competence. Otherwise fairly inexperienced.
• Goldenarrow (talk) - Available from 13:00 - 18:00 and 21:00 till after midnight. Worked most Saltley areas with a reasonable amount of experience.
• IgnoredAmbience (talk) - Exact availability times uncertain, moving into new flat. Experienced with all panels. Licences for all sims.
• deadly (talk) - Available all evening, intermediate level but not played any of these sims, no preference on which though don't have NS.
• Lcawte (talk) - Available all day (just let me know), played a fair few games. Beginner/intermediate-ish, prefer Derby. Free-sims only.
• TC60054 (talk) host
• Jack (talk) - fair amount of experience, mostly single-player. Would be keen to jump to Derby if it becomes active. No relevant payware sims
• Chiel (talk) - not much experience, no preference although something easy would be nice. Free sims only. Available until 9pm GMT.