Exeter West Box - July 23rd 1960 simulation

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This video, made on Sunday, July 10th 2016, shows part of a simulation of the traffic working through Exeter St. David's on Saturday 23rd July 1960, a very busy holiday Saturday with lots of expresses passing non-stop through the station. The box is being worked by Signalmen Peter Jordan and Bob Davies, with the assistance of 'booking boy' Chris Beck. All of the bell signals, track circuit indication lights, loco. whistles etc. are being generated from a program on the 'laptop' computer you can occasionally glimpse during the sequence.
Comparison with the original 1960 simulation video posted around 2010 will show just how much more realistic our computer simulations have become since those early days. We can now simulate operations on most of a 1960 weekday, Saturday and Sunday. We also have 'bespoke' simulation programs that are used to assist with training new box operators.
And don't forget that you can purchase the Exeter West simulation for your own computer - just go to: www.blockpostsoftware. co.uk for more details. The website for Exeter West can be found at: www.exeterwest.org.uk

Опубликовано:

9 авг 2016

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Комментарии : 8

@nickhales7738 3 года назад

I joined the railways in 1963 as telegraph boy on the platforms at Taunton station with the aim of being a signalman in due course. 2 years later, 1965, I was appointed the booking boy at Taunton West Station signal box and got to know all about rcording the endless bell codes ringing out. The most challenging times were on Summer Saturdays between 10am and 4pm, with endless expresses from and to Paddington (bell code for non stop 3-3-3) and from and to Bristol (3-3-1). On the up, 4 bells for a train to Bristol or Paddington, received a code of 2-2-2 from East Station signal box which had to be acknowledged by the West Station signalman. Never quite worked out why 2-2-2- was needed as it wasn't for down trains! I eventually became a signalman at Stonehouse Bristol Road on the Bristol to Gloucester mainline where mysteriously, the signals were upper quadrants and not lower ones - most odd. I now have a model railway based on Taunton station with the layout almost exactly as it was back in the 60's and with semaphore signals and bell signals too!!

@modelsteamers671 5 лет назад

The red levers are for Post Office trains, black for coal trains, white for milk trains etc.

@ChangesOneTim 5 лет назад

Yeah right! And the brown levers for stone trains, yellow for the daffy specials up from Cornwall....

@Shipwright1918 7 лет назад

So, I suppose all the levers have sensors of some kind to let the simulator know their position? Likewise the bells and instruments are wired into the computer, right?

@peterjordan5390 7 лет назад

That is correct. The sensors are quite clever, because we use a 'non-contact' system. Each sensor consists of a small block about half an inch square - the top of each block contains an infra-red emitter and the bottom an infra-red detector. They are mounted a short distance behind the tappet blades of the locking and are actuated by the reflection from pieces of white PVC tape attached to the tappets. I was rather sceptical about them at first, but they have proved to be amazingly reliable, and require very little attention.And yes. the bells and instruments are connected to the computer too but, when we want it, we can still work the box from the manual simulator. So we have a very flexible system that allows for differing staffing levels. At least now, with the computer, if only one person is available, we can demonstrate the box, whereas before you needed at least two people, with one In the box and the other on the manual simulator.As well as providing the information that the computer simulator needs, the sensors also operate the signal and point repeaters on the block shelf. Some levers actually work demonstration signals outside but the others all have simulated weight to give the frame a more realistic 'feel.'

@Shipwright1918 7 лет назад

+Peter Jordan Fascinating stuff! I ask because I'm wanting to build a miniature version of this sort of thing at home.

@peterjordan5390 6 лет назад

Yes, you are correct. And don't forget that you can get this very simulation for your home PC. More information at: www.blockpostsoftware.co.uk There is a demonstration of it here on 'RU-vid' entitled 'Exeter West Signalbox Simulation'