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Post by Jimi on Mar 2, 2019 20:12:31 GMT
Purpose of this thread There are many sidings throughout the District Line that are used to stable trains off-peak or overnight, or to provide a means of reversing trains that need to "turn short" due to late running or line issues.
This thread will detail the various sidings we have included in the VDL route so far, and their purpose, operation and related signaling. All sidings have TS Siding markers showing the siding name and/or number and so can be used as destinations and stop-at points in a scenario.
Each reply to this thread will detail a location - hopefully in some kind of logical order :-)
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Post by Jimi on Mar 2, 2019 20:39:43 GMT
EALING BROADWAY Although there are sidings present at Ealing Broadway - 24, 25 Sidings to the east of the station, and a very short 26 Siding - these have not been is any use for service trains for some years. At one time, trains were coupled and uncoupled at EBY and 2 cars stabled in the sidings during off-peak hours. This practice ceased in the early 1970s.
While we have included the sidings in the VDL route for sake of completeness, and points exist to provide a path to them, we have removed the relevant shunt discs that used to provide access. You should consider these sidings as out of use and not include them for use in scenarios.
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Post by Jimi on Mar 2, 2019 20:52:27 GMT
ACTON TOWN There are 6 Siding roads at Acton Town that can be used for train stabling during off-peak, or to provide reversing for trains needing to turn-short; or as access to Acton Works as discussed in the Depot topic. 26 road is to the west of the station, and 21, 22, 23 roads to the east.
26 Road This siding is accessed from the WB Fast (ACT P2) platform and is located west of the station between the WB and EB fast roads. It is normally used by Piccadilly 73TS trains needing to turn short at ACT and return east, due to late running or issues on the Northfields/Heathrow or Rayners roads ahead. The train will be at a stand in P2 and starter signal WL32 will be red. The disc semaphore shunt signal will clear allowing access past WL32, proceeding a short distance down the WB fast road and then diverging right into the siding.
Once berthed, the Operator can change ends and once the siding shunt disc clears, can proceed to merge with the EB fast road towards ACT.
21, 22, 23, Roads These are accessed either from the EB fast (ACT P3) or EB slow (ACT P4) platforms and are located east of the station between the WB and EB fast roads. They are used mainly to stable off-peak Piccadilly Line trains, but can also be used as reversing sidings for Piccadilly trains needing to turn short back to Rayners or Northfields. The train will be at a stand in either P3 (starter WL87) or P4 (starter WL106) at red. The disc semaphore shunt signal will clear allowing access past the starter, diverging right onto the siding access road and then to the appropriate siding.
Once berthed, the Operator can change ends and once the color light shunt clears, can proceed to merge with the WB fast or WB slow roads towards ACT P2 or P1.
24 Road This is accessed from the WB slow road and provides access to Acton Works. See the Depots topic for details.
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Post by Jimi on Mar 2, 2019 21:29:19 GMT
HAMMERSMITH and BARONS COURT Barons Court Siding is located as the center track between the WB fast and EB fast roads between Hammersmith and Barons Court stations. It is generally used by Piccadilly Line trains to berth or turn short in either direction, although access is possible indirectly from the District WB slow road. A District (surface stock sized) train in the siding can only then proceed on the WB fast, regaining the WB slow at Acton Town; so use of this siding by District trains is unusual.
EB access
Access EB is only from the EB fast road into HAM P3, so would be expected to be used by Piccadilly trains running on the EB fast; although it *could* unusually be used by a District train that has been routed down the fast road from Acton Town. The train would be at a stand at the HAM P3 starter (WD10A) and when the shunt disc clears can proceed ahead, diverging right into the siding.
EB exit There is no EB path from the siding for surface stock trains, as the only path is onto the EB fast road. A short way ahead is the "District Train detector" that will trigger and cause any surface-sized stock to stop. Little trains (Picc services) can exit onto the EB fast road and continue through Barons Court to "the pipe" where they disappear underground towards ECT (Picc) and GRD (Picc) stations.
WB access WB access is from the WB fast road via Barons Court P2 starter WD35, but can also be attained indirectly from the WB slow road via Barons Court P1 starter WD43 diverging hard right to the WB fast and then into the siding.
WB exit The only exit is onto the WB fast road and entering HAM P2. Piccadilly trains can proceed WB fast as normal. District trains would usually regain the WB slow at ACT.
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Post by Jimi on Mar 2, 2019 22:28:32 GMT
PARSONS GREEN Parsons Green Sidings roads are located around Parsons Green station, and comprise a busy location providing off-peak and overnight stabling for up to 7 trains. Roads 21-24 are to the west of the station, and roads 25-28 are located to the east.
21-24 roads access Facing west, roads 21, 22 are to the left and roads 23,24 are to the right of the main running lines. They can be accessed from both the WB (PAG P2) road, and the EB (PAG P1) wrong-road, with paths via specific shunt signals.
WB from P2, the train is at a stand with P2 starter WF2 showing red. Shunt WF9 will clear to allow access to roads 21, 22 (nearside), or 23, 24 (offside across the running lines). Real world shunt signals include numeric theater displays showing 1...4 for the various paths. Our VDL signals do not have numeric displays, so the player Operator must look at both his scenario destination info, and then the cleared WF9 shunt to know where they will be proceeding.
WB wrong-road from P1, the train is at a stand having arrived EB with P1 starter WF38 at red. The Operator will then change ends to face west. When shunt signal WF4 clears, wrong-road access to 21, 22 roads is clear, else if WF6 also clears then access is to 23, 24 roads.
25-28 roads access These roads are to the east of the station, with (facing east) 25/27 to the left, and 28 on the right of the running rails. Of historical note, 25/27 roads were previously known as 27 top and 27 bottom as they are part of the same road. There is no 26 road.
Access to 25/27 roads is from PAG P1, with starter WF38 at red and shunt WF34 clear. Proceed EB diverging left into 25 road. If required proceed past shunt WF35 (if clear) onto 27 road and stable.
Access to 28 road is off PAG P2 wrong-road. Change ends if needed to face east. When shunt WF26 clears, proceed wrong-road a short distance and then diverge right into 28 road.
Siding exits All siding exits are controlled (in the VDL route) by a color light shunt signal, which will clear (show white) when a legal path is set and clear, based on the pathing required to follow the scenario directions.
Roads 21-24 can be routed to either the EB road into PAG P1 or wrong-road onto the WB at PAG P2 (where you would then change ends and proceed west). Note that trains out of 21/22 roads crossing over the running rails entering PAG P1 cannot enter service there as the rear of the train is fouling the points and not fully in the platform when the front of train is at the starter signal. Trains exiting 21/22 roads should therefore bypass PAG P1 and enter service at Fulham Broadway.
Roads 25/27 will exit wrong-road onto the EB road into PAG P1, change ends and proceed east.
Road 28 exits and merges with the WB road and arrives in PAG P2.
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Post by Jimi on Mar 2, 2019 23:17:43 GMT
TRIANGLE SIDINGS Triangle sidings is located in a dark covered area between Earls Count and High St Ken, and is visible as you pass through the covered sections between those stations. The name comes from the location and surrounding tracks that form a triangle between Earls Court, High St Ken and Gloucester Road.
Historically there were a total of 6 siding roads, 4 on one side of the main running rails and 2 on the other, which were used mainly to stable C69 trains and D78 on the longer of the roads (a 6-car C69 train is over a half car shorter than a 6-car D78). More recently the sidings were reduced by half with alternate roads being removed,which also removed several sets of points that were no longer needed. This provided a resulting longer set of 3 sidings in preparation for deployment of the S7 stocks.
The VDL team is debating whether to leave our route version of Triangle in its old 6-road configuration or prune it to present day 3 roads. The following description will address the 6-road layout, and will be revised if needed.
Facing west from HSK towards ECT there are 4 roads on the left side of the running rails (roads 33-36), and 2 on the right side (37/38).
33-36 roads access These roads are usually accessed from the WB track via shunt signal ED173 cleared (co-located with running signal ED174 which would show red). The train would then proceed WB and diverge left into the desired siding. An alternate path is from the EB track. A train would proceed EB into the tunnel and come to a stand at the "limit of shunt" board just prior to signal ED23. You would then change ends, and when shunt signal ED171 clears can proceed wrong road on the EB track, cross over to the WB and enter the sidings.
37/38 roads access Access is only from the EB road, proceeding to the limit of shunt at ED23, changing ends, then proceeding wrong-road on the EB until diverging right into the siding.
Siding exits All roads on either side of the running rails exit onto the WB main road towards HSK, with exit controlled by color light shunt signal.
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Post by Jimi on Mar 2, 2019 23:35:43 GMT
EDGWARE ROAD There is currently a single siding (26 road) to the south side of Edgware Road platforms, reduced from the 2 roads present some years ago (and still present in our VDL route). We may reduce our version to the current single 26 road. In either event, this siding is unlikely to be used by District Line trains (only C69 - the D78 won't fit!), but was included in our route for completeness. It is accessed from P2/3/4 WB running as far as the limit of shunt sign, changing ends, then when shunt OP32 is clear motoring wrong-road into the siding as far as the FRLs (fixed red lights). Exit would be onto the WB road when shunt OP10 clears.
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