
The opening photo was taken at Cheltenham Spa St James on 25th August 1959 and shows no. 4573 with the 7.15 pm to Kingham, via Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow-on-the-Wold, a line which sadly closed in 1962.  Robert Darlaston from the 'Robert and Barbara Darlaston' collection.

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Cheltenham was a Railway Town.  At one time it boasted six stations - High Street and Lansdown from the former Midland Railway and High Street Halt, St. James' Square, Malvern Road and Cheltenham (South) & Leckhampton from the former Great Western Railway. 

The Midland main line ran from Birmingham (New Street) through High Street and Lansdown to Bristol, with a spur to Gloucester (Eastgate). The Great Western ran from Birmingham (Snow Hill) through High Street Halt and Malvern Road to Bristol, again with a spur to Gloucester (Central). It also had a branch through Cheltenham (South) via the Midland & South Western Junction Railway to Swindon (Town) and Andover Junction where it joined the Southern Railway. 

Alas, the only remaining station is Lansdown (now named Cheltenham Spa) - other stations and lines having been closed. 

This simulation is largely based upon the 1950's layouts in the Cheltenham area.  It was controlled by mechanical signalboxes with mechanical signalling throughout.  The simulation differs from the original in that 3 aspect colour light signalling has been provided in order to make it compatable with the current PC Rail programmes.  However the signalling shown has been based upon available records of the layout, signals and numbering with the following numbering sequence modifications and additions:- 

Malvern Road East - Actual numbering sequence.
Malvern Road West - Actual numbering sequence with 140 added.
Lansdown Station - Actual numbering sequence with 100 added.
Lansdown Jcn - Actual numbering sequence with 200 added.
Alston Jcn. - Actual numbering sequence with 150 added.
St. James' signalling is based upon available layout information with possible signal provision. It is not based upon any actual signalling diagrams.

Some additional signals and routes have been provided to facilitate moves which were handsignalled for shunting, run-round and coupling of locos to failures when operating in "failures" mode etc. and to adapt the layout to the PC-Rail operating programme

Platform/Siding/Stabling Capacities (in chains) are as follows:-
(1 coach = 1 loco = 1 chain and 3 goods wagons = 1 chain.)
Platform and siding lengths have been increased to allow for train composition in use up to 1961 to be accommodated within this simulation.

St. James'
Platform 1 - 11
Platform 2 - 11
Platform 3 - 11
Platform 4 - 8+3
Siding Nos. 1 & 2 - 11
Dock - 8

NOTE:- The layout at St. James was designed for arrivals to use platforms 3 and 4.  All platforms could be used for departing trains although 1 and 2 were preferred. 

Malvern Road 
Up Platform  - 18
Dn Platform  - 14
Bay Platform - 6
Goods Loop   - 15

Lansdown
Up & Dn Platforms - 14
Dn LMR Goods      - 14
Dn Goods          - 12

It should be noted that the spur associated with run round in platform 4 can accommodate only 1 loco.
It should also be noted that the position of 68 points at St. James' will affect the departure of trains from platform 1.

Through setting of the following routes is available:-
Signals/Buffer stops -
45 to 42, 45 to 146, 59 to 94

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Thanks to John Dennis, Peter Dean, Alan Sugden and Peter Mould, together with many other PC-Rail users for providing information, help, suggestions and comments and for their time spent testing this simulation.



 