CHESTER

This simulation is based on the layout existing during the 1950s and early 1960s.  Some signals and sidings have been omitted for clarity, but do not detract from the operation of the system.

Chester was a major junction and still is the gateway to North Wales and the Wirral Peninsular.  It was at its busiest on Summer Saturdays, when many excursions from all over the country converged on the North Wales Coast and most needing to pass through Chester.

Freight traffic between the Birkenhead area and the South was considerable, due to the Port, Shipbuilding and Oil Refineries, with all except the Western Region traffic requiring to pass through Chester station itself.  Even on Summer Saturdays, there were a considerable number of freights passing through the area.  Only on Sundays did the volume of freight traffic almost dry up, as will be seen in the Standard Timetable.

Chester had two stations - General, depicted here and Northgate which was slightly West of Chester No 6 Signalbox and South of the Slow lines.  The tracks crossed the North Wales lines just west of Signals 352 and 354 and then crossed the Birkenhead lines near the Junction at Chester No.5 Signalbox.  It served the former Cheshire Lines Committee and Great Central lines in the area and was closed on 6 October 1969.

General Station is now but a shadow of its former glory and has only eight platforms, three through (as before) and five bays (former platforms 3, 6, 7, 11 and 12).  The GW MPD was closed in April 1960 and the site has now been used for a new Train Maintenance Depot.  The former LM MPD was closed on 5 June 1967 and was subsequently demolished and the site cleared.  Mold Junction MPD closed on 18 April 1966, but the building survives in private use.
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Startup Picture

The startup photo is of Britannia 4-6-2 No.70047 on the Up weekday, daytime "Irish Mail" awaiting its 15:17 departure from Platform 10 in August 1956.  The photo was taken by my father, Norman Dean.
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Operational Notes

The Up and Down fast lines passing behind the station are transposed from the expected direction, necessitating crossing each other at both ends of the station.  This could be a major operating problem at busy periods and when trains were running late.  On Summer Saturdays, special permission was given to use the Up Goods for Passenger trains under the Absolute Block System, which alleviated the problem considerably.  Also the operation of the Coal Sidings is difficult, with most movements requiring reversal at No.355 shunt signal at Chester No.6 SB.

Western Region trains using the Up and Down GW Main Lines must use the Slow Lines between Chester No.6 and Saltney Junction SBs.  LM Region trains generally used the Fast Lines between these two SBs.

The GW MPD did not have a turntable within the Depot area and locos were turned on a turntable within the triangle or were turned by using the triangle.  The Turntable Sidings had watering facilities and could hold up to four locos simultaneously.
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Electrification

At the date of the simulation, none of the lines were electrified.
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Stopping Points

All Stations are designated stopping points for all types of trains.  In addition the Chester Bypass and Shunt Spurs at the East end of Chester Station are designated Stopping Points.

The 'Location' shown as "Shunt Area" in the timetable is at the East (Crewe) end of the station and includes the Headshunt, Shunt Point (between Signals 657 and 659) and the Shunt Spur. The Train notes show which area the train should use.  Note that the "Shunt" command must not be used for such movements as the termination of the train will not be recognised and it will not redescribe for its next move.
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Timing Points

Saltney Jcn Nos 303, 307, 310, 323 and 326 Signals are Timing Points for all classes of train.
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Platform and Siding Lengths

All lengths are shown in 'Unit Lengths' which represent one coach or locomotive.  One unit will accommodate three wagons and Freight trains are in multiples of three wagons.

Chester Station
Dock ... ... ... 12
Platform 1 . ...  8 (13 to Sig 461)
Platform 2 . ...  8 (12 to Sig 459)
Middle Siding .. 13
Platform 3 . ...  8 (12 to Sig 456)
Platform 4 . ...  9 \ 4 and 5 = 23
Platform 5 . ... 11 /
Dn Main E .. ... 15 \ DME and DMW = 31
Dn Main W .. ... 13 /
Platform 6 . ... 10
Platform 7 . ... 10
Platform 8 . ...  8
Platform 9 . ...  8 \ 9 and 10 = 22
Platform 10  ... 11 /
Up Main E .. ...  9 \ UME and UMW = 30
Up Main W .. ... 15 /
Platform 11  ...  9
Platform 12  ...  9
Platform 13E ... 10 \ Full length = 20
Platform 13W ... 10 /
Up Fast . .. ... 26
Dn Fast . .. ... 26
Up Goods ... ... 26
Headshunt .. ...  7
Shunt Point. ...  2 (used for locos only)
Shunt Spur . ... 15

Mollington . ...  7

Upton .. ... ...  8

Saltney Ferry .. 15

Saltney GW .. ... 8

Abbreviations used for the Stopping and Timing points which may shown in the WTT are:

B - Bypass
C - Centre Siding
F - Saltney Ferry 
J - Saltney Junction
L - Brook Lane
M - Mollington
N - Shunt Area (East end of Chester Station)
S - Saltney (GW)
U - Upton
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Acknowledgements

This simulation was developed by Peter Dean, using Copyright software provided by John Dennis, Proprietor of PC-Rail.
Testing of the operation of the completed simulation was carried out by members of the PC-Rail testing team, whose diligence and comments were gratefully received.

Note that the Version number and date of the simulation is shown in the "Help" menu of the simulation under "About PC-Rail".
