GENERAL
  
Leicester Power Box opened in 1986 and controls 54 route miles of the Midland main line from Loughborough North Junction and Sharnbrook, interfacing with the power boxes at Trent and West Hampstead respectively. This simulation covers the busiest part of the area, between the Syston triangular junction and Wigston North Junction, 8.5 route miles.

In addition to the North-South traffic on the main line, this section is shared by traffic to and from the Peterborough line to the East, and the Nuneaton & Birmingham line to the West.

Standard BR multiple aspect signalling is in use, with Track Circuit Block working.

The area included in the simulation was originally controlled by the following mechanical boxes: Wigston North Junction, Aylestone Junction, Knighton South Junction, London Road Junction, Leicester Station, Bell Lane, Humberstone Road Junction, Thurmaston, Syston South Junction, Syston North Junction and Syston East Junction.

RUNNING LINES

Bidirectional working is available as follows:-
* Up & Down Slow, between Syston South Junction 
                        & Leicester South Junction   
* Up & Down Goods, between Humberstone Rd Junction
                        & Leicester North Junction
* Leicester station platform lines
* Up Fast/Main   ) between Leicester station 
* Down Fast/Main )       & Knighton Junction
* Up & Down Goods, between Knighton Junction
                         & Wigston North Junction
                         
Permissive working of trains of classes 1,2,3 and 5 is permitted on all platform lines.

Non-passenger trains, including ECS and light engine movements may terminate or originate from the Carriage Sidings, Dock Sidings, Loco Sidings, Needham Street, Humberstone Road Oil Sidings and Knighton South Sidings.

Freight trains scheduled to stop in the Leicester area (mainly to change crew or for pathing purposes) may use the following designated stopping places:

Up & Down Goods line at Humberstone Road, between signals 426 & 435.
Up & Down Slow line, at signal 421 (Down trains only).

The Working Timetable will show arrival and departure times for stops scheduled at these places. Additional stops for pathing purposes may be provided for in the Working Timetable, e.g. on the Up & Down Goods line at Knighton; these will be shown in the notes for the trains concerned.

TRAIN REPORTING NUMBERS

     First Character (Train Class):

           1      Express Passenger  
           2      Ordinary Passenger       	
           3      Parcels  (Max. 90 mph+)  	
           4      Freight (Max. 65 mph+)      
           5      Empty Coaching Stock     	
           6      Freight (Max. 50-60 mph)    
           7      Freight (Max. 40-45 mph)    
           8      Freight (Max. 35 mph) 		
           9      Unfitted Freight  			
           0      Light Engine             	

     Second Character (Destination):

           B      Sheffield to London St.Pancras
                   via Erewash Valley Lane
           C      London area
           D      Nottingham area        
           E      Eastern Region        
           F      Derby area
           G      Birmingham area      
           K      Stoke/Crewe area
           L      Anglia Region
           M      From another Region 
           O      Southern Region     
           S      ScotRail   
           V      Western Region       
           Z      Local Movements      

Routing is as specifed in the Working Timetable. 

Light locos and empty coaching stock proceeding to/from a booked working may carry the headcode 0 or 5, followed by the last 3 characters of the train concerned.

DESIGN COMPROMISES

Bidirectional signalling on the Up Main, Down Main and Up & Down Slow lines, is omitted south of Knighton Junction.
Additional signal (460) provided on Syston Up North Loop.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Thanks are due to P.Nadin and R. Ashmore for providing information to assist in producing this simulation.
