GENERAL
  
The existing signalbox at Lime Street was installed in 1947/48. Individual signals and points are controlled by a Westinghouse frame of 95 miniature levers, with electro-mechanical interlocking between levers. Multiple aspect colour-light signals are used, with full track- circuiting.

The power box at Edge Hill was opened in 1961, with a new panel being introduced in 1985.

This simulation covers the whole of the area controlled from Lime Street, and a large part of Edge Hill Box's area. It therefore anticipates a future resignalling scheme which would supercede the existing boxes.

Significant changes have been necessary to the numbering of signals and points, but these have been kept to a minimum.

RUNNING LINES

Bidirectional working is available on all the Lime Street platform lines and the immediate approaches. Short stretches of the Down Slow and Down Chat Moss lines are used bidirectionally in the Edge Hill area.
   
Permissive working of trains of classes 1,2,3 and 5 is permitted on all Lime Street platform lines.

Terminating, orginating and stopping points for non-passenger trains are:-
	
   Edge Hill C.S.:    	    E.C.S.
   Tuebrook C.E. Sidings:  	Freight 
   Lime Street station:	   	E.C.S. 
   Wapping Sidings:         Freight
   Up & Down Through Sdgs:  Freight
   Any of the above:        Light Locos 
   	
Note that the scale used on the track diagram is not uniform.

PLATFORMS

In general, the platforms at Lime Street are used as follows:-
   
London trains use platforms 7 and 8. Platforms 1-4 are usually used for local trains to and from Wigan/Preston/St Helens and Manchester Victoria (which includes trains to/from Leeds/York). Platforms 5 and 6 are used for cross-country trains to/from East Anglia, the North East and Wales. Platform 9 is used for most other services - to Crewe, and the occasional long-distance trains to the South or Scotland, plus local trains to/from Warrington.
   
The capacities of platforms are as follows:
    
         Platform         No. of Coaches
   			 
            1                   13
            2                   12
            3                   12
            4                   13
            5                   13
            6                   15
            Pcls                10
            7                   15
            8                   15
            9                   15

          Siding           No. of Coaches
                     
           'A' (#20)             6
           'B' (#21)             5
           'D' (#22)             6

            # = Buffer stop number for route setting
     (Note lengths may differ a little from the prototype)

ELECTRIFICATION

All lines in the controlled area are electrified (25kV AC overhead), but note that electric trains may not proceed on the Chat Moss Lines beyond Edge Hill, except for access to Tuebrook Sidings, as the OHL ends at Bootle Branch Junction, 0.6 miles from Edge Hill. 

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):
    
           A/B    London
           C      Carlisle
           D      Chester/North Wales
           E      Eastern Region
           F      Liverpool
           G      Birmingham
           H      Manchester South
           J      Manchester North
           K      Crewe
           M      L.M. Region (from another Region)
           N      Preston/Blackpool
           O      Southern Region
           P      Pullman services
           S      Scottish Region
           V      Western Region 
           
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.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
  
Much of the credit for this simulation should go to George and Derek Birchall, two Liverpudlians, who have devoted very many hours to its development and testing. Their enthusiasm and dedication have been crucial in its successful completion.
