                                   RTC LEEDS
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INTRODUCTION
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   Leeds is the important rail centre in the north of England which is served
by InterCity expresses from Kings Cross, two Provincial Sector Trans-Pennine
routes (via Huddersfield and Halifax), and a thriving network of local services
operated by British Rail on behalf of the West Yorkshire Traffic Passenger
Executive.
   Passenger routes in and out of Leeds are shown on the accompanying Figure 1,
and in this simulation we give you an opportunity to control station operations
at Leeds during a five hour shift on a typical weekday in the late 1980s.
Conflicts will be unavoidable, and you will have to exercise your judgement to
get traffic through the system as smoothly as possible.

                                                        FIGURE 1
                                                RAIL ROUTES THROUGH LEEDS

   Please refer to the image file rtcleed1.png for routes through Leeds.


STATION LAYOUT AND OPERATING PRACTICE
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   The station layout and simplified approach trackwork is shown schematically
in Figure 2.  There are three mainline electrified platforms used by InterCity
trains (P5, P6 and P8), two Provincial Sector through platforms (P9 and P12)
and seven bay platforms, although only the five western bays (P1-P3, P7 and
P10) are used off-peak during the daytime.  There are two goods loops to the
south of P12, but we assume that freight, parcels and light engine movements
over these are the responsibility of a deputy controller and that this traffic
is fitted in by him between passenger workings.

                                             FIG2: TRACK LAYOUT

   Please refer to the image file rtcleed2.png for a plan of Leeds station.

   Station operation is complex, with all through platforms signalled for
bi-directional working.  The busiest platforms are P9 and P12 which are used by
east- and west-bound Trans-Pennine services respectively.  Locals from the
Harrogate line, from Ilkley and Skipton, and from Bradford tend to use P1-P3,
whilst those from the Huddersfield, Doncaster and Normanton lines use either
P7, P10 or the western ends of the through platforms.  Multiple platforming (ie
two trains in the same platform) is common practice, and there is often
considerable interchange of local units between duties.  To keep operations in
the simulation reasonably realistic, but at the same time not too complicated
we adopt the rather severe platform restrictions detailed in Table 1.  These
are somewhat artificial, but with a slightly modified timetable for some
Sheffield services avoids the need for multiple platforming.


                    TABLE 1    RESTRICTIONS TO PLATFORM USE
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          P1       York (via Harrogate) and Knaresborough locals.

          P2       Ilkley locals (if desperate the platform may
                   also be used by Skipton and Morecambe trains,
                   but beware of conflict with subsequent Ilkley
                   arrivals).

          P3       Bradford locals. Most Skipton and Morecambe
                   trains. Diesel multiple units for Carlisle
                   operating over the Settle and Carlisle route.

       P5,P6,P8    InterCity Kings Cross expresses plus cross-
                   country services on the NE/SW corridor.
                   Provincial services from Nottingham and
                   Sheffield (Shf) via Wakefield Westgate.

          P7       Scunthorpe and Marsden locals.

          P9       Through Provincial east-bound services.

          P10      Castleford, Knottingley and Goole locals.
                   Sheffield (Shf) service via Wakefield Kirkgate.

          P12      Through Provincial west-bound services.


WORKINGS AND MOTIVE POWER
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In general trains are referred to by their four digit reporting codes, with a
first digit of 1 denoting a mainline express and of 2 a local stopping service.
There are some empty stock (ECS) workings to and from Neville Hill depot, which
in the simulation is coded #NL.  These have first code digits of 5, and trains
arriving from the depot on the York line are to work Provincial services to
Sheffield via Wakefield Westgate and should thus be directed to one of the
mainline platforms.
   Details of motive power are given as you issue movement directives.  All
stock is identified by its British Rail TOPs number, including first generation
diesel multiple units of classes 101, 108, 110 and 111 even though in practice
formal set numbers are not carried by most units.  Class 91 "Electra"
locomotives have a prefix of * to denote that they are operating in fixed
formation high speed train sets, whilst conventional HSTs carry their ordinary
class 253 or 254 set numbers.
   Originating and destination locations of trains are given by three-letter
abbreviated codes.  Most are self-evident from the locations given on Figure 1,
but note that there are two codes for Sheffield (Shf and Sfd indicating via
Wakefield Westgate and Kirkgate respectively) and two for York (Yrk for via the
direct mainline to the east and Yor for the local service over the Harrogate
line).


TRAFFIC MOVEMENTS
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   For each input route you are given up to 15 minutes advance notification of
the next arrival, although this can be considerably shortened when trains
follow one another in.  As each working nears Leeds, the caption will change
from "due..." to "approaching..." and you can then set a path for it into the
station.  If you take no action then arrivals will first be checked, and then
eventually held, at the approach signals.  (An operating hint here: by
deliberately checking an arrival it may be possible to get a departure working
out on time which would otherwise be significantly delayed).
   The procedure for setting a route is to press the SPACE BAR (after ACCEPT on
the Spectrum) and then in response to the prompts enter the appropriate
abbreviated codes of the desired input and exit points (eg SE and P2) using the
ENTER/RETURN key (note that pressing the ENTER/RETURN key directly after either
prompt restarts the simulation without penalty and may thus be used to give
thinking time or take a break from play).  If a route is correctly requested
for a particular working, and does not conflict with routes previously set up,
then the train will be signalled in and in due course will traverse the route.
A similar procedure is followed for outgoing workings, but note that the routes
for these cannot be set until you are notified by the station staff that a
train is actually ready to depart.
   As a reminder that a route or routes are set, a small square is shown on the
appropriate side of the station until all movements on that side of the station
are complete.


GETTING STARTED
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   The program is loaded as follows:

   SPECTRUM          Type Load "" and press ENTER
   COMMODORE         Press RUN/STOP and SHIFT at the same time
   BBC (tape)        Type CHAIN "" and press RETURN
   BBC (disc)        Press SHIFT and BREAK
   AMSTRAD (tape)    Type CHAIN "LEEDS"
   AMSTRAD (disc)    Type LOAD "LEEDS" then RUN


   Having loaded the program, take note of any special traffic conditions and
then press a key as instructed and wait for the screen to fill with movement
information.  Press the SPACE BAR (after ACCEPT on the Spectrum) to give you
time to assess the situation, and then either continue through the route
setting process or let the clock tick on by pressing ENTER/RETURN (your first
decision may well be to wait for notification that the 1001
Scarborough-Liverpool in P12 is ready to depart, and then set its route out to
the Bradford (BD) line).

   The simulation runs from 1000 hrs to 1500 hrs, but until you gain experience
you may find that this requires too much concentration and so there is a
special quit option where after more than an hour's operation you can terminate
the simulation and obtain a rating of your performance.  Press q on the
Spectrum or Commodore, ESCAPE on the BBC or ESCAPE twice on Amstrad machines
for this facility.

   Good luck, and we hope that you don't give passengers too much cause for
complaint during your turn of duty as Traffic Controller at Leeds.

                   RTC LEEDS (c) 1989 A. GREENUP
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