A formal approach to railway signalling

Abstract

A mathematical model of the railway signaling rules used in the United Kingdom is presented as an example of the application of formal methods to the design of high-integrity computer equipment. A theory which can be used to specify a general railway network and the proving of the safety of routes within that network has been constructed by use of higher order logic (HOL). The HOL system and the railway signaling model are reviewed. Representation of rail networks and route finding and proving are discussed.<>