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witherbrow

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  1. witherbrow
    Afternoon all
     
    I've been jiggering about with the track plan seeing what I can do to it in the space I have. Looking at my spare room 4FT by 4FT may just be over the limit on what I can do with the space in there. It's still a do-able plan but I've been looking into an alternative and I think I may have it in the form of 5ft by 2ft.
     
    The new plan is still based on the old circle but has a much smaller off scene storage siding (not to fussed about this to be honest). I've decided to try and make the location in outer London , as a small suburban branch, the reason for this is more the fact I just bought two aec single deck LT red buses off ebay and I quite like them
     

     
    just to run this image down
     
    the blue bit will be the general town scape and station buildings, the red line is the platform, grey is just general goods yard area, and green is - well grass really possibly I will dig out a building to represent a telephone exchange if they were around then (1960's)
     
    I'm looking into two foamcore boards for the baseboard top which gives me an excuse to go to hobbycraft
     
    The beard scratching continues....
     
    Regards - LB
  2. witherbrow

    4ft square layout

    By witherbrow,

    Hello All
     
    I've done little apart from collecting stock and working on scenarios and routes for the simulator in the past three years, oh I've also moved twice and got married
     
    Anyway I found myself picking up this months model rail as all my book are still in boxes and stumbled across an article on the 4ft square peco setrack layouts. I've been bitten by this article and a spark of enthusiasm seems to have returned, albeit with a cautious head. At the moment I've been researching track and Baseboards, realizing that 4 1ft square foamcore boards 2/3 layers thick would be a good solution for cheap start, a standard timber frame with plywood top would be better meaning I'm going to have to practice my carpentry!
    Regarding the track I've found that this plan can be done with either Peco or Hornby, as its from the peco book though I'm going to stick with peco. I'm leaning more towards Insulfrogs, as when last bought an electrofrog it came with loose wires and my knowledge stops at buying the point really. Although as the smallest loco i'll be running is a 0-6-0 pannier i think it will cope fine over insulfrogs
     
    Without further ado - a track plan
     

     
    I'm aiming a small country terminus nothing fancy, something nice to look at really. As I say I'm thinking hard about this one as I dont want to be at home to mr cockup!
     
    Regards - LB
  3. witherbrow
    Managed to finish the seaside town of Kirrin on the route, fairly happy with my work although i do have another 39 miles of work to do
     
    The seaside town of Kirrin was originally a town where cargo ships would berth and exchange goods. These days all goods are sorted at the rail served depot just outside of Ford Road and the docks have been taken over by a pleasure boat company that hires boats out for holidays and provides ferry trips. The town itself is still growing albeit slowly, and its small but sandy beach is becoming very popular with tourists.
     

     
    Kirrin station (i am aware of the 'flooding' on the left and will get that sorted)
     

     
    The town of Kirrin looking from the old docks
     

     
    The rail line out of Kirrin passing the pleasure boat yard
     
    hope you like my first finished town next down the line is the villiage of Finniston complete with a castle!
     
    https://www.facebook.com/Lordbickerstaffsrailsimexploits
  4. witherbrow
    I've been rather quiet on here recently, mostly because I'm sorting out my wedding and work is rather busy, but also because I've been investing a lot of time in Train simulator 2013.
     
    As you may gather from my other blogs I've been making scenarios for the game that get hosted online via a platform called Steam.
    I've made a fair few more which are available for download too and I've put them all in a collection available here: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=116139080
     
    Unfortunately Steam cannot take anything that has been created outside of it, this is mainly third party free and payware which is absolutely brilliant! I can add much more realism to the trains and routes with different wagons and livery's
    Anyway short story is I'm still making scenarios for this sim only they are hosted by a website now, still free to download and much more realistic. I will post details of them in my next entry.
     
    Lastly i'm undertaking the 'laborious' task of building a route from scratch which when finished should have a good 30-45 miles of track to run on. I've laid the branch line and have begun to detail the terminus station called 'Kirrin' here's a teaser:
     

     
    lots more to do!
     
    If you have facebook you can follow my page which tends to get updated daily : https://www.facebook.com/Lordbickerstaffsrailsimexploits
     
    Until next time!
  5. witherbrow
    yes that is a rather dramatic title! - my ninth scenario sees us back on the WCML but in winter with rather bad weather.
    its been snowing hard in the area and many turbostar units are struggling, luckily Scotrail have been able to borrow some plough equipped 37's and virgin coach stock to cover some journeys.
     
    even stars fall
     
    Vehicle: EWS class 37 + 4 virgin MK3
    Route: WCML
    Add On Packs Used: WCML, Settle - Carsile, class 170
     
     
    starting at Larkhall you are driving all stops two Glasgow central, along the way you will pass little traffic - a couple of turbostars and another 37 on relief work. when you get to newton (and the main line) you are held up by a passing HST but not for long, you get going again and at cambuslang you find out a point on the fast line has failed so it a diversion down the slow lines from here. again traffic is light only a few HST's and a 158 before you pull into Glasgow Central.
     




     
    my next scenario? i dunno i feel like a bit of shunting
     
    on another note steam workshop arrives on the 20TH of september so i can upload everything for people to download yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  6. witherbrow
    my eighth scenario is again based on the portsmouth direct line but sees you driving a BR Blue 33 rather than a MU - based on the Bristol-Portsmouth trains this scenario sees you driving from Cosham to Portsmouth Harbour
     
    around the corner
     
    Vehicle: BR Blue 33 + 5 MK1's
    Route: Portsmouth Direct Line
    Add On Packs Used: Portsmouth direct line + Class 33 + Class 455 + Class 423 (4-VEP)
     
     
    starting at a chilly Cosham you pick up passengers and head to Fratton, along the way you pass several 455's and 423's - the run is fairly simple no drama all you need to do is observe the speed limits and stop at the stations listed
     

    the station throat at Portsmouth Harbour
     

    unloading Passengers at Portsmouth Harbour
  7. witherbrow

    private siding

    By witherbrow,

    afternoon all
     
    building on a comment from the previous entry I've added another siding to the plan, just to see what it looks like mind as I fear I may be filling the board with track.
    I imagine this being a private siding for the local brickies/cement yard maybe even for the towns prize cattle?
     
    I feel I have the track plan near enough sorted, baseboard plans are done and permission from SWMBO has been obtained. All I need to do is finalize this plan and set a location/theme for the layout then I can crack on
     
    Any opinions on this plan are most welcome
     

     
    As you can see the extra siding is down to the right hand corner, it would add another shunting move and require a run around the wagons. I imagine it to be fenced off from the rest of the railway as it's privately owned
     
    Regards - LB
  8. witherbrow
    I Have Managed to make progress on two stations these past few days: Finniston and Finniston Halt.
     
    Finniston is a small village along the branch line, that is only made up of a row of houses and shops on one road. Most of the land is under the ownership of the Finniston family who own the local farm, the skyline is dominated by Finniston castle and (due to monetary trouble) a wind farm.
     

     
    Finniston halt was built as a place for tourists to enjoy the boating lake and is still open today albeit with the bare minimum of facilities.
     

     
    Obviously i still have a lot more to do - mainly its just scenery and signals to do but i also hope to do a bit more fine tuning before the V1 release
     
    Regards - Ash
  9. witherbrow
    Like i said shunting is the theme of this one
     
    were back on the port road in BR blue and, just like the morning shuffle scenario Kirkcudbright is a hive of activity with oil traffic. you are to assemble a train ready for departure made up of full and empty tanks including a trio of aviation fuel tanks.
     
    Moving The Tanks
     
    Vehicle: BR Blue 08 + TTA's
    Route: Port Road
    Add On Packs Used: Port Road, Up The Junction, Class101
    in this scenario you start off in the station complex at Kirkudbright and have to assemble a 14 wagon rake along with a brake van and box van at either end, theres not much traffic apart from a 101 that leaves in the early stages of the scenario and a 37 in the engine shed. once assembled in the right order you stable the 08 in a siding job done!
     
     
     

    bringing some tanks from the Petroleum plant
     

    Passengers are wondering why they cant get on this one
     

    behold the rake in all its glory!
     
    so Ten scenarios a milestone you could say - as previously mentioned Steam Workshop is coming soon so everything ive blogged will be available to download and ill be able to download other peoples work! 9im hoping someone makes the LTS route) i thought id let you know my steam username - lordbickerstaff - add me if you would like to download any scenarios or even if you just want to play a game or two - just got dirt showdown which is lots of fun!
    hope to see some of you online -
     
    Ash
  10. witherbrow

    Ive Gone Digital

    By witherbrow,

    afternoon all!
     
    with the drawers still in progress ive moved onto something a bit more 'space saving'
     
    for those of you who don't know there is a game/rail simulator out there called railworks, in the game there are several different routes and engines for you to experience, best of all is the scenario editor. with this tool you can select any route and any Loco, create a scenario to complete and place as much AI as you want.
     
    Ive been playing around with it and loosely followed a tutorial i found online ive made two and a half scenarios so far:
     
    Back to Basics - drive a 377 EMU from London Road to Brighton
     
    Corporate Colours - drive a NSE 47 from Exeter to Bridgwater calling at Taunton in the height of summer
     
    Sunshine Coast - drive an 8 car 377 from London Victoria to Haywards Heath calling at Clapham, East Croydon, and Gatwick - although this is only 25% done as there is a fault with the software
     
    i have a few more in the pipeline including a four part scenario spread across 3 different routes and another that i break down in to parts too
     
    i am hoping to either distribute these scenarios on Pirate bay using the package manager or wait until steam releases its workshop so i can share them there
    throughout my modern scenarios there is a reacurring theme (well train) but you will have to wait for that
     
    im hoping to put more details up soon
     
    regards - Ash
  11. witherbrow
    managed to make quick progress on this one! also im quite happy that ive managed to finish making a scenario using a 377 unit (railworks still haven't fixed the bug need to get it done grrrr)
     
    anyway in this scenario you drive a 4 car 377 in the pouring rain from warblington to Portsmouth Harbor stopping at all stops along the way. traffic on this route is predominantly Southern 377's and SWT 450's a fairly easy drive of about 20 mins but good fun.
     
    all aboard to pompy
     
    Vehicle: 4 car 377
    Route: Portsmouth Direct Line
    Add On Packs Used: Portsmouth direct line + London - Brighton
     
     
     

    Guess Where i am?
     

    This is What Happens When you dont use your wipers!
     

    i never seen an empty 377 carriage before!
     
    a small note: im not sure if warblington station would be built up if other players use this route as when you get this pack its just two platforms - i had to build the station in for my scenario
  12. witherbrow
    wow two entries in 1 day
     
    well this last scenario was quite quick and easy!
     
    This last Scenario in my Port road Series takes place in 2010 using a 2-car 158
     
    The Port Road has seen its popularity rise and fall in the past 60 years - it had started as a simple passenger line to a busy route transporting many workers and gallons of oil. at present it is little more than a branch line served mainly by 2-3 car 158 DMU's, Fortunately a group of enthusiasts managed to gain ownership of the single track line from Kirkcudbright to Castle Douglas turning it into a preserved railway using Kircudbright as a base of operations. the national rail network still serves this line with an hourly service formed of a 2-car 158.
     
    Vehicle: Northern Rail 2-Car 158
    Route: The Port Road
    Add On Packs Used: The Port Road, Class 101, Up the junction, 57xx, Hatchet Hill, Settle Carsile
     
     
    your task in this scenario is to drive the 158 all stops from Castle Douglas to Kirkcudbright, as the scenario starts you are kept waiting by a steam special coming off the branch, this is the only other moving train in this scenario from here its a straight run to kirkcudbright and the preserved stock stabled there.
     

    meeting a kettle at Douglas
     

     

    the Preserved stock at Kirkcudbright
     
    im looking into what i want to do next possibly something on the portmouth line? london-brighton is still playing up so i cant do anything on that front till its fixed
  13. witherbrow
    Morning all
     
    its been a struggle but ive finally finished my 5th scenario
    again its on the Port Road line but its a lot longer and there's more stops! i had lots of trouble with the software saying trains would crash and not setting signals right but after a bit of tweaking ive managed to get something together.
    ive based this scenario on the fact passenger and oil traffic have increased significantly and the railway has now started running 5 car semi fast services aswel as the 3 car shuttles seen in scenario 4
     
     
    Vehicle: BR Blue/Grey 5 car 101
    Route: The Port Road
    Add On Packs Used: The Port Road, Class 101, Up the junction
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Starting off at Dumfries you have a slight wait before setting off to Kirkcudbright, whilst loading passenger a 47 on freight passes by and a 5 car 101 pulls into the platform next to you. finally your passengers are on board but there is an issue with the signals! you have to request permission to pass the red light and leave at your booked time of 10:32, as you pull out you are overtaken by a 37 on passenger duties, from here its onwards to Kirkcudbright stopping at Maxwell town, Southwick, Dalbeattie, and castle Douglas. on the way you are passed mostly by 5 car 101's until you get on the approach to Castle Douglas, here you find out that another set of signals have malfunctioned! again you have to request to pass these, which you are granted and once you have collected passengers at Douglas you are the on a single track to Kirkcudbright
     



     
    this last one is just a bit of fun - a little texture loading issue!

  14. witherbrow
    evening everyone
     
    introducing my fourth scenario running on the single track branch from Kirkcudbright to Castle Douglas set in 1958-62. driving one of the two 101's that operate on the branch all stops and running back. i intend to make two moore scenarios in much the same way as this one - its one of my 'scenario series' - a nice simple scenario which will be made much better when railworks update the 101 to take advantage of rain effects (in this run its raining hard)
     
    Morning Shuffle
     
    Vehicle: BR Green 3 car 101
    Route: The Port Road
    Add On Packs Used: The Port Road + Class 101 + Settle-Carsile
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    You are in charge of a 3 car 101 running all stops from Kirkcudbright to Castle Douglas, where you will switch ends and make the same journey back as you sit in a very wet Kirkcudbright a green 37 is ticking over in the adjacent siding waiting for a clear path to the engine shed. There is little traffic on the line apart from the branches other 101 set which is sitting in a loop waiting for you to pass, as you come to Douglas you are held up by a red signal - a few minutes later a class 47 with 5 maroon MK1's slides by on its way to Stranrear. Having picked up passengers at Douglas you head back in the same direction, again a very traffic free journey it is only when you get to Kirkcudbright you see the Branches other 101 set has moved to a stabling siding and the 37 is now in the shed. you drop off your passengers and stable your unit - time for tea!
     

    on the way to Bridge of Dee station
     
    next scenario? we will see i need to make some more
  15. witherbrow
    Evening all
     
    just finished my third scenario ' There and back again'
     
    Vehicle: First Scotrail 3 car 170
    Route: WCML north
    Add On Packs Used: Class 31 + HST set + WCML North + Settle - Carsile
     
    in this scenario you are in charge of a First Scotrail 170 driving from Glasgow central to Newton, where you have to change ends and run back to Glasgow. - you start off picking up passengers at Glasgow, as you run out of the station you pass another 170 and in the distance the rote 66 tour snakes in, all whilst racing a Grand central HST. As you come up to Polamide depot you will see stabled 158's and pass a few more 170's and an east coast HST, you are then held at a signal just before the turn off to newton to let the GC HST you were beating ahead. Once given the go you proceed to Newton stopping at Cambuslang, at your destination you use the reverse siding to change ends and make the journey back - again stopping at cambuslang. There is a decent amount of traffic on this route both freight and passenger, and i find sometimes you may get held up by yellows on the return trip - but that makes it more fun!
     

    Being overtaken by a GC HST
     

    Changing Ends at Newton
     
    A quick edit: Destination LCD's have been changed from 'not in service' to there respective destinations now
     
    next scenario should be Morning Shuffle
  16. witherbrow
    Afternoon all
     
    my second scenario in my series of railworks creations is called corporate colours.
     
    Set in 1992 when NSE and Intercity were in power your in charge of a semi fast NSE loco hauled train from Exeter st Davids to Bridgwater stopping at taunton only
     
    the scenario starts with a 3 minute wait at Exeter to let An HST get some space ahead of you - there are two arrivals into the station in front of you, another HST and a 166 unit also as the HST set slides past you a 166 set sneaks up behind you in the next platform. When you do get going your chasing yellows for a while, ive deliberately put lots of AI coming in the opposite direction to keeps things interesting mostly its made up of 166 units but there are also a few HST's another loco hauled NSE service and a short freight. A fair bit longer than my first scenario but still good fun
     
    Corporate Colours
     
    Vehicle: NSE 47 + 5 NSe MK"'s
    Route: Bristol-Exeter
    Add On Packs Used: Class 31 + NSE Class 47 + HST set + Bristol Exeter
     
    the scenario starts with a 3 minute wait at Exeter to let An HST get some space ahead of you - there are two arrivals into the station in front of you, another HST and a 166 unit also as the HST set slides past you a 166 set sneaks up behind you in the next platform. When you do get going your chasing yellows for a while, ive deliberately put lots of AI coming in the opposite direction to keeps things interesting mostly its made up of 166 units but there are also a few HST's another loco hauled NSE service and a short freight. A fair bit longer than my first scenario but still good fun
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

     
    at exeter with a 166 sneaking up in the next platform
     

    passing an intercity on route to Taunton
     
    next up should be there and back again
  17. witherbrow
    evening all this is my first blog entry covering the scenarios im making for Railworks 3 - im hoping that when steamworkshop comes to the game i can upload them for other people to enjoy ill be posting details of the scenarios when i finish them. ive been using google and rmweb for research, but i must stress these scenarios are not prototypical there for fun! so they have lots of traffic and tend to give more of a fun experience rather than realistic.
     
    Ive made scenarios before but not for a while so i thought id do something simply to break back in to scenario creation
     
    Back To Basics
     
    Vehicle: Southern 3 car 377
    Route: London Brighton
    Add On Packs Used: London-Brighton + Settle-Carsile
     
    Back to basics see's you driving a Southern 3 car 377 from London Road over to Brighton nice and simple! As you load passengers at London Road another 3 car 377 approaches on the way to Lewes, as you get over the bridge a host of 377 units are stabled in the sidings become visible, and as you roll through Montipeller junction the Route 66 Railtour slinks by. finally you pull into Platform 8 and open your doors Job Done!
     
    as you can tell a very simple scenario with a bit of traffic - the route 66 tour features in all my modern scenarios as a sort of 'Easter Egg'
     

     
    Pulling into Platform 8
     
    my next scenario is Corporate Colours and i should be able to post that in a few days
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