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Annie's Virtual Pre-Grouping, Grouping and BR Layouts & Workbench


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Oh dear.  For some reason I hadn't come across the Kirkronan website before, but I do recognise many of the locomotives as being made by a creator that makes mostly Ok locomotives, but is really super careless and untidy when it comes to dependencies for anything he makes available.  The LNWR locos in particular took a lot of messing around to get them to work.  From memory it's mainly missing cab interiors that stop the LNWR locos working.  With others it will be stupid things like whistle sound files or engine sound files that are stopping them working.

 

In the Content Manger find the main file for the non-working locomotive.  Click on it and you'll get a dropbox.  If 'error and warnings' isn't greyed out click on that and you may get a message that tells you that the item is a Trainz Build Number that's not recognised.  Depending on whether you've upgraded or not your build number should be 2.9 or 3.1.  Work your way down to 'Edit' and select from the menu 'Edit in Explorer'.  You'll get a folder pop up with all the files for the item. Look for the 'Config' file and open it.  It's a text file written in ASCII and if you've go any doubts about messing it up take a backup copy in Notepad and save it (how do I know this?).

Look for the build number.  If it's 3.2, 3.5, 3.7 or whatever that's why it not working.  Change it to 2.9 if you're not sure of your build number and save.

 

While you're in the config file go back to the item in content manager, click on it again and look for 'dependencies'.  You will get a box come up showing all the dependencies that are loaded into the game and working.  Anything that's still KUID file numbers isn't present.  Compare the config file KUID numbers with the dependency list and you will be able to identify what's missing.  Sometimes if you're lucky the missing dependency will be available from the Download Station.  Other times it won't be and in the case of 'Mr Careless' I mentioned earlier finding anything of his in the way of missing dependencies is a pain.  For things like whistle/engine sounds and cab interiors substituting something else is fine.  The only way I could get the Precursor tank engines to work in the end was to give then N2 cab interiors.  I've lost count of how many times I've had to fix locomotives and rolling stock before I could use them, but it just seems to be all part of using freeware content for Trainz.

 

One big problem I've found is sometimes someone has used dependencies from let us say Joe Bloggs freeware site and the only problem is Joe Bloggs freeware site does exist anymore.  More recently I've found TS2009 content with TS2010 or TS2012 dependecies and of course that isn't going to work until the dependencies are fixed.  Yes it's all a pain in the fundament, but it is possible to win through and get stuff fixed.  I think only twice out of a whole lot of downloads have I had to give up and flag something away.  If you really get stuck get back to me Sem and I'll see what I can do to help.

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The other thing I should mention is that nearly all the stuff on the Kirkronan site will be in a complex texture format that's a real memory hog and all of it will be slow to load into the simulator.  With some things I was able to reduced the resolution of the files without affecting the appearance of the digital models.  Some models will have a weird shine to them or parts of them that is due to texture layering that hasn't been done properly.  Most of the models that are like that I don't run anymore or replaced them when I found something better.  I'm not saying they're all bad and the guy who made these models plainly has talent, but he really should have a closer look at how he's putting his models together, - not to mention actually making sure those who download anything of his don't have to play hide and seek all over the internet looking for dependencies.

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In between sleeping lots I've been quite predictably running my new NER Atlantics on the layout.  Slightly tricky little beggars to drive and operating the brakes has to be done just right or they overshoot where you want to stop by miles.  That's Ok though because locos with set and forget controls can end up being a bit boring after a while.  The GNR Atlantics I've got tend a little towards being of the 'set and forget' type, but still very nice to play engine driver with.  Keeps you on your toes though with switching between the two though.

 

daZi5FF.jpg

 

As I like NER engines I'll most probably add to their numbers on the layout.  The only other LNER group passenger locos I have are Claud Hamiltons which are fast, but slippy and a bit light on their feet.  And I do have GNR No.1 which as a single driver requires a sensitive hand to get the best from her.  An absolute hoot to drive though if you excuse the expression.  But despite these distractions it's most probably best if I try to focus on the NER as glorious mixtures from all over aren't exactly prototypical.

Though the question of how ex-NER or soon to be ex-NER locomotives might be found to be working a timetabled train from a GWR station is anybody's guess  erwBbdb.png

Edited by Annie
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Genuine pre-grouping screenie.  A small station on my very much WIP Broad Gauge layout.  Looks like it might rain.

 

2ObwGk9.jpg

 

Not fabulously keen on SG GWR even though I've got a GWR section on the HUGE UK layout, but I do like the Broad Gauge GWR era.

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More Broad Gauge.  'Bulkeley' at one of the stations on my WIP Broad Gauge layout.  Essentially I took a basic SG GWR layout downloaded from Auran's download station and converted it to Broad Gauge.  I'm working on the idea that the Broad Gauge lasted until the Grouping and wasn't obliterated converted in 1892.  Motive power might be a problem though as the bulk of what is available for the Broad Gauge is for the early period and it would be nice to have some of the late period convertible locomotives which nobody has made any digital models for.

 

2TJkiS1.jpg

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Sleepy today, but managed to play trains for a bit.  I downloaded an LNER and a GWR layout by the same maker from the Download Station, both being of the country-railway-knock-yourself-out-with-nostagia variety.  Lovely scenic work and really quite a delight to play trains on.

 

The nice thing about the GWR is that nobody can tell if it's pre-group era or not (Including me sometimes).  Later on the engines got longer with windows in the cabsides and the coaches didn't have panelling, but apart from that it's impossible to tell.

0IT8hQg.jpg

 

zXXK4qk.jpg

 

And now the LNER layout.  Yes the locomotive could have been blue since I have Clauds in both blue and green, but with the ex-GCR coaches the only change was they got LNER transfers on their varnished teak instead of GCR ones.

dLSOy9g.jpg

 

HFAKz5R.jpg

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A small victory of which I'm very proud.  I used the Pevsoft range of tools today along with AssetX to correct problems with a locomotive that wouldn't load properly into the TS2009 Content Manager.  It was an ex-GCR 9F 0-6-2 tank engine, later designated N5 by the LNER.  It's in BR black with the early 'cat on a mangle' totem, but since I don't do this modern image stuff I'll most probably sort it into LNER black until I know more about it.

It's a Freeware locomotive from Darlington Works and for some reason Cameron Scott (the maker) has provided files for 14 different members of the class.  I certainly don't need that many!  They seem to have got around a bit and were mainly used on shunting and trip working, though they did see some passenger service work too.

https://www.lner.info/locos/N/n5.php

 

 

desktop-screenshot-2018-01-23-16-07-46-9

 

I don't especially need an ex-GCR tank engine when I'm trying to concentrate on the NER, but they do look to be a useful sort of engine so I'll most probably keep it on.

 

I downloaded a TS2004 layout called Valleyfields LNER the other day (mentioned above) which is built according to an entirely different approach to mine, being intended to be viewed over the hedgerows from footplate level and taken in that way it really does work.  I've got Robinson RODs running about on it at the moment hauling coal so perhaps the 9F (N5) can join them over there.

 

yNQrp8A.jpg

Edited by Annie
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The Content Manager wouldn't load in the largest texture which is named 'black'.  I used Pevsoft's textureTXT to create the missing .texture file that the Content Manager refused to create and after that all was fine.  'black' is a big file though even if it is a .jpg and I'm thinking I might reduce it so the loco isn't so much of a memory hit.

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What with finding more GER digital models it looks like the Valleyfields layout might end up changing to a royal shade of blue.  Some of the station buildings and most of the signal boxes are GER so I might as well keep on going with it.  The NER Atlantic is just visiting so it can have a run about and won't be staying by the way as the Atlantics like my other NER engines normally live on my HUGE UK layout.

 

It looks like there will be some Great Central traffic on Valleyfields as well.  Being completely new to any thoughts of representing either the GER or the GCR I don't really know how that might've come about.  Certainly the Robinson 2-8-0 8K (O4) locomotives seem to have made themselves at home on the meandering single track secondary line on this layout so if I name the double track main route as being GER I suppose that should serve well enough until I get a better idea of things.

 

On the GCR side I'll most probably buy a Pom Pom 0-6-0 from Darlington Works to round out the loco stud and while there are some very nice GCR express passenger engines available from Darlington Works and Paulz Trainz I won't get them as they aren't a good fit for a secondary line.

 

rtAEQ6m.jpg

Edited by Annie
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This is the trouble with 'inventing' a freelance pre-gouping livery - chances are (if it's a good one) one of the real companies used it. Both yourself and Nile appear to have thought 'Blue & White coaches - they're different' and forgot about the Furness! Nile even forgot about them for his loco livery, and it seems that the GER slipped your mind!

 

Even my Green/Cream coaches (For whichever freelance scheme I eventually do!) are the same as those employed on the West Norfolk and similar to those on the Maryport & Carlisle. The Green locos are also close to the later GWR Livery.

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Ah yes the joys of freelance liveries.  As Sem says the good ones all seem to be taken and even some of the bad ones too.  Two of the GCR 9F (N5) tank engines pictured above were sold to the West Lancashire Railway in 1894 and painted purple so really just about any livery you might think of has certainly been tried before.

And speaking of freelance lines here's No.4 from my own Grand Navigation Joint Railway (GNJt.R) at Bluebell Woods on the Valleyfields line.  The coach is ex-GER reworked 'litho' style into a fairly pleasant tan and brown livery.  A very simple digital model, but they do look reasonably nice in a train.  So far I've done a 1st and 3rd and a brake third coach and I have a couple more to do before I have a complete set.

 

flwEiZJ.jpg

 

37aKBZE.jpg

 

The GNJt.R and its coach liveries would no doubt cause a railway historian to tear their hair as they've been several experimental liveries that were tried out on various of the older coaches the company owns.  This tends to make GNJt.R local trains quite a sight to see with anything up to three different coach livery variations in the one train.  The 'green' period of livery indecision can be quite interesting if not a little confusing.

 

YNH8SoA.jpg

 

Things seem to have turned towards browns and mock teak finishes now after some aged Metropolitan Railway & Carriage Co coaches were acquired and then with the purchase of the second hand GER bogie coaches the 'brown' period is now in full flower.

 

Fiisply.jpg

 

Foxwater Light Railway coach with an experimental mock interior.  The mock interiors can look good, but need to be done carefully as from some viewing angles they don't look so good.  Another problem is that coaches with different mock interiors and views of a faux landscape through the coach windows can't be mixed together as they tend to look a bit strange.

 

o5GRx6M.jpg

 

I will comment that the old fashioned type 'litho' paper coach side methods do adapt well to simple digital models like these and even for real world physical models they can be a good and quick way to try out a coach livery to see if it appeals or not.

Edited by Annie
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A nice livery variation for my Great Central 9F tank engine.  Looks like it's lined out though and possibly green which would be hard to do with the way the textures are put together on Darlington Works model.  It would only be possible to do the tanks and cabsides green as everything else is a one piece black texture.  I might have a go though and if it doesn't work out it's only pixels.

 

745.jpg?w=1000&h=

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Ah yes the joys of freelance liveries.  As Sem says the good ones all seem to be taken and even some of the bad ones too.  Two of the GCR 9F (N5) tank engines pictured above were sold to the West Lancashire Railway in 1894 and painted purple so really just about any livery you might think of has certainly been tried before.

And speaking of freelance lines here's No.4 from my own Grand Navigation Joint Railway (GNJt.R) at Bluebell Woods on the Valleyfields line.  The coach is ex-GER reworked 'litho' style into a fairly pleasant tan and brown livery.  A very simple digital model, but they do look reasonably nice in a train.  So far I've done a 1st and 3rd and a brake third coach and I have a couple more to do before I have a complete set.

 

flwEiZJ.jpg

 

37aKBZE.jpg

 

The GNJt.R and its coach liveries would no doubt cause a railway historian to tear their hair as they've been several experimental liveries that were tried out on various of the older coaches the company owns.  This tends to make GNJt.R local trains quite a sight to see with anything up to three different coach livery variations in the one train.  The 'green' period of livery indecision can be quite interesting if not a little confusing.

 

YNH8SoA.jpg

 

Things seem to have turned towards browns and mock teak finishes now after some aged Metropolitan Railway & Carriage Co coaches were acquired and then with the purchase of the second hand GER bogie coaches the 'brown' period is now in full flower.

 

Fiisply.jpg

 

Foxwater Light Railway coach with an experimental mock interior.  The mock interiors can look good, but need to be done carefully as from some viewing angles they don't look so good.  Another problem is that coaches with different mock interiors and views of a faux landscape through the coach windows can't be mixed together as they tend to look a bit strange.

 

o5GRx6M.jpg

 

I will comment that the old fashioned type 'litho' paper coach side methods do adapt well to simple digital models like these and even for real world physical models they can be a good and quick way to try out a coach livery to see if it appeals or not.

 

This is the trouble with 'inventing' a freelance pre-gouping livery - chances are (if it's a good one) one of the real companies used it. Both yourself and Nile appear to have thought 'Blue & White coaches - they're different' and forgot about the Furness! Nile even forgot about them for his loco livery, and it seems that the GER slipped your mind!

 

Even my Green/Cream coaches (For whichever freelance scheme I eventually do!) are the same as those employed on the West Norfolk and similar to those on the Maryport & Carlisle. The Green locos are also close to the later GWR Livery.

 

 I love these, Annie.

 

I have to say, I have never seen a two-tone green livery, but it works really, really well! 

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Yes I'd never seen a two tone green livery before either James, but when I was messing around with ideas for the first coach, - the right hand mossy green one of the three pictured, - I thought I'd give it a try to see what it was like.  It looked good so I made two coaches and when I came to make the luggage 3rd I had a go at trying two different shades of green.  The middle one is based off a pre-group GWR drawing and uses the same colours as the luggage 3rd, but the shading and highlighting around the panelling makes the light green look a lighter shade.

I'm a bit in two minds over this coach and for the present time it remains a solitary example.

 

DIlU4NO.jpg

 

The green coaches in all their varieties mostly get used on what the local folk have dubbed the 'Express' which is the twice daily GNJt.R passenger train that stops at all stations and finally terminates in GWR territory at a station named 'Hunters Lodge' where there is a very large high school, a pleasant looking town, the Lodge itself and a factory that makes 'mysterium'; - which means that I haven't figured out what it makes yet.  sc4ViDY.png

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Very nice Sem.

 

This is an ex-GNoSR in LNER livery as their D41 class.   https://www.lner.info/locos/D/d41.php  It's also been re-skinned as a Furness 4-4-0 and a Cambrian 4-4-0.

They were almost built by Sharp Stewart, but Neilsons got the order instead.  I suppose being almost built by Sharp Stewart is a good enough reason to make FR and Cambrian versions  sc4ViDY.png

 

DDNeqWY.jpg

 

I may try some of my own re-skins as this digital loco certainly has a Victorian look about it shared by many 4-4-0's of the time.

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For some reason the D41 tender doesn't want to appear in game though.  I have all the dependencies and everything seems to be fine as far as I can tell, but no tender.  It's exactly the same for all of the re-skinned tender variations too.  Very puzzling  ueOQWcg.gif

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Very nice.  Glad to see you're having fun now that you've got your computer working again Sem.

 

With the GNoSR D14 tenders AssetX says that there's a missing .IM file for lamps and a texture library is missing.  I can't be bothered hunting down other folk's mess ups so I'm going to use an almost the same NBR 4-4-0 tender from the same maker and re-skin it to suit.  The Manchester Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway (Great Central) green livery is just about the same as the GNoSR green livery right down to the lining colours so I'm going to do a fudge up and the result should look close to the MS&LR 4-4-0's built circa 1887.

Here's the GNoSR 4-4-0 trying to hide its incorrect tender in the engine shed out of sight.

OMvbWmU.jpg

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