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

[Compound2632]

On 15/05/2020 at 15:18, Hroth said:

 

If you google Wroxham Zombie Apocalypse, you get 2 hits to the discussion in the Castle Aching thread on the first page of results alone...

 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/107713-castle-aching/page/219/

 

 

 

I tried that but Hroth's post came out ahead of the CA results - all getting rather too circular!

[Oscillation]

Hello! I do hope my posts here aren’t starting to become annoying.

I did read all I missed before posting.  Progress picture on my own Broad Gauge project! Sadly the only one tonight. I got distracted chatting online(to be honest) and I forgot to take progress screenshots! Great news though! The killer Caution Signals, thanks to Annie, I have managed to get them moved further away from the track! The handle is no longer out to kill or injure poor innocent passengers(or Railway Board Members!.)!

 

Hopefully I’ve placed the Station building correctly! I love this station now that I’ve given it a going over inspired by Annie. My layout will have some later platforms and some wood. I’ve spaced out more railway track, the clearance here is a little tight between coaches(tested using my widest  ) but they do not touch.  
 

Also, the other station I posted seems all good so far! I’m using a 1920s GWR Platform as another experimental try, but it seems to be quite nice. I like the brickwork and there’s no white edging. That station only has 2 platforms to be made interactive and the station here is all setup. The people here will be removed to have static figures in their place!(My trains can take and bring real people though, UK 1890 passenger set figures will be on my trains as well as the static figures on the platforms!  ).

 

What can’t be seen is the sidings/Loco shed which is also at this spot, I’m thinking of replacing it with one like Annie’s(the lighter type, not the dark grey one). Also, seeing as her’s and my routes are quite different regions, I’m not copying Annie piece for piece because that wouldn’t make this unique, plus it’s nice to have it a little different and with my own mark on it. 
 

Lineside pruning has been done too and will be continued! 

Hope you like my post.  

 

 

 

 

[Annie]

That particular station building still exists  and is now a listed building which is a rare thing since the fake post-grouping GWR and then BR demolished many Broad Gauge era station buildings.  I like the sound of what you've got planned for your station and I'm glad the trick with the signals work out for you.

 

 

The fact that I'm building formerly independent Broad Gauge lines in Cornwall that weren't built by the GWR, but absorbed into the company later creates a large amount of separation between your project and mine so there's no need to worry about that. 

The engine sheds at Truro are placeholders since in the 1880s the engine sheds were built from timber.  I haven't done anything about that yet, but it's on the list.

 

And do please keep on posting because you certainly aren't annoying me in any shape of form.

 

 

[Northroader]

Those buildings were the standard pattern for a country station on the original main line, the Oxford branch (this example) the CGWU line to Cheltenham, and the B&E to Exeter, but they did get replaced here and there before station closures. The ones in the Thames Valley were usually brick with stone facings, further west they became limestone. One of these still exists at Yatton, but it’s had an extension stitched on. The original awnings were almost flat, with a plain edge.

[Hroth]

10 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

I tried that but Hroth's post came out ahead of the CA results - all getting rather too circular!

 

The mantra is: The act of observing affects the results... 

 

Edited May 17, 2020 by Hroth
Clicked the wrong button, I'm not up to speed yet...

[Edwardian]

This seems to be the earliest reference to the 1909 Apocalypse; it seems like it's always been with us.

 

I find myself thinking of the Achingverse as a multiverse.  There is certainly a Dark Achingverse, where things like the Zombie Apocalypse happened. Perhaps there is a different Achingverse for each parodied trope, e.g. one for a Buchann/Childers/Ripping Yarns. The CA layout tends to sit in the 'straight' version, i.e. it's supposed to be either a parallel universe or, as I tend to think of it, our universe historically adjusted.  

[Annie]

22 hours ago, AdamsRadial said:

My edit didn't get through in time, it's Restormel Castle I use mostly, I do have Turks Castle but I find Restormel a lot more appealing.

I had a look at Restormel Castle and I can certainly see it's potential.  The last thing I need at the moment though is another GWR layout that needs to be taken back to the 1880s.  Something for later perhaps once I have my Cornwall layout done and dusted.

[Hroth]

8 hours ago, Edwardian said:

This seems to be the earliest reference to the 1909 Apocalypse; it seems like it's always been with us.

 

I find myself thinking of the Achingverse as a multiverse.  There is certainly a Dark Achingverse, where things like the Zombie Apocalypse happened. Perhaps there is a different Achingverse for each parodied trope, e.g. one for a Buchann/Childers/Ripping Yarns. The CA layout tends to sit in the 'straight' version, i.e. it's supposed to be either a parallel universe or, as I tend to think of it, our universe historically adjusted.  

 

Or perhaps like the Pratchett/Baxter "Long Earth" concept, the Straight CA being the Datum and other realities are some steps away...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long_Earth

 

Anyhow, it wasn't entirely MY fault, Nearholmer must bear some blame for erroneously ascribing the green glow in the sky as due to Martian activity, when it is well known that the Martians always produce a red glow.  It may well have been Treens from Venus trying to get in on the act, I merely mentioned zombies as a more realistic earthly phenomenon....

 

Edited May 17, 2020 by Hroth
Explanatory link

[Edwardian]

9 minutes ago, Hroth said:

 

Or perhaps like the Pratchett/Baxter "Long Earth" concept, the Straight CA being the Datum and other realities are some steps away...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long_Earth

 

Yes, I'm familiar with the long-earth.  I'd actually come up with a similar idea whereby the further from datum (which was, of course, subjectively ascribed to their universe by the first to have discovered others and to travel to them) the greater the differences.  I had a sort of Dr Who character who was part of an elite group there to ensure no one knocked any of the universes off course. So i I added time travel, largely to allow me to muck about with the Nineteenth Century, well, Nineteenth Centuries, actually. Not very original, I'm afraid. Mind you, neither is Hogwarts to anyone who's read Pratchett, and that never stopped JK.

 

9 minutes ago, Hroth said:

Anyhow, it wasn't entirely MY fault, Nearholmer must bear some blame for erroneously ascribing the green glow in the sky as due to Martian activity, when it is well known that the Martians always produce a red glow.  It may well have been Treens from Venus trying to get in on the act, I merely mentioned zombies as a more realistic earthly phenomenon....

 

 

Yes, it was entirely your fault!  You were the one who made the leap from Martians to zombies in Wroxham!

 

Had this idea come to you before, or did Kevin unwittingly prompt it?

 

Did you/do you, have any knowledge of the course of events, e.g. the Battle of Wroxham Bridge?

[Hroth]

You know very well that the business with the Martians in Surrey and the Zombies in Wroxham are both Infinite State Secrets, not that such things are believed in nowadays, the Government is lucky to be able to keep the lid on things for 30 years.  So it is impossible to actually confirm that any such thing happened, or that the Battle of Wroxham Bridge took place, though it bears some similarity to the Battle of Cropredy Bridge, more than 250 years previously, though details are vague.

 

There was even a "pop" song in the mid-60s about the Wroxham Affair...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it68QbUWVPM

 

I suppose various leakages are to be expected.

 

[Oscillation]

Hello! Progress pics today!(I was good and made sure to provide them, I also did some additional work too after taking a break! ) 

The Railway Board at a WIP Station, taken at this angle to hide the Work in Progress things behind it! I quite like this platform, I imagine this route set in maybe the 1860s or so? The platform is ideal because, as mentioned here, no White-Stripes and it looks almost timeless. It's actually GWR too!(1920s but shush! )

Brunel would be proud! The first bridge I replaced with an actual period bridge! Unfortunately, while it sits comfortably here, the supports are a bit too short for use elsewhere, so I've been using the Moorswater viaduct. I may make the river a little shallower, but we'll see. A screenshot will be provided of my Moorswater Viaduct use!

You might remember this! This is the station I gave a makeover similar to Annie and I love it!(Still all WIP this area though) (Note the signalbox! Similar to Annie's too but with red and white, I may try and sort that out, the station signs are like the one's Annie uses too!). Ignore the modern people! I did get rid of them but they managed to sneak back in!   The static period figures are on their way!)

You can see an engine shed to the left of the station, I will be replacing that and I have several varieties of this one Engine shed model that matches the GWR Broad Gauge one's in photographs nicely! Sadly I've had trouble, the chimneys of the engines are too tall! I'd have to make the building hover slightly or do some sort of terrain work to get the track a bit lower in so the engine's clear the entrance to the sheds.

The Railway Board is taken along a new section of line that I turned into Single Track. I may bring the fences in a bit, I was inspired by the classic Trainz Broad Gauge route mentioned here, plus it felt a bit more realistic. So now a great deal of secondary two track lines have been turned into Single Line!

Mentioned Viaduct. I think I will actually make the river a little shallower in this area so I can have the classic Brunel Timber Bridge. Coming back to this it looks really bad and there's a different spot on the Main-Line where this actually works well in the water.(No screenshot of that provided today! Sorry!)

 

So, The Railway Board will now be whisked back to the big... main town I suppose it is on the route!

I hope you enjoyed my posts today. It actually took forever to make this one! I took the screenshots literally as I posted this. 

 

 

Edited May 17, 2020 by Oscillation

[Annie]

Not all that happy at the moment since I have toothache and the left side of my face is swollen.  I have a lot of ancient crumbling dental work and usually it's happy enough to crumble away and leave me in peace, but over the weekend a couple of my teeth decided to hold a protest rally.  Presently waiting for my doctor to phone so I can get a script for antibiotics as the dentist can't do nuffing if the rioting teeth are infected.

 

Played trains even though I don't feel like doing much.  Revisiting Turks Castle and the B&ER saddle tanks I commissioned kept me occupied for a while.  Work is on-going with this layout with a lot still to do, but despite that it's a lot of fun to play trains on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Malcolm 0-6-0]

Well despite the problems that is looking really fantastic.

[Edwardian]

12 hours ago, Hroth said:

You know very well that the business with the Martians in Surrey and the Zombies in Wroxham are both Infinite State Secrets, not that such things are believed in nowadays, the Government is lucky to be able to keep the lid on things for 30 years.  So it is impossible to actually confirm that any such thing happened, or that the Battle of Wroxham Bridge took place, though it bears some similarity to the Battle of Cropredy Bridge, more than 250 years previously, though details are vague.

 

There was even a "pop" song in the mid-60s about the Wroxham Affair...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it68QbUWVPM

 

I suppose various leakages are to be expected.

 

 

Ah, St Alban's Finest.

 

In your analogy, I wonder who were the Cavaliers and who the Roundheads?

 

I had a look at Hoveton via Google Earth.  There is precious little left.  It seemed to me that the "World's Largest Village Store" simply expanded until it had completely destroyed the village.

 

Roys, to some perhaps the making of the district, to me looks more like its destroyer; the real Wroxham Apocalypse.

 

When I was taking my dispiriting virtual tour, the first thought that came to me after the initial wave of disappointment had subsided was "how this would upset Annie", so on the Big Yellow Taxi Scale of soulless modern desecration, I'd have to give Roys' Hoveton an Annie score of 9/10. 

[Edwardian]

8 hours ago, Annie said:

Not all that happy at the moment since I have toothache and the left side of my face is swollen.  I have a lot of ancient crumbling dental work and usually it's happy enough to crumble away and leave me in peace, but over the weekend a couple of my teeth decided to hold a protest rally.  Presently waiting for my doctor to phone so I can get a script for antibiotics as the dentist can't do nuffing if the rioting teeth are infected.

 

How wretched for you, Annie.  I've had my fair share of dental problems and there are few things so miserable. I am sorry to hear that you are afflicted and I hope relief comes soon.

 

Quote

Played trains even though I don't feel like doing much.  Revisiting Turks Castle and the B&ER saddle tanks I commissioned kept me occupied for a while.  Work is on-going with this layout with a lot still to do, but despite that it's a lot of fun to play trains on.

 

 

 

Magnificent.  Those locos against that landscape are something to behold.  I particularly like the Indian Red, as this is not too brown, as representations sometimes are for my taste.

 

 

Edited May 18, 2020 by Edwardian
spelling!

[Annie]

3 hours ago, Edwardian said:

 

Ah, St Alban's Finest.

 

In your analogy, I wonder who were the Cavaliers and who the Roundheads?

 

I had a look at Hoveton via Google Earth.  There is precious little left.  It seemed to me that the "World's Largest Village Store" simply expanded until it had completely destroyed the village.

 

Roys, to some perhaps the making of the district, to me looks more like its destroyer; the real Wroxham Apocalypse.

 

When I was taking my dispiriting virtual tour, the first thought that came to me after the initial wave of disappointment had subsided was "how this would upset Annie", so on the Big Yellow Taxi Scale of soulless modern desecration, I'd have to give Roys' Hoveton an Annie score of 9/10. 

Sweet heaven that's hideous..   Soulless modern desecration is definitely the right words to describe that cancerous lump of a building.  Excuse me while i go and wash my eyeballs to get rid of the lingering horror.  An Annie score of 9/10 would be about right since 10/10 is reserved for examples of modernist tasteless horror so extreme that they cause fractures in in the substance of reality.

 

3 hours ago, Edwardian said:

How wretched for you, Annie.  I've had my fair share of dental problems and there are few things so miserable. O am sorry to hear that you are afflicted and I hope relief comes soon. 

Thanks James.  Within 15 minutes of talking to my doctor on the phone one of the lovely women from our local pharmacy was knocking on the door with the antibiotics my doctor prescribed in her hand.  Definitely one of the nice things among many about living in a small country town.  The pain is starting to ease now and I'm beginning to feel a little better, though I do know the importance of taking the entire course of antibiotics to make sure the infection is well and truly killed off.

 

3 hours ago, Edwardian said:

Magnificent.  Those locos against that landscape are something to behold.  I particularly like the Indian Red, as this is not too brown, as representations sometimes are for my test.

Cameron Scott did a superb job of making these Vulcan Foundry B&ER 4-4-0ST engines for me and they really are a delight to drive.  As to the layout itself it was made back in TS2004 days and while many compromises had to be made due to what building models were available at the time the landscape itself has been beautifully crafted.

[MikeOxon]

Nice to see all the BG scenes   Is there anything you could recommend that might get me going with TaNE?  It's still only a minor interest but something that would allow me to explore the possibilities of BG might spark my interest further.

[Northroader]

Good to hear the noggers are on the mend. Re Roy’s store, self and wife were holidaying at Norwich a while back, and called in there and bought a jumper for her sister. Back to Wiltshire, “it’s the wrong size, can you change it?” Thrill packed run on my railpass, bus Swindon train London train Norwich train Wroxham. down to store change item back to station and return journey in one smooth movement. Don’t buy clothing presents on holiday.

[sem34090]

Latest pre-grouping release for DTG sim:

Edited May 18, 2020 by sem34090

[Annie]

10 hours ago, MikeOxon said:

Nice to see all the BG scenes   Is there anything you could recommend that might get me going with TaNE?  It's still only a minor interest but something that would allow me to explore the possibilities of BG might spark my interest further.

I've just checked if my B&ER 4-4-0ST will work in TANE, but it won't as it was very much made for TS2019 with TS2019 materials and lod scripting.

There are some old TS2004 Broad Gauge routes on the DLS, but most are awful with Turk's Castle being about the best of them.  Turk's castle is recoverable and it is possible to make a decent Broad Gauge representation of the Minehead branch from it with a lot of work, - and if you delete Taunton which is the BR error station with Broad Gauge track instead of standard gauge track.  To get it into TANE though you'll have to take it through TS2012 first since TANE won't recognise TS2004's formatting and you'll end up with blank baseboards if you don't.

There is a fair amount of Broad Gauge engines and rolling stock as well as trackwork available on the DLS and from Steve Flanders's website, but most is from the early Broad Gauge era with only a small amount of mid era models being available.  Steve Flanders has made a 'Rover' as well 1870's and 1880's coaches, but that's about all there is for the later Broad Gauge era.  He has also made some Broad Gauge era buildings and other railway items to enable some kind of a start to be made with building a Broad Gauge layout.  Often it comes down to being creative with what is available.

Definitely worthwhile doing though and while I've had plenty of frustrations along the way I'm not about to give up yet.

[Annie]

Not doing much since this infection in my tooth/gums/jaw is making me more sleepy and not very motivated.  The swelling is going down though and it's not really hurting anymore so the antibiotics are doing their stuff.

While deeply asleep I've been vividly dreaming about building layouts in Trainz and it's very confusing when i wake up and discover that it was only a dream and I wasn't doing it at all.  Dreams need a save option in my opinion.

 

Watching Youtube videos to do with steam engines and I found this delight.  I'm certainly going to be checking out the rest of this chap's videos since they look to be a lot of fun.

 

 

[Northroader]

Did you notice on the video, (great fun) referring back to James’ Terrier pipe, how he mentions when they installed the vac brake, the exhaust from it made such a noise that they’ve got it going through what looked like old car silencers on the roof?

Have I showed you this trick with a piece of string and a doorknob?

[Annie]

7 minutes ago, Northroader said:

Have I showed you this trick with a piece of string and a doorknob?

No? - Please tell me more.

[Northroader]

Well, you tie one end of the string firmly round your poorly tooth, and then tie the other end round a doorknob, and then give the door a good slam.

Den Tist.

[Annie]

42 minutes ago, Northroader said:

Well, you tie one end of the string firmly round your poorly tooth, and then tie the other end round a doorknob, and then give the door a good slam.

Den Tist.

Oh now I understand.  I'm having a stupid brain morning this morning.  The trouble is when my ancient dental work broke up not much of this particular tooth was left to tie anything onto.  The local dentist will most probably have a fit when he sees the state of my teeth anyway, but when everything started breaking up I basically took the attitude that if it didn't hurt I'd leave it alone.  That worked out fine for the past year or so before this particular one decided to riot so I'm not going to complain about that.

 

1 hour ago, Northroader said:

Did you notice on the video, (great fun) referring back to James’ Terrier pipe, how he mentions when they installed the vac brake, the exhaust from it made such a noise that they’ve got it going through what looked like old car silencers on the roof?

Yes I saw that and I thought it was quite a creative solution.  Very much in the light railway spirit.