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

[Compound2632]

10 hours ago, Annie said:

A little more pottering around my 'Cairnrigg to Balessie' layout.  Took a snap of Ed Heaps's exquisite N.E.R. Worsdell Von Borries Compound Class 'J' at Balessie MPD.

Not really the kind of engine that would have been seen in the district, but I couldn't turn down the opportunity to take a nice screenshot.

 

Can you get it to do ninety?

[Annie]

4 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Can you get it to do ninety?

Haven't tried giving it a proper run yet.  I'd need to do it on 'Tristyn in Winter' as it's got a long mainline that's better set up for speed runs.

[Schooner]

Gorgeous, as so often. Good luck for the speed trials!

 

On which, what are your current thoughts on some kinda of physical layout? Just askin'... :)

[Annie]

28 minutes ago, Schooner said:

On which, what are your current thoughts on some kinda of physical layout? Just askin'... :)

All on  hold for the foreseeable future unfortunately.  Doing basic self care as well as what light housework tasks I can manage are about the limit without trying to add layout building into the mix.

[Annie]

8 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Can you get it to do ninety?

Sorry only 84 mph on DCC controls.  0.6% gradient, 146 Ton train of seven N.E.R. 6 wheelers.  (S&C Route borrowed for the test)

I might try it again using the steam control set.

 

 

[Annie]

I also have N.E.R. No.1619, - the Worsdell-Smith Compound 4-4-0.  This snap was taken at Appleby Junction on the Settle & Carlisle route that dates from Trainz Classics 3 which was released back in 2008, - though it's had some updating since then.  Time period is the BR dismal transition error which can't be helped, but it's still a darn fine place to run steam engines around on.

 

Edited April 22 by Annie
can't spell for toffee

[Compound2632]

1 hour ago, Annie said:

I also have N.E.R. No.1619, - the Worsdell-Smith Compound 4-4-0. 

 

It was in course of a series of tests conducted under Smith's direction that Class J No. 1517 achieved 90 mph.

[Annie]

5 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

It was in course of a series of tests conducted under Smith's direction that Class J No. 1517 achieved 90 mph.

So if I change the 'J' Class's number to 1517 and find a suitable model figure and name it 'Mr Smith' and place him on the footplate I might do better and achieve 90 mph.

[Annie]

I know finding suitable engine specs can be difficult where one might not exist, -so I was a little surprised to discover that Mr Worsdell's Von Borries Compound Class 'J' was running on an engine spec intended for a LBSCR H2 Class Atlantic (170lb).

 

No.1619, - the Worsdell-Smith Compound 4-4-0 turned out to have an engine spec for a Midland Compound which I would suppose would be a closer match, - but that H2 engine spec was a definite surprise.

 

2995valliant, - who is the Uk engine spec expert for Trainz is presently working his way down a very long list of British engines, but there doesn't seem to be anything listed for the N.E.R. Compound engines.

 

[eheaps]

At the time I made the single that was the closest espec I could find. I wanted something that would give decent speed on a reasonable size train and there weren't any specs for singles or larger 4-4-0s available at the time (I used the Atlantic spec on lots of things back then due to lack of choice). 2995valliant's selection has improved since then, including the Stirling Single and various express 4-4-0s all of which might be more appropriate for the J class. Unfortunately this model will never have a truly realistic espec available as Trainz doesn't do compounding. Some of my other compound locos (eg the Midland compound) have Specs from 2995valliant that approximate compounding, but they are only approximations. Hopefully more will be completed at some point. The Midland Compound spec should be pretty close for the 3CC as they were extremely similar engines.

 

One day I might find the time to learn to do especs myself, but getting them right is a complex and subtle art that also requires a pretty good knowledge of real steam loco operation, so for now I will continue to choose the best spec from the available selection by other people...

[Annie]

40 minutes ago, eheaps said:

One day I might find the time to learn to do especs myself, but getting them right is a complex and subtle art that also requires a pretty good knowledge of real steam loco operation, so for now I will continue to choose the best spec from the available selection by other people...

I didn't mean to criticise your choice of engine specs Ed, - I was simply curious as to which engine spec you'd used.  The test I ran on the S&C with a train of 6 wheelers typical of the late 1880s- early 1890s showed me that your choice of an engine spec was reasonably close in terms of performance.  I do realise that engine specs for compound locomotives can only be at best an approximation even with 2995valliant's near magic skills.

I'm look forward to giving the 3CC a run as i'm guessing it will be a real treat to drive.

 

The only engine spec I've ever successfully managed to create from scratch was for a small single cylinder Foden tram engine and that just about did my head in with all the necessary calculations to figure out the boiler and firebox specs as well as the piston movement and valve timing.  I would not know where to begin with a much larger steam engine.

 

After a few experiments I found that the engine spec for a 14xx worked well enough with my Paulz Trainz mid-19th century 22.5 ton Beyer-Peacock single wheeler, but I do agree that finding a good match for some older or more unusual engines can be a challenge.

[Annie]

Early Morning Broad Gauge Cheer Up Photo:  "Eupatoria" was one of the second round of renewals, outshopped in November 1878, and seen here in brand new condition.  Take note of the Armstrong roll-top chimney - this was probably one of the last Rovers to be fitted with this chimney as William Dean had taken over as Chief Locomotive Engineer just a year earlier.  The location is Westbourne Park.  The building in the background is Westbourne School.

Image courtesy of the Broad Gauge Society, 

 

Edited April 25 by Annie
More words needed.

[Compound2632]

3 hours ago, Annie said:

"Eupatoria"

 

I had to look that up. I was expecting it to be the name of some Greek nymph but it turns out to be a Crimean War battle:

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

[Compound2632]

14 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

it turns out to be a Crimean War battle

 

But of course. The 'Eupatoria' of which this engine was a renewal was a member of the Alma sub-class of 1854/5 of the Iron Duke class: Alma, Balaklava, Crimea, Eupatoria (no battle beginning with D!), Inkerman, Kertch, Sebastapol - all renewed as Rovers.

Edited April 25 by Compound2632

[Annie]

4 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

I had to look that up. I was expecting it to be the name of some Greek nymph but it turns out to be a Crimean War battle:

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

I made the same mistake and thought it was the name of some Greek demigod or nymph as well.

[Annie]

Steaming well.  N.E.R. 'J' Class No. 1522 at work testing an engine spec intended for a GNR Stirling Single.  I like to drive using the steam controls and unfortunately the older H2 Atlantic engine spec isn't all that good when used in this manner.  The S&C with its long gradients isn't the best test track for a single driver locomotive, but the 'J' Class made a fair task of it.  I think the fireman would have dissolved into a puddle of sweat though with the effort involved with keeping the 'J' Class steaming.

 

 

If I'm going to play about on the S&C I should get my collection of Midland engines out of my digital trainset box and leave the N.ER. engines to get on with it elsewhere.

[Compound2632]

1 hour ago, Annie said:

If I'm going to play about on the S&C I should get my collection of Midland engines out of my digital trainset box and leave the N.ER. engines to get on with it elsewhere.

 

If you're doing that, I'd like to see what you can get out of @eheaps's Smith-Johnson compound - can you better 2632's 92 mph sweeping down Ribblesdale with the Scotch Express...

 

Perhaps what you need is a digital Charles Rous-Marten* figure with working stopwatch?

 

*I don't know of that many famous New Zealanders but he's up there.

 

Edited April 26 by Compound2632

[Annie]

4 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

If you're doing that, I'd like to see what you can get out of @eheaps's Smith-Johnson compound - can you better 2632's 92 mph sweeping down Ribblesdale with the Scotch Express...

That idea has been playing on my mind somewhat. 

'Sweeping down' are the indeed right words to use when it comes to Ribblesdale as even from a virtual steam engine's footplate it's pretty darn spectacular.

 

4 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

Perhaps what you need is a digital Charles Rous-Marten* figure with working stopwatch?

 

*I don't know of that many famous New Zealanders but he's up there.

A serious lack in Trainz is a collection of famous railway personalities.  If such a collection was ever created Charles Rous-Marten and his stop watch would be a definite choice for a model figure that would need to be included.

[Annie]

Question time:  What was the make up and train weight of the Scotch Express? 

Back in Trainz TS2012 days Ken Green made a magnificent collection of pre-grouping and grouping era passenger coaches covering the LMS, Caley, Midland, LNWR and the Highland railways.  When the newer 64 bit versions of Trainz came into the picture and N3V started to demand a much higher standard from content creators Ken flagged it all away as being far too difficult to work to those standards which was a great loss to the Trainz community.

The Midland coaches Ken made are a varied collection covering 4 wheelers, 6 wheelers. suburban and clerestory non-corridor coaches as well as clerestory corridor coaches.  It's likely that I won't have all the needed coaches for the Scotch Express, but I should be able to put together a train that's the correct weight.

 

[Compound2632]

4 hours ago, Annie said:

Question time:  What was the make up and train weight of the Scotch Express? 

 

Now you've got me on one of my specialist subjects...

 

i suppose for this engine, we should be looking at 1902, for the summer months of which the Midland Railway Study Centre has a copy of the Anglo-Scottish marshalling book. There were morning, afternoon, and night trains between St Pancras and Glasgow, some with through carriages for Stranraer and for the Ayrshire Coast, and Edinburgh, some with through carriages for Aberdeen, Perth, and Inverness. Most of the carriages were M&GSW or M&NB Joint Stock, unlikely to be in your box of carriages; the later Bain 54 ft clerestories are likely to be the closest match.

 

I'll have a rummage to try to work out which trains the first pair of compounds were used on.

[Annie]

34 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

Now you've got me on one of my specialist subjects...

 

34 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

Most of the carriages were M&GSW or M&NB Joint Stock, unlikely to be in your box of carriages; the later Bain 54 ft clerestories are likely to be the closest match.

I thought that you would be the one to ask Stephen.  You are quite right about the Joint Stock carriages as I don't think anyone has made models of those.

 

As to Bain corridor carriages I'm going to be limited to Corridor Brake Composite (D559), Corridor Brake Third (D561), Corridor Composite (D469), Corridor Third (D473) and Passenger Brake (D531).  Perhaps not ideal, but they should make a reasonable showing behind No. 2632.

[Compound2632]

5 minutes ago, Annie said:

As to Bain corridor carriages I'm going to be limited to 

 

No dining carriages of any sort? Ah, well.

[Annie]

1 minute ago, Compound2632 said:

No dining carriages of any sort? Ah, well.

Ken Green's main interest seemed to be the later LMS carriages which wasn't so surprising really as the only Midland engine for Trainz available back then was the Deely rebuilt compound No.1000.   

[sncf231e]

Hello Annie,

 

The first 30 seconds of this video I thought I was watching one of your videos:

 

Regards

Fred

[Compound2632]

I'm looking for my book of Rous-Marten articles. Meanwhile, here's a taster: posed photos, in Wye Dale in the Peak District, of the new corridor trains of 1899 for the afternoon Scotch expresses. These represent the extremes of the weight range.

 

Glasgow express, made up of M&GSW Joint Stock: 31 ft passenger van number 203 (Lot 454, D568 - the corridor version of D530); 50 ft corridor third class number 203 (Lot 449, D564); 60 ft third class dining carriage number 1 (Lot 310); 60 ft first class dining carriage number 62 (Lot 365); 50 ft composite corridor carriage (Lot 450, D565); 31 ft passenger van (Lot 454, D568). The 12-wheel dining carriages are those built for the introduction of dining services on the London-Glasgow trains in 1893, modified with gangways to connect with the rest of the train. They remained on this duty until 1921. Note that the passenger brake vans were originally built with gangways at one end only; this was soon changed!

 

 

[Embedded link to catalogue thumbnail of MRSC 64393.]

 

Edinburgh express, made up of M&NB Joint Stock: 31 ft passenger brake van (Lot 454, D568) and 50 ft luggage composite (Lot 451, D468) (Bristol to Edinburgh); 50 ft brake composite (Lot 452, D566), 50 ft brake third (Lot 449, D564) and bogie dining carriage (Lot 440, D563) (London to Edinburgh); 50 ft luggage composite (Liverpool to Edinburgh); 50 ft luggage composite (Manchester to Edinburgh); 50 ft luggage composite, 50 ft luggage composite (all four Lot 451, D468) and 50 ft passenger brake van (Lot 453, D567) (London to Aberdeen).

 

 

[Embedded link to catalogue thumbnail of MRSC 64394.]