Big Bertha Rides Again

[pcas1986]

I'm pleased to say Big Bertha is complete and available on the DLS. Actually I only just got the notification from N3V and already there have been a few dozen downloads.

There are three versions available and a total of 11 assets including:

3 locos in MR, LMS and BR numbers and logos
1 loco bogey
3 cab interiors. The MR version uses a lever reverser and has a folding drivers seat. The LMS and BR versions are the same and have a screw reverser. The driver's seat is fixed.
3 tenders in MR, LMS and BR numbers and logos
1 tender bogey
1 enginespec

Just search for "Big Bertha" or my content (PCAS1986).


Here are some pictures:

The Midland Railway version:

The LMS version:

And the BR version:

I'd like to thank those who assisted me during this build and particularly Brian (Kennilworth) for finding an article on Big Bertha that provided valuable information on the cylinder arrangements. Chris for his help with cab information. Azervich for his engine spec that he permitted me to release using my user id. Paul Hobbs for some of his loco mesh parts. And finally, but certainly not least, to Kieran and Ed for their support. And to all those who provided advice via the Content Creation forum.

I have another, non Trainz, project that will keep me busy throughout spring so I will not be doing much in the way of content creation for a while. I kind of promised that I would consider making an A2 Peppercorn loco but probably not for a while. Before that I'd like to do something completely different.


Be sure to try out the headlight at night.

 

[williamfj2]

Thanks for creating Big Bertha, she looks great!

 

[robd]

Thanks, pcas1986, for Big Bertha, excellent model (shouldn't both the cycling lions on the BR tender be facing forward?).

 

[pcas1986]

Yes. It was one of the last things I did and obviously the finishing line distracted me. I don't know which of the two BR logos BB wore so I chose that one. The only pic I have of her with the BR number has her tender still painted with LMS.

Perhaps someone will enlighten me so I'll wait a few days before correcting it. Its an attachment so its easy to correct. Edit. No, its not. I have to provide an extra texture to provide the reversed view. No big deal.

 

[robd]

This may help, it's not a photo but a drawing from a comic. It shows the Lickey Banker aka Big Bertha or Big Emma with the cycling lion on the tender, also appears to be lined, so the accuracy of the drawing may be questionable! Scroll down the page a bit.

Big Bertha finished duties as the Lickey Banker in 1956, a BR Standard 9f then took up the duties. The revised BR totem (lion holding wheel) was introduced in 1957, I think you're pretty safe sticking to the cycling lion.

http://www.britishcomics.20m.com/ginger02.htm

 

[clivegroberts]

Hi I have downloaded Big Bertha but there seems to be some missing assets on the server. They are early assets from Pikkabird. Do you know where i can obtain them from, many thanks

 

[robd]

Are these the missing assets?

Error: Dependency <kuid2:2512:61:40> is unknown.
Error: Dependency <kuid2:2512:26:40> is unknown.
Error: Dependency <kuid2:2512:27:40> is unknown.
Error: Dependency <kuid2:2512:60:40> is unknown.
Error: Dependency <kuid2:2512:14:40> is unknown.

If so, they are pikkabirds and are built in to TS2009.

 

[pcas1986]

This may help, it's not a photo but a drawing from a comic. It shows the Lickey Banker aka Big Bertha or Big Emma with the cycling lion on the tender, also appears to be lined, so the accuracy of the drawing may be questionable! Scroll down the page a bit.

Big Bertha finished duties as the Lickey Banker in 1956, a BR Standard 9f then took up the duties. The revised BR totem (lion holding wheel) was introduced in 1957, I think you're pretty safe sticking to the cycling lion.

http://www.britishcomics.20m.com/ginger02.htm

Thanks. I Googled Big Bertha many times and that page never came up which is curious. I'm not sure about the lining. The tender side has an angled side, probably for strengthening, which is about where the lining might be. It might be that visible in the drawing.

I didn't know about the date of the revised BR token but I did find several photos of ex LMS locos wearing the earlier logo so I figured that it was more likely that she had that one.

 

[pcas1986]

Are these the missing assets?

Error: Dependency <kuid2:2512:61:40> is unknown.
Error: Dependency <kuid2:2512:26:40> is unknown.
Error: Dependency <kuid2:2512:27:40> is unknown.
Error: Dependency <kuid2:2512:60:40> is unknown.
Error: Dependency <kuid2:2512:14:40> is unknown.

If so, they are pikkabirds and are built in to TS2009.

They are also built into TS10 and TS12 according to my installations. These assets are commonly used in locos using the ACS coupling system.

Edit: I'm not sure how to get around this problem. If I search the DLS I can only see the obsoleted versions. Because they are built-in I cannot delete them and then download them again even if they were on the DLS.

The loco is built for TS10 version 3.3 so I'm puzzled why folks are having problems. However I do have some of N3V's addons installed such as S&C, Duchess pack, etc. I recall S&C has caused similar problems before.

 

[pcas1986]

OK. The problem with the Pikkabird assets has been discussed elsewhere in the Freeware Announcements and TS2010 forums. Neither of which I subscribe to. However this post may be of interest to those with this problem:

http://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?92381-URL-Unknown-update&p=1029427#post1029427

 

[pcas1986]

Further to the missing assets problem. Please see this post in the Freeware Announcements forum. http://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?92377-Lickey-Banker-now-on-DLS&p=1029690#post1029690

 

[robd]

Thanks. I Googled Big Bertha many times and that page never came up which is curious. I'm not sure about the lining. The tender side has an angled side, probably for strengthening, which is about where the lining might be. It might be that visible in the drawing.

I didn't know about the date of the revised BR token but I did find several photos of ex LMS locos wearing the earlier logo so I figured that it was more likely that she had that one.

I agree with what you say about the lining, it's not at all clear from that picture and it may be just artistic license. My guess is that the BR era tender wouldn't have had any BR totem, they wouldn't have bothered and just left the LMS logo to fade and blacken into oblivion until Big Bertha was withdrawn, but, that's just a guess.

Rob.

P.S. I Googled "Lickey Banker"

 

[Edweird]

Well, it seems I am a little late to the party. I didn't get an e-mail notification about an update. Sorry Paul. The finished product looks fabulous. I'm so glad I got to watch this project develop. I am going to download this straight away.

When you say something completely different, do you mean not to do with trainz altogether or completely different from Bertha?

 

[pcas1986]

My "other" project is to rebuild my deck at the back of my house. I want to finish it before Christmas (our summer). About the only thing it has in common with Trainz is that I used Blender to do the design work and size calculations. The deck is about 50 sq metres and extends around the side of the house so it is quite complex.

I thought I might also write a few more tutorials for the TrainzDev WiKi and maybe do an industry asset or something with quite a bit of animation and scripting. I also have a scripting job to do for someone else.

But I will return to locos. I need to update my first loco (a 54xx tank engine) and then think about another.

You may have seen it but there is a longish thread running in the Freeware Forum about Big Bertha.

 

[StephenCherry]

Thanks, pcas1986, for Big Bertha, excellent model (shouldn't both the cycling lions on the BR tender be facing forward?).

No. BR tried to use the cycling lions both facing forward, but were told that would involve a serparate crest. Had to be content with one lion looking where he'd been.

 

[pcas1986]

No. BR tried to use the cycling lions both facing forward, but were told that would involve a serparate crest. Had to be content with one lion looking where he'd been.

I find it rather amusing that one could look at these things for years and not see them. Your comment got me searching through the magazines on my shelf and a couple of books trying to find evidence but it was inconclusive. Most photos of locos and their tenders then to be from an acute front angle which is nice but the crests are difficult to see. There was one photo that appeared to have the lion looking astern but it was unclear. I'm sure there is something on the web about it but it wasn't that important to me.

So I have already made the change to making both lions looking forward.

 

[robd]

No. BR tried to use the cycling lions both facing forward, but were told that would involve a serparate crest. Had to be content with one lion looking where he'd been.

Are you sure about the cycling lion i.e. BR's first lion totem?

There was a problem with the revised BR totem i.e. lion holding wheel, when that was first introduced in 1957, BR initially had both lions facing forward but it was quickly pointed out to BR that the lion that they depicted in the revised totem was a 'lion rampant', a heraldic icon/token (not sure of the correct nomenclature) and as such, according to heraldic convention and rules, should always face to the left, thats why the lion on the right side of a loco/tender with the revised totem always looks to the rear.

Not so with the first totem i.e. the cycling lion, it's not a heraldic symbol but mistakes were made initially. In general, cycling lion totem both left and right side faced forwards.

 

[nathanmallard]

Would people stop complaining! If you put him off content creating for good, your not going to be very happy!
Pcas1986, your model is excellent and I look forward to your next project.

 

[robd]

Would people stop complaining! If you put him off content creating for good, your not going to be very happy!
Pcas1986, your model is excellent and I look forward to your next project.

I don't think there has been any complaining about the model in this blog. There have been some complaints and negative posts in the forums, all of which are totally unjustified.

The Big Bertha model is a superb example of the content creators work, in this case pcas1986.

 

[pcas1986]

It seems that Big Bertha now downloads without errors for those who were missing kuids. I also fixed a couple of other things.

So unless Kieran comes up with something new or someone has additional information that might improve the model I'll probably leave it alone. There are a couple of minor texturing issues that I wasn't entirely happy with but they are not worth pursuing.

I'm looking forward to someone coming up with a session for BB in the Lickey Incline route that is currently on the DLS. Or any other suitable route for that matter. That would be interesting.

I didn't mind the logo debate but I do wish I had a definitive photo of BB's tender in BR colours.