London Euston to Watford Junction (High Speed Semi-Fictional) - Newbie!

[pauldurose]

My Layout Images - Newbie (London Euston-Watford Junction)

First of all, apologies if I break any posting protocol here... I'm not a regular poster. I'm also relatively new to Trainz so these shots won't be as good as some.

These shots are from one of my first attempts at a major layout. Generally based on the run out from London Euston (UK) to the outskirts of London, although started merely as a way to begin my fictional (or rather wishful) high-speed line from London to the North - choosing Euston as my candidate for re-building into a High Speed terminal (hence Euston here doesn't bear any resemblence to the real thing as I've imagined it as being more-or-less completely re-built, although I started by basing the track work and platforms on the real station).

Finally, before I post these images, the route is obviously unfinished. I think I've fallen into the trap that most newbies make and attempted something far bigger than I'm capable! I'm slowly progressing with it, but I doubt I'll finish it.

Captions beneath each image. (18 in total).

Inside the terminal.

Another view leading out of the terminal.

High Speed Train leaving the terminal (I've 'borrowed' a Eurostar set, although these wouldn't ever operate on this theoritical route as far as Euston - regional to continental services would operate via North London).

Edit: Removed old images from my server to save space. See more recent posts for current images.

 

[pauldurose]

Edit: Removed old images from my server to save space. See more recent posts for current images.

 

[jivebunny]

Wow that's a very impressive route! Especially for a first attempt .
"Euston" is looking great! This is going to be a popular one I can tell

Good luck with the rest of it and welcome to the forum

JB

 

[harcourt]

That looks great,weldone. Sre you've put alot of work into it,keep it up.

 

[crman123]

What terminal are you using for Euston, and where did you get it? I'm on a search for a good terminal for a route of mine.

Thanks

 

[jivebunny]

crman123 have a look for the username andi06 on the DLS, it's a modular station kit which you can do pretty much anything with

Great for large stations like this one.

JB

 

[paulzmay]

That's one of the best first layouts I've seen!

I hope you've got a powerful computer, as it will slow down a great deal when you start placing a lot of buildings. Don't do what I did with my first (never to be published) route, and try to make the scenery too deep - only do what you can see...

Good 4th rail track is available from www.vsr.org.uk - make sure you use the longer lengths for straights or slight curves, as the short lengths kill your framerates! Spanner and Makatini have made some other LU items.

Keep up the good work, and remember we're here to help!

Paul

 

[smkiller]

This looks like an awsome first attempt, well done, bring on some more images please.

Sam

 

[pauldurose]

What terminal are you using for Euston, and where did you get it? I'm on a search for a good terminal for a route of mine.
Thanks

It's all made from parts from DLS - as Jivebunny says, from andi06 (or AJS) - that covers the over-roofs, the platforms and the signals. I prefer working like that as I particularly enjoy the building aspect of the game.

I am planning to add even more detail to the station - although this is really getting to the limit of my computer's power. I was busy putting passengers and ticket kiosks, etc, into the concourse area at the far end of the station, but quickly realised you'd never actually see it, except very briefly from the cab as a train pulls in. Paulzmay, you're quite right about the scenery depth.

I should say, this isn't my absolute first attempt... I've done a couple of others and been building up my content from DLS, so this is the first one that's actually come anywhere near a presentable standard.

Next time I'm on, I'll post some more images.

Thanks for the kind comments. P.

 

[pauldurose]

More images

More...

The local platforms.

A view from the apartments adjacent to the terminus.

GNER-liveried TGV pulling out of the station alongside a Silverlink EMU heading for the local down-line.

The GNER has to cross onto to down-fast, allowing the EMU to pull away.

Edit: Removed old images from my server to save space. See more recent posts for current images.

 

[pauldurose]

Edit: Removed old images from my server to save space. See more recent posts for current images.

 

[VirtualBeechGrove]

Cool! Big stations have always been a favorite of mine!

 

[Padster]

Wow! Those shots are great. You have obviously put a lot of hard work into that route. I bet the AI is going to be a headache!

Best wishes,
Padster

 

[pauldurose]

I bet the AI is going to be a headache!

It's not bad to be honest. I've got the Underground working independently, as it runs from a portal (where in r/l it disappears underground) to the reversing siding at the end of the line, then back, stopping at all stations.

I've made the terminal so the three main 'routes' come out more-or-less independently - the local lines on one side, the fast lines in the middle and the semi-fast lines on the other side. That way, I can AI the local and semi-fast trains without getting in the way of the fast trains which I prefer to drive myself.

The only problems I've had so far are the trains terminating in the station, waiting, then reversing out and getting onto a down-line without causing congestion for later arrivals on incoming up-lines. I've had to do some 'work-arounds' with track priorities, track direction markers and signals, but it generally works - until some idiot driver decides it's best to switch tracks for no reason, of course!

 

[pauldurose]

Huntingdon to Cambridge (screenshots)

Hey, just thought I'd add some recent screenshots from my current layout to this thread, rather than starting a new one.

These are from my Cambridge to Huntingdon route. If anybody knows the area, you'll know the route was largely intact, albeit disused, from Cambridge to Swavesey. I've re-built the route all the way from Huntingdon, with a little bit of artistic licence along the way.

As with my London to Watford route above, I've really run out of time/patience to finish it at the moment, but here's some shots so far. I realise these are not as good as many posted here, but I wanted to share anyway!




(Images deleted to keep everything in this thread on topic. See my other posts for the Cambridge line).

 

[pauldurose]

(Continued from previous post).

Now I'm going to miss quite a bit of the route as it's not textured yet. The line follows the former alignment through several stations serving the towns and villages along the route. Eventually, we arrive at Cambridge:



(Images deleted to keep everything in this thread on topic. See my other posts for the Cambridge line).

 

[barfrog]

Welcome. Great shots from both routes; very impressive for first time efforts. You could do with some 321s and Pendolinos for the WCML route though, but as it's freelance, you can get away with it! Keep up the good work, and post more shots in.

Andrew

 

[pauldurose]

You could do with some 321s and Pendolinos for the WCML route though
Andrew

I'm may have missed some, but I couldn't find a Pendolino on DLS which will work on 2004. (Don't want to upgrade to 2006 yet as I presume I'll lose all my layouts so far?) If you can point me to one...?

 

[Lord-Claud-Hamilton]

pauldurose,

Nice screenshots....are you from the Cambridge area by any chance?

LCH

 

[chris_rose_1]

I'm may have missed some, but I couldn't find a Pendolino on DLS which will work on 2004. (Don't want to upgrade to 2006 yet as I presume I'll lose all my layouts so far?) If you can point me to one...?

Spanner and JB done one also if you upgrade your layouts will still work in 06.
Also try using MP Track Wood