My Ireland project thoughts - again!

[rjhowie]

As some will know (!) I have raised my rather large and ambitious attempts over the Irish sea from here in the centre of the universe (tut, tut, you should know it's Glasgow).Originally was only meant to be the present day Northern Ireland Railways because had been going over there since a wee boy with the family then years taking boys camps and trips just myself. Thought it was the worst part of gt Britain on rail closures decades ago. However after off an on I got it done as is known. I must be one of the very, very few people to fly over somewhere to suss out the rail sim building thing? Got more ambitious with tracks running out at the Border south of Newry and niggled as to whether to add track south into the IRail system. After giving up after a long effort and occasional health interventions I got back to south of the Border. Have a chunk of scenery to fill in between the Border and Dundalk and a bigger gap between Dundalk and Drogheda.

As I get hooked on the scenery as near as can it is a slow, slow progress on top of thing and remember that when doing my original idea of just the NIR. Back then never thought i would ever get the 96 odd miles between Belfast and Londonderry so had to fight that reminder!s. So to try and avoid being put off I have decided to reduce scenery a reasonable distance beyond the tracks. To cover such i am adding background hill items so I am not being tied by large areas of houses, farms, villages and whatever that only brings back a groan and slowness.

Hoping allowing for health matters to try and get over to N. Ireland just for a few days and a fan of my project in Belfast is keen for us to meet so something positive to look forward to. Also hope to get the Enterprise Express to Dublin for the day as well.

Just added this item as a break from my present crawling through slow scenery north of Dundalk so feel free to ignore me!!

Bobby

 

[pware]

Glasgow?? The centre of the Universe??? You must be a feeling a bit "peelie wallie" because I was certain that it was about 50 miles further East

 

[rjhowie]

Just to enlighten you better you poor man.

Many years there was a very outstansing Scots journalist and writer who was Glasgow based and he was the famous Jack House. He said once that there was a really outstanding road in Edinburgh and was the one which took you to Glasgow. Edinburgh is very posh but not much more than that.

 

[pware]

Thank you for that enlightenment! I was privileged to visit both "centres of the Universe" just a few short years ago. While "that place" 50 miles down the road from Glasgow has its magnificent castle and the Royal Mile, Glasgow has the museums and the shopping. I am hoping to return sometime in the next 12 months.

But, in my humble opinion, the real centre of the universe is located on the A82 between Tyndrum and Glencoe, as shown in the snap below, in the Scottish Highlands

 

[wilts747]

Bobby, from what I read there is a good chance that Trainz 2018 may make life a little easier for you with for example 'ground clutter' and the potential ability to 'paint' weeds and vegetation where needed etc. so perhaps while there is much to be gained from creating scenery such as roads, houses and other infrastructure adjacent to the track perhaps populating fields with crops and gardens with flowers may be worthwhile hanging back a little to see what the next version of Trainz really delivers. Admittedly we may be waiting all year but having relative living in NI and visiting a couple of time most years I appreciate that your project isn't exactly a few evenings this month more like something to be completed in retirement. Good luck, Peter

 

[rjhowie]

Oops Peter forgot to reply to you (!). Got me curious there and will be an interesting development.

It took me a while off an on to build the 6 routes in N. Ireland off and on then fought myself whether to go beyond Newry station just before the Border. Anyway after being knackered on it (As can happen on big projects) got back to over the Border on the IR bit. I did also say a time ago that my original aim wa sto pretend that some of the closed railways in Ulster I could pretend were brought back but that Newry dead end kept niggling me. To date I am crawling scenery-wise between south of the Border and Dundalk and that I am slowly beginning to see that will be completed. South of Dundalk a mile or two I have a big scenery gap to a mile or so north of Drogheda Junction and that is making me groan a bit. South of Drogheda scenery is complete right into Dublin and also on that Howth suburban branch. Whether I include the Navan Branch I will see passenger side long closed and freight only). Good to hear that

What also slows me is that I try to get the surrounds to look as much as possible to the thing but cannot help myself with that attitude however it was also my reason to bring in distant hill backgrounds a bit closer in to save being distracted with the scenic build! If I can get this greatly extended project to completion it will be the single and largest Trainz thing for the island of Ireland. And all this came about because I had holidayed in Northern Ireland from being a child hen myself and followed also by running BB Camps there. It is the worst part of GB for rail closures and terrible. Must say now we have a Trainzer from Ireland working on a new train set means that when done the enterprise Express will be able to run on Trainz between Belfast and Dublin.

Now must get back to my crawl through southern Ireland and if anyone over there hears yelling it is because I am crawling through the country!

ps. pware if you get back to this great centre again you are welcome to meet me......

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