UK Screenshots (Hi Res Version)

[borderreiver]

I believe that it comes down to two things. Which content creators producing content for paid DLC are prepared to put in the investment in order to make a return on that money and which content creators producing freeware for the download station (or own websites) can devote their time and energy to do it.

For the former, having research in place is no small matter. I learned the hard way while on a collaborative project with a paid DLC creator that British Rail diesels for the period 1955 through 1975 are by no means quite as standardised as you might think they are and changes in service can shrink the time period when the model can realistically represent the real life prototype. Get in to the post-1975 periods and you start getting in to the whole Passenger Transport Executive/Network Southeast/InterCity Swallow era and then the escalation with post-1987 sectoriation and 1994 privatisation.

When you compare the size of the traditional ready to run Model Railway offering by manufacturers to the amount of real life examples in the pool they can choose to build from, you can realise just how little is offered at any one time. It can take a model railway enthusiast years to be able to build up the stable of locos and stock from RTR sources because what they need is just not available. Kits and scratchbuilding are the analogue of Trainz freeware creators and the offerings can be just as variable in quality.

While Trainz does not bring with it the sheer costs of tooling and transportation to consider that RTR Model Railway manufacturers have to consider, the models for Trainz still require a comparable effort in research to the RTR MR models and a digital model has to be built, which takes time, effort, skill and an investment in the programs to facilitate the build. Computer programs are a continually moving target due to evolution.

Personally, I salute the creators who produce payware UK outline DLC and the creators who produce freeware UK outline models. Do I wish there were more of each? Yes, I do, but Trainz is a niche program and UK content is a niche market within Trainz too. Now, if I can just work out how to clone some of those creators...........

 

[Paulsw2]

Old content can also be updated should the original creators allow. Robd's updates to PaulHobb's J15 and J50 look fantastic - just as good as some of the modern payware that's been created recently.

Not sure I've seen Rob's versions, but here are mine!

Converting the textures to tbumpenv materials can make a difference, but we are papering over the cracks if we're just reconditioning 20 year old models. Ultimately we need new models build to the latest standards. However, there is now only a very small pool of creators, so I fear it does leave the game rather hanging by a thread unfortunately.

 

[robd]

...Old content can also be updated should the original creators allow. Robd's updates to PaulHobb's J15 and J50 look fantastic - just as good as some of the modern payware that's been created recently.

Not sure I've seen Rob's versions, but here are mine!

I'm sure I've not seen them myself because they don't exist in our space-time continuum!

Whereas your's Paulsw2, obviously exist and look splendid!

Rob.

 

[nathanmallard]

I'm sure I've not seen them myself because they don't exist in our space-time continuum!

Whereas your's Paulsw2, obviously exist and look splendid!

Rob.

Oops, apologies - it was Paul's versions I was thinking of, and they look excellent! Incidentally I have the Hornby model of 65464 and I think they've done 65445 too.

 

[Paulsw2]

I'm sure I've not seen them myself because they don't exist in our space-time continuum!

Whereas your's Paulsw2, obviously exist and look splendid!

Rob.

Thanks Rob, I was wondering! But I think you did a GER version of the J15? I couldn't resist giving it the 'treatment'. Hope you don't mind!

Oops, apologies - it was Paul's versions I was thinking of, and they look excellent! Incidentally I have the Hornby model of 65464 and I think they've done 65445 too.

No problem Nathan. I'm hoping to make them available (as Paul Hobbs has a very generous license). Watch this space!

 

[Mightyena]

I've been finding it's a combination of life getting in the way, coupled with the fact that I still build in T:ANE for various reasons, so a lot of content released now I can't use, and anything I make may not work in newer versions - for example I tried to release some reskins of Robd's Desiros, only to discover that the script I used for the lights and destination boards (that I put together in TS12 and have been using on pretty much all my DMU/EMU reskins since) contains a function that has been silently deprecated in TRS22, so they don't show up in Content Manager (and I can't fix them because once again N3V has neglected to provide sufficient documentation on the subject for me to work out a suitable replacement).

So here this is looking very nice in my copy of T:ANE, but if I upload it nobody will be able to download it without having to go through the white pages



Also I've learned that the enhanced interlocking towers don't always work properly when transferring sessions between Trainz versions. I've built a bunch of sessions for various routes in T:ANE which could be nice to upload if I can make them mostly DLS only, but I've discovered that if I try and run them in TRS19, then half the time the IT paths don't activate properly, so I have to delete and recreate every single IT path in TRS19...

If I do ever get it fixed though, I've been working on some AI sessions for Duchy Days:



as well as Midshire Vale, Balshaw and Central London Line.

It just feels like I seem to need to do more and more work to achieve the same result these days, and as I have less time I've just been kind of lacking the desire to even open the program lately

 

[Forester1]

Nice! Dumb question probably, but would anyone in the scripts forum be able to help. No doubt you have already tried there...

 

[robd]

Thanks Rob, I was wondering! But I think you did a GER version of the J15? I couldn't resist giving it the 'treatment'. Hope you don't mind!

Yes Paul, I did do a GER version of Paul Hobbs' J15 (Y15?) and, no, I don't mind your nice treatment!

So here this is looking very nice in my copy of T:ANE, but if I upload it nobody will be able to download it without having to go through the white pages

Nice reskin, Mightyena.

Rob.

 

[fudginator]

Cornish Railways The 80's
A Paddington bound HST awaits to depart Liskeard, while clay hoods sit in the down siding after being loaded at Moorswater

On to the Looe branch and up until the middle of 81 there was still a working signal box at Coombe Junction, complete with a good few semaphores. The St Blazey 37 from Moorswater waits for the passenger service to depart Coombe Junction Halt and the far signal indicates it heading for Looe. After the 37 breaks a sweat climbing back up to Liskeard, it will set back and collect the hoods in the siding, then on to Carne Point (Fowey)

Most of the China clay loading points sit on the freight only Burngullow to Parkandillick branch and are all fed from the pits in the St Austell area, known as Clay country. There are a few outliers though, one of these is Moorswater (Looe branchline) which is fed by the Parsons Park pipeline, this runs for over 12 miles from the clay pits on Bodmin Moor.

 

[pilotwoo]

Having some fun at swanage!

 

[Mightyena]

Another look into what might have been - An alternate universe where both Sprinter prototypes entered production:

 

[Trainmaster189]

Looks really awesome Mightyena! They look like they could replace the Budd RDCs here in the states.

Also, please don't get me started on the alternate history BR stuff!

 

[fudginator]

A few shots from random areas around Cornish Railways 1980s

After performing a runaround the class 31 sets back into the Devonport dockyard goods and ammunition terminal at Bull point. Ordnance from Royal Naval Armament Depot at Ernesettle would be transported via the old LSWR line which is now the Gunnislake branch to Bull point for loading on to Her Majesty's ships before deployment. This was closed in the early 80s and is now a footpath

Onto the branch line, which in the end became just a very long siding before it was taken out of use totally in 1982 (Meledor Mill line)
A St Blazey 37 heads to St Dennis Junction after picking up hoods from the dries at Melbur Mill, which sits in the middle. In the foreground is the disused Rosevallen dries with Collins dries also disused just visible in the background. The pit works at Melbur Mill and the settling tanks are still in use to this day even though the tracks were lifted over 40 years ago.

After leaving the clay works area, it was a trip across Goss Moor before arriving at St Dennis Junction. There were two manually operated crossing on this section, one at Trerice and here at Gaverigan Bridge. In the background is the main electric and gas sub station for Cornwall at Indian Queens handling some 400kv

The 37 waits in the sidings as the service from Par arrives heading for Newquay, momentarily stopping at St Dennis Junction to collect the token. Once the DMU has departed the 37 will runaround and then head down to Par. Note the branchline loop has just received a bit of fresh ballast after relaying. This now has all but disappeared with just a single line to Newquay remaining

 

[Mightyena]

Some more Desiro Cities on their home turf (though the route is set a little before their time so there may have been some kind of time warp involved):








Speaking of time warps:






And a little speculation on what a modern day re-nationalised BR livery might look like (Yes I know this isn't BR blue,the "new" livery is inspired by the original without being a direct copy):