Big Bertha - Versions 3 and 4

[pcas1986]

A few days back I uploaded Big Bertha Version 3. The changes are very minor but include:

The missing connecting link on the right side. This is the bit from the main reverser mechanism down to the Walschaerts gear. This was detected by PEV - nobody else seemed to notice!
And a minor change to the interior script which wasn't necessary but I did it for my own satisfaction.

There is also a change to the enginespec after the original author (azervich) suggested some changes. Curiously, this makes driving BB in Cab Mode much harder in TS12 than TS10. To get the old girl moving in TS12 you really have to tweak the regulator and reverser cutoff levels to get her to accelerate past about 5 MPH. This problem doesn't exist in TS10. I've no intention of trying to get it fixed as I think it makes it more interesting.

I toyed with the idea of animating the brakes since I had done that for someone else. However, I decided not to as brake lever and shoe movement would be hardly noticeable. The other asset has levers, wheels and brake shoes moving and is very visible.

Unfortunately, I made the mistake of uploading the new versions as hidden assets. Since it already existed on the DLS, those who already had it installed would get it as an update.

So, to fix the problem I had to bump the kuid numbers so it became version 4. :hehe: Sorry if I burned up some of your download bandwidth. Version 4 should be available tomorrow (Wednesday) - I hope.

BTW, I'm still playing with a crimson red (LMS) version. Why? Because I can and black is boring. So far I haven't found a colour version I like and can reproduce. So it might be a while.

Cheers
Paul

 

[robd]

Wot! no BR lined black version? Many thanks for the updated models.

Rob.

 

[Edweird]

"The missing connecting link on the right side. This is the bit from the main reverser mechanism down to the Walschaerts gear. This was detected by PEV - nobody else seemed to notice!"

I did notice it, but I didn't want to sound ungrateful when you released the locomotive and it was such a tiny component I decided to keep shtum.

 

[pcas1986]

Wot! no BR lined black version? Many thanks for the updated models.

Rob.

Sorry, I forgot you asked for that. I was trying to avoid messing with the textures although I did add MR to the front buffer plate of the MR version after seeing the photo I found recently.

And, after uploading it, I got a couple of new especs so there may be some changes based on that.

I was hoping to finally get back to finishing updates for my 54xx. And maybe a new model.

 

[pcas1986]

Hi All,
Azervich has provided me with two new especs one of which will work for an 8 chuff sound. But I have to find or produce one and at present I haven't the foggiest idea how to do that. So there will be a version 5 - eventually.

So, apart from Robd's BR's pinstriping request, are their any other BB related requests of a reasonable nature?

 

[nathanmallard]

How about BB in MR/LMS Crimson Lake? Not a livery actually carried but it would look great.

 

[robd]

Sorry, I forgot you asked for that. I was trying to avoid messing with the textures although I did add MR to the front buffer plate of the MR version after seeing the photo I found recently.

And, after uploading it, I got a couple of new especs so there may be some changes based on that.

I was hoping to finally get back to finishing updates for my 54xx. And maybe a new model.

Oops! Sorry, I hope my comment didn't sound too demanding, it wasn't meant to be. I am quite happy with the 'pinstriped' version of my own making/reskin. It would be great to have a lined version from the original creator though, but if you have other fish to fry then by all means ignore my comment and fry away. A fictitious MR/LMS crimson version would look nice though.

Rob.

 

[pcas1986]

The Crimson Lake version is the one I am working on. But I am unhappy with the colour. It reminds of candy floss and my pinstriping attempts are dismal.

This was a red colour I copied from a photo of a loco with Crimson Lake livery but it didn't work. I think it needs to be deeper as does the yellow pinstripe.

I'm not sure what happened with the band in the centre of the boiler.

 

[Edweird]

One thing I found out post release was that Bertha had a second electric lamp on her tender as well as the one above her smokebox. As for the Crimson Lake colouring, I'd say it wants to be a smidge less blue and maybe a tiny bit darker. I think part of the problem with her CL livery also is that her smokebox is SO deep compared to many British locomotives.

 

[pcas1986]

The second electric lamp was mentioned before but I've never spotted one in any pictures. I guess it would be mounted at the top of the rear of the tender. If anyone wants one there it would be relatively easy to add. Though I would have to add a second on/off switch. The current headlight also works with the headlight key but it wouldn't make sense to have the tender light come on as well. So it would have to be a separate switch. I'm not sure if the tender placement is a problem. It might require an "interior" for the tender.

Konni has an idea for working a handbrake lever on his unreleased Baden 1A tender. Its an odd loco because the loco itself has no brakes and the brakes in the real loco were operated on the tender. Konni has come up with an idea to operate the tender handbrake while in loco cab mode. I was thinking of using the same idea to operate the handbrake on BB's tender. However the handbrake operation would have no braking effect since the entire train's braking system is controlled from the brake in the loco cab.

Its been a while since I did anything with the CL livery but as you can see I was playing around with the piston housings and couldn't make up my mind about the round tube on top. I think it is the exhaust steam pipe.

 

[Edweird]

The second electric lamp was mentioned before but I've never spotted one in any pictures. I guess it would be mounted at the top of the rear of the tender. If anyone wants one there it would be relatively easy to add. Though I would have to add a second on/off switch. The current headlight also works with the headlight key but it wouldn't make sense to have the tender light come on as well. So it would have to be a separate switch. I'm not sure if the tender placement is a problem. It might require an "interior" for the tender.

I've got a couple of pictures that show a lamp on the tender, but it just looks like a normal rail lamp, sat on the lower right lamp-iron.

I also found one or two pictures today suggesting that once upon a time she may have been painted BR lined black. The clearest photo I could find was of this model.

 

[pcas1986]

You should be able to implement the lamp already as both the loco and tender have Paul Hobbs' lamp script included. I haven't tried it.

 

[Edweird]

Any new developments?!

 

[pcas1986]

Sorry no, its gone to the back of the queue. Right now I'm working on a couple of complex scripts for two people, and when I have time, working on getting a new version of my GWR 54xx out.

I also got a new enginespec from Azervich that needs testing. This is a different version to that I put out a couple of weeks back.

 

[captainkman]

Sorry I haven't contributed to this thread yet! I'm, amongst my own models, working on a session for Big Bertha, using the Lickey Incline route on the DLS.

I just noticed that half the cab on the Crimson Lake version is missing. Why's this?

We need a train avatar submission program, as I have a Big Bertha and a Matchbox Loco avatar waiting.

 

[pcas1986]

Hi Kieran,
Its a WIP and has been somewhat delayed by work for others, TS12 SP1 and a gazillion other excuses. It's half a loco because I build my stuff as mirrored as much as possible and, when I'm happy, I apply the mirror and save it as a "release" version.

Plus last time i worked on it I wasn't happy with the crimson lake colour. Some of my web searches have produced variations so I'm not sure what to do about it.

I'd like to have a BB avatar for my Trainz id but I understood N3V had closed that off?

I'm also wondering if it is worth amending the various BB models to get rid of the uniform colour warning. Its only a warning but I prefer clean commits.

 

[captainkman]

They did close off avatar submissions a long time ago, but if they were to open again I'd upload the two I have.

It's your choice on Uniform Colour. I'm keeping my TS12 SP1 install fairly clean for beta testing, with only Multiplayer stuff added into it, so the warnings don't really affect me as I only use Bertha in TS2010.

 

[Edweird]

I think your crimson lake livery looks good. I think your issue is because it's unfinished. Once the gold lining has been added to the boiler, firebox and cabside I think it'll look spot on. Shouldn't the edge of the running plate be red and gold lined too?

 

[pcas1986]

I only experimented with the pinstriping and perhaps on the most difficult mesh in the loco. Since it was never that colour I guess I could do whatever I like. :hehe: The red looked a bit faded and I think I would prefer a glossy look. Maybe I'll dust it off and get working again. I'm a bit tired of writing scripts.

 

[Edweird]

Had a little bit of fun with Bertha today. I've been using Trainz to try and come up with ideas for a model rail layout that'll fit on my 68 x 8 inch window ledge and to get to know surveyor a little better. I think I'm going to go for either LMS or early BR stock so I had Bertha hauling some of the traffic. I doubt she's ever pulled a suburban passenger service before.

I did notice that the current tender shadow is having that stretching to infinity thing you came across before. I checked all three versions. I don't know if it's just my end though.