UK narrow boats or barges what do we have?

There are now three of my cargo 70 foot narrow boats working their way through the DLS process. Two are low poly more suited to use on a laptop or if you have Intel integrated graphics they should be fine. Note there will be minor changes to all three of these barges so expect a version one or two shortly.

Vulcan's "small canal lock 6 narrow" is now available on the DLS.

So if someone wants to try their hand at a canal layout the basic parts are now there.

Cheerio John
 
There are now three of my cargo 70 foot narrow boats working their way through the DLS process. Two are low poly more suited to use on a laptop or if you have Intel integrated graphics they should be fine. Note there will be minor changes to all three of these barges so expect a version one or two shortly.

Vulcan's "small canal lock 6 narrow" is now available on the DLS.

So if someone wants to try their hand at a canal layout the basic parts are now there.

Cheerio John

Yes Blender is most useful for ship and barge making in Trainz and simulations.
Barry. ;)
 
I've recently uploaded at least three of Barry's sailing barges to the DLS in the last few days. These were used on some of the wider canals and in the estuaries around Liverpool.

Cheerio John
 
I've recently uploaded at least three of Barry's sailing barges to the DLS in the last few days. These were used on some of the wider canals and in the estuaries around Liverpool.

Cheerio John

John I cleared out the emails so could you email to confirm if you want ver6 and ver7.
Completed the range of sailing flats. no 6 is now with mainsail and 7 is jib and mainsail.
This completes the seven and next move is the schooners 'again' as all previously deleted.

Thanks

Barry
 
Hi Guys,

Never thought that my simple request to John Whelan to produce a "proper Narrow boat" would have gained so much interest especially after being told time and time again this is a Trainz game not canals. I trust the moderator who repeatedly replied to me in that vein will take note.

I'm currently working up a route based around 1930's from Tyseley junction to Birmingham Snow hill possibly Woverhampton.
Any body who knows this route will have seen many parts of the canal system and possibly knows that part of the BCN (Birmingham Canal Network) passes right under the station.

As many of the railway surveyors followed the surveys already laid out for the canals, canals to my mind, do play a part in the general scenery, and if they can work so much the better.
The comment on water is an easy fix. Canal water can vary from putrid green to almost black, Brownish grey mostly.
Set the colour in the water table, place water at whatever height, bring the ground up to the water table level -0.02
Example: CANAL WATER LEVEL -5.60
CANAL BED -5.62 Use black or dark brown ground cover
BOAT TRACK LEVEL -2.60
TOWPATH HEIGHT -4.65 variable to whatever bank side you use. A third of a meter or one foot higher than water table level would be about right.

Vulcan stretched his lock for me to pass a 72' boat and John Whelan now has some great boats, loadable with various cargo, whilst I'm trying to painting them up in traditional canal colours.


Snow Hill, has new resplendent signals from the hands of Chris Whiting,
but still very much short on station buildings should anybody wish to give them a go.



Should put a folder up in the cloud for interested parties to view, but never seem to get around to it.
Grateful thanks to all these guys who have and still are working with me to produce Snow Hill 1935.
Cheers guys Thanks.
John P.

John P

Two ways how to use Blender. Blender Game Engine and Blender but BOTH ways are identical as regards the basic content ships and anything else. That is how I am able to make items available for Trainz by using what I make for the BGE. The same items used either way can apparently be used in Trainz and exported into various file types.

However John Whelan knows more about the Trainz side of things.

I don't know if the 7 miles of Liverpool docks, trams, trains, and ships, and static barge locks at Ellesmere Port would still work but about 2004 or perhaps earlier.

I will be unable to discuss non Trainz matters on this thread as years ago moderators decreed otherwise so I no longer waste my times posting and have no further interest in Trainz. I will be continuing making content not for Trainz, but as mentioned, it is my in BGE. content. If John Whelan can convert them for Trainz that is fine.... but not for commercial use. Textures are from my own photos, Liverpool docks, and Leeds to liverpool canal etc as I just use what I have available or use the Gimp or paint.net..

The series of 7 versions sailing flats is completed and next will be to remake the schooner in a similar series of versions.

Thanks

Barry
 
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Bit of a bump, but having recently discovered the freeware narrow boat simulator for Android and PC ( https://sites.google.com/view/narrowboat-simulator/about ) - the only one of its kind, AFAIK, I was wondering how hard or easy it would be to set up a driveable canal route in Trainz? After a visit to Devizes last week and a walk down Caen Hill I was very taken by what I saw.

Perhaps N3V might turn their thoughts to a canal spin off of Trainz, the main difference being the boats shouldn't be tied to a fixed track line.
 
Hi Vern.

There are a number of assets which can be used to do just exactly as you suggest, a drivable canal boat. I haven't visited your link, but here in Trainz the drivable boats are classed as engins and require a track to run on. Use one of the invisible ones. Divergance of routes is effected in exactly the same way as trains would be, but use invisible signals for your tracking. All attributes of AI can be utilized on your canal system, after all is said and done a boay is simply a disguised train!

I suggest you look up "Vulcan" by name on the DLS, he has some lovely models and for my Snow Hill project he extended his original 50ft. Narrow lock to a full 72+ feet, to accomodate the full length narrow boats.
There are a number of other boats by various contributors to the DLS, just try looking up "Narrow Boat".

Vulcans locks are "snap to" but can be orientated, if you move them, it does become a little more difficult to connect the canal to them.

If you need drop me a PM. with you private email and I can probably give you some additional pointers, and a couple of screen shots from Snow Hill 1935.

Happy trainzing down the cut.
JP.
 
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Thanks JP, when I've finished my current route I will check this out. Caen Hill might be a tad ambitious for a first project, but a gentler stretch of the Grand Union or even restore part of the old Thames & Severn just north of here!
 
Vulcan has kindly made one of his hulls available so there are a few cargo carrying 70 foot barges around and there are a bunch of reskins floating in the ether that should be available shortly.

Cheerio John
 
My Glasgow Queen St route/session has a few canals on it. Also Ian's (vulcan's) Falkirk Wheel. It uses the vulcan canal boats and also maysontaylor's pleasure boats.

If you are interested look for username nawlins on the DLS.

Cheers
 
My Glasgow Queen St route/session has a few canals on it. Also Ian's (vulcan's) Falkirk Wheel. It uses the vulcan canal boats and also maysontaylor's pleasure boats.

If you are interested look for username nawlins on the DLS.

Cheers

Vern, you may remember this one. It uses your TRS2004 original route (with your permission) and has been updated many times since then.

Cheers
 
Thanks JP, when I've finished my current route I will check this out. Caen Hill might be a tad ambitious for a first project, but a gentler stretch of the Grand Union or even restore part of the old Thames & Severn just north of here!

Well you've got over 2000 miles to choose from Vern. Now, I see what you mean by "self steer" having spent the last couple of hours playing with your link.
Quite, quite different from anything seen in trainz.

That canal sim reminds me what trainz started out with all those years back, plain and simple and candidly not too true to life.
Who ever put that Canal together should be applauded, I only hope he/she can get some sort of backing for it, as I think it has the beginings of something v.good.
Do let me know how you get on with yur project, but I suggest you PM me as the powers that be are likely to jump on us for promoting Canals on a trainz forum.
Cheers JP.
 
I suggest you PM me as the powers that be are likely to jump on us for promoting Canals on a trainz forum.

I will watch my step :confused: though seems odd some would raise an objection to legitimate use of the software. In fact, here in the UK many stretches of railway closely parallel the canals which preceded them, as both looked for the easiest gradient and path from A to B.
 
I can't imagine any of the current moderators complaining about a thread on canals. They are as valid as road traffic or aeroplanes in Trainz as they add that much more interest to routes.

Ken
 
> I suggest you PM me as the powers that be are likely to jump on us for promoting Canals on a trainz forum

I think the concern was Barry's talk of the Blender game engine which is no more in the latest version of Blender.

There are already some layouts with canals on them but hopefully with Vulcan's new 72 foot lock there will be more to come. I've just put up five of KotangaGirl's reskins on one barge mesh and there are another five to go on Vulcan's mesh shortly when I've finished the red tape.

We've added a fair chunk of UK canal related content in the last few months.

Cheerio John
 
Hi John bge back version works fine.

However not here to discuss Blender but canal barges and sailing flats of mine made with Blender which John converted are now in Trainz. B






 
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Sorry to bother you John.
I have just downloaded your "narrow boat 70 Severn & Sussex" and it is flagging <kuid:768291:100017> as unknown.

Regards Dave.
 
Sorry to bother you John.
I have just downloaded your "narrow boat 70 Severn & Sussex" and it is flagging <kuid:768291:100017> as unknown.

Regards Dave.

Version :1 in working its way through the DLS process. The cabins are now under my kuid rather than 768291 and the DLS promises they should be up within 15 hours. There are another four in the group but the version that uses Vulcan's hull is still to be uploaded.

Cheerio John
 
Cheers John.
I know you have been beavering away on my boats, the available content is double what it was from January '18, I'm most grateful too.
Prior to your highly valued input into this subject there was very little. I sent Annie a link to a short video of Tay breaking ice, as there are some powerful side shots almost square on for which she expressed her delight.
I havn't seen her finished artwork as yet but the bits I have seen look good.
Have you set out anything on the gas boats yet?

Many thanks
JP.
 
Not a lot more has happened from me in the way of input to this project JP as I've had a patch of not being very well and being too sleepy to do graphics work without making a right mess of it. The cabin artwork that John has from me are the ones you have already seen which I guess will be fine for now. When I'm more well I'll have a go at doing some upgraded cabin artwork, but I won't make any promises as to when that will be.
 
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