Peak Forest

Discuss routes currently being created.
User avatar
Nexusdj
Forum Veteran
Posts: 3096
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2010 3:02 pm
Trainz Version: TRS22
Trainz Build: 123794
Author KUID: 45317
Location: West Midlands
Contact:

Re: Peak Forest

Post by Nexusdj »

Disappearing base-maps : Try increasing the draw distance in surveyor ?
High visibility pixels must be worn when on or about the line !!
dave55007
Past 100!
Posts: 189
Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:05 am
Trainz Version: 2009
Trainz Build: 38869
Author KUID: 349132
Location: East Yorkshire

Re: Peak Forest

Post by dave55007 »

Nexusdj wrote:Disappearing base-maps : Try increasing the draw distance in surveyor ?
I checked and they're already chock up to the blocks! I'l muddle on, ha ha.
Dave

Great Yorkshire Railways - a Great idea that never was!
dave55007
Past 100!
Posts: 189
Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:05 am
Trainz Version: 2009
Trainz Build: 38869
Author KUID: 349132
Location: East Yorkshire

Re: Peak Forest

Post by dave55007 »

I could't stand it any longer and decided to put in the gradient for the track. I don't know the actual gradient profile for the line, but I've done it so that the length between the two overbridges is all the same gradient and is flat either side of the bridges. I've extended the gradient to the north so that I can get a fix on the top of the tunnel mouth at the north end and then run the track in a cutting to the tunnel mouth:

Image

Image

The second pic shows track laid at Great Rocks, the gradient off to the right. Its a gentle slope, but with a fully loaded train...

Pic 3 shows Great Rocks from the other side, now with the road bridge in place:

Image

As the Borg say: Resistance is futile! And so, a little bit of preliminary landscaping was done and the view is starting to take shape:

Image

Lastly, landscaping is tweaked and colour and a few details added. What a difference that makes.

Image
Dave

Great Yorkshire Railways - a Great idea that never was!
User avatar
Nexusdj
Forum Veteran
Posts: 3096
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2010 3:02 pm
Trainz Version: TRS22
Trainz Build: 123794
Author KUID: 45317
Location: West Midlands
Contact:

Re: Peak Forest

Post by Nexusdj »

High visibility pixels must be worn when on or about the line !!
dave55007
Past 100!
Posts: 189
Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:05 am
Trainz Version: 2009
Trainz Build: 38869
Author KUID: 349132
Location: East Yorkshire

Re: Peak Forest

Post by dave55007 »

Nexusdj wrote:Peak Forest gradient chart : https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ahlyeup29e8/ ... t-grad.tif
1 in 90 for the entire climb! I wasn't too far out. Thanks for that info Nexusdj, I'm wondering now how to get the trains to crawl up it at full power. I have an idea about that. Better put some track down...
Dave

Great Yorkshire Railways - a Great idea that never was!
dave55007
Past 100!
Posts: 189
Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:05 am
Trainz Version: 2009
Trainz Build: 38869
Author KUID: 349132
Location: East Yorkshire

Re: Peak Forest

Post by dave55007 »

Before the next update, just some thoughts about rolling stock for Peak Forest. As far as locos are concerned, as mentioned before, Classes 20, 25, 37, 40 and 45 are most likely. I've been able to source pics of all these either at Tunstead / Peak Forest or hauling the ICI wagons. I've haven't come across pics of class 56's there yet, but I like the idea of 56's passing through perhaps on route learning trips. There's a pic of 07001 at Peak Forest on industrial duties (in, I think, either a white or yellow livery) and various other industrial shunters.

Wagons consisted of HTV's and the Tunstead ICI hoppers in the main, POA's in Staverley Buxton livery (a new one to me), various 5 and 7 plank BR wagons and brake vans. Steel MCV's also put in an appearance. Oil tanks (TTA's?) are seen at Tunstead, presumably fuel oil for the shunters.

I think by the 1980s, passenger trains of any description were a distant memory, but it seems a shame not to include something, so I'm going to defy history and have at least one DMU running through the map.

So, what do I have in Trainz? Most of the loco classes are available; there are issues with the 25's and 40's, which is a shame as they are the mainstay of the loco fleet for Peak Forest. The main issue is their age, as they are all from the Trainz 2004 era. The numbers are fixed and so, although I can use them through the portals, how many times can 40135 or 25178 do the round trips in a day? And then meet itself coming the other way! The 45's are no problem, excellent updated models by TMZ06003, and his 20's are excellent machines too, although they do not number themselves from a portal. I need a fix for that, will have to ask him for advice. 37's are OK too and I have the early Class 56's (up to 56030).

Wagons are generally available. HTV's, TTA's, Brake vans, MCV's and the 5 and 7 plankers are all available in Bauxite. Only the ICI hoppers are not available yet, but as posted earlier, Gary (Greeni) has them in hand. (Please, please, pretty please!)

For the DMU, I fancy running a TransPennine Class 124, and have that already, so no problems there.

Shunters are a bit of an issue. I have a Class 07, but in Green livery. The industrials may be harder to source, but I think there are a few available. I can always use 08's or 04's, even 'borrow' Castle Cement's Class 17 (in Green), but I'm not too worried about those.

All in all, most of the items are there. If anyone knows of anything I've missed, or has any suggestions regarding any of them, please let me know.
Dave

Great Yorkshire Railways - a Great idea that never was!
User avatar
Nexusdj
Forum Veteran
Posts: 3096
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2010 3:02 pm
Trainz Version: TRS22
Trainz Build: 123794
Author KUID: 45317
Location: West Midlands
Contact:

Re: Peak Forest

Post by Nexusdj »

Those ICI bogie hoppers where vacuum braked and 56's are only air braked .
I seem to remember when being taught on 56's & 58's that there was a rule that they couldn't be used on class 9 part and unfitted trains .
High visibility pixels must be worn when on or about the line !!
dave55007
Past 100!
Posts: 189
Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:05 am
Trainz Version: 2009
Trainz Build: 38869
Author KUID: 349132
Location: East Yorkshire

Re: Peak Forest

Post by dave55007 »

I'll keep the 56s on route learning in anticipation of air braked hoppers.
Dave

Great Yorkshire Railways - a Great idea that never was!
User avatar
cyberdonblue
Forum Veteran
Posts: 1578
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2014 6:41 pm
Trainz Version: 2006 2012 T:ANE SP3
Trainz Build: 105766
Author KUID: 214658
Location: West Midlands

Re: Peak Forest

Post by cyberdonblue »

I remember back in the late 70's/early 80's working the Tunstead - Margam trains between Toton (I think, might have been Derby, my poor memory fails me yet again) and Gloucester (we rarely got past Gloucester with Welsh goods trains in those days.) They were always pulled by Class 37s. I don't really think I saw anything else on them, maybe a 47 here or there but I wouldn't swear to it.

Cheers

Dave
dave55007
Past 100!
Posts: 189
Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:05 am
Trainz Version: 2009
Trainz Build: 38869
Author KUID: 349132
Location: East Yorkshire

Re: Peak Forest

Post by dave55007 »

Ive not seen many pics of 37s on the Tunsteads, until the freight sector era and the construction livery was commonplace. 37688 Great Rocks is available in FCon livery, i fancy it in Blue!
Dave

Great Yorkshire Railways - a Great idea that never was!
dave55007
Past 100!
Posts: 189
Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:05 am
Trainz Version: 2009
Trainz Build: 38869
Author KUID: 349132
Location: East Yorkshire

Re: Peak Forest

Post by dave55007 »

Since I had already started the landscaping process, I have continued on and the south end of the map is my starting to come together nicely.

As you can see from the pics, there's a lot of tweaking to do with the contours to get the landscape to “flow”, but the colour does hide a lot of errors, and landscape is not without its bumps anyway.

I hadn't realised how hard it is to model quarries, the OS maps are not as straight forward as I thought and some improvisation is needed. Photos help too, when they are available.

Image

Looking west at Tunstead, the location of Great Rocks Signal Box just to the left of the road bridge. The small village of Upper End is just visible in the top right.

Image

With a bit of ground colour added, the lumps in the contours are not as visible. However, I will do additional work to smooth them out. The trees have since been pruned down as per Google Earth views.

Image

Further up the hill, more landscaping is done. The kink in the track denotes the (approx) halfway point between Great Rocks and Peak Forest.
Dave

Great Yorkshire Railways - a Great idea that never was!
User avatar
cyberdonblue
Forum Veteran
Posts: 1578
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2014 6:41 pm
Trainz Version: 2006 2012 T:ANE SP3
Trainz Build: 105766
Author KUID: 214658
Location: West Midlands

Re: Peak Forest

Post by cyberdonblue »

dave55007 wrote:Ive not seen many pics of 37s on the Tunsteads, until the freight sector era and the construction livery was commonplace. 37688 Great Rocks is available in FCon livery, i fancy it in Blue!
In the late 70's/early 80's most freight came through the Midlands at night - including the Tunstead/Margam stuff. Back then, we knew that if we were on nights we were headed to one of 4 places: Gloucester, Toton (but just as likely somewhere around Nottingham, Derby or Leicester), Crewe, or Didcot (power station). Gloucester was the busiest for us on nights usually. Train after train of Class 8's and 9's down Bromsgrove Bank keeping the Brakesman busy half the night. We would work back via various routes too. Via Worcester, Kidderminster (and shunt in the yard that is now the Severn Valley Railway) and Stourbridge. Then a choice between a banker up Old Hill (rare cos that meant going through New Street staion and they didn't like rusty buffers any time of the day or night :lol: ) or via Dudley (if we were going to Wednesbury or Bescot and back to Saltley light engine or pass.) Or we could just come back up Bromsgrove Bank which was an experience you wouldn't forget in a hurry with a Class 8 or 9 if the Bankers let go of you too sharpish at the top. Once experienced always dreaded. They rarely did a bad job though, to be fair.

We'd also end up at Tinsley once in a while with a train load of anything and all sorts or Barrow Hill with a stray MGR. "Eee those were the days." :lol: They say, "Variety is the spice of life," and it really was back then.

Keep up the good work Dave.

Cheers

Dave
dave55007
Past 100!
Posts: 189
Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:05 am
Trainz Version: 2009
Trainz Build: 38869
Author KUID: 349132
Location: East Yorkshire

Re: Peak Forest

Post by dave55007 »

Great story there, Dave, thanks for sharing it. I've done a map of Bromsgrove too and the bankers (ina pair of class 37's) do a pretty good job, as you say! Do you remember any of the locos you had?
Dave

Great Yorkshire Railways - a Great idea that never was!
User avatar
cyberdonblue
Forum Veteran
Posts: 1578
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2014 6:41 pm
Trainz Version: 2006 2012 T:ANE SP3
Trainz Build: 105766
Author KUID: 214658
Location: West Midlands

Re: Peak Forest

Post by cyberdonblue »

dave55007 wrote: Do you remember any of the locos you had?
I don't remember any particular individual ones for any reason (they're all a blur when you work with them every day) but I can remember a thousand incidents and stories that would probably incriminate a lot of people :lol:

Cheers

Dave
dave55007
Past 100!
Posts: 189
Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:05 am
Trainz Version: 2009
Trainz Build: 38869
Author KUID: 349132
Location: East Yorkshire

Re: Peak Forest

Post by dave55007 »

If you ever get the urge, you should start a thread...
Dave

Great Yorkshire Railways - a Great idea that never was!
Post Reply