Atomic Systems

Thanks, Ian. I'll have a look at your approach. My initial idea was simply to produce some more Welsh siding fodder with lots of words on the sides. I'm not sure if I'd like to letter "Ystradgynlais & Ystalyfera" etc etc etc. There is also an issue of accurate lettering styles, which using a photo ensures. But, yes, you do lose some of the modelling.
Back on Highworth itself, a thought for an activity, as a result of accidentally finding some items on a Swiss MSTS site.
These include locos for the Rhymney Railway, Barry Railway, Taff Vale Railway and Rhondda & Swansea Bay Railway.
At or shortly after the Grouping, any of these locos could have visited Swindon Works still in their original liveries (I'm sure someone could find the actual dates if they were wanted!). I suspect that they would have worked a train in if possible, though they might have been towed, depending on the state of the boiler (the GWR wasn't very impressed with the boilers of many of the locos it inherited).
The site, by the way, is "Marcel's Train Sim Site" and he has produced the models - as well as other British ones - it's at http://www.trainsim.ch/
By the way, I hadn't noticed that Highworth was not UKFS until it was pointed out. The overall excellence of the scenery took my attention from the details of the track. I don't know the line but it is the first route where i can believe that the lineside is an accurate representation rather than simply giving the right ambience.
Jonathan David

Back in the late 1970's I was living in Denver, Colorado and working for a large hobby shop (Caboose Hobbies). Colorado was/is a delightful place with a wonderful climate, but when my wife and I left to head back East I had grown weary of the continuous diet of Colorado 3 ft. narrow gauge - both prototype and model (there being no MSTS in those days).

To make a long story short I bumped into a potboiler book, by one O.S. Nock, that provided a sort of thumbnail sketch of the rise of U.K railways, region by region and with multiple photos. The book covered the early days through the end of pre-grouping and I was fascinated. Beautiful, gleaming (and in full color ... er, colour) locos and stock that put to shame our drab black locos of the period. And really first-class permanent way and engineering works.

So it is with that background that I would like to congratulate the contributors to this magnificent route; in my opinion running the activities of the Highworth Branch is the first truly interactive monograph on a railway line. Sort of like picking up a Wild Swan publication and having it come to life with you as the driver! The only other route I've ever stumbled upon that provided a sort of historical sketch of a line through a series of activities was 3DTrainstuff's Donner Pass Route (and a great route it is, too). But Highworth, in my opinion, outdoes it. The maps, the history of the line and the description of the route would do justice to a fine monograph, and with that as background when you jump onto the footplate the route you all spent so many years lovingly put together simply comes to life.

A magnificent job all 'round, and thank you all for making this wonderful contribution to my train-simming life.

Cheers,

Dave

There have been several references to maps and the history of the line included in a Documents folder. I cannot find this folder.

Tony

Tonysmedley wrote:There have been several references to maps and the history of the line included in a Documents folder. I cannot find this folder.

Tony

You need to look under Train Simulator\Routes\HighworthBranch\Media

@ Lightandlighting - Thanks for your comments and info. I think the official activities the testing group are doing contain more than enough rolling stock for now. There are one or two set in WWI that use a Midland engine on a war supply train (there was a great deal of interworking of trains in WWI under the emergency conditions - the loco was left on the train and a GWR footplate crew and guard would have taken it over at the boundary of the Midland/GW networks). When the Welsh lines were taken over I would think a lot of locos came to Swindon during the mid-20s, probably light engine under their own steam for reboilering, though a few might be coupled into one working if their major overhauls all fell due close together. Other UKTS members are more than welcome to write such activities but it might be wise to hold off for a while until the testing team gets the 1923-1947 activity pack completed. This will add a ton of extra stock to the route as well.

@ Smecty - Thank you for your comments. How close you are to the truth. Wild Swan's publication on the line was a huge inspiration to me and I think the route as it stands now is very much influenced by the life and story that book contains. It was the very first book Wild Swan published in 1979 and my copy has pride of place on my shelf. If you ever see a copy, buy it as they are worth a fair bit now and are very collectable.

@ Tonysmedly - My apologies Tony, I made the mistake of calling it 'Documents'. Ian is correct. The word document in there called "Highworth Journey" is my main recommendation. It gives a lot of detail about the route, especially at Swindon. Some of the other documents with regard to rolling stock lists are now very out of date.

Perhaps an activity to launch to mark the centenary of the Grouping! I need to maker a small correction, though, in case anyone takes what I said literally. The R&SBR remained independent until the Grouping but was managed by the GWR from 1906 and its stock began to be repainted in GWR livery (see the HMRS tome on liveries). So R&SBR locos might have turned up at Swindon any time from then on. But there is also an Alexandra Docks & Railway loco (from Newport for those who aren't familiar with the niceties of South Wales railway geography) on the MSTS site (Download 15900 in ADR livery and 15607 in GWR livery) to add to the collection. Quite a few South Wales locos never made it back home after visiting Swindon.
Re your comment about travelling under their own steam, I suspect that most would have, certainly the RR examples which were noted as having good boilers, but the Barry boilers were not liked by the GWR boiler inspector and I suspect they wouldn't have got further than Caerphilly Works without some serious attention.
Perhaps I'd better put my money where my mouth is and work on a suitable activity. But don't hold your breath please. I may even meet my suggested target date.
The other railway in the area of course was the M&SWJR. From what i can see from Bradshaw it didn't actually have passenger trains linking Swindon Town to the Junction, but there was a daily M&SWJR goods to Swindon Transfer. According to Ahrons (Volume 4 page 122) during 1888 the single Fairlie was used for a while. I think that's one company that has so far escaped the attention of the MSTS loco builders.
And thanks to those who mentioned the documents. I hadn't looked at them until prompted. "Awesome", as my American friends would say. A new standard for documentation as well as for the route itself. So another big thank you to the team for all the effort put in.
I have seen suggestions that MSTS is dying. Don't believe it. I wonder if the promise and then cancellation of version 2 has in fact prompted much more development than would have happened if version 2 had actually been issued.
Jonathan David

lightandlighting wrote:The other railway in the area of course was the M&SWJR. From what i can see from Bradshaw it didn't actually have passenger trains linking Swindon Town to the Junction, but there was a daily M&SWJR goods to Swindon Transfer. According to Ahrons (Volume 4 page 122) during 1888 the single Fairlie was used for a while. I think that's one company that has so far escaped the attention of the MSTS loco builders.

Jonathan David

The Midland & South Western Junction is my other love. I would dearly love to build the whole line as a route. It had a fascinating history, some lovely engines and a gorgeous livery, and it wasn't too long - the workings of the line especially in WWI were fascinating. It was a tragedy that it came under GW ownership in 1923 as they promptly killed it. I have numerous books on the line and its rolling stock and if any single subject were to inspire me to get back into route building the M&SWJ would be it.

I have now found the background reading for the route in the Media folder.
I have always regarded the presentation of the original Skipton 1920 route as a model of perfection, but Highworth goes a great deal further.
“ A Journey Along the Highworth Branch” is a delight. Without reading this I would not have realised the extraordinary detail which has been put into the scenic setting of this route.
All those concerned deserve the highest praise.
Will there ever be another route so well presented?

Tony

Thanks Tony, but in between times when I'd screwed up in the RE and was too annoyed to go and fix it I had plenty of spare time to write up some background material.

Just to let people know testing is ongoing with the next lot of activities...

Hi To all following this,
Activity seven, Upgrading the line.
The the instructions in the Media folder Activity Briefs end at Hannington. However the activity continues back down the line to Swindon.
This is not a problem as the Full Activity Brief is accessed as usual via F11. Describing the collection of the empties on the return run.

Congratulations to the author on the authenticity of this act regarding operations.

Good luck
Doug

douglee wrote:Congratulations to the author on the authenticity of this act regarding operations.

Thanks Doug. That would be Martin Heywood who is the author of all the activities that have been written so far. I chose him to write them because I think he's the best, certainly for steam era routes where he takes the time and effort to research the line he's working on.

As to your comment about the description in the Media folder not agreeing with the F11 description I'll discuss that with the team and we should be able to fix it when the next activity and stock pack is released.

Hi Martin,
AH! Congratulations to Martin (the other one ) for the activity. He does use the correct procedures and so the acts are more enjoyable.

I am pleased to have helped in a small way with the brief. But as I indicated it is not a disaster.
I would guess, as it has not been broached before most people are using F11 anyway.

May I say the detail behind the Acts is a welcome extra. It makes running more purposeful.

Looking forward to the next acts. At the moment I am struggling with the 'Opening of the line' act down the grades. Great stuff.

Good luck
Doug

The activities were writen by Martin Heywood who also wrote the descriptions and deserves all the praise.
However he made some changes during testing mainly to avoid front coupling problems.

Since the front coupling problems are mostly a thing of the past we tried to restore the orignal versions of the activities.
We did not do this completely so there may be some differences between the F11 descripions and those in the Media folder.

Congratulations to the entire Team who made the Highworth Branch Available.

The Rolling Stock is superb and as for the Activities they are brilliant - I always use F11 for Activity Briefings so the difference in the Word Document briefing doesn't bother me one bit.

I have now completed 16 of the 39 Activities supplied to date in sequence as they really show up the Route Development in an excellent manner.

Regards

Mike