Atomic Systems

Hi all

I've been a bit quiet recently, but that's not to say idle.

I've now finished all of the activities for the long-awaited Highworth project and have handed over to the rest of the guys for final testing and whatever tweaks they decide to make to the route, models and activities. It was a strange feeling picking up a project that I last worked on 4 years ago, a bit like turning the clock back. Anyway, after testing and amending the original 30 activities, I eventually continued with my journey from 1879 to 1964. Altogether there are 86 activities covering the entire history of the line from construction through to closure. Now you know why it's taken so long.

With Highworth safely put to bed on the external hard disk, Cambrian 2 is now out of its box for some serious Dukedog thrashing. There's a series of 8 freeware activities featuring my favourite class of loco on the Cambrian main line on a mixture of trains:
1. 1947 - Stopping passenger from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth.
2. 1947 - Express passenger from Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury (doubleheaded).
3. 1952 - Stopping passenger from Oswestry to Aberystwyth.
4. 1952 - Stopping passenger from Aberystwyth to Oswestry.
5. 1956 - Stopping passenger from Machynlleth to Newtown - I think 5 and 6 were school trains
6. 1956 - Stopping passenger from Newtown to Machynlleth
7. 1958 - Cattle special from Aberystwyth to Welshpool.
8. 1959 - Bridge engineers' train from Moat Lane to Dovey Junction.

As you can imagine, these are quite a contrast from the Highworth activities in terms of duration. Those stopping trains from Shrewsbury and Oswestry take over 3 hours and are really hard work to complete on time. Of course going the other way you get the joys of the Eastbound ascent of Talerddig - whatever you do, don't let the locos slip on the doubleheaded activity.

Seven out of the eight are now finished and I'll be uploading them to this site one at a time as soon as I'm 100% happy with them. I'll then turn my attention to finishing the activities for the proper 3DTrainstuff payware add-on with its diesels, extra rolling stock and dozens more activities. The plan is to compile another epic series (will I ever learn?) following the career of a locoman from 1935 to 1985. You got the first 20 with the route. There are 36 new activities already written taking the story to the end of World War 2 and I'm guessing about another 40-50 to come (I'll stop when I get bored).

Have fun!

Martin

Many thanks for the update Martin - great and most welcome news on both counts.

Ashley

Thanks for that update on highworth can we all have a day off when the holy grails is availble ,oh bit off topic hows the s&djr route comeing on

Sounds great Martin, I'd better coal and water my Dukedogs in readiness!
I've barely put Cambrian 2 down since it came out and it's where I'm off to in a minute.
Keep up the good work.

Regards,

Paul

Will be lovely to finally have Highworth!

This sounds fascinating only I haven't a clue what 'Highworth' is. The search facility doesn't help either. I take its a route based in or around Highworth near Swindon? Either way, from what I can tell from the search results, it sounds excellent.

photons66 wrote:This sounds fascinating only I haven't a clue what 'Highworth' is. The search facility doesn't help either. I take its a route based in or around Highworth near Swindon? Either way, from what I can tell from the search results, it sounds excellent.

David

Yes, It's the GWR branch near Swindon. If you're not aware of the history of the Highworth route, don't ask now - suffice it to say it's been long in the making and considering who's been making it all these years, the result should not disappoint!

Ashley

Indeed,thanks Ash. Looking forward to driving some Halls and so forth up there.

Halls?
I very much doubt it on a branch like Highworth, but check out this site for details: http://www.highworth.freeuk.com

Ash

517 Class 0-4-2 tanks and later on the 58xx and 14xx 0-4-2T. The Highworth branch was very much a light railway in terms of civil engineering and the trains that ran on it, but don't let that put you off. It's a charming little route and great fun to drive. It's not easy either - Butt's bank is every bit as challenging as Talerddig on the Cambrian, especially for such small locos.

Martin

Looking forward to Cambrian 2 too.

photons66 wrote:Looking forward to Cambrian 2 too.

http://www.3dtrainstuff.com/products/uk ... rian2.html

Available here if you want it - superb realism and detail, and some great activities - well worth the outlay.

Ash

For a route of that magnitude for 48 or so dollars, that isn't bad. I think I might splash out then. Cheers Ash.

You won't see this on Highworth.




Nor even this.

http://


and definately not this