BR (W) 1970

[jbilton]

Hopefully finish Churston this weekend, and do some screenshots, so you can see what you think.
Cheers
Jon

Hi
Sorry too many screenshots ......... but they cover Paignton, Goodrington sands, Broadsands and Churston.





















































Cheers
Jon

[dee4141]

Well done, Jon - lovely work.

[jbilton]

Well done, Jon - lovely work.

Thanks Danny.
Cheers
Jon

[shebarose]

Well done Jon, you've really got the hang of route building

[jbilton]

Well done Jon, you've really got the hang of route building

Thanks....... still rapidly learning...... but getting a little quicker.
Cheers
Jon

[johnmnstl]

Looking great Jon

So topical as well with the Spitfire tour yesterday

[jbilton]

Looking great Jon

So topical as well with the Spitfire tour yesterday

Thanks John, glad you think it looks OK.
Obviously I am sticking to freeware buildings, so its a matter of finding something that looks close(ish).
Cheers
Jon

[mpeffers]

Looks mostly all there yeah. Given the scale of the task you're undertaking I think what you've got there is commendable. Having got my version DEMed ready, I've spent the day trawling over the line in Google Maps and the only slight problems I can see are:
- The PDSR trackwork at Paignton is a lot more substancial these days. On the first picture, the platform on the right has since been replaced by a siding, running parallel to the through line, which now forms a loop with the line the train is currently standing on. To the left, where the platform shelter is, there's a short, 1 coach long bay platform with a couple of sidings beyond it running into some form of shed between the PDSR and mainline plaforms.
- At Goodrington Sands, the main PDSR running line stays more or less straight. Heading southbound, the railtrack lines to the right spread out into the carridge sidings after the B3201 Bridge, then halfway between the B3201 and Tanners Rd Bridges there's a PDSR siding to the left. The line then over to the far left with a facing point to allow access to Goodrington Sands Platform 2 and the siding behind it followed by a trailing point giving access to the siding on the left mentioned before. The upshot of this is, in picture 5, there should be two tracks curving slightly to the right through the left portal of the Tanners Rd Bridge as opposed to the sharp double bend and point you've got in place and two unconnected lines (on the left, the PDSR siding behind Platform 2 which then rejoins the PDSR mainline beyond the end of the platforms; on the right, the headshunt from the carridge sidings which leads into a derelict siding and loop) running through the right hand side of the bridge.
- Also, Goodrington Sands Station isn't quite as grand as the one on your version. http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~owen ... sands.html is good for reference
- Churston Station looks very spread out compared to the prototype. It's roughly 60m from the A3022 Bridge to the start of the Platforms, which are themselves (if you're facing towards Kingswear) on a right hand bend which then straightens out and curves back into a left hand bend beyond the station.

Like I said, considering how much you're planning on tackling, most of the above points aren't particularly worth worrying about. Also it's possible that the lines changed since the 70's in places - my last visit was a couple of years ago and obviously the Google Maps images will be probably from within the last year - so even if you did correct all of the above, it may not necessarily be prototypical for the era. I had my last exam Friday so I'll make a start on my modern day version probably tomorrow (I think my current attempt, whilst not much had got done, has been corrupted by Mosaic so I'll have to start from scratch - failed on the first lesson of routebuilding: back everything up before doing any serious editing ).

But yeah, to cut a long story short. Hats off to you - it's looking grand...

[johnmnstl]

Just an idea Jon

Have you thought of cutting the Paignton to Kingswear tiles loose and giving us all something to play with while you carry on with your excellent work ?????

Sorry if this stirs up a whole new hornets nest for you

[jbilton]

Hi
Thanks for the excellent information........ I think an accurate standalone route would be superb. ...........its a lovely stretch of railway.
I'm not a route builder........ so I've only modified the track that Derick had already laid.........and I find it the most tedious and frustrating part.
If your doing the route from scratch it would look better in UK finescale I think.......... you can also get the distances between the stations better.

John I'll look into releasing the tiles seperately.........it might work......... and could be fun in the short term.
I have to admit, I really only modified this part to go with the 70s BR era........ and for an excuse to run BoCo.....

Cheers
Jon


Edit 23/06/06

Took sometime off from route to have some fun.

[mpeffers]

I think an accurate standalone route would be superb.

I'll see what I can do - tracks down now and I'll start tweaking the terrain tomorrow so it's underway.

I find it the most tedious and frustrating part.

I don't mind doing the track actually. Initially when just starting routebuilding or when I first started using UKFS it was a bit of an uphill struggle trying to get all the tracks to line up and such, but once you've learnt most of the shape names it gets a lot easier.

If your doing the route from scratch it would look better in UK finescale I think.

There's only one or two occasions when I don't use UKFS these days, mainly because the default pieces are slightly weirdly mapped, particularly on points, and the double track spacing's very wide, so I have gone for it again here. Considering it's mostly single line, my somewhat crippled computer should be able to cope with the extra polys.

you can also get the distances between the stations better.

Have actually finally run the P2P section of the line now and the actual positioning of the stations didn't seem that bad. The scenery was a bit sparse in places and the Brixham Branch and most of Torquay, Paignton and Dartmouth were missing and Kingswear was quite flat but bits of the line were recognisable.

Anyways yeah, best stop semi-hijacking your thread - I'll start my own when I have progress worth seeing...

[jbilton]

I'll see what I can do - tracks down now and I'll start tweaking the terrain tomorrow so it's underway.

you can also get the distances between the stations better.

Have actually finally run the P2P section of the line now and the actual positioning of the stations didn't seem that bad. The scenery was a bit sparse in places and the Brixham Branch and most of Torquay, Paignton and Dartmouth were missing and Kingswear was quite flat but bits of the line were recognisable.

Anyways yeah, best stop semi-hijacking your thread - I'll start my own when I have progress worth seeing...

Hi
Excellent news.......I'll keep an eye out for your thread.

I think the main distance problem I've found was between Goodrington and Churston, its probably not so noticeable when there's little scenery, but I found difficulty getting a viaduct (should be two I believe) and Broadsands in.
Derick based the route in 1950, so I think the Brixham branch had already closed.

Cheers
Jon

[mpeffers]

Yeah, heading towards Kingswear, there's one just after the railway curves away from the coast and then another just before the line begins to bend into Churston.

According to wikipedia (so it's hardly definite). the Brixham Branch closed in '63, although it was definitely gone by the 70's so it's off little importance to you.
Actually, some of the wikipedia info may be of use to you. It seems Churston's actually changed quite a lot since preservation:

The line was sold to the Dart Valley Railway on 30 December 1972, which operated another nearby railway at Buckfastleigh. Since then Churston has become an important centre for engineering on the railway.

The signal box was reopened in 1979 to control a new crossing loop, albeit with electric multiple-aspect signals, and the following year the former Brixham bay platform was relaid. In 1981 the turntable from Goodrington was moved to a position alongside the Brixham junction at Churston. The signal box was closed again in 1991 when control of the whole line was transferred to Britannia Crossing at Kingswear. A locomotive workshop was built behind the Up (towards Paignton) platform in 1993 and the station building restored and reopened. The Brixham bay platform was then covered by a carriage workshop in 1996.

[jbilton]

Hi
Thanks for the info.

And a big thanks to Dave Wood........ a familiar land mark appears.















Cheers
Jon

[johnmnstl]

Dummy and cot syndrome setting in ' I WANT IT NOW '