Digital Traction

[michaelhendle]

Hi

The one in the steam store is a class 24 Built by North British 1949-50,100 were built for use on branch lines in the Cape Orange Free State and Transvaal,some times one could be seen at Ladysmith,as it came over the Drakensburgs from Bethlehem OFS,if no 15F was available

The 19D was largest fleet of steam locomotives used everywhere in South Africa,they were built in batches by Borsig,Skoda,Henschel,North British, Robert Stephenson Hawthorn Krupps and built between 1937-53,the first 135 were built in Germany and Czechoslovakia until 1939,the rest in Britain from 1947 the final total was 268.

Mike

[sem34090]

The Caledonian Railway Wagon Pack is out now: digitaltraction.co.uk/mainsite/products ... wagon-pack

I'm leaving it for now: I seem to remember that it was to be included in the CR 812 pack, along with coaches, and of course the loco.

[AndiS]

Of course, dont get me wrong. I love suggestions Its just hard to get ahold of drawings and proper reference material to do some of these models. For instance, someone mention making a LNER Hush Hush for TS. I think you can get drawings for it but they are rather expensive to buy and the other issue is finding reference photos of cabs, details and such. Then what are you going to use for sounds? I doubt anyone is still alive to have seen it to say what it sounded like and there isnt much information on it other than buying books but then again, that also costs money.

It might be a naive academic view but I would really appreciate it if you guys (the payware producers, independently but not necessarily without DTG) come up with some sort of white paper on the standards you set yourself in your modelling. Like "aim for ..." and "minimum requirement"; separated for exterior, cab, sounds, physics.

Most of all, I find it important to make this distinction:
1) Present day stock that can be witnessed in real action.
2) Stock for which (fair enough) videos exist, but which is otherwise inaccessible (remote country or out of service for some years).
3) Preserved stock.
4) No traces left other than drawings and pictures.

People simply need to understand that gone is gone. Compare the discussions of enthusiastic and selfless people about the true colours of long gone stock and stations. Buying drawings from archives is definitely A level. Asking surviving staff about the distant past is a thorny issue. Interpolating sound from whatever footage might exist or from similar items that survived is must as experimental.

Regarding sound, I feel that "right" or "wrong" can be hard even if you go and listen to it yourself. I know that some sounds out there are way off but I would not even dare to put up a concise list of what I believe to be wrong. I find it all too subjective and it can all be just a synthesis of sound clips produced in your sound chip and sent to your loud speakers.

It is a bit similar with physics. We are very, very far from an agree-upon physical model of the inner workings of a steamer and we will never get all the data to feed it for each engine that has ever been there. Observing preserved engines is better than nothing but a load of influence factors are totally different (maintenance patterns, staff experience, staff fatigue and health state, speed, train load, trip length, working patterns, coal, grease).

Have you ever thought of producing some "making of"? Either a text about the engine, or a talk given at the corresponding society? They should love to get your feedback, or so I believe. Archiving stuff is one thing, putting it together and "making it live" if only in simulation is a complement to it that I appreciate a lot.

The Caledonian 812 itself has costed me over 1000 quid to make in TS because of having to buy drawings, original drawings from St. Rollox, books on CR liveries, CR rolling stock, CR rolling stock drawings, paying for a professional to go and record sounds off of the preserved CR 828. At the end of the day, it does cost a lot of money to make these models properly and some engines are harder to come by than others.

1000 is impressing indeed. However the professional sound recording is in it and that will make the bigger part, I guess.

[sem34090]

I think a 'making of' feature would be fantastic, and it would show those who don't know just how much effort, time and money go into all of this.

[GWR09271992]

The Caledonian Railway Wagon Pack is out now: digitaltraction.co.uk/mainsite/products ... agon-pack/

I'm leaving it for now: I seem to remember that it was to be included in the CR 812 pack, along with coaches, and of course the loco.

the CR 812 will be coming with completely different stock entirely. The 812 and other CR engines will be getting their own stock. This wagon pack is separate and is a limited time item.

Kris

[sem34090]

Hi Kris,

How limited is the time? I'd like to get this with the 812, rather than on its own (i.e. buy both packs at the same time), as currently there's nothing (to modern standards) to complement the wagons in this pack. The 812 will complement them!

All the best,

sem34090

[Victorianlad]

Hi Kris,

How limited is the time? I'd like to get this with the 812, rather than on its own (i.e. buy both packs at the same time), as currently there's nothing (to modern standards) to complement the wagons in this pack. The 812 will complement them!

All the best,

sem34090

I dont know, its very early work and I dont really like it much. Its only on sale to help Chris Eden Green as I am giving him all the money it makes. Once 123 is out, I will take it down.

Kris

[Auscgu]

The wagons have been on the market for some time
There where two pack from Caledonia Works
Caledonia wagon pack and LMS wagon pack

Note the Caledonia web page is down for maintenance and has been for a bit
Digital Traction hosting the wagons direct might mean the Caledonia Works might be seeing tough times
Digital Traction could confirm

I am a western man but love rolling stock and under the LMS guise could of travel far and wide
I bought them from Caledonia Works, might be worth more now as first release
Like books maybe
Ausc

[Victorianlad]

I am the one who made "Caledonia Works". At the time I was going to have my own webpage branching off of Digital Traction but we decided it would be easier and more beneficial to bring me into the DT team full time as one of their own so the Caledonia Works is down and wont be coming back as everything will be sold of DTs main site from now on as its easier.

Kris

[sem34090]

I noticed the posts on CR 123. Until that point I wasn't intending to purchase... however, beauty works wonders! My card now appears to have run away in fright of the beautiful giant beast that is CR 4-2-2 No.123 pounding towards it...

All the best,

sem34090

[sem34090]

123 looks to be shaping up nicely... but the best is behind! (Adams Radial!!!)

All the best,

sem34090

[sem34090]

Nice to hear more about the Lyme Regis route today: I didn't realise how vast it's become!

A requirements list would be good though...

And the LSWR luggage van looks fantastic!

All the best,

sem34090

[michaelhendle]

Could do with some LSWR Iron clad coaches for the era it's set in ,I'm not sure if they lasted into the BR era
Mike

[sem34090]

DT are going one step better/older and are offering LSWR 48ft Non-Corridors, or so I believe. Makes sense, as they lasted (only just... mostly as lengthened rebuilds which DT might be offering too) into BR days, but are appropiate for pretty well any livery the Adams wore/has worn (Apart from maybe EKR Green or Black or Blue, or whatever it was painted. Also maybe not Catterick/Longmoor (WD) Blue or Black with GWR safety valve bonnet... bit specialist that one! )

Ironclads would be nice too though. Personally I'd prefer a Southern push-pull set to be offered, preferably something nearer the Gate Stock end of the scale than the rather late (1959-ish?) Birdcage, Ironclad and Maunsell Rebuilds.

All the best,

sem34090

[longbow]

Agreed - a push-pull set would be welcome. A rebuilt Ironclad set would be right for the Seaton branch and also the Southampton-Weymouth route.