Bath - Templecombe... Workshop Route

[hertsbob]

Not too sure why I've embarked on this... Perhaps it's because I first bought RailSimulator based on the fact the route was included and I thought it deserved being looked at... Or perhaps not.

So basically, I had a look at the GE overlay on the default route to see how straightforward it would be to re-lay the track for it. In actual fact my initial plan was that I might possibly be able to somehow frig the markers so existing scenarios would work on an updated version. Not so! lol

Then I had a bash at Green Park, and the plan was to take the route to Devonshire Tunnel just to have a look... And then I just got carried away.

So now the plan is to do a rebuild job on the route to be released in stages via the Workshop, as it is only going to use Kuju assets. I've amended the track rule so I can actually lay the track(!), but I'm not sure whether or not the superelevation will survive. Hopefully it will. Otherwise it's 100% RailSimulator 2007.

But I still need to get back to work on Netherfield so the first upload of this route won't be far off. Hence the thread.

The first bit is Bath-Radstock.
Track is all done and the rest is like yeah, whatever.
(Don't get carried away with the signals either as there are probably fewer than ten in the whole route )
Green Park

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Green Park Shed

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Bath Junction

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Co-Op Siding: This is about the point where the Bath scenery ends. Not far to go before the tunnel, but having to mess around with ground levels makes things a little slow.

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Midford

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Writhlington sidings

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Radstock

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Er. That's it, really. Sorry if it's a bit dull...

Cheers

Bob

[briyeo1950]

Excellent Bob, thanks for doing this

[chrisy11]

Great stuff Bob.
I love the slow and dirty its by far my favorite route. got a fair few books on it.
When and if i ever finish my GN route i would really like to have a go at the S&D from scratch with a blank canvas so to speak.
You would be more than welcome to be chief track layer if that ever comes to fruition

Chris

[Stone75]

Great idea Bob and glad someone is taking a look at it. I did seriously consider messing with it as its looking very dated. Why only Kuju though ? Nearly everyone who likes steam has woodhead and that gives you a whole ton of nice assets or even WLoS for that matter. I had looked at the small line to Bristol St Phillips as an interesting freight run. I think I just like yards Look forward to seeing your progress shots...

steve

[firstborn]

Sorry for being stupid... What do you mean by rebuild job, Bob?

Are you talking about a complete rebuild from scratch... ie, have you relaid the track using Google maps, DEM data & gradient profiles to be more accurate?

or.. are you talking about re-detailing & re-modelling the existing route to look more realistic?

[hertsbob]

Thanks, chaps.

I reckon your best bet, Chris, would be to clone this off the Workshop and take it from there. That way you get my track laying services for free.

Why Kuju only? No idea really. I think the original plan was simply to sort the track out and just shuffle the existing assets over. I still don't really don't want to get too carried away with the scenery side of things, although it doesn't feel like that at the minute. Having said that, on the run up to Devonshire Tunnel, as far as the scenery is concerned, there's a Kuju side of the line and a Bob side. I'm not feeling that I'm especially missing out not using Woodhead assets, but I'm sure the time will come when I'll kick myself for saying it!

firstborn -
Conceptually I'm just trying to relay the trackwork for the route using the Ian Allen gradient profile, what I can find online during relatively brief searches, and the GE overlay in TS2014. The reality is that the existing route is far enough adrift to warrant most of the lineside scenery doing again so far. In the countryside stretches I'm still hoping to re-use what's already there, but from what I can see Wellow needs moving in its entirety and Shoscombe could do with rotating by about 20 degrees. To be quite fair, the guys that did the original route weren't far out (assuming that I'm accurate!), just missing out on some of the intricacies of the route. They also clearly didn't have the vast resources of the modern day internet to draw on either, and a lot of the stuff I am able to do is because I can figure out that it needs to be done only because I've randomly found it on-line. The fact that they built the original route as they did is really pretty impressive!!

That said, it's rubbish and mine's a lot better.

Where was I?

So. Bath - Kuju.
Bit tricky to see possibly but the river really gives the game away. The Kuju river is on the right, and the reality is on the left. The end of the Kuju white platform box is, in reality, about 2/3rds of the way down the trainshed.

So, as Mike Yarwood would say, this is me...
There are issues as the platforms (especially) for the Green Park station asset are way too long, and the scaling of the bridge seems a bit off too. As well as the trainshed... So the station itself doesn't quite fit, but the rest of the formation is basically on the money.

[hertsbob]

Couple of shots I took earlier of the Bath Junction realignment, which will also help you to visualise what I'm doing.

[hertsbob]

So for an update...

Here's the view looking up towards Devonshire Tunnel.

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And back the other way, from the mouth of Coombe Down Tunnel looking into Lyncombe Vale.

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Cheers

Bob

[antonyperks]

Nice work Bob, sorry to diss your efforts , but there are no arches at Lyncoombe Vale, the arches are on the exit to the tunnel just before Midford, as seen on Page 33 of somerset and dorset then and now by Mac Hawkins, there are some excellent graient profiles in there too if you require a scan i know what you mean about the alignment being out i once tried extending at evercreech out to wells etc but just couldnt get it all lined up with the DEM and overlays, and the same at Templecoombe, which is why i started my Southern S& D .

[chrisy11]

Looks much better already Bob.
I better resist this for a while. Last thing i need atm is you dangling carrots lol

Chris

[pjt1974]

Nicely done Bob.

I started messing with this route about a week ago , although all I was intending to do was change the track type to West Somerset, replace some of the trees and bushes with newer versions, change the terrain type and replace/add a few buildings.

I've also extended the track past Glastonbury, although, as Tony has pointed out, I needed to use a bit of license out of Evercreech to line up with Elbow Corner LC and Pylle.

If your thinking of heading that way yourself soon Bob, get the track laid and I'll be more than happy to do the scenery although I would be happier using the extra assets from Woodhead. It'd save both of us doing the same thing.

Regards

Phil

[hertsbob]

Thanks, chaps.

I very much doubted whether the arches were correct, and I had quite a think before I put them there. The trouble I'm having is that the terrain mesh on this whole stretch is the worst I've ever had the misfortune to have to deal with, and I used the arches as a way of trying to hide the saw-tooth embankment.

The intention has never been to wholly finish the scenery even for this short segment of the route and I've already done far more than I had originally planned which will give plenty of scope to play around with it using Woodhead assets if you want. I know that there are probably dozens of useful things I'm not using (actually, thinking about it the list is huge), but I haven't yet come across a situation where I really felt I wanted to use the WH stuff. Under-track lofts, perhaps, but that's about it to be honest.

I think I'm going to sort Radstock out because the existing 'town' is a bit vague in its interpretation, shall we say, and I'd quite to try and make it a little bit more realistic, but one thing I'm really struggling for is Radstock Market Hall...


Thinking about it there's no reason really the Workshop can't be used for route building collaborations...

Cheers

Bob

[hertsbob]

Three more.


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Er...

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Does anyone know where I can lay my hands on some decent speed limit information? I don't believe those in the default route, especially as I've seen a 35mph sign in a photo of Midford...

Cheers

Bob

[Stone75]

britishrailways.co.uk had sectional appendix of everywhere with speeds but seems to have gone I used to use this site a lot, a crying shame and a ton of info lost if its down for good.

[nike wass]

Hi Bob
I have a couple of WTT covering the S&D when the Western Region ran it I will dig them out and let you know if there is any thing of use
Regards
Mike Wass