First some background:
Track layout: I've relied upon R A Cooke's excellent Track Layout Diagrams and applied some of my own rules. As the only extant lines are the main Gloucester to Chepstow and the short branch operated by the Dean Forest Railway I've bent the rules a bit. I've ignored any track that was lifted prior to 1920 and then assumed that what was left survived. So, the closures from the 1930s onwards never happened, neither did the widespread withdrawal of passenger services. Dr Beeching's parents never met. The major collieries and stone quarries in the area survived into the 1960's. I have tried to base track plans on the 1930s/40s although some places such as Lydney Junction are based on 1950s track plans. Gradients are accurate where I could find gradient diagrams, otherwise I used OS maps and Google Earth to estimate.
Scenery Forest cover is much more widespread today then it was 50 years ago and I will be (note the "will be", I've a long way to go...) basing land use on the current day using Google Earth. A lot of trees still to plant. The few buildings etc I have put down are RS stock items. I want to try my hand at custom building but will have to wait until Kuju release the Max 2009 plugin to RSDL.
Signalling I've had some fun with this and have opted, at this stage, for colour light on the mainline and John Yelland's excellent GWR LQ kit for most of the branch network. There are still a few of the "default" wooden signals about. Most of the signals use customised scripts and I am indebted to the support and help offered via this forum by Mark Brinton and AndiS in particular. I will replace most of the colour light signals with GWR LQ once John Yelland and Mark Brinton have come out with their updated post Mk2 offerings
.Rolling stock etc All standard stock items together with some of the freeware already available. Although the main route through the Forest was joint GWR/LMS up until nationalisation, it really does not feel right operating ex LMS stock on the lines so I'm hoping that someone is going to release some ex GWR locos soon!
This is still very much a work in progress. All the track is laid and tested and I now need to get the scenery done. Following Acorncomputer's excellent work I am keeping the asset count down below 1000 in urban areas and lower still out in the country although the number of trees required presents a challenge! The new IoW assets are helping. I have portals setup at Gloucester, Severn Tunnel Junction, Monmouth and Ross and must admit that my favourite past time is sitting at Lydney Junction watching the trains go by!
Lydney Junction The most difficult bit of track laying but I am now looking forward to finishing off the scenery:
Mireystock Another difficult track laying exercise. The Lydbrook line drops down 1 in 50 into a tunnel whilst the colliery sits on top of the tunnel. Snapping the terrain to the track was a nightmare!
Grange Court Junction Where the line to Ross and Hereford diverges from the main Gloucester to South Wales line.
Coleford Junction - entering the single line section of the main Forest branch
Serridge Junction looking South West with the main Forest line dropping down straight ahead at 1 in 40 and the Lydbrook line and sidings branching off to the right on the level.
Tufts Junction looking South West with the Mineral Loop line on the left and the branch from Princess Royal colliery coming in from the right just before the signal box. More trees needed!
Back to tree planting.....
Nick
However I'm very interested in the route you've done!
