I'm really into backdated stuff... My era is rail blue up until privatisation (pre Transrail, Load Haul & EWS)... I already have North Wales Coast - BR Blue, and South Lancs & North Cheshire but can anyone point me in the direction of any other backdated add-ons??? Cheers Eric
For "classic" routes, the Western Lines of Sotland Port Road, Woodhead Electric in Blue are faves of mine.
I am probably going to add the 1066 line and the Conwy line at some point. Maybe the one that connects to the London route, too. These routes look interesting and I think I've finally covered the requirements for many of them (except half of NWC for some Conwy workings, naturally).
Cyclone... The Conwy Line, if it's the route from Llandudno - Blaenau Ffestiniog and if my memory serves me correctly(!) requires the Holyhead Extension (which is no longer available!!!) and the Corris Railway (which I keep looking at but have no real interest in kettles...!!!) but would probably get it for the asset factor... Eric
There's a Version of Settle to Carlisle set in 1975 in the Workshop. It's very good. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=182318147&searchtext=settle+carlisle There's Liverpool to Manchester Piccadilly via Warrington Central - BR Blue Period On the workshop (made by Wottawally) https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=460363395 There are also scenarios for this route on his website... https://www.wotawallysbits.co.uk/l-m-workshop There's also Liverpool to Manchester Victoria and Manchester Piccadilly - BR Blue Period: v2.14 on his website.... https://www.wotawallysbits.co.uk/ts202-routes
https://backdatedtrainsim.weebly.com/conwy-valley-line.html Quoting: I read this as, if you don't have the Holyhead extension, that's fine because the line connects through the segment at Llandudno Junction, and therefore doesn't touch the extension at all. Meaning if you have a 2018 key, you're good to go. I believe the extension installs INTO the route folder itself, hence why you must back it up in case something bad happens. It also explains why it works with and without the extension, which builds on top of the path the Conwy goes through anyway. This type of project also shows why DTG needs to get NWC back out. This, plus some custom routes like North Wales Coastal in the BR Blue Period (both with and without Conwy Valley), not to mention the abundance of scenarios available already not only in the Workshop, but also at ATS (last count: over 70) that is only continuing to grow while DTG sits on it until 2022 or 2023, or possibly later, means that there is content being posted WEEKLY (on average) that users coming in presently cannot get their hands on - or, if they do, they just can't use it unless the route to Holyhead is not required provided they have a 2018 key. This route is needed back in our hands. Though I've said that so much by now that they probably are sick of hearing it from at least me at this point. "There Cyc goes talking about the coast route again." My hope is the delay means there is future development being done, but that won't help us with all the scenarios being posted right now if they can't be played in the new version. Care will need to be taken to test some of these other scenarios to see if they work; if so, then chances are most of them will provided they don't seek a train not in the new package. Fun fact: I think this is also on UKTS. So if you got it there, it might be the same, or it may be a different version. May need to check.
I will recommend the Ay Valley line on UKTS https://www.uktrainsim.com/filelib-info.php?form_fileid=39727 Its a fictitious route stretching over 100 from one end to the other and set in the era you are interested in Set in the BR Blue and later periods over 100 scenarios available on UKTS There is a long 4 track section thru the middle station, a power station, docks, colliery, two maybe 3 depots, a section of third rail track was introduced with the last update, flying and diving junctions. Mainly double track but with single track sections
Weardale & Teesdale Network. Set in the mid 1960s, there's mostly BR green, but also allows for early BR blue if you have the BR blue pack, Class 24 etc.
On the UKTS page it shows the requirements of routes European Loco and Asset Pack (Steam) RSC US Loco and Asset Pack (Steam) Portsmouth Direct Line (original Woking - Portsmouth version) (Steam) Industrial North (Doncaster Works) route (Steam) WCML North (Steam) Edinburgh to Glasgow route (Steam) Just Trains Bristol to Exeter route (original standalone route) (Steam or JT) Riviera Line in the 50s (Steam) - these assets are used exclusively to provide signals and station clutter on the preserved and mostly self-contained Bilchester & Stevebrook Steam Railway and are not required for any other section of the route "There are 14 standard and 10 free roam scenarios included with the route. These do not require any content other than that listed that is required for the route itself to load. Fully functional Quick Drive scenarios featuring a variety of AI covering most (but not all) of the route is also included" It is a BR Western Region themed route with only a small section of Third Rail added so the 37, 47, 166 and HST feature in the QD and normal scenarios In addition there are more Scenarios on UKTS and those give info as to the traction required Peter
On Backdated Trainsim there is the backdated North London line, the new version includes the DC lines to Watford and the branch to Croxley Green. Expanding on the Liverpool to Manchester is the South Lancashire and Cheshire route on Wotawally and Backdated Trainsim which is currently being extended down to Crewe. There is North East rails on UKTS which is set around Newcastle pre-Metro, I haven't got it yet but will do. Also the rails of Devon 1985 which is a excellent re-work of the Riviera line set just before the route was re-signalled. It is very atmospheric. The version of this on steam workshop is causing issues for some as there is some corruption it seems on the Carlisle tile, I can't get my version to load that tile and it crashes even after deleting the route folder and reinstalling. I haven't seen it on UKTS, there is another version set in the 1960's plus Jetgriffs 1950's version. You would think they would want to re-release it, it isn't an old route, it is iconic, they have re-released SWC and there is clearly a demand for assets as much as anything else. Even without specifically backdating it, scenarios from the early 90's when Regional Railways were running class 101's and 37's along the the route, work very well as I don't think it has changed a huge amount since the 1987 realignment in the Penmaenmawr area.
I've just installed the Crewe Works test train from the backdated trainsim site... I've meticulously followed the readme but am now stuck where it says "delete blueprints.pak", I can't find it... What do I have to do??? Thanks again... Eric
To Clear the Blueprints means Clear the Cache - in the game go to Settings - Tools - Clear the Cache The game restarts in 32bit so I stop it and restart in 64bit You can have a Desktop shortcut to do it for you when required ATS have one on their page but it is set for the Default Location Peter
If you wish to create a Clear Blueprints shortcut Go to you railworks/assets folder (You need to do this as it might not be the default location) Right Click on empty space and Create New Text Document In the new text file type - or copy this - I have two blank lines but that might not be required del /s *.pak pause Save the text file as Clear Blueprints.bat Now Right Click and Create Shortcut then cut and place it on your Desktop When it runs a load of text files go past and it pauses at the end waiting for you to hit any key You don't have to do it in the game and I only use it when adding new Freeware Peter
Thanks Peter... Is it necessary??? I ran the formation / consist seemingly without any issues... Eric
It used to be but with 64bit it does not seem so these days - I just run it if I put new Freeware on Peter
Just paid my ยฃ2.50 to download all the Ay Valley files in less than 10 minutes... BARGAIN!!! Just need Bristol - Exeter now!!!
Whilst you have a subscription for the UKTS library, I would suggest you obtain Pyne and Warrborough and the platform signs, UKTS33307 & UKTS33316, also Shethorpe and Whitley Line updated, 31953 & 30982, both late 1960s early 1970s, ideal routes for BR Blue. You can run the DTG DLC route MML BedPan, St.Pancras to Bedford if you wish, it was electrified in 1983, or, thereabouts, and with a bit of poetic licence no reason why you can't run BR Blue stuff on it. You could also buy Netherfield Nottingham, which is also late 1960s/early1970s, I run BR Blue on my version. Darren Porter has a route on Workshop called City Lines, which is small but 3rd rail, ideal for your Southern Region electrics. On his website he has the North East England route, highly recommended. You can obtain Wherry Lines either from Steam or Armstrong Powerhouse, which can also be a BR Blue route, pre-electrification in Norwich. On the backdated trainsim website is 1066 Hastings Line, another 3rd rail route for Southern Region electrics. On Steam Workshop are a couple of 1970s BR Blue routes, you obviously need the DLC to run them first, there is the London Kings Cross to Peterborough and York to Newcastle. I can also recommend the SFR Mainline v2 layout, a huge map for diesel and electric locomotives, just ripe for your BR Blue set up. As with everything, make sure you have the appropriate DLC routes first. Cheerz. Steve.
There are also two backdated versions of South Wales Coastal, 1985 and 1988 sectorisation period from the Wotawally site, I think the 1988 version is elsewhere too, I have seen it but can't recall where! I have the latter version but only had a quick swing around Bristol so far, it looks very good, it has Bath Road depot which is good to see.
Can someone provide a link to the Crewe one - can't find it in their route list, and there's no search function on the backdated website. TIA!
Do you mean the North Wales Coastal route? It does not seem to be on Backdated Trainsim but is on Wotawallys page https://www.wotawallysbits.co.uk/nwc-brblue Peter
There are some nice routes for Steam fans available as well on various websites. Recreating Britain's Lost Railways has a nice Facebook page with some lovely old routes freely available, a few from South Wales, you need to join the group to be able to download anything. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1070113816378979/ On Steam Workshop is Toton Yard, the only layout I know of in the game and highly recommended, and there are several other old steam routes, which you can make into steam/diesel layouts, An LMS route (still wip but lots to do with what has been released so far), Ragland Railway, Southbridge to Highwood and Casterbridge to Stourhead (which also both have 3rd rail), The Temsby Branch, Abeldon Woodland Railway, Border Lines, Myddleton Junction, Ridgeway Railway. And then of course you have Peter Goodearl's Wycombe Route on SteamSoundsSupreme and Trevor Wood's 1960's Waterloo Suburban Lines, and North Lincolnshire set in the 1960s by John Kirk on Wotawally's website, all highly recommended, there's enough routes there for any British steam era fan to drool over, get downloadin'...... Cheerz. Steve.
I'm still trying ti discern if you can use the Wotawallybits NWC without the Holyhead extension. My guess would be no.
I think you can as if I recall the author (now very sadly not with us) built the route before the Holyhead extension was released by DTG.
Yes, I recall that was a joint project, and that author has had several. I need to put NWC onto my video list a bit higher so I can head over to that reworked route. Also, I need to do his Windermere extension from the Workshop.
Yes he was working on many things, I think he said he was working on eight projects. The South Lancs and Cheshire is continuing and the steaming over North Wales route I believe is also being continued.
I'm going to make it a point, after I launch my channel and introduce some of the source routes, to do videos on his various projects and try to play scenarios on them. That way the work lives on. I plan to start with the Windermere extension after I finish downloading all the stuff I keep coming across. Think my collection is around 50 GB of uninstalled stuff now, and that includes the JT and AP payware folders. Though I am still going to the US and Germany too, sometimes China and Canada, maybe Japan too. I will just try to get more UK stuff so I can get his work showcased (and because there's so damn much of the UK stuff anyway LOL).
If I can figure out the editor, I have an idea for the Windermere route as well, just to make it even more of a tribute. I'll keep that to myself for now, though.
Intriguing. The editor isn't too bad to figure out to be honest. I have fettled some routes for my own enjoyment, like adding a representation of Bristol Bath Road depot to the Bristol to Exeter route, but never gone much further than that. I tried making a route once but my attention span isn't good enough and laying track was frustrating! The scenario editor whilst it can be completely baffling and annoying can be very satisfying.
