Creation Sharing Marston Vale Line (bedford - Bletchley)

As part of a random side quest, I found a way to make the carriage washer spray water/be animated. Most of the time, I am working on placing down signals and there currently isn't much to show about that.

 

Here's a signal. Thats all.

 

I've been taught how to do distant signals which for some reason is a key part of the route signalling. Now once I finish placing all the signals, I have to learn how to set them all up.

 

Class 150/1 Update:
The class 150/1 for some reason has a different UV map than the 150/2 despite them being the same model. I may need to learn how to texture it another way.

 

Another class 150 update (this might become the majority of my updates for the time being).
I'll need to:
- Change the Numbering
- Change the Livery
- Change or remove the paper destinations

The great thing about this project having so many different aspects is that if I get bored/sick of a certain part, I can do something else which still contributes to getting this route done.

 

Slightly dodgy because I don't know how to properly texture yet but here's a sign.

 

Here was the result after importing.

 

Not much of an update for today, I'm just learning how to reskin the 150 and make other changes such as posters and (hopefully) seat moquettes.
I've imported the 150 into Blender but that might not be necessary.

 

Oh and the numbering has changed as well and should hopefully be working.

 

So, I've made a start on doing the LNWR livery for the Class 150/1.
It seems to be going well so far, the UV map is really weird which is annoying to deal with and may result in some inaccuracies with the final livery.
Apart from that its smooth sailing for this part of the project

 

I’ve finished the livery on the DMS coach. All I need to do now is add branding (somehow) and import it into the game. I might be able to save time and reuse the texture but I can’t remember if both coaches use the same uv map.

 

So, I've imported it into the game and fixed some of the texture glitches near the doors.

 

Here are some posters for the 150 interiors. I believe it is possible to replace the seat texture so I will attempt that over the weekend.

 

I've finished the livery except for the branding.
This is for the DMS and DMSL coach, which I've realised use the same UV map, saving so much time as I don't have to remake the livery.

 

I've gotten the old regional railways branding out and the LNWR Branding in. I've also changed the data panel to say 150/1 instead of 150/2. I now need to add branding to the DMSL coach and then the 150/1 is finally finished!

 

So I imported something I had laying around. Will probably just have it as a static object in either Bedford or Bletchley Depot.

 

Curiosity here for my own route building journey, how did you create the green guides in the background of this image? What are they for (assuming a bridge of some description?). What did you use as a reference for this (gradients, heights etc.)?

 

The green lines are just road splines I placed in the landscape mode. I just placed them based on the road height compared to assets such as OHLE masts. I remember Google Maps/earth giving height data a while back but I can't seem to find it anymore as that could have been a good way of getting references for height and such.

 

Legend

 

I've finally completed the 150 including some interior retextures.

 

Very nice! Can't wait to see how this turns out!

 

No new images for now. I've started work on Bedford station as that's the major one that needs doing. It's mostly blocking out the footbridge & waiting room at the moment.
This is also (I think) my 2nd time making models in blender instead of retexturing pre-existing ones.

 

A few things to share tonight/this morning:
I've finally fully completed the 150 (interior and exterior texture changes) including making the image for the menu selection.
All I need to do now to run the train on the route is to place all signals down and fix the few track issues.
Also, today (the 27th of Jan) is the 1 year birthday of this project!

 

I've blocked out a few structures in UE using basic shapes before exporting them into blender for actual modelling.

 

I'm doing some testing with the liveried 150/1 on the MVL route. Not all signals are in yet so not everything works. However, this test has helped me find a few animation and collision issues that I now need to fix.

 

Here's a few of the bugs lol

 

Windows are used to prevent people from entering when the doors are about to close, a new protection technology

 

I'll most likely take a break from this project for a little while to work on other non TSW related projects.

 

I'm back now. Going forward, I'll probably post maybe once a week rather than every time I work on it.
The Bletchley Flyover is now in (which looks a little low but that can be fixed later)
The high-level platforms 7 & 8 are now (mostly) done with a retexture of the original mesh from ECML to better match the platforms that are a part of the DTG WCML Bletchley station.

 

Doing texture stuff has helped me get the hang on blender in preparation for modelling stations.

 

This week's midweek update: I have no idea how to use blender properly.
(Ignore the maps not perfectly matching the platforms, it won't affect the game)

 

A little bit of a "change in scenery" here
I've modified and upgraded the landscape materials using a global overlay that Ethan Tait showed off on the discord.

 

I'd be interested in finding out more about this for my own route. Any links to the information from them?

 

If you're in the Train Sim Community discord then its here.
If not, you basically need to copy that diagram in your landscape material

 

A bit of blender work today

 

Looks like quite an impressive project so far! Hope you eventually get this over the line.

 

I did this as a test. Possibly as a future project but mainly to get more practice of making reskins and the like.

 

I'm going to try and redo the branding as my current approach is by altering the model which seems to keep causing animation issues. I belive there is a way to do it by adding child objects to the RVV.

 

The branding is now applied in-game and should no longer have the animation issues. I shall test this later on in the week!

 

Turns out later in the week meant the next afternoon. So here's the result of that:

 

Now with route accurate posters

 

I finally remembered to import the entire 319 in for scenery at bedford.

 

Looking so good! I've always wanted to drive this route since it used to be in TS Classic until it was taken down ): Super excited!

 

I finally set up the gantries for the WCML OHLE. I now realise how to properly setup OHLE masts in the editor. All that needs doing is wires then its back onto signals!

 

Just a few images to share tonight. A few changes have been made since then which aren't ready to be shown off just yet!

 

Quick update,
Development is almost non-existent at the moment. The only things I am doing are small projects such as this stop board:
Most of my time is focused on revising for exams, which gives me much less time than before.
However, I am still here and still planning to release the route.

 

Good luck with your exams!

 

Got a little bit of spare time over the next couple weeks so I'll be making this and hopefully releasing it.

It will most likely also have timetabled services on the MVL.

 

I did eventually do those 153s. I've spent some of my spare time making some nameplates for JT's upcoming 86/2 pack. I've been planning the timetable still, which at the moment should include:
- All 39 drivable 150 services
- 24 driveable freight services on the Marston Vale Line
- Around 86 WCML AI freight services
- 13 East West Rail AI services
- 17 MML AI freight services (not finished yet)

I will eventually get back to actual route building, but it will take a while due to Google Maps' new API quota, which now heavily limits the amount of world-based work (Signals, Scenery, and any missing track) that I can do in a month.