Hello Folks and welcome to a new idea for the DTL community to enjoy and come together within the Unofficial TSW Preservation Group. The main Aim is to create a small group of community members who are passionate about rail history and the preservation of this heritage the best way possible on TSW. So a little more on why I’ve decided to do this. Okay I’ll try keep this simple. Basically most of the work I do is fictional, now I know this work is not to everyone’s taste. I can appreciate that and so understand how certain people feel. Just me having creative fun at the end of the day. Yet a little conversation about fictional routes etc got me thinking again about would users really appreciate seeing some of these locomotives slapped with a daft fictional livery on. Now I’ve always been aware of this and so I felt could something be done as another key reason why I’ve chosen to go forward with the idea was getting access to accurate information. This was a big problem in my early years of trying to get the information I needed to replicate locomotives as they would be in the real world. So with that I started toying around with the idea as seen here with 52 001 and 52 002. This leads me on to what being part of the Unofficial Preservation Group is about. Now I’ve chooses the class 52 with it be a small batch. So to begin with any new members can choose 2 class 52s only as the batch numbers are low. The larger the Class Batch the higher numbers members can choose. But for now will stick with the class 52s for explanation purposes. What this means is a list will be made out by me (Others can join in on this too as or if the group expands, I’ll get back to this later on). This is so members can be listed and so allocated their chosen unit. So if I picked 52 001 and 52 002 then they would become unavailable and so allocated to me as their owner or keeper. Owner or Registered Keeper. Now this is very important for members to understand if they join. Any member who is registered the owner keeper does so under the protection of the Preservation Group rules of membership. This means under the use of the Unofficial TSW Preservation Group any locomotive under the owner/ registered keepers name is done so under the promise to accurately create to a real world description or livery that represents and preserves the locomotive to the original. To keep the locomotive in good running order and condition for preservation purposes on TSW. The ONLY thing added from the original will be the preservation banner to represent and identity the group and its members creating the work. To help maintain and manage banner use then it can be used upto a maximum of 5 times per train/rolling stock. It must as be kept to a small size therefore any member who is seen to be abusing the banner or breaking any rules or terms mentioned above can be reported by any group member. Upon so any member seen to be abusing any rules set out above will be asked to take the appropriate steps to ensure that member remains within the rules of the Unofficial TSW Reservation Group thus ensuring high standards of preservation. What if or Blending other TOCs. This is acceptable but it must be done in away to remain of some historical significance for preserving and for rail tour experiences. Use of the Banner is permitted but only upto a maximum of 2 on each unit, all members are free to upload 8 items of work EVEN IF THEY DO NOT OWN or REGISTERED KEEPER. In the description all members must state what they DO own and what they do NOT own. All other work or activities with other members and outside members of the Unofficial TSW Preservation Group. Any work or joint activities can be be done so with internal members only, this is so any work done jointly under the Unofficial TSW Preservation Group remains under the main groups aims of creating high standards and maintaining good preservation standards under the groups mains objectives. Other work or activities with outside members. There are no restrictions in place but members must refrain from using the group banner or mention of being a member of the Unofficial Preservation Group. This is so users are able to freely enjoy TSW away from group rules or guidelines set out. The main reason for the Unofficial Preservation Group is to ensure that any member who has right of ownership can enjoy being part of a group with others that share the same interests or passion to participate in preserving what they own to a high standard of accuracy And it doesn’t stop there. Options to join as Key Member or not. What this means is as the group expands (Fingers Crossed) there will be a need for members who might not have any interest or experience with livery creating. But that doesn’t necessarily mean a person feeling left out by not having the necessary skills can become a key member or element of the group by expending in other areas vital to a successful preservation group. The reason is I’d like to be able to say the group was able to collectively preserve all class of UK locomotive available right now on TSW. Some will take presidency the older it’s class type but could that be done. Take the class 43 as an example with 977 TOPS/RE Numbers according to my trusted sources then with 2 members there’s not a chance of achieving that, yet with 50 or a hundred members owning 10 then it’s possible in time. So I’d like to offer or provide the opportunity for other members to be involved with the group who feel they could be a benefit to what a preservation group does. Ie computer work for data logging or tracking ownership/ fleet management as a way to build a better understanding or vision of the past most still try replicate with models. People who have a great understanding of rail history who would be vital and most certainly a key factor to what the group aim is. Being a Key Member. This would mean being part of how the group is run and would help with maintaining the group aims of preservation. It means having the ability to cast votes on key group matters. Yet I feel with no members at the moment I feel it would be be wrong of me to draw up a basic framework. But simply put being a key member means they have a voice in how things get done moving forward as the group evolves. NON Key Members. As a non key member will mean they have no access to how the group is run. If any non key members have any concerns tho they can reach out to me directly or chosen member or representatives of a class Type. I don’t want any member feeling like they cannot speak with anyone about issues or ideas. Ie the more members join I’d be able to see if they wish to be representatives in their respective key members position. So I think that’s about it for now. Please forgive me if I’ve not fully explained or covered everything but it’s early days and so all I can do is say I do hope you the community who are interested in doing something regarding preservation or help provide historical information that’s so helpful when it comes to creators replicating their locomotives to the highest of standard and high level of detail. With that group information can be shared so all users work improves so TSW have access to every single UK class chosen by key members within group as time goes on. The more members the more class can be added other than just the class 52s for now. And for once there is no fictional content, except the whole concept. Or a world where we can say we own a locomotive, a locomotive that never went to the locomotive depot in the sky. With TSW we the community within the Unofficial TSW Preservation Group can bring them all back. Like treating TSW as it were a Time Machine, where if we go back to the 70, 80s what be waiting?. And if time wasn’t hard on locomotives that did go to the depot in the sky then again using TSW a Time Machine not one class of locomotive, or class of unit ever left the main line. They would be kept in running order by the group for preserving their past and our history. For the fun of it on TSW as a massive community group challenge and for some a historical moment to visually have access to a running class type and possibly collate all the information shared for data collection purposes. Thank you to all that reached this far. Please drop a comment if interested in joining. Have fun Folks and enjoy the rest of the day. Rigsby. ✌.