British Rail Set (BRTrains v2)

[audigex]

Aventras, FLiRTs, Pacers, Badgers, Parry People Movers, and the London Underground, we've got it all. Along with some significant updates to Turbostars, Coradias, Pendolinos, Electrostars, and Desiros along the way... A mere 6 years in the making, BRTrains has finally had an update. And it's a big one!

So big that the set has been renamed and released as a separate GRF rather than a straight upgrade, although much of the "meat" of BRTrains is still present. With 200+ new unit-livery combinations, dozens of new units, dozens of reworked units, more fixes and improvements than I can count, it brings the set right up into the modern era while also back-filling some old liveries and units.

Perhaps most importantly, a lot of work has gone into improving scaling, alignment, and general consistency throughout the set. There's more work to be done here, but the set is far more cohesive than it used to be. This has been a big update, and I started on it 2 years ago, but the intention is to put out smaller releases more often from this point onwards, now that the bulk of the work "overhauling" of the set is done

The set is based on the MUTS (Modern UK Train Set) build process, which itself was an addon to BRTrains, and includes all units from MUTS except for the 805 and 807 which have been temporarily removed until we see them running in real liveries on the mainline

Want to contribute? Here's the Github - throw a pull request over and I'll take a look

Want to report a bug, request a new unit, or suggest something for rework or improvement? The best place would be our Discord

A full-ish changelog can be found in the Development thread, although there were so many changes that I've not even mentioned livery changes

A selection of new units or liveries is shown below, but this really doesn't even scratch the surface

[audigex]

v2.2 released

- BR350/444/450 - Tidied up cab a little, improved diagonal view cab windows
- BR91/Mk4/IC225 sets - Added LNER Modified Intercity Swallow livery, tidied up spritesets
- Mk3/Mk5 - Fixed sleeper coaches being available from year 0
- Mk3 DVT - improved graphics (unit not yet in game)
- Moved some old graphics to archive

[Lex-Pelham]

v2.2 released

- BR350/444/450 - Tidied up cab a little, improved diagonal view cab windows
- BR91/Mk4/IC225 sets - Added LNER Modified Intercity Swallow livery, tidied up spritesets
- Mk3/Mk5 - Fixed sleeper coaches being available from year 0
- Mk3 DVT - improved graphics (unit not yet in game)
- Moved some old graphics to archive

Wow. A new update three day after the initial release. Keep them coming.

[Redirect Left]

So pleased to see an update to the BRTrains set. I've started a new game with the updated set, and its a really worthwhile upgrade. Finally, something made me move from my save started back in 2019!

[audigex]

v2.3 released

- Added LNWR 0-6-2 "Webb Coal Tank"
- Added Blue Pullman
- Added Class 52
- Added Class 41/252 (HST Prototype)
- Added a small-medium hopper wagon
- Fixed Class 70 (OG Southern Region) and 71 descriptions saying diesel despite being electric
- Fixed Class 70OG, 71, and 90 being purchaseable from Diesel depots despite being electric
- Fixed Class 70OG and 71 purchase sprites
- Fixed LNER coach Maroon and Carmine/Cream livery spritesheets
- Fixed some introductory dates

So pleased to see an update to the BRTrains set. I've started a new game with the updated set, and its a really worthwhile upgrade. Finally, something made me move from my save started back in 2019!

Glad you like it I'm aiming to put out updates much more regularly from this point onwards, although as with any set it just depends on my free time. Current focus is adding Steam and early BR Diesel and Electric locomotives - the set is pretty well filled out for modern MUs for now

[Redirect Left]

I'm hoping at some point you find time to add the Class 144, another of the Pacer series. Other than being quite memorable for me, as I lived on a line served by them almost exclusively for nearly 10 years, but they offer a large(ish for the time and areas) increase with the central added carriage, with now upwards of 150 seated passengers. They'd be quite a useful tool for people like me who try to use older or less... well engineered DMUs for smaller routes where demand rarely merits anything more expensive.

[audigex]

I'm hoping at some point you find time to add the Class 144, another of the Pacer series. Other than being quite memorable for me, as I lived on a line served by them almost exclusively for nearly 10 years, but they offer a large(ish for the time and areas) increase with the central added carriage, with now upwards of 150 seated passengers. They'd be quite a useful tool for people like me who try to use older or less... well engineered DMUs for smaller routes where demand rarely merits anything more expensive.

It's on the to-do list

I'm actually planning to re-work all the pacers at some point - they're okay but the graphics aren't *quite* in the same style as most of the rest of the set. So if I don't add the 144 before that, it will definitely be part of that update

[Redirect Left]

This may not be a bug, depends how you want to word it, more like. The Class 230 (both 2 & 3 car) are officially DEMU, or Battery Electric i think. In-game it appears as EMU, the wording is a little confusing, certainly made me go "...wait what?" when i was at an unelectrified depot. Perhaps there is a better way of wording it than 'Electric Multiple Unit' on the information, to make it more clear it will run on non-electric tracks?

2022-08-14 16_44_38-OpenTTD jgrpp-0.48.1.png (5.53 KiB) Viewed 21316 times

[audigex]

Yeah EMU probably isn't the right descriptor for that unit, I'm happy to consider that as a bug - they're powered by motors but the primary power is from diesel engines

I've changed it to DEMU ("Diesel-Electric Multiple Unit" in the description box), fix will be in the next minor release, probably in about a week or two depending how fast I make some other changes I'm working on. It's 50-50 on whether the next version will be a breaking change (I've reworked the Class 33 because it's hideously out of scale, but also changed the unit length to be more realistic), but I might skip that to the next version if there are a couple of minor fixes in this one

[Ross999123]

Hi audigex. These look really great, thanks for your time and effort.

I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong, but when I tried to add it in a current game, around 400 existing trains looked greyed out (knackered). I have all of the other GRFs. I do note the warning about deleting existing GRFs, but when I do this, well, it knackers out the existing ones anyway.

Does this mean that I'd have to send all the incompatible ones to depot, move the orders to a train which is compatible, such as Modern UK Train Set, then re-copy everything to the new trains? Or should I just wait until further updates which work with existing GRFs (unlikely, I'm guessing).

I suspect I may be too far into the existing game to start again - well, I just don't fancy starting from scratch as I've spent a almost two years in my current game. However, I do appreciate that you've invested a lot of time and effort, so should I just get on with it?

Thanks for your continued work on this project

[kamnet]

I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong, but when I tried to add it in a current game, around 400 existing trains looked greyed out (knackered). I have all of the other GRFs. I do note the warning about deleting existing GRFs, but when I do this, well, it knackers out the existing ones anyway.

Anytime you modify an existing game save you risk corrupting the content of the game. Even if you removed all the old vehicles before removing the NewGRFs they came from, it is still highly possible that your game will be corrupted.

You are better off either finishing your current game from a previous save, or just starting a new game with this set added.

[Ross999123]

I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong, but when I tried to add it in a current game, around 400 existing trains looked greyed out (knackered). I have all of the other GRFs. I do note the warning about deleting existing GRFs, but when I do this, well, it knackers out the existing ones anyway.

Anytime you modify an existing game save you risk corrupting the content of the game. Even if you removed all the old vehicles before removing the NewGRFs they came from, it is still highly possible that your game will be corrupted.

You are better off either finishing your current game from a previous save, or just starting a new game with this set added.

Thanks for getting back to me.

I'm not averse to sailing close to the rocks when the waters are a bit choppy. I usually stress-test anything new I add to the existing game and bash on from there, all being well. I also have a few save files on the go to make sure I don't pass a point of no return.

I think that I may need to create a new map in the case of these NewGRFs. Thanks very much for confirming this to me, appreciate you're an authority on all OpenTTD matters.

[audigex]

Hi audigex. These look really great, thanks for your time and effort.

I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong, but when I tried to add it in a current game, around 400 existing trains looked greyed out (knackered). I have all of the other GRFs. I do note the warning about deleting existing GRFs, but when I do this, well, it knackers out the existing ones anyway.

Does this mean that I'd have to send all the incompatible ones to depot, move the orders to a train which is compatible, such as Modern UK Train Set, then re-copy everything to the new trains? Or should I just wait until further updates which work with existing GRFs (unlikely, I'm guessing).

I suspect I may be too far into the existing game to start again - well, I just don't fancy starting from scratch as I've spent a almost two years in my current game. However, I do appreciate that you've invested a lot of time and effort, so should I just get on with it?

Thanks for your continued work on this project

Hi Ross

There have been a LOT of changes to the project since the original Version 1 release, which is why it's been released under a separate name and GRF ID. Unfortunately, I don't think it's really possible to upgrade a savegame from the original release to use the new version, as there have been so many changes.

If you do wish to switch to BRSet in a new savegame that you want to play for a long time, I'd actually recommend waiting a little longer... sometime in the next month or so I intend to release a "breaking change" which will mean you won't be able to upgrade between versions of the new set either - this is necessary because there are a few trains which are the wrong length (like the Class 33) and a few other changes that I can make/fix while doing that. If you like, I can reply again to this message to tell you when that's happened? After that new version you should hopefully be able to use the set for pretty much forever, just upgrading to the new version as you go along. I can't guarantee there will never be another breaking change, but with a bit of luck this will be the only one

So my suggestion to you would be to play your current save for another month or two, and then after that maybe start a new game and you should hopefully be able to play that savegame for several more years

[audigex]

Version 2.4 released, with the usual mixture of fixes, new units, and new liveries for existing units

Changelog below, updated GRF now available on BaNaNaS

# v2.4 (20/08/22)
- Added Kestrel Type 5 Prototype
- Added 18100 (Class 80 gas turbine variant)
- Added Class 80 (Prototype 25kV electric)
- Added Class 81-86 (AL1-AL6)
- Added Class 87
- Added Class 170 Northern Livery (3 car only)
- Modified BR68 + Mk5 rake to use the new BR68 model
- Improved Class 55 shading
- Added missing Class 89 pantographs
- Fixed Class 230 description to DEMU instead of EMU
- Fixed Class 170 Greater Anglia livery middle car using end car Graphics
- Fixed Class 220/221 purchase sprites
- Fixed Class 395 name/description
- Minor graphical fix for BR455 (BR Blue livery)

[Lex-Pelham]

Version 2.4 released, with the usual mixture of fixes, new units, and new liveries for existing units

Changelog below, updated GRF now available on BaNaNaS

# v2.4 (20/08/22)
- Added Kestrel Type 5 Prototype
- Added 18100 (Class 80 gas turbine variant)
- Added Class 80 (Prototype 25kV electric)
- Added Class 81-86 (AL1-AL6)
- Added Class 87
- Added Class 170 Northern Livery (3 car only)
- Modified BR68 + Mk5 rake to use the new BR68 model
- Improved Class 55 shading
- Added missing Class 89 pantographs
- Fixed Class 230 description to DEMU instead of EMU
- Fixed Class 170 Greater Anglia livery middle car using end car Graphics
- Fixed Class 220/221 purchase sprites
- Fixed Class 395 name/description
- Minor graphical fix for BR455 (BR Blue livery)

Pleased to see a new version of BRTrains2 for the weekend.

I just had a chance to checkout the new and updated fleet, and I notice that the Class 170 Northern (3-car set) is missing its middle car, which might affect the number of passengers it will carry. Nothing major, just a small hiccup that needs attention.

Slendingbury Transport, Jul 18th, 2000.png (16.96 KiB) Viewed 20966 times

Over all, your NewGRF is smashing. Keep up the good work and Thank you .

[audigex]

Thanks, looks like I re-used a value in the livery switching - it also seems to mess up a couple of other liveries. I've fixed it for the next version

Bug reports always welcome, I'd much rather know and be able to fix it

[Lex-Pelham]

Thanks, looks like I re-used a value in the livery switching - it also seems to mess up a couple of other liveries. I've fixed it for the next version

Bug reports always welcome, I'd much rather know and be able to fix it

Audigex,

I'm glad to have informed you about the hiccup with the Class 170 Northern (3-car set). If I find anymore bugs, I'll drop in and leave a post.

Good luck and keep them coming
Lex-Pelham

[Ross999123]

Hi audigex. These look really great, thanks for your time and effort.

I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong, but when I tried to add it in a current game, around 400 existing trains looked greyed out (knackered). I have all of the other GRFs. I do note the warning about deleting existing GRFs, but when I do this, well, it knackers out the existing ones anyway.

Does this mean that I'd have to send all the incompatible ones to depot, move the orders to a train which is compatible, such as Modern UK Train Set, then re-copy everything to the new trains? Or should I just wait until further updates which work with existing GRFs (unlikely, I'm guessing).

I suspect I may be too far into the existing game to start again - well, I just don't fancy starting from scratch as I've spent a almost two years in my current game. However, I do appreciate that you've invested a lot of time and effort, so should I just get on with it?

Thanks for your continued work on this project

Hi Ross

There have been a LOT of changes to the project since the original Version 1 release, which is why it's been released under a separate name and GRF ID. Unfortunately, I don't think it's really possible to upgrade a savegame from the original release to use the new version, as there have been so many changes.

If you do wish to switch to BRSet in a new savegame that you want to play for a long time, I'd actually recommend waiting a little longer... sometime in the next month or so I intend to release a "breaking change" which will mean you won't be able to upgrade between versions of the new set either - this is necessary because there are a few trains which are the wrong length (like the Class 33) and a few other changes that I can make/fix while doing that. If you like, I can reply again to this message to tell you when that's happened? After that new version you should hopefully be able to use the set for pretty much forever, just upgrading to the new version as you go along. I can't guarantee there will never be another breaking change, but with a bit of luck this will be the only one

So my suggestion to you would be to play your current save for another month or two, and then after that maybe start a new game and you should hopefully be able to play that savegame for several more years

Much appreciated, audigex!

You've actually inspired me to do a bit of both now. My current map could be a little bit bigger, to the point where any new IRL stations which are built in the future could mean that there's only as little as three tiles between stations I actually intend to share the completed map to all who may want this, crediting the graphics' creators, as I'd not have proceeded with this project if it wasn't for these real-life sets. I suspect this should be done before the end of this year.

I'll keep trying your GRF and any existing GRF updates in the months ahead to see if any are workable with my current map. I suspect I'll eventually move onto the new map, where I can see that the majority of the trains work and there’s only a minor warning about “it may look confusing”, which isn’t a problem. The only two trains I couldn’t find on the new map was a London Midland (the skin which look super realistic on the class 350) and SouthEastern Railway (dark blue, with neat carriage detailed colours on the class 375), I believe these belong to a different NewGRF developer.

On the current map, I still have much to do with the intercity services and the east highland route, such as the North Wales route; and a bit more diagramming, where depot space is sufficient.

Ramble: I've completed Greater Anglia (LE), C2C (CC), Mersey (MR), Southeastern (SE), Hull (HT), Chiltern (CH), Grand Central (GC); most of Northern (NR), Southern (SN), ScotRail (SR), Overground (LT) and GWR (GW); some of West Mids and LNWR (LM), TfW (AW), TransPennine (TP), Thameslink (TL), Avanti (VT), CrossCountry (XC) and LNER (GR); none of the new Elizabeth Line (too hard, as I'd probably not be able to fit all the stations into London!), Island line (pff), Gatwick/Heathrow Express (again, easy enough).

So, I'm going to do a full quail map again, but with more space on a 4k (width) x 8k (length) map this time. I'll also share the completed map as a scenario before I proceed on with filling it up with my... "model railway?" (I think that's what this project has evolved into).

I suspect this project will take a year to complete, maybe a little longer depending on how quiet I can make this winter (and next year, at this rate). Filling the map will probably take 2 years to do, depending on whether they have a full time job.

[audigex]

Your game sounds like exactly the same kind of game I was playing a couple of years ago, which prompted me to start working on updating this set I got fed up of not having current liveries, so I decided to add them

I've been working on a modified version of the UK 4K x 4K map with extra towns (so that almost every town on the National Rail All Operators All Stations route map is represented) and London split into smaller suburbs/towns etc, it'll only work with JGR though, as I forgot to modify it on vanilla and I'm not repeating the work done already

The 375 carriage details, if you're referring to the red and gold/yellow highlights, did vanish in translation to BRSet, I completely re-worked the Electrostars and although some things made it over (the "unwrapped" 5th carriage for the 378), others did not

Some things like that are just a tradeoff - details can be nice but they take disproportionate amounts of time, so the time taken to add things like the London Overground "Poppy" livery or First Class flashes on coaches, could be used to add an entire new unit

[Ross999123]

To be fair, a 4K x 4K map is more than enough for all stations and towns, but as I started my project with the vanilla game and made a few EXTREMELY COSTLY mistakes along the way, I find that I've pigeonholed myself into a bit of a corner. I didn't know about the magic bulldozer or cheat menu for that matter. Town starting points are now suppressed by stations or masses of railway tracks. North England towns are disproportionately too far away from Scottish central belt cities (which are too spaced apart too). I suspect that HS2 will put paid to my current map as the Elizabeth line has since done for the most part.

With reference to the BRSet, that sounds like the very one. The sets look amazing, but fully appreciate that it would have cost a lot of time - when filling a map can take 3 years off your life, time is very scarce indeed!

Anyway, I'll pop back into this forum when I've got something to share myself, which should be relatively soon(?)

Good luck with your project in the meantime