I'm rather enjoying this game, having fought through the "what's next" bit...
In 1946, the Corporation of Scarborough had recognised the city's incessant growth required a radical new plan. Having jealously watched on as Bristol's liberal council embraced the railway's desire to complete a circular line around that city, Scarborough enlisted the services of the Midland to embark on a joint venture. James Renwick Smith, previously Director, Freight had succeeded the late Arthur Allan Dawson, who was rather more conservative than his replacement. Smith leapt at the opportunity, and the Scarborough Railway was born...
First, here's how Bristol ended up, with diesel units threading in with the main line traffic. Aside from the busy (but rather haphazard) bus network, the congestion around Bristol is now apparent - various diesel units litter the area, whilst a Marine Line express hauled by an Upcountry 4-6-0 awaits departure for Scarborough. Arriving is a heavy 0-8-0 Haar, rarely allocated to fast fish vans from South Bay Shrimp Limited. Expanding to 6 platforms is on the cards, but a second station may need to be sought.
So the next four years saw an ambitious plan develop. Familiar with the issues of a single station, the approach was to create a second terminus on the opposite side of the city near to the Walter Smith meat market. This was duly christened Southend Victoria. A light (but main line) railway was then threaded from the station down through the old town, round below the city's financial district into a sunk station at Victoria. The line then proceeded to a triangular junction with the under construction line to Godchester, finally realising the company's original expansion plans in 1931.
A few pictures follow. I won't name the individual trains but note the massive difference between Scarborough station from the last post and this one - some creative earthworks were required, including rerouting the river. Further round are the Walter Smiths sidings - cows and pigs arrive from deep in the Westcountry near Quemerford, generating large profit.
- west scarborough.PNG (452.79 KiB) Viewed 1480 times
- scarborough south.PNG (587.44 KiB) Viewed 1480 times
Finally, it scares me how quickly the town is growing - the town window reports every 2 days! When the loop stations went in I provided a couple of periphery roads over the railway - and they've already made use! Note the triangular junction - nothing's using that yet. And also, Scarborough's bus system is rather more planned - north south routes use the two stations as hubs, with a central station acting as a bus interchange. The passenger numbers are eyewatering, but it all works quite nicely!
Away from the big town, the railway's aforementioned deal with farmers in the westcountry has led to the establishment of sidings at Westridge Farm - coinciding with the construction of the Westcountry Railway, for now reaching Folkestone - it climbs over the railway and the River Quemer by way of a single track wooden tressle bridge, which rattles alarmingly in the wind. Again for comparison, note the changes that have taken place around the previously rural railway to Quemerford in this shot.
- quemerford.PNG (526.55 KiB) Viewed 1480 times
I'm absolutely loving Iron Horse, and properly rolling back the years with some of this! I don't know whether it happened in my absence, or whether JGR's PP has got something to do with it, but you can build some really organic looking spaces within towns now.